#TerryTalks: NE Regional Semi-Final Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The NE Region included Spark Park vs. Sparkman and Hunstville vs. Oak Mountain, and here are a few players that stood out in the semifinal games…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1376267,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/01/PH-Caleb-Harrison.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/01/PH-Caleb-Harrison.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1376267" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1392153' first='Caleb' last='Harrison']</strong>&nbsp;(6'10/PF/'24/Huntsville HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: caleb_harrison23</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @_Caleb_Harrison</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">I am going to go ahead and give Caleb that extra inch and list him at 6'10. Maybe he will stop bothering me about that extra inch now. However, if his squad doesn't win state, he is going back down to 6'9 in my books. Caleb had an impactful performance against Oak Mountain as he neutralized Oak Mountain's big Tre Thomas. I could talk about his performance in the semifinal, including his trey ball, but it is the match-up against Spain Park in the finals that is an intriguing storyline in the NE region. The Huntsville vs. Spain Park final is going to look like a college game with the amount of size that will be on the floor. Caleb will be the more polished back-to-basket player and will have to be able to step out and defend on the perimeter in some match-ups especially if he finds himself matched up against [player_tooltip player_id='1684481' first='Sam' last='Wright']. Caleb has shown this year that he can defend on the perimeter in spurts, so he will not be in unfamiliar territory. Caleb provides the Panthers with consistent interior performances. He is one of the state's better defensive bigs and smartest players, and he will need his entire arsenal to help his team punch their ticket to the final four. He finished the semifinal game against Oak Mountain with the following stat line: 14pts (5-8|1-1 [3-Ptr]); 8-reb</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/HHSPantherHoops/status/1619209837392572417","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HHSPantherHoops/status/1619209837392572417 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1798833,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/PH-Sam-Wright-C.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/PH-Sam-Wright-C.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1798833" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1684481' first='Sam' last='Wright']&nbsp;</strong>(6'10/F/'23/Spain Park HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: s_wright_41</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @samwright_41</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">In the semifinal match-up against Sparkman, Sam was definitely the best player on the court. His 6'10 frame was just too much for Sparkman's front court, as they had no one on the court to contend with him. He was a match-up nightmare for the Senators as he left his handprint on both ends of the floor. He shot the ball from deep but did most of his damage in the paint around the rim. He carried the Jags down the stretch and in OT and had several 'and-1' buckets during that stretch. Sam was extremely dependable and highly competitive the entire game, and his stock has been steadily rising down the stretch. In a game where offense was difficult to come by, Sam was the Jags' go-to guy in crucial moments, and he did it without hijacking the offense. Coach Lastsch didn't have the stats in front of him when I spoke to him, but he thinks Sam finished with a double-double: 20pts and 10rebs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/SPHSBoysBskball/status/1600582289724948480","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/SPHSBoysBskball/status/1600582289724948480 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1493997,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/PH-Simon-Walker-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/PH-Simon-Walker-C.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1493997" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1398759' first='Simon' last='Walker']</strong>&nbsp;(6'5/Wing/'25/Huntsville HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: simonwwalker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @Simonwwalker25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">One thing you saw with Simon as his team battled Oak Mountain was experience. With only being a sophomore, he has played in many games and in many significant games in the playoffs. He played huge in the final 4 last year, and the mere fact that he has been there brings a huge lift to the Panthers team, who has been so close the past few years in getting to the BJCC. He didn't shoot the ball well from beyond the arc, but he was aggressive offensively and found ways to get it done in the scoring column. He looks exceptionally fresh and could be the difference in the highly anticipated match-up in the regional finals against Spain Park. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-primary-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He finished the game against Oak Mountain with the following stat line: 19pts (6-15|2-7 [3-Ptr]); 8rebs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>Terry J. Drake</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1673204,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/PH-Karmelo-Montgomery-C.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/PH-Karmelo-Montgomery-C.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1673204" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1386132' first='Karmelo' last='Montgomery']&nbsp;</strong>(6'5/G|F/'23/Sparkman HS)&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: realkmont</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @realkmont11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">I have seen Karmelo play as though he was one of the best players in the state, and I have seen him play and finish with subpar numbers. As I watched the semifinal game against Spain Park, he appeared to be impacted by the size of Spain Park, but he did not take advantage of his mismatch on the offensive end. I have seen Melo step out and be highly productive shooting the trey ball and attacking defenders off the bounce, and I believe that he could have caused a lot of problems had he looked to do more of that against Spain Park. Melo will be taking his talents to the football field at the next level as he will be at Alabama A&amp;M. He finished the semifinal game with 13pts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/TheCourtLang/status/1623537411186892802","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TheCourtLang/status/1623537411186892802 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1355584,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/12/PH-Will-Hawkins.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/12/PH-Will-Hawkins.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1355584" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1385941' first='Will' last='Hawkins']&nbsp;</strong>(6'3/CG/'23/Sparkman HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: _williamhawkins_</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @_williamhawkins</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">As I watched the Sparkman and Spain Park semifinal, it looked as though Will had more than 9-pts in the contest. He was early offense for the Senators and had some exciting buckets early above the rim. I thought he would look for his offense more consistently, but he had moments when he was in defer mode, and it was probably because he got in foul trouble. He had a distinct advantage against the Jags' backcourt and could have exploited it with his athleticism and ability to make shots. When he was attacking off the bounce, he was creating for himself, and his teammates and his team needed him late in the game, but he picked up that 5th foul late in the game. With his season coming to an end, I will be following up with his recruitment picture soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-primary-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He was early offense for the Senators and had some exciting buckets early above the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>Terry J. Drake</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1640458,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/PH-Matt-Heiberger-C.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/PH-Matt-Heiberger-C.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1640458" width="256" height="256" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Knight Eady Knight Eady</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1385974' first='Matthew' last='Heiberger']&nbsp;</strong>(6'3/G/'23/Oak Mountain)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: matthewheiberger</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @MatthewHeiberg7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Matthew has had an incredible high school career, but it ended in the semifinal contest against Huntsville, who many say is the favorite to win the 7A championship. He has shown to be an efficient high-level scorer over the years. He has been a contributor in all facets of the game and will be leaving behind a culture of hard work that was used to build a winning culture. Many great things can be said about Matt and his career, and I bet that coaches and teammates would share my sentiments. As he gets ready to head to the University of Alabama to play baseball, it has been great watching him play as he played the right way, and he always played a team first game and gave great, great effort on both ends of the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"textColor":"primary","fontSize":"medium"} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-primary-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He finished the semifinal contest against Spain Park with the following stat line: 16pts (7-14|1-4[3-Ptr])</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>Terry J. Drake</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote -->