Phenom Queen City Showcase: 2027 Prospects on the Rise

USE CODE “baxley30” FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION   The Phenom Hoops Queen City Showcase in Rock Hill marked my first Phenom Hoops event of the season, and it didn't disappoint. The event brought together a strong mix of talent from across the Carolinas and beyond, creating a competitive atmosphere with plenty of opportunity for players to make an impression, and while some familiar names continued to produce, several 2027 prospects used the stage to build real momentum with their play. Here are the 2027 prospects on the rise coming out of the weekend.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />    Leading off the list is CPB's [player_tooltip player_id='3598970' first='Ari' last='Floyd']. I was familiar with Floyd from the high school season at Dreher, but Saturday was as engaged and productive as I have seen him. There is no questioning Ari's motor, but he got a lot more action in a double-big lineup because of the energy he brought off the bench. Floyd ran the floor hard on both ends, looking for transition layups or preventing easy baskets for the opponent, plus he showed off a solid mid-range jumper in the half-court.     This in-state guard turned some heads with his play in Rock Hill. Dawson has a super smooth game with a balance of making plays for himself and others on the offensive end. He will play both on and off the ball for Upward Pee Dee, freeing him up to be a scorer at times. Kayson can get buckets at all three levels, and he did so in multiple games this weekend. He is still a somewhat unknown name in the Palmetto State, but look for Dawson's stock to continue to rise over the summer.     One of the reasons why Joseph is a 2027 on the rise is his positional development. I switched his position from PF to SF after seeing him in action this weekend because of how mobile, comfortable, and confident he looked outside the paint. Owusu-Mensah's game looked much improved with this new squad, shooting more threes and working a little bit off the dribble. But he wasn't strictly a floater on the wings - he used his size and athleticism to work the offensive glass, protect the rim, and finish on the move.     I was intrigued by what I saw from Reese during the high school season, so it's good to see him continuing the strong form into the grassroots period. He's running with [program_tooltip program_id='3143950' first='ChuckTown' last='Elite'] this year, and he's often asked to be their energy guy off the bench. This is an asset with his size, because he can win extra possessions, challenge shots on defense, and finish inside when given good position. Kabriel is also a guy who seems to play better with confidence, so look for him to build on a successful weekend and stay hot over the next month.     Switching over to the North Carolina side of things, it is easy to see why [player_tooltip player_id='2449196' first='Malik' last='McCotter'] is a top 10 Point Guard in NC's 2027 Class. He is clearly the guy who [program_tooltip program_id='2078535' first='Team' last='Charlotte'] trusts to run the offense on a possession-to-possession basis because of how tight his handle is through pressure and his excellent passing feel. McCotter can make plays off paint touches or find shooters from the perimeter, plus he is an active defender who forces turnovers on the ball or in help, which can spring an athletic group into transition.     Curry rounds out the rising senior prospects on the rise from the Phenom Queen City Showcase. When you sit down to watch HYAA Elite, Braylon's length is one of the first things that jumps out at you. He contests shots and deflects passes at a high rate with those physical tools, so once he fills out, he could be a true defensive weapon. He lives in the paint on the offensive end because of his athleticism and touch, so there are tons of reasons why scouts were all over Curry this weekend.

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