Wofford Camp Team Review Part 2

Pinecrest The Paladins brought an undermanned team to Spartanburg, but that didn’t stop them from having success, going 3-1 on Saturday. They started off with an impressive 57-44 win over Wando, who beat Denmark earlier in the camp. Oscar Lynch started off the game on a tear, scoring the team’s first 7 points and 13 total in the 1st half. He was productive throughout the spring for the Atlanta Allstars 15U group but has an even bigger role with Pinecrest. Lynch is already a legit 6’5+ with guard skills and athleticism as just a rising sophomore. He can hurt you in a variety of ways and has a good understanding of the game. Lynch scored 17 of the team’s 36 points before going down with an ankle injury. A travel teammate of Lynch’s, JJ Hayes is an important for both the Allstars and Paladins. Pinecrest doesn’t have many post players; Hayes is a wing but plays much bigger for the team. He has good strength and doesn’t mind getting physical at all. His outside shot is effective, he rebounds, and makes hustle plays. His toughness and willingness to do the little things are a big help for this team. Oscar isn’t the only Lynch on Pinecrest. His older brother, Hank, is a rising senior and gives them another solid weapon. He finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds in their win over Wando, proving to be an effective inside option. Lynch plays extremely hard on both ends and has mixing things up in the paint and throwing his body around. It was nice to see Lynch take on a bigger role and get more opportunities compared to when I had seen him in the spring with the Reach Higher Kings. Running the point for Pinecrest is senior Josh Boeye. He has good size for a PG and is very patient on the offensive end. Boeye sets the table well and makes sure to get teammates involved first before looking for his own points. He is a capable scorer, especially from the outside. Boeye’s perimeter shot is soft and consistent, he doesn’t need much time to get in a groove from deep.   Metrolina Metrolina brought a fundamental group with nice chemistry to Spartanburg. I had seen multiple guys from their team in various settings prior to the camp and they create a solid, well-rounded team when they’re all together. Transfer Drew Patterson looks determined to have a big season for the Warriors. He made a reputation as a knock-down shooter this spring with PSB, but also showed other parts to his game at camp. I was most impressed with his defense; Patterson locked in on ball-handlers and moved his feet extremely well. He made PG’s tired and forced them into bad decisions. He showed some slashing ability as well, getting by guys with his speed and embracing contact on finishes. Another PSB product, 2021 Camden Johnson had a nice weekend too. I enjoyed watching him throughout the spring and he displayed some of the same qualities that I liked about him previously. He has a compact outside shot that goes in consistently and is released quickly. Johnson is thin but plays with toughness on both ends. He rebounds well for a guard and makes an impact on defense. Johnson contributes in a lot of areas and brings the same approach to each game. Josh Owens and Jake Brockmann help Metrolina with their size and versatility. Owens is a strong lefty who play inside and out for Metrolina. He has some ball skills and can take bigger defenders out to the perimeter to blow by them. Owens shoots the ball confidently and will even take some 3’s. Brockmann plays more of a perimeter role and has proven to be an effective outside shooter. He has good height, length, and IQ. Metrolina does not have a particularly big team this year so they will rely on Owens and Brockmann for rebounding and help inside, which both are capable of. Michael Mason and Blair Crumbie are two other effective backcourt pieces for Metrolina. Both can give the Warriors boosts in the scoring department but also help them out defensively. They racked up a good amount of steals and ignited transition opportunities. Mason has the speed and quickness to make things happen in the open court. Crumbie moves well off the ball and plays confidently on the perimeter. They will both be important pieces this year. West Forsyth Rounding out the Forsyth teams that made the trip is West Forsyth. They look ready for another solid season in the county and their region. After missing all of last high school season, Joseph Staiti is going to do a lot of good things for the team. He got back in form throughout the spring and his best game I saw at camp came against Bearden. Staiti is physical and plays through contact on both sides of the ball; it is most apparent when he is rebounding. He flies in for traffic boards and yanks them away between bodies. He can take hits and finish when attacking the basket, and is capable of hurting teams with his outside shot. Staiti could pick up some interest this weekend. Jack Bock and Broc Bidwell played well again at Wofford like they did at Georgia State. They split ball-handling responsibilities and can score in bunches. Both have effective pull-up jumpers and aren’t afraid to challenge guys inside and convert. They had numerous people talking about their toughness, it sets a good example for the rest of the team. Bock has started to garner interest from some lower level programs while Bidwell has heard from multiple D1 programs since the contact period opened for 2021 prospects. Adding Nick Zabetakis to these two makes a really solid back court. West also has some size with guys like Sterling Johnson, Tyler Lane, and Russell Miller. Johnson, a transfer from King’s Ridge, is a tall wing who uses his long arms and long strides to slash to the basket. He has shown other pieces to his offensive games and plays with some energy. Miller and Lane are both built well and give the Wolverines an inside presence. They aren’t restricted to the paint though, both are mobile and have stepped out for perimeter jumpers.