Triad First 48 Varsity County Clash: Superlatives

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">PrepHoopsNC takes a look at the superlatives from the Triad First 48 Varsity County Clash heading into the June HS period.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best 2026 Prospect: [player_tooltip player_id='1694957' first='Dane' last='Cassada']/[player_tooltip player_id='1990408' first='Owen' last='Calvert'] (Team Forsyth)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cassada and Calvert were equally lethal when they were in for Team Forsyth in leading them to this year's County Clash Championship. To be fair, both were in different rotations when featured in the backcourt and both were equally impressive when given opportunities to showcase what they can do. Calvert did well in attacking off the bounce and making opponents pay when they didn't pick him up on the perimeter. He did well to play his role as floor general and kept his other shooters involved. Cassada was a versatile terror on both ends of the floor. He showed he could operate inside and out, causing turnovers and snagging rebounds. In the open court, he did well to showcase his ability to create off the bounce and knock down shots on the perimeter. Both guards are DI prospects worth getting to know in the Triad region.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846056531739055","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846056531739055 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best 2027 Prospect: [player_tooltip player_id='2529637' first='Brayden' last='Gatling'] (Team Guilford)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gatling has been on the PH radar previously, but the Triad First 48 Varsity County Clash raised his stock tremendously. He's a lefty guard who likes to attack off the bounce and showed poise in traffic finishing around the rim. He does well to absorb contact with his strong frame and knows when to pull up and knock down shots on the perimeter and in the mid-range. He's a prospect in NC's 2027 class for DI and DII programs to track out of Southwest Guilford High in the Triad area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846070263955567","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846070263955567 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best 2028 Prospect: [player_tooltip player_id='2947889' first='Noah' last='Dulin'] (Team Davie/Yadkin/Wilkes)/<strong>Brennan Foster</strong> (Team Guilford)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dulin remains a prospect in the 2028 class to keep a close eye on following his showing at the Triad First 48 County Clash. He took home the best 2028 prospect alongside <strong>Brennan Foster</strong> (Team Guilford). Dulin made his presence felt right away with a steal and dunk to showcase his abilities as an all-around terror on the hardwood. He attacked off the bounce with consistency and knocked down shots on the perimeter with ease to showcase his combo guard abilities, despite his class. He'll be one to keep eyes on at Davie High over the next few seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846074999243035","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846074999243035 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Foster is a prospect who put himself squarely on the PH radar in the 2028 class following his performance at the Triad First 48 County Clash. He set the tone early with his ability to space the floor with his perimeter shooting. He was consistent off the bounce in getting to the paint and making the right read, whether a finish in the paint/mid-range or a kick-out for an easy shot. The 5-foot-10 guard set quite the tone despite his youth for Team Guilford's offense for others to follow suit with. He's one to watch at Northeast Guilford High.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846062114349151","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HereGoJayAgain/status/1932846062114349151 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best Shooter: <strong>Abram Talbert </strong>(Team Stokes/Surry)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Talbert was easily the best shooting presence on the perimeter when it was all said and done at the Triad First 48. Despite being in the 2028 class, he set quite the tone when the ball came his way with his ability to need very little space to knock down shot after shot on the perimeter. In his best outing, he knocked down six 3-pointers following a flurry-ending of 3-pointers to close out Stokes/Surry's final game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best Big Man: <strong>Luke Anderson</strong> (Team Stokes/Surry)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anderson was impressive around the rim on both ends in earning the award for Best Big Man at the Triad First 48. He showed that the post certainly isn't dead in utilizing his length and ability to attack the basket in the painted area. He'll be a name to keep a close eye on in the West Stokes High frontcourt, given his size at 6-foot-7 and activity around the rim on both ends. Look for him to grow as a DII/DIII prospect over the coming months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/lukea440/status/1932844392533889313","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/lukea440/status/1932844392533889313 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best Athlete: [player_tooltip player_id='1808845' first='Amari' last='Robinson'] (Team Guilford)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aside from [player_tooltip player_id='2947889' first='Noah' last='Dulin'], Robinson was another bouncy prospect at the Triad First 48 who stood out with his ability to play above the rim. He did well at utilizing his ability to be a presence defensively to create easy fast break opportunities for himself, often resulting in dunks. Robinson also showed he could utilize his athleticism off the bounce as well in getting perimeter looks. He showed he could make an impact with and without the ball in his hands with his size and athleticism at 6-foot-3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"textAlign":"center"} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Take a look at all of the action from the Triad First 48 Varsity County Clash as well:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Naj9mZWlRnLUAMq1thVHbU-lftIF94z","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Naj9mZWlRnLUAMq1thVHbU-lftIF94z </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->