Consistent and Reliable: NC's Most Counted on Producers

As the season winds down here as we get into February we're seeing a lot of the same names pop up in the headlines for winning games and performing at a high level. There are so many players in this state that have been winning and producing consistently throughout their high school careers and now find themselves looking to lead the charge on a big playoff run. Let's take a deeper look at some of the top performing veteran players in NC.    Pierce has been one of North Carolina's premier shot makers since he came onto the scene. His ability to play on or off the ball and make plays has been a mainstay at North Mecklenburg who is as consistent a winner you'll find in North Carolina. Pierce and North Mecklenburg are two time defending State Champions and he's flourished as both a complimentary and feature guy in those runs respectively. Pierce can both fit in and take over when needed, he can get scorching hot from the perimeter with the necessary skillset to make the opposition pay off the bounce. Pierce is also capable of being a complimentary playmaker where he's more than comfortable operating in ball screens and making good reads. Pierce competes defensively and contributes on the glass at a high level for a guard. Sacramento State is getting a really high quality addition to their backcourt that is going to help them in multiple ways.     Recently reclassifying to 2027 and flipping his commitment from South Carolina to Louisville, Ellis has kept one thing the same through all of the changes going on. He's producing at a monster level and winning games in one of the best high school leagues in the country. The YNG Dreamerz are about to enter the 2nd round of the OTE Playoffs after a two game sweep over The Blue Checks. Ellis just won MVP and is averaging 29.3 Points, 4.8 Rebounds, 8.9 Assists, and 1.9 Steals per game. He's doing all of that on 41/35/77 splits. Ellis possesses the ability to completely manipulate a game with his playmaking and really sets the tone for his group on the defensive end of the floor. A true 94 foot player that is on another level mentally compared to 99% of the high school players around the country. Look for Ellis to help lead The YNG Dreamerz to their 2nd straight OTE title.     [player_tooltip player_id='2415176' first='Zarion' last='Hobbs'] has proven himself as one of the top scoring guards in North Carolina regardless of class. The kid simply fills it up and White Oak is enjoying a really successful season with a 14-5 record and 4-2 mark in conference play. Hobbs is averaging 24.3 Points, 4.3 Rebounds, 2.8 Assists, and 1.1 Steals per game. He's doing all of that on 45/38/81 which is incredible efficiency for the volume that Hobbs scores it. He's got deep off the bounce range, a tight handle, and great footwork when self-creating. Hobbs ability to make off the dribble three's with consistency makes the floor completely open for his ability to touch the paint and make plays for himself or others. Hobbs should start to garner more recruiting attention after a playoff run at White Oak combined with a strong travel ball season. He's got a ton of ability and it's only a matter of time before he starts to get more recognition for it.     The Newberry commit just continues to create offense and bring a ton of toughness to any team that he suits up for. As a senior he's helped lead the charge for Calvary Day with a 19-5 record. Calvert is averaging 23.8 Points, 4.8 Rebounds, 3.9 Assists, and 2.4 Steals per game. Calvert is a consistent threat from beyond the arc but also uses his size and strength to get to the basket and finish through contact. Calvert is a vocal leader that brings a ton of edge to the game, ensuring his team will always be ready for whatever's in front of them. Calvert is capable of playing off the ball as well due to his IQ and ability to make shots off the catch. Calvert is also capable of adjusting his approach and style based on the teammates surrounding him, he can be more pass first if needed, and is proving that he can be a high volume scorer this season at Calvary. Newberry is getting a really high quality backcourt addition.     Hicks is proving to be one of the top Juniors in the Raleigh area as he's helped lead Wakefield to a 14-7 record on the season thus far. Hicks has been undeniably productive this season as he's averaging 19.3 Points, 7.7 Rebounds, 1.3 Assists, 1.1 Steals, and 0.7 Blocks per game. He's doing all of that on 44/34/72 splits with a super high volume from three as he's shooting almost seven attempts per game from beyond the arc. Hicks is a threat to score it from all over the floor, is capable of creating offense both inside and out. He can abuse smaller guards or exploit slower bigs and he possesses a great understanding of how to attack the defense depending on what is presented to him. His skillset has taken a stark improvement in recent months and it's directly translating to production. Hicks should finish strong at Wakefield this season and start to build some recruiting momentum this spring/summer.

As the season winds down here as we get into February we're seeing a lot of the same names pop up in the headlines for winning games and performing at a high level. There are so many players in this state that have been winning and producing consistently throughout their high school careers and now find themselves looking to lead the charge on a big playoff run. Let's take a deeper look at some of the top performing veteran players in NC.