Triad Preview Series: Greensboro Day (NCISAA)

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 two-part, in-depth look at the best basketball the Triad has to offer. Today's piece will feature Greensboro Day, one of the most successful programs in the Triad.   Greensboro Day is a dominant program in the NCISAA's 3A division and the entire state of North Carolina. Led by iconic head coach Freddy Johnson, the Bengals have won numerous state championships in his tenure at the front of the bench and have developed several prospects that have taken their talent to the collegiate level. This is a program that prides itself on player development from year one to year four and is able to maintain their success due to a constant influx of young, fresh talent on their roster. 2023-2024 was no different. There were certainly questions last offseason for Greensboro Day regarding who would fill big-time roles that were occupied by senior prospects the year prior. As anticipated, several underclassman stepped up and led this program to another 20-win season. The Bengals finished the 2023-2024 regular season 23-12, 5-7 in a competitive conference, and as the #5 seed in the NCISAA 3A state playoffs. The Bengals started their postseason campaign on fire with a 71-15 win over Thales Academy (Rolesville). A second round matchup with the Asheville School proved to be more difficult with Greensboro Day getting by with a 44-41 win. A double OT thriller against #4 seed Gaston Christian ended Greensboro Day's 2023-2024 season. They would lose 65-58 in arguably the most competitive playoff game in this programs recent memory. Gaston Christian finished as the runner-up in the state championship game. As we have come to expect with Greensboro Day, they will be without a couple key departing seniors in 2024-2025. That is the nature of a program of this caliber. With that being said, there is a lot to like about next seasons current roster. Let's meet a few guys who can bring another state championship back to Greensboro.    [player_tooltip player_id='1808859' first='Hunter' last='Lowe'] is apart of this new generation of talent that Greensboro Day have brought into the program and started to develop. There's a lot to like about his game, and he's got some intangibles that are really impressive for a rising sophomore. Lowe is a Greensboro Day kind of guard who has the potential to develop into an elite floor general whose basketball IQ and decisive playmaking are at the foundation of his game. At 6'0", Lowe is a long, athletic guard who is still growing and getting stronger. He's an elite three-point shooter who is effective off the ball and off the bounce. Lowe's ability to knockdown high quality shots from behind the three-point line and around the perimeter make him a versatile shotmaker. One thing for Lowe to prioritize this summer is some serious work in the weight room. Some added muscle and a bigger commitment to filling out his long frame while maintaining his elite footwork and quick release would elevate his game to another level. It would help him become more confident driving to the basket and becoming a competitive defender as well, two traits that are highly prioritized by Freddy Johnson and his staff. With a Greensboro Day backcourt that is looking for a new generation of talent to take over, expect class of 2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1808859' first='Hunter' last='Lowe'] to be in the mix to compete for valuable minutes next season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1411216' first='Jagger' last='Emerson'] is a class of 2027 guy who I first discovered in June 2024. He's a prospect who has skyrocketed in our rankings and has proven he is an elite combo guard on both ends of the floor. What sets Emerson apart is his size. At 6'6", he's got the length and athleticism of a perimeter player with the skills and decision making of a guard. This is a prospect with arguably the most untapped potential in his class, and I think we're all excited to see where this guy can go. Emerson is a versatile scorer who's athleticism allows him to make big time plays for himself and his teammates. He's a high motor guy who loves to attack the basket in transition and in the half court. Emerson gets to the line often and is an elite finisher through contact at the rim. He's developed a consistent mid-range game is working on his shot behind the 3-point line. Emerson is a vocal leader on this Greensboro Day squad and has emerged as one of their most competitive guys on both ends of the floor. He battles underneath the basket to scoop big-time second chance rebounds and is an elite defender along the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id='1411216' first='Jagger' last='Emerson'] is in a prime position to become a 1A/1B on this Greensboro Day team that values sharing the ball and playing an unselfish brand of basketball.     [player_tooltip player_id='2055661' first='Kohi' last='Strickland'] is a [program_tooltip program_id='2226228' first='Team' last='CP3'] guy whose got a ton of upside as a 6'5" two-way perimeter prospect. He's a versatile scorer who can get it done on all three levels and has proven to be a tough, reliable defender who loves to compete. Strickland is a crafty playmaker who shows an impressive ability to create open looks from himself off the dribble. He's a high energy guy who loves to drive to the basket and finish through contact. Strickland is an elite shooter from the line, putting up 89% in 2023-2024. He's a guy who excels in his role as a playmaker on both ends of the floor and will continue to be an extremely valuable position for a Greensboro Day team that's got some nice depth around the perimeter. Expect [player_tooltip player_id='2055661' first='Kohi' last='Strickland'] to continue to see his stock rise and make and be an impact guy on a really talented Greensboro Day team in 2024-2025.       [player_tooltip player_id='2305899' first='Jaden' last='Palmore'] is an older guy who plays the right way. He's a leader on both ends of the floor and sets the tone for the guys around him as soon as he touches the floor. A pass-first guard, Palmore is an elite distributor who uses his 6'2" frame to penetrate the lane and create plays for his teammates. He's a seasoned guard who knows how to excel in Freddy Johnson's system. Palmore is going to need to fill a bigger role in the back court his senior year with the departure of some talented guards on this Greensboro Day team for a year prior. To take that next step, he'll need to develop a more consistent outside shot while maintaining his floor general style of play. If Palmore can become more of a versatile shotmaker, defenders will have no choice but to play him honest. He'll be able to use his speed and quick first step to get to his spots and set up himself or his teammates for food looks. [player_tooltip player_id='2305899' first='Jaden' last='Palmore'] will be back in 2024-2025 ready to lead this young, talented back court to where he's been before, an NCISAA championship.     [player_tooltip player_id='1284843' first='James' last='Stainback'] is a really good player on a really good team. Naturally, his minutes to date have been limited. That's the sacrifice you make when you chose to play for a program like Greensboro Day and compete for championships every season. With that being said, I see a world in which [player_tooltip player_id='1284843' first='James' last='Stainback'] is an important piece off the bench to this Bengal squad that will need a couple guys to provide a spark late in quarters. Stainback is a talented perimeter play who's got a complete, all-around game that is attractive to programs at the next level. He's a consistent three-point shooter who takes high quality shots and is an off ball threat from every distance in scoring range. Stainback is a gritty defender who loves to compete on the glass and offensive rebounds into second chance buckets. With a Greensboro Day squad that plays a limited amount of guys off the bench, expect [player_tooltip player_id='1284843' first='James' last='Stainback'] to be one of them who makes a real impact on the floor with his intensity and is a guy who can ease the load off of this roster's talented perimeter stars.

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 two-part, in-depth look at the best basketball the Triad has to offer. Today's piece will feature Greensboro Day, one of the most successful programs in the Triad.