Triad Preview Series: East Forsyth (NCHSAA)

As we enter the dog days of summer, high school squads across North Carolina have begun to prepare for the 2024-2025 season. Among them are teams from the Triad, an overlooked, underrated region home to big-time prospects and programs. Welcome to year two of the Triad Preview Series, a five-part, in-depth look at the best basketball the Triad has to offer. Monday's post featured West Forsyth, a regional NCHSAA powerhouse in Clemmons, N.C., right outside Winston Salem. Today's piece will cover town rival East Forsyth, an up-and-coming program with a talented roster from top to bottom.   East Forsyth is a program who took a step back in 2023-2024 following a 22-7 record in 2022-2023. The departure of a few key starters paired with the addition of talented but inexperienced role players who were not quite rotation ready played a role in the programs .500 record most of the regular season. With that being said, East Forsyth is a program who has proven they are capable of developing talent and bringing in good character guys who will embrace the smart, tough, dependable brand of basketball that is the foundation of their program. The Eagles finished the 2023-2024 regular season 14-12, 10-5 in-conference, and as the #15 seed in the Western quadrant of the NCHSAA 4A state playoffs. Their 2024 postseason campaign started on a high note with a 78-57 win over #18 seed South Caldwell. A first round win bought the Eagles a matchup with #2 seed Lake Norman, a 2-loss regular season team. East Forsyth gave up a season-high 100 points in a 23 point loss to Lake Norman. The Wildcats would end up making it to the semifinals. Despite a poor defensive performance in their last game of the season, East Forsyth competed with the #2 team in their region for three solid quarters. A loss to a quality program like Lake Norman was what this young, talented East Forsyth team needed to take the next step in 2024-2025. This is a now battle tested program with a more experience roster. Let's meet some of the guys who will play a big role in helping to restore the respect the 2022-2023 East Forsyth team worked to establish.    [player_tooltip player_id='1808856' first='Zah'Miere' last='Harris'] is a young guard from the class of 2027 who is due for a standout sophomore season with East Forsyth. I first discovered Harris earlier this summer, and have enjoyed watching his development from an inexperienced freshman to a rotation-ready sophomore. He's a versatile guard who has a complete skillset on both ends of the floor. Harris is an elite ball handler, gifted scorer, and clutch playmaker. Harris has got a unique ability to create space for himself to knock down shots on and off the ball. He's got a quick release off screens and pin-downs and can execute at a high level off the dribble as well. I'd like to see Harris grow into more of a leadership role in his sophomore season with the Eagles. I think this is likely to happen given his teammates and coaches trust in his ability to help this program in any way he can. Currently waitlisted in our official class of 2027 rankings, keep an eye out for [player_tooltip player_id='1808856' first='Zah'Miere' last='Harris'] to have a number next to his name this time next season. He's that intriguing of a prospect who will capitalize on his opportunity to be a leader in East Forsyth's backcourt and help them win games in 2024-2025.     [player_tooltip player_id='2055668' first='JB' last='Shabazz'] is a guy who gets a lot of attention on the gridiron. A dual-sport athlete with football offers from the likes of UNC and APP State, Shabazz is a big-time athlete who is just as effective dominating the paint on the hardwood. At 6'7", 240 Ibs, Shabazz has a physical presence that sets him apart. That's a physical presence the first-year transfer will immediately add to this new-look East Forsyth front-court which is bound to take huge strides. Shabazz is an elite inside scorer, rebounder, and rim protector. This is a guy who takes pride in competing on the glass and channels some of that lineman toughness underneath the basket. Shabazz moves well for a prospect his size, proving he is an effective defender along the perimeter as well. He's got a smooth mid-range game that allows him to take high quality contested shots given his size and strength. With a 6'7" [player_tooltip player_id='2055668' first='JB' last='Shabazz'] and 6'8" Brett Blevins holding it down in East Forsyth's backcourt, expect the Eagles to make some serious noise in 2024-2025.     [player_tooltip player_id='1281018' first='Jaire' last='Richburg'] is the face of this East Forsyth program. He is the #16 ranked player in his class for a reason. Richburg is a big-time athlete who length and athleticism propel his game to another level. He's a versatile scorer, clutch finisher, and physical competitor. Richburg is a gifted shotmaker who has a nice feel for his game and knows how to get to his spots. He's got a quick first step which allows him to penetrate the middle and create plays for himself and his teammates. He's proven he's a clutch finisher who can execute through contact underneath the basket and also knock down highly contested shots around the perimeter. Richburg is a prospect who continues to get better and whose potential is untapped. This is a guy who could start to earn some big-time offers his junior year if he can lead this East Forsyth team back to where they know they can be. [player_tooltip player_id='1281018' first='Jaire' last='Richburg']'s ceiling is incredibly high, and we'll make sure to cover his development into what is expected to be a big name in the state.     UNC football commit [player_tooltip player_id='1382733' first='Bryce' last='Baker'] is a big-time hooper as well who can certainly help this East Forsyth squad win games and make a deep post-season run. We will obviously be watching his playing time this season given he's a hard football commit. Assuming he's on the hardwood this season, there's a lot to be excited about with this guy. Baker is a tough, ultra-competitive athlete who excels in his role as a reliable defender and elite distributer. He's an elite basketball IQ type of guard who is as unselfish as they come. Baker is a solid defender who uses his strong frame to stay in front of his man and cause chaos in the half-court. He's a leader in the locker room and a guy who gives this team energy when he's out there. Baker is a good kid who comes from a good family and will be a key piece to this East Forsyth teams chemistry and physicality if he's out there in 2024-2025.     I'm surprised not a lot of people are talking about my guy Brett Blevins, 6'8" center out of the class of 2025. This is a big-time, college-ready prospect who will grab the attention of DII/DIII programs across the country this upcoming season. Blevins is an elite player down low who takes pride in his elite rebounding and rim-protecting ability. He's a consistent short-range shooter who can hit the occasional 10-12 foot jumpshot that make defenders stay honest. Blevins and Shabazz headlining this East Forsyth teams backcourt is a huge upgrade for the Eagles and is bound to gain some serious recognition. Stay tuned for more coverage on the big fella from East Forsyth, there's a lot more to his game once you scratch the surface.

As we enter the dog days of summer, high school squads across North Carolina have begun to prepare for the 2024-2025 season. Among them are teams from the Triad, an overlooked, underrated region home to big-time prospects and programs. Welcome to year two of the Triad Preview Series, a five-part, in-depth look at the best basketball the Triad has to offer. Monday's post featured West Forsyth, a regional NCHSAA powerhouse in Clemmons, N.C., right outside Winston Salem. Today's piece will cover town rival East Forsyth, an up-and-coming program with a talented roster from top to bottom.