Phenom Opening: Standout Performers (Part Two)

We got the travel ball season started off with a great opportunity to check in on a lot of independent teams throughout North Carolina, mostly in the 15u and 16u division. Rock Hill always provides a great setting for travel basketball, it brings the best out of everyone and the level of competition is always strong. Without further delay, let's take a look at some guys to watch who really performed well last weekend.    Oriol was arguably the most impressive player in the 15u division all weekend long as he led the Apex Spurs to the championship of their bracket with his dynamic playmaking ability all weekend long. Oriol has a great blend of quickness and outside touch that allow him to be a true weapon on the offensive end of the floor. His handle and ability to manipulate angles make him nearly impossible to contain 1v1 off the bounce. Oriol has a ton of confidence in himself and his ability to get baskets in high volume. He was consistently leading his team in scoring on the weekend with his blend of transition attacks to the basket and isolation work in the half court. He had an impressive season at Willow Springs coming off the bench on varsity and looks to be more than ready for a much bigger role next season. Oriol has a chance to be one of the better guards in the area next season and he should continue to build over the course of this spring/summer with The Apex Spurs.     Shatley is a new name (for me) in the 2028 class here in North Carolina that will be monitored closely with his outside shooting touch and competitive fire. This Court Kings 16u group plays a really quality brand of basketball and Shatley is both a contributor and benefactor of the way they play. Shatley is a remarkably confidence outside shooter with real touch from beyond the arc. He's got good positional size at his age and is able to shoot over contests more often than not. He had a big 26 Point performance this weekend where he connected on four 3 point shots. Shatley plays the game the right way, I didn't see him really force any bad shots all weekend, he took what was there for him in the flow of the game and capitalized. Shatley possesses the ability to attack a closeout as well, he'll help connect your team at both ends, and provides great leadership for this team. Court Kings 16u will be an indy team to watch all summer long and Shatley will assuredly rack up more big weekends with them.     McClure had a really good weekend with Team Williams 16u after having a strong Sophomore season at Bessemer City where he averaged 15.6 Points, 5.6 Rebounds, 2.8 Assists, and 2.6 Steals per game on 40/29/49 shooting splits. McClure showed great signs of improvement as he was very efficient in his shooting in my viewing last weekend. McClure did a great job in attacking the basket in both transition and the half court as he possesses a crafty off the bounce game with a really quick first step. McClure has great hands and feet defensively, maintaining constant aggression while not every getting himself in the wrong spot. He's gonna pick the oppositions pocket a few times per game as he's always engaged at that end of the floor. McClure is more of a secondary playmaker for others at this point but is showing signs of being able to grow into a full time PG. I'd predict he ends up becoming that by the end of his high school career. McClure is a 2028 to monitor closely in NC and is poised for a really productive spring and summer in both his exposure and development as a player.     Anum is a very interesting young prospect with a ton of physical ability, a super high motor, and a developing skillset. Anum possesses a versatile game which bodes really well for this talented [program_tooltip program_id='2078487' first='Durham' last='Hurricanes'] 15u team. Anum is a consistent presence on the interior at both ends of the floor where he's working the glass for extra opportunities for his team offensively while working to close out possessions defensively. Anum is a really good athlete that is capable of using that vertical pop to get above the rim with consistency offensively. He's got some outside touch as well but completely understands that he can get to the basket and score at will when presented with most matchups. There's a lot of firepower in North Carolina's 2029 class and Anum appears to be right in the mix! As he continues to develop his skillset and really learn the game with the experience accumulating, I fully expect him to be a prospect to watch closely in this stacked 2029 class.     Wilson looked really good with his Warriors Elite 16u team as he does an incredible job managing the game while providing consistent production for his team. Wilson does a great job using his outside shooting to set up his playmaking. You've got to guard him tight and that makes it way easier for him to attack the defense off the bounce, force help, and inevitably make the right read with the basketball. Defensively, Wilson is incredibly competitive and willing to play the game with a physical nature when needed. Wilson plays the game with an advanced feel, he knows how to get his guys in the right spots and find them for easy baskets both in the half court and transition. Wilson played a primary role as a sophomore this past season and he's more than ready for the challenge ahead this spring/summer. Warriors Elite 2028 will be one of the best independent 16u teams in the state and they are lucky to have Wilson running their show!

We got the travel ball season started off with a great opportunity to check in on a lot of independent teams throughout North Carolina, mostly in the 15u and 16u division. Rock Hill always provides a great setting for travel basketball, it brings the best out of everyone and the level of competition is always strong. Without further delay, let's take a look at some guys to watch who really performed well last weekend.