Triad Preview Series: The Burlington School (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 The Burlington School, one of the most decorated programs in the area.   Winning an NCISAA 2A state championship is the standard for the Burlington School Spartan's men's basketball program. Fresh off a state title in 2023, the Burlington School reloaded its roster with a competitive mix of fresh, young talent ready to be developed and seasoned players who had championship experience. The Spartans finished the 2023-2024 regular season 22-12, earning the #1 overall seed in the NCISAA 2A state playoffs. An 83-50 win over Berean Baptist propelled them to a second round matchup against town rival Burlington Christian. Foul trouble and a poor defensive fourth quarter brought the Burlington School's season to an end and sent them home earlier than most expected. With a new look Burlington school team that wants to get back to championship contention, lets take a look at some key guys on this roster who can make that happen.    Class of 2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2464614' first='Asante' last='Phillip'] is an intriguing prospect who is consistently getting better. At 6'0", Phillip is a strong, physical guard who plays with pace and poise. He excels running the point for the Spartans and is an elite playmaker in the pick-and-roll sets they run routinely. Phillip's is an elite ball handler with a high basketball IQ which makes him a fast-break threat when he hits the open court off outlets and long rebounds. Defensively, this is a guy who loves to compete and is an underrated rebounder for a player his size. Phillip's will bring an element of toughness and energy to this team's backcourt as he is in prime position to see the floor heavily in 2023-2024.     [player_tooltip player_id='2464606' first='Drew' last='Johnson'] is a new name on this Burlington School's roster who is looking like one of their first guys off the bench in 2023-2024. He's got a unique skillset, anchored with his ability to attack the paint and create for himself and others. Johnson is an aggressive driver who has proven he can finish through contact and execute from the line. He's a gritty defender whose strength and athleticism allow him to be lock-down on ball guy when need be. Johnson is a young prospect who is in a great position playing in this teams backcourt and getting the coaching and in-game experience he needs to take is play to the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1374129' first='Devin' last='Sims'] is a guy I've been more and more excited about as the summer has progressed. This is a guy who has bounced around a bit but has found a home over at The Burlington School and is really starting to find his stride. Sims is a versatile combo guard/wing prospect who's unique size, strength, and athleticism provide some flexibility as to where he is on the floor. Sims is an elite scorer who has proven he can get it done in the clutch and make plays for his team. He's a high IQ guy who takes care of the basketball and makes the right read. Sim's is a lockdown defender along the perimeter and is a guy whose athleticism can take over and make a play down low. Now that [player_tooltip player_id='1374129' first='Devin' last='Sims'] has hit his stride, expect this class of 2025 guy to come alive as he enters his senior season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1131338' first='Kaden' last='Hammond'] is a 6'8" power forward with a ton of upside. He's a versatile prospect who is continuing to improve his fundamentals and polish his outside shot. Unfortunately for Hammond, injury caused some time on the sidelines in 2023. This guy is a hard worker with a get-after-it mentality whose basketball IQ and rare skillset override any doubt from injury. Hammond is a mis-match down low and can create open looks for himself and his teammates. He's consistent from the line which is crucial for a guy that gets fouled often in the paint. The next step in Hammond's game is developing a three-point shot. This will add yet another level of depth and uncertainty to his game that will cause defenders to be unsure how to guard him. With one high school season left with a lot to prove, expect [player_tooltip player_id='1131338' first='Kaden' last='Hammond'] to have a breakout kind of season.     It's been a while since I've evaluated [player_tooltip player_id='1373705' first='Cam' last='Flippen'], but I'm always excited when I have the opportunity to study his game. High School and AAU ([program_tooltip program_id='2078535' first='Team' last='Charlotte']) teammate of [player_tooltip player_id='1131338' first='Kaden' last='Hammond'], Flippen is another piece of this Burlington School squad that can help them rewrite last years postseason early exit. He's an elite combo guard who excels in different roles when need be. He can be a ball-dominant guard who is scoring-oriented or an off-ball, catch-and-shoot kind of guy who does his work from deep. Flippen is a tough kid who loves to compete and is no doubt a leader on this roster. [player_tooltip player_id='1373705' first='Cam' last='Flippen'] is back at The Burlington School and that means they're getting a tough, scrappy, unselfish kid who embodies the physicality of Burlington School basketball.

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 The Burlington School, one of the most decorated programs in the area.