January Week 1 Scout Clark’s Must-See Matchups!
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The new year gets off to a hot start with some big-time matchups going on across the state in both private and public-school leagues. Let’s take a closer look at some of the intriguing matchups that will be taking place…
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Continue ReadingThe new year gets off to a hot start with some big-time matchups going on across the state in both private and public-school leagues. Let’s take a closer look at some of the intriguing matchups that will be taking place in the first week of the month and some of the players that we feel will have a major impact.
Laney HS vs New Hanover HS: We saw these two teams matched up over the summer and the atmosphere had a state tournament vibe to it, so we already know that the matchup this week will have an even higher level of energy in the building. Laney comes into this matchup with a record of 13-0 while New Hanover only has 1 loss to their record which came last week, prior to that loss they were on an 8-game winning streak.
Players To Watch
He’s a special talent that plays the game with a high amount of energy and seems to play some of his best basketball in these types of big-time environments. It will be interesting to see the impact that he can make on both ends of the floor and how much his physicality and toughness will play a factor in this game. He leads the team in scoring at over 15 PPG as well as averaging just under 5 Assist per contest.
Embraces his role as the second option on the offensive side of the ball, averaging over 11 Points per game but where he really makes his mark is on the defensive side of the ball. He’s averaging over 4 steals per game and doesn’t hesitate about taking on the responsibility of guarding some of the best players on the opposing team.
One of the top unsigned senior wings on the east side of the state, he’s gotten off to an outstanding start this season and has been a huge part of the reason that they currently have an undefeated record. He’s a very unselfish player that can score the ball with efficiency but doesn’t hesitate to pass up his own shot to get his teammates involved. Look for him to have a big-time game and for the ball to be in his hands down the stretch when his team needs someone to make a play.
Could very well be the X-factor in this matchup as he is one of the Guards on this team that has played in numerous big-time games before. He currently is averaging just under 13 Points per game, can score the ball from the perimeter as well as getting to the basket and can be a very solid defender. He will be called on as one of the players to attempt to slow down the Guard play of NHHS and his ability to do so could be a key factor.
Cape Fear Academy vs Greensboro Day School: Both teams will be teams making a deep run in the state playoffs and they each feature numerous players that can play on the college level as well as plenty of legit size. GDS comes into this matchup with a record of 16-3 while Cape Fear Academy has a record of 10-3 which should make for a very nice matchup between these two programs.
Players To Watch
A special talent that can take over games, he’s shown his ability to score the ball in various way and brings the senior leadership that you have to love. Look for him to make his imprint on this game early on in what should be a good matchup of players at the guard spot.
Highlights
Markus Pastorcic
Markus Pastorcic
A name that you may not be totally familiar with at this point, but he clearly has displayed his potential to play on the next level. He has good size for a college PG at 6’3, plays both ends of the floor and understands what it takes to lead his team. Don’t be surprised to see him come out aggressive in this matchup as this will be a great opportunity to turn some heads of coaches on the next level.
Goldsboro HS vs Farmville Central: This matchup features two of the top teams in the 2A division on the east side of the state as well as two of the top seniors in the state. Farmville is recently coming off another impressive appearance in the John Wall Invitational while Goldsboro wrapped up the WJG Classic Championship against a very impressive Wayne Country Day School squad. Look for this matchup to have plenty of fireworks and for the gym to packed with fans from Goldsboro and Farmville.
Players To Watch
The high-flying UNO signee continues to impress on both ends of the floor but recently he has shown an improvement knocking down perimeter shots which only makes him an even more impressive player and difficult matchup. One of the players that brings the energy for this group, if they are able to force turnovers and get out into transition, things could get interesting very quickly.
Highlights
One of the top unsigned seniors in the entire state, he’s seeing a boost in his recruitment after taking home the WJG Christmas Classic Tournament MVP Award. Since the event he’s picked up several scholarship offers and it doesn’t take long to see why so many colleges are interested. He’s an extremely athletic player, can score inside and out, has a physique that looks like he already belongs on the next level and plays the game with a competitive edge.