The Phenom Hoop Report from the Phenom 150 Camp with 6’6 Christian Hairston(GDS) and 6’9 Emeka Ikezu(Caldwell Academy)

Courtesy of Rick Lewis at rlewis57@gmail.com and contact Rick for more info on what all was going on and going down at this past weekend’s Phenom 150 Basketball Camp in Lewisville, N.C.

Here’s today’s Phenom Hoop Report and it lists the key players from last weekend and what they did in capsule form and we have the info inside on Christian Hairston, formerly of Grimsley HS and now at the Greensboro Day School, plus the word on the 6’9 newcomer to our area, Emeka Ikezu, an exchange student at Caldwell Academy…..

Here is the Phenom Hoop Report for today and be sure to check out the word on Hairston and Ikezu…..

October 19th, 2010

Phenom Quote of the Day: “The best way to predict the future is to create
it.”

Phenom Hoop Report Philosophy: “Balanced, thorough, and detailed evaluations
based upon the 3 P’s philosophy of Performance, Production, and Potential.”

Before we get started with the Phenom 150 Camp Review, many people in the
media have asked one simple question in the recruitment of 6’9 Adjehi Baru.
When Baru announced his final 4 college choices of North Carolina, Maryland,
Virginia Tech, and the College of Charleston, the general consensus was “how
in the world did a Southern Conference school like the College of Charleston
get in the final four with the likes of ACC schools North Carolina,
Maryland, and Virginia Tech? While Phenom Hoop Report can’t take full
credit, but when we wrote the article on Baru last December (December 14th,
2009 to be exact) the College of Charleston coaching staff immediately
jumped on the recruitment of Baru. You see, the College of Charleston was
one of the first schools to subscribe to the Phenom Hoop Report and after
reading the article on Baru; they moved in and developed an early
relationship with Baru and his host family. If they are able to pull off
this recruiting coup, it will be the best $375.00 they have ever invested in
a scouting service, especially since he was a virtually unknown commodity in
the college community and the national scouting services.

While the Phenom Hoop Report does not have the national recognition of
others, we have developed a simple approach and have been ahead of the bell
curve on many national prospects. As a good friend of mine once told me,
“you have the knowledge and experience of coaching and at the end of the
day, you have to trust your eye and gut.”

This weekend, Phenom Hoop Report hosted the 6th Annual North Carolina Phenom
150 Camp. We had 180 high school players from a five state area and we had
80 players in the middle school division. While we don’t promote the middle
school showcase with the scouting services and we also have their games
played at a different gym, but it is always good to know some of the top 8th
graders for curiosity sake.

While the North Carolina Phenom 150 Camp doesn’t get a high percentage of
the high elite level college prospect, we do have our fair share of top
prospects, but we also have many mid majors, low majors, division II and yes
division III players. One reason we don’t get the high profile is because
these players are often pampered and expect to come free, which in my
opinion sends the absolutely wrong message to these players. While many
camps “scholarship” the top 25-30 players just to say we have all the top
players while the lower half have to paid is beyond unethical and fair. When
you have guys in the scouting business like Dave Telep, Brick Oettinger,
Clark Francis, Thom Jones, and Mike Talbot covering your event, you are
providing an “opportunity” for these prospects to get recognition and
publicity. It is simply worth the price and cost of the camp!

That being said, the North Carolina Phenom 150 has always uncovered many
players that use this event as a national platform for their continued climb
and success in the national rankings and recruiting process.

North Carolina Phenom 150 Review

Without a doubt, the most skilled player at the camp was 6’8 junior wing
forward T.J. Warren of Raleigh, North Carolina and he may just be the best
long term prospect in the 2012 class in North Carolina. While Warren does
not have the physical strength, you can easily see he has the frame to add
strength and muscle to his frame. While Warren sometimes plays with a “laid
back attitude,” he is silky smooth and can turn it on when he chooses. In
the first game, he was “sleep walking” and going through the motions, but
when he was paired up against 6’3 sophomore Jareese Cooley of Richmond,
Virginia the two became entangles in a physically tough match up that
included pushing and shoving and a few extra elbows being thrown. To say the
least, I had to go over and calm them both down, but the confrontation woke
up T.J. Warren and he became a total beast for the remaining part of the
camp. He showcased his complete skill package by hitting jumpers, mid range
pull ups, and attacking the basket for some thunderous dunks. In speaking
with Clark Francis, he stated that Warren is a legit top 50 prospect
nationally and I couldn’t agree more.

