Triad Preview Series: Burlington Christian Academy (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 Burlington Christian Academy (BCA), an on-the-rise program that is taking steps in the right direction to becoming a big-time competitor in the state.   Burlington Christian Academy had it's best year to date in 2023-2024. The Royals finished the regular season 19-6, 1st in the NCISAA Tri-TAC conference, and earned a first-round bye in the 2023-2024 NCISAA 2A state playoffs. A well rounded, team oriented 65-39 win over respected opponent Friendship Christian (16-8) started the Royal's postseason on the right note. A second-round matchup with #8 seed Gaston Christian (18-12) proved to be more competitive. BCA got it done 74-70, putting it away late into the fourth quarter. The quarterfinals is where storylines resurfaced and old school rivalries rooted in tradition came back to life. The #1 seed Burlington School Spartans (23-11) were next on the schedule, an in-town rival that is arguably the premier program in the region. Despite the noise, BCA mimicked their opponents proven model of success; honing in on playing tough, competitive, fundamental basketball for an entire 40 minutes. They took care of business and ended their biggest rivals postseason with a 81-71 win. Then came #5 seed Davidson Day (21-7), a dark horse program, similar to BCA, who got hot and stayed hot at the right time. In a chippy, competitive four quarters, Davidson Day slipped away with a 70-57 win, ending BCA's postseason run and 2023-2024 season. They would go on to win the NCISAA 2A state championship, one of the lowest seeded teams to do it in recent memory.   While last season's postseason run falling just short of a state championship still stings, there is a lot to like about this 2024-2024 BCA roster and their chances of getting it done this season. This team is mature, they're deep, battle-tested, and hungry to get over the hump and bring some hard wear back to campus. Let's meet, or reintroduce, some key pieces to this year's roster that will help make that happen.    Chances are you've heard of [player_tooltip player_id='2287864' first='Charles' last='Chienggen Pur']. He's the #4 ranked prospect in the class of 2027 and already one of the best big men in the state. There is no doubt that by this time next year, probably much sooner, Chienggen Pur will be one of the highest recruited bigs in the nation. I'm glad we got him to ourselves for at least one more summer. Everyone's going to be talking about this guy soon. At 6"10, Chienggen Pur is a highly skilled, versatile prospect who is developing into a big-time two-way player. He's a gifted scorer with a soft touch who has earned his dominant status in the paint and underneath the basket. Chienggen Pur has exceptional lateral footwork for a prospect his size, keeps the ball high in the paint, and is a crafty finisher on the block. His size and length sets him apart on both ends of the floor. His physical presence down low attracts double teams from opposing teams front courts. Chienggen Pur, despite being just a freshman, has shown real maturity in his ability to stay square and make the right read. He's a big-time rebounder who loves to compete on the glass and facilitate fast breaks to an outlet. I would like to see Chienggen Pur develop more comfortability with his outside shot. That will add another level of versatility to his game that will make him an even higher sought after prospect. I'm expecting to see some evidence of time well spent in the weight room this summer, too. Easier said than done, but if Chienggen Pur wants to continue his basketball development, he 's got to spend equal time on his body. The longevity and success of his career depends on minimizing his risk of lower body injuries that are inevitable to occur for a guy with his frame. All in all, get excited about class of 2027 big man [player_tooltip player_id='2287864' first='Charles' last='Chienggen Pur']. He's a young guy with an infinite amount of potential.     [player_tooltip player_id='2382873' first='Ian' last='Bush'] is one of my guys. I genuinely enjoy watching this kid hoop and have loved seeing his progression throughout his three years at BCA. 2023-2024 was a huge leap for Bush, highlighted by a break-out game against regional rival Greensboro Day and, as previously mentioned, a key piece to last year's postseason semifinal run. I'm all in on Bush having a standout senior season and attracting more college attention at the Division 1/ Division 2 level. At 6'5", [player_tooltip player_id='2382873' first='Ian' last='Bush'] is a big, physical combo guard whose size, length, and all-around skill set allows him to play a positionless brand of basketball that is energizing to watch. He's a high motor prospect who loves to compete on both ends of the floor. Bush is an elite three level scorer. His natural frame paired with his explosiveness off the dribble allows him to get to his spots and make plays. Bush is a tough driver who has proven he can finish through contact and execute in the clutch. He's a consistent mid-range shooter whose high release allows him to knock down contested shots off the dribble and off balance. Defensively, Bush is a unicorn who can bend his knees and lock down guards or puff up his chest and match up with bigs off switches and ball screens. He's an elite rim protector and excels in running the floor in transition. Like I said the last time I covered him, keep sleeping on [player_tooltip player_id='2382873' first='Ian' last='Bush']. He's going to surprise a lot of people. This is a tough, fair-sized, well-rounded prospect who will no doubt attract some real attention at the next level.     Next up is class of 2025 #305 overall-ranked combo guard [player_tooltip player_id='2320684' first='Isaiah' last='Smith']. Similar to his teammate [player_tooltip player_id='2382873' first='Ian' last='Bush'], 2023-2024 was a standout year for Smith and his basketball development. Scoring an average well over double digits and shooting nearly 50% from the field, Smith is a score first combo guard whose ability to create plays makes him unique. He's a physical, scrappy guard who uses his 6'5" frame to get to his spots and score points. Smith is an elite three level scorer who's versatility is a tough scout to prepare for. He moves well without the ball and is just as effective in finding his spots and making plays on a catch and shoot as he is in the pick and roll. Smith's athleticism transcends pure offensive firepower. He's a tough defender whose size allows him compete with 1-5 and stand his ground when tasked with shutting down opposing bigs. I think [player_tooltip player_id='2320684' first='Isaiah' last='Smith']'s got a chip on his shoulder. I think he thinks he should be ranked higher. He's not alone. If he can use that chip in a productive way, just keep doing what he's been doing, I think it will elevate his game and indirectly his stock as he enters a highly anticipated senior season.     The second half of these pieces always get me fired up. This is when we dive deep into these teams' rosters and find the guys no one is talking about. It's the under the radar guys, who are often just as talented, that make what we do special. RJ Robinson is one of those guys. At 5'10", RJ Robinson is a true point guard whose floor general abilities transcend just an average frame. Robinson took a big leap from year one to year two last season. He average just about 5 points per game on limited minutes while playing with and behind some elite guards. I think RJ Robinson year 3 is going to be crucial not only for his development but for the success of this team. Robinson is a tough, scrappy guard who gets after it on both ends of the floor. He's a floor general in every aspect of the word and excelled in his role as a vocal leader off the bench in 2023-2024. Robinson an elite ball handler, can finish at the basket through contact, and has proven he can knock down the outside shot when need be. He's a pass first, high IQ kind of prospect who I think has an exciting ceiling as a Division III/Division II guy who contributes meaningful basketball to a winning team. Expect to see RJ Robinson's minutes and responsibilities increase in 2024-2025 as he becomes an upperclassman on an experienced, hungry-winning team.     Larry Blount is another low profile guy who played a key role on last season's semifinal team. At 6'0", Blount is a strong, stocky combo guard who is an elite two way player. He thrives with the ball in his hands and when he has the opportunity to create plays for himself and for his teammates. Blount has established himself as a key starter on this team and will no doubt be back leading a similar 5 in a couple months. I expect Blount to take a huge step with his scoring abilities. He is in a position where he will need to adopt more of a scoring mentality with the departure of a couple key seniors who carried that load last season. Blount is an elite defender who's toughness and discipline are the foundation to his success on that side of the ball. I'd love to see Blount take a leap forward with his three point shot this season. He's proven he's an efficient shooter from the field (46%) and can no doubt take that next step from behind the line. With a BCA team that is loaded with talent from top to bottom, expect Larry Blount to be the glue that holds this teams championship aspirations together.

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 Burlington Christian Academy (BCA), an on-the-rise program that is taking steps in the right direction to becoming a big-time competitor in the state.