Team Preview: Knightdale Knights Looking To Continue Winning Ways

<p>The defending Northern 6A/7A regular season and tournament champions are set to have another big year. They roster a group that has a good blend of youth and veterans. The Knights are looking to build on a 20-7 season, including going undefeated in conference play. Those 20 wins were the most since 2018-2019 which further provides justification on the upward trajectory under Coach Watson.</p>   <p>Coach Watson is very excited about the team and how hard they've been working. He was very detailed in each players development plan and what they needed to do to contribute. I think this will be one of the deeper teams he's had since his arrival. After winning 13 of the final 14 games, the expectations are high inside the program. This type of winning culture that has been built during Coach Watsons tenure has even trickled down to the JV team who's seen ample success under Coach Moffitt.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shooting Guard Star</h2>    <p>Headlining the Knights is the reigning conference player of the year. Brennen is a prolific three-level scorer who nearly averaged 20 points last year. He was effective and efficient in his approach all year long. The shooting splits of 49/39/78 provide further context of just how efficient Brennen was as the number one option. He has a good shot diet and doesn't overly rely on the three-point shot. One of his most successful methods of scoring is his mid-range pull up that he converts at a high clip.</p>   <p>Brennen began the year totaling 56 points in the first two games and ending the year totaling 40 points. A perfect encapsulation of the type of prolific scorer he is and how consistent he was throughout the year. There was a lot of pressure on Brennen last year as the primary scorer who was one of the few that create offense consistently. Now with some of the new additions and growth of younger players, the usage will decrease but the effectiveness will go up several notches. I expect another monster year for Brennen as he leads the Knights to another successful season.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Two Way Sophomore Sensation</h2>    <p>Pound for pound, I do not think there is a better defender in the state than Tre. As a freshman, he was tasked with guarding the opponents best player and often won those matchups. The frame is mature which allows him to impose his physicality on smaller defenders but use his quickness on bigger ones. I've seen Tre successfully guard every position on the floor, sometimes two different players on the same possession. That type of defensive versatility shown at this age speaks volumes of what Tre is all about.</p>   <p>Tre is an effective offensive player but sometimes a little too unselfish. I spoke with Coach Watson about that, and he confirmed that getting Tre to be more scoring oriented is a focal point in the development plan. Tre is at his best getting downhill where he utilizes his size to shield off defenders and finish at a high level. He's always under control and has improved his jump shot to keep defenses honest. The rebounding and playmaking are added bonuses but expect Tre to be more aggressive offensively to match his already defensive dominance.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stat Stuffing New Addition</h2>    <p>A welcoming addition to the Knights will be in the form of Bryson Keith and his willingness to do what it takes to win. During his junior year at Cary, Bryson stuffed the stat sheet. He led the Imps in assists (5.5), steals (2.5) and three point% (33%). Scoring wise, he finished 2<sup>nd</sup> (13 points) and 3<sup>rd</sup> in rebounding (4.3). Adding this type of production raises the ceiling for the Knights as they have another reliable scorer.</p>   <p>Bryson's ability to facilitate allows Tre and Brennen to be more focused on scoring. It also keeps defenses off balance because all three players can score or be a playmaking threat. Defensively alongside Tre Roper, the havoc these two will cause will be at an all-time high. Turning defense to easy offense is something Bryson will contribute to. This type of versatility is the perfect match for the Knights backcourt.</p>    <p>There is a young trio of players that the Knights staff is excited about. Hanif Bell is a versatile guard that can score at all three levels but more importantly is that he's a terrific defender. King Ray brings a versatile forward to the Knights rotation that can rebound, block shots and occasionally step out to knock down a three.</p>   <p>Kam Stokes is a player who stood out to me and while it may not be at the beginning of the year, I expect him to be in the mix to get minutes. He's a lights out shooter from all over the floor and can also create off the bounce for himself and others. In the way he shoots the ball alongside the way the roster is set up, opens a lot of different dynamics to the Knights team.</p>   <p>After going 56-24 overall and 26-4 in conference through three years, Coach Watson has set the bar for excellence. This team has a chance to be extremely good and make a deep playoff run.</p>

The defending Northern 6A/7A regular season and tournament champions are set to have another big year. They roster a group that has a good blend of youth and veterans. The Knights are looking to build on a 20-7 season, including going undefeated in conference play. Those 20 wins were the most since 2018-2019 which further provides justification on the upward trajectory under Coach Watson.