Very good topic and it came up in boy’s basketball earlier today and thought this might be a good one to move on up to the top, so we can give everybody a crack at it……
Who are some of the local basketball players that have been Flying Under the Radar?????
We have heard about:
Brandon Dorsett at Greensboro Day School
Alex Smith at High Point Andrews
Kyle Vebber at Northwest Guilford
Saegan Hilliard at Asheboro
Antwan Wilkerson at Western Guilford
Maybe we should add Lee Sweeney from Grimsley to the list?????
(Will Coble at HP Wesleyan may fall into this category and what about Derek Grant over at HP Central?)
*****Do we have others that should be added to this list?*****
+++++Any nominees for the girls?+++++
Here is how the conversation got started with the comments below:
Not a complaint or comment but was wondering what every ones thinking. Who are some of the underrated , overlooked high school basketball players in the area. You know the ones who are quietly racking up the points but don’t seem to get the respect due.
Posted by Curious
Alex Smith at Andrews. Real solid player with range. Big up side to this kid. I believe he played at Veritas last year.
Posted by Under the Radar
Terry Biles is a player from HPA that I haven’t heard much from so far this season.
Antwan Wilkerson at WG is player who has kind of been flying under the radar until the past few weeks and watch out for the kid Saegan Hilliard at Asheboro, huge numbers, but a bit quiet outside of Randolph County…..
Posted by Andy
Andy, HPC has a decent team. HPA is missing Collins, but others have stepped up. I agree that the Hilliard kid can really play. I am still not sold on Wilkerson. He has gifts, but does not play hard.
Posted by Under the Radar
I agree about Hilliard. He is a great kid and can play. My vote is for Vebber from Northwest. Has not gotten the recognition that some other local boys have with equal talent. Hear he is putting up some big numbers this year so far.
Posted by Agree
Brandon Dorsett From GDS. Having an excellent senior season. Highly skilled combo guard.
Posted by bballfan
I think Wilkerson is still learing Coach Wade’s program. He was forced to play center at Northeast and never had to venture far beyond the paint. If you look closely, you will see hesitancy over anything else. If he looks the same at the end of the year, Under the Radar is right. But after 25+ games under Hunter’s system, I don’t think 5 games are a true indicator of this kid’s heart or commitment to defense.
By no means am I knocking Hunter’s choices. He had big kids with low skills and Wilkerson was the obvious and often the only choice. But at NE, Antwan was able to sit in the lane and block shots woith little or no movement. The only guard I saw him go up against was Dudley’s PJ Hairston and he did pretty well. Now he is asked to guard quicker kids and fight around picks, etc. Again, I am interested on seeing how he finishes.
The 6’6″+ giants for Western Guilford allow Antwan to move to his natural position at 2 or 3. Spinks and Donovan relieve the pressure to lock the lane down that he had at NE. With a “mature beyong his years” D1 point guard in Reggie Perkins running the show and a coach who allows him to shoot that consistent mid to long range jumper, he will get past trying to fit in the system and actually run the system. Hopefully, he will be able to use his own agility and athleticism on smaller guards and small forwards to show where his mind and heart really is.
It is a marathon – not a sprint. Let’s see how this kid finishes on a definite playoff team!
Out of Page.. 2 sophomores come to mind.
Jackson Kent (Son of Page head basketball coach Robert Kent)
Frank Eaves (Son of A&T head basketball coach Jerry Eaves)
I have to agree with Next. I also have to agree with under the radar. Wilkerson does have the gift and he is playing for a new team under the instruction of a new coach. Looks like coach Wade is letting this kid show he has skills other then playing center. Under coach Hunter he played center but he was also the highest scoring player on the team for NE last season. I have a feeling that once this young fellow gets into the groove he is going to sprout wings. Lets see what happens tonight over at NE. I know I will be there.
what about Michael Griffin, Michael Smith, the one whose name changes, #15 at Northeast? SF at Northeast. He seems to be coming along well….
Demone Harrison from Page, Kyle Berger from NW, The PG Trey for NE, are just a trio of players who come to mind….Barry Scoggins is having a breakout year at Northern..Tyler Stutts gets my vote as well…
? Has any high school sent more players to play bb at UNC than Dudley? If so which school and how many players? I think P.J. will make #4
You are correct, PJ makes 4…Brendan Haywoood, Will Graves and Damian Price are the others..Pearce Landry went to Page, Bob McAdoo went to Smith, and I am not quite sure if Rayanrd Harrison went to Grimsley…
Brandon Dorsett and JT Terry at GDS. I don’t think they have lost and those two are playing a big role. Never seen a freshman rebound like Terry. Saw the GDS-HP Central game. They had a 6’4 kid that was very good.
Theo Pinson! The best 8th grader in the county, state and one of the best in the nation. This 6’4″ long athlete is like a “freak” of nature. He has the passing skill of Jason Kidd, the motor of John Wall and the love for the game like Magic Johnson. His nickname is the “Big Ticket”. Coming to a high school near you in the fall of 2010. He is a humble and great kid as well.
Quayshad Williams – sophomore from greensboro day. big physical center/forward, finshes well at the rim
What do you say we add Bryce Benjamin from NEG and Hunter Clary from NWG to the list……
Bryce has been very steady for NEG and Hunter is like a sponge for the Vikings in that backcourt, just soaking it all up……
Clary is good. He is only a Sophomore. He’ll get his time.
Maybe if Clary keeps his hair cut real short like J.J. Redick used to, then he might end up in the backcourt at Duke one day.
You never know until you dream…….
Andy, I dont know if you would consider him under the radar but Carter Gourley from Grimsley is probably the most underrated and most underappreciated player in Guilford County. He has played varsity all four years and contributed all four years. My son goes to northwest, and we played them this year and he absolutely killed us, i think he had about 28 and we didnt have an answer for him. Maybe people dont give him credit because hes not the strongest or most athletic kid but he gets my vote as most underrated player in guilford county.
I have followed him now for four years and considerd dropping his name in this category, but he is known in the area for his work with Grimsley….
He is a complete player that knows and understands the game well and he is the true veteran of the Grimsley squad.
Any pub Carter Gourley gets, he deserves, because he has worked very hard and when his shot is on from outside, he is as good as anybody in this state. It is all about the set-up. Being able to get set for your shot and having your feet set the way you want to and need to.
The kid is for real and people know who he is, he just needs to have a strong finish during his senior year and he will be able to move on to the next level. From what we hear, he is very solid in the classroom too….
He is the glue that can make Grimsley a smart team. He has been there and learned a lot along the way…..
Mitch oates from High Point Christian
Bryce Fain from High Point Christian
Adrian Moore PG/Sg From Western Guilford this guy is lights out long range has a nice pull up game and really knows how to run a team when at PG