NCHSAA 1A: Top 10 Returning Scorers

<!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Take a look at the Top 10 returners in scoring in the NCHSAA 1A ranks as another season of HS hoops approaches.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>There's no better time to sign up for PrepHoopsNC! Get 30% OFF payment on your first billing cycle with offer code: JAYANDERSON30, sign up&nbsp;<a href="https://prephoops.com/subscribe">TODAY</a>!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>All stats are based on those posted on MaxPreps and social media! If stats haven't been posted, please feel free to reach out: jerran.anderson@gmail.com.</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">10) [player_tooltip player_id='2516223' first='Colby' last='Pennington'] | 6'6 Forward/Center | North Moore High</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pennington is a new face to get to know out of North Moore High in the Robbins area. At 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, he's also considered a highly-touted football prospect for the Mustangs. He makes his return to the NCHSAA 1A ranks for his senior year following his 18.8 points per game scoring outing in 2023-24. He's shown he can operate inside and out with shooting splits of 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the arc with his range. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">9) [player_tooltip player_id='1907803' first='Jayden' last='Sawyer'] | 6'6 Forward/Wing | Columbia High</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sawyer is an emerging name to get to know in North Carolina's 2026 rankings out of Columbia High. He returns after posting 18.9 points per game as quite the active presence in the painted area on both ends of the hardwood. He also racked up 11 double-doubles and posted 6.6 blocks per contest with his length. He's a two-way presence to get to know in the 1A Atlantic Conference given his motor on both ends of the hardwood. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">8) [player_tooltip player_id='2043203' first='ZyMiere' last='Dempsey'] | 6'2 Shooting Guard | Bertie High</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dempsey is a prospect from the 2025 class for college programs to get to know. He returns after producing 19.8 points per contest for the Bertie Falcons en route to the NCHSAA 1A Final Four in last year's state playoffs. While scoring isn't his only strength, he showed he could fill up the score sheet with efficiency this past season, shooting 52 percent from the field when it was all said and done. He's a name for DII programs in the region to get to know in the 1A Four Rivers Conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">7) [player_tooltip player_id='2516211' first='Elijah' last='Sherrill'] | 6'1 Guard/Wing | Highland Tech</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sherrill is another new face to get to know on the PH platform out of Highland Tech in the Gastonia area. He's a 6-foot-1 guard/wing prospect who knows how to utilize his strong frame to navigate to the bucket and get points as evidenced by his 20.0 points per game average. He also finished with 167 made free throws on the year as a junior. He's due to make a splash in the 1A/2A Southern Piedmont Conference in his final year of high school ball.[player_tooltip player_id='2043203' first='ZyMiere' last='Dempsey'] | 6'2 Guard | Bertie High</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">6) [player_tooltip player_id='1743446' first='Tim' last='Brower'] | 6'2 Guard/Wing | Eastern Randolph High</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brower is a familiar face on the PH platform out of Eastern Randolph High in the 1A West who shown he can fill it up, especially on the perimeter. He's a prospect in the 2025 class due for quite a strong senior campaign after putting up 20.7 points per game for the Wildcats in 2023-24 as they went 18-11 on the year. He knocked down 101 3-pointers on the year to show off his prowess scoring the ball from behind the arc. He's a name to get to know in the 1A/2A Piedmont Conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">5) [player_tooltip player_id='2298570' first='Christan' last='Jones'] | 5'11 Guard | Mountain Island Charter</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones is a name on the 2027 Watch List due to grow on the PH platform out of Mountain Island Charter and returns as the fifth-best scoring presence in the NCHSAA 1A ranks. He produced 21.4 points per game as a freshman on the varsity stage showing he could make things happen inside and out with his ability to attack off the bounce. He's got a bright future ahead of him in the 1A/2A Catawba Shores Conference following his debut season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">T-4) [player_tooltip player_id='1719080' first='Reid' last='Albright'] | 6'1 Shooting Guard | Chatham Central High</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Albright is a familiar face on the PH platform out of Chatham Central High given his pedigree for scoring the ball with efficiency. He checks in in a tie for fourth with fellow 2025 shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='2516209' first='Hudson' last='Roberson'] after posting 22.6 points per game in 2023-24. Albright shot 56 percent from the field and 35 percent from behind the arc as a junior and remains a prospect tucked in the 1A/2A Mid-Carolina Conference for college programs to get eyes on after finishing second at 15-2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">T-4) [player_tooltip player_id='2516209' first='Hudson' last='Roberson'] | 6'1 Shooting Guard | Hobgood Charter</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roberson is a new face to get to know on the PH radar out of Hobgood Charter School in the 252 area. He's a shooting guard prospect who produced 22.6 points per contest in 2023-24 as a junior while shooting 46 percent from the field and showing off his ability to be quite the rebounding presence as well with 6.6 per game. He'll be one to watch in the 1A Atlantic Conference following their third-place finish this past season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">2) [player_tooltip player_id='2516207' first='Bishop' last='Witherspoon'] | 6'0 Guard | Valor Prep Academy</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Witherspoon is another new face to get to know on the PH platform out of Valor Prep Academy in the Charlotte Metro area. He put up 23.3 points per game this past season and returns as the second-best returner in the NCHSAA 1A ranks to get to know. He's set to turn heads in the Metro 8 Conference after he put together a number of volume-scoring efforts including four 30+ point outings which includes 37 points over Queens Grant High.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1) [player_tooltip player_id='2516206' first='D'andre' last='Moore'] | 5'9 Guard | Draughn High</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moore returns as the top returning scoring in the NCHSAA 1A ranks out of Draughn High in the 1A West region. He's a prospect in the 2026 class who's due to turn a corner following a year which saw him produce 23.6 points per contest across 13 games in 2023-24 as a sophomore. He made 60 3-pointers while shooting 51 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range. He ranked second in scoring in the 1A West region, according to MaxPreps. He's a prospect to keep an eye on given his penchant for scoring the ball in a variety of ways. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->