Player: 6’8 T.J. Warren

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

High School: Word of God

Class: 2012

Phenom Hoop Report: HM

The second big story was the play of 6’7 Wing/Forward Andrew White of
Colonial Heights, Virginia. I have written abundantly about White over the
past year since he played with Team Loaded along with 6’9 Adjehi Baru and
5’11 PG Tyler Lewis. Last spring, I had projected White to be a mid major
plus prospect that had a body and frame to be a high major player. The one
thing that was missing was the mental and physical toughness that was needed
to play at a high division I level. While he was a young 2011 prospect, his
father called me in August asking me my opinion about his son reclassing.
The answer was simple; it would only help if White would dedicate himself to
working on his weaknesses. He needed to get stronger and attack the basket
more and learn how to finish. Last season, White could get into the lane,
but his handles were somewhat “loose” and often lost the ball. When he
didn’t lose the ball, he had trouble finishing. I kept telling him and his
father he needed the “wow factor” of going in and throwing down thunderous
dunks and making a statement. After much deliberation, White decided to
transfer and reclass to the Miller School and once I saw White, he had put
on a minimum of 10 pounds of muscle and he looked like a grown man. Early in
the Phenom 150, the “new and improved” Andrew White introduced himself with
several strong drives to the basket and making those thunderous “wow factor”
dunks. His play this weekend along with his new mindset of playing extremely
hard on both ends of the court should elevate him into a national top 75
ranking in the 2012 class. Once high majors check him out, they will all
agree he is a high major prospect. Words of wisdom, remember the Adjehi Baru
story! Don’t sleep and wait on this young man because his stock is going
nowhere BUT STRAIGHT UP!

Player: 6’7 Andrew White

Hometown: Colonial Heights

High School: The Miller School

Class: 2012

Phenom Hoop Report: HM

The other big story at the Phenom 150 Camp was the play of 6’7 sophomore
Nigel Holley of Wilmington, NC. Holley is an athletic PF that is highly
skilled around the basket and is fantastic in running the court. Holley has
a high motor and he competed hard on both ends of the court, but the best
thing I liked about Holley was his ability to score within 10 feet of the
basket. So many young players simply don’t like to play in the paint and
Holley’s game flourished around the basket. He had some nifty and crafty
moves around the basket with his length and athleticism; he may become one
of the top 5 players in North Carolina in the 2013 class. And the great
thing about the NC Phenom 150, new talent always emerges and Holley will be
this year’s top newcomer to the scene.

Player: 6’7 Nigel Holley

Hometown: Wilmington, NC

High School: New Hanover

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: MM+/HM-

Below is the list of other top players and performances:

Player: 6’1 Josh Newkirk

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

High School: Word of God

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: MM+/HM-

Josh Newkirk also established his statewide and national reputation last
year at the 5th Annual North Carolina Phenom 150 camp. He was another
virtual unknown and since he reclassed to the 2013 class, he will jump to a
top 5 prospect in North Carolina. Newkirk’s biggest strength is quickness
and the ability to get to the basket. He loves to attack the basket and
produced some nice circus shots during the event, plus enjoyed a few drives
to the basket with some beautiful dunks with authority. While these events
do not showcase much opportunity for outside shooting, we weren’t really
able to see if he could knock down the outside jumper. He will need to
become more of a facilator rather than a scorer to become a high elite level
PG, but he does possess the physical attributes already.

Player: 6’4 Terry Henderson

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

High School: Neuse Christian Academy

Class: 2012

Phenom Hoop Report: MM/MM+

Henderson is another alumnus of the Phenom 150 camp and he has made huge
strides in his overall development. Henderson has always enjoyed a soft
shooting touch, but has improved tremendously in attacking the basket, along
with being more physical on the defensive side of the ball. If he continues
to make as much improvement in the next year as he has this past year, HM
schools may want to monitor his progress. Right now, he is an outstanding MM
Wing/Guard prospect.

Player: 6’3 Jareese Cooley

Hometown: Richmond, VA

High School: Hugenot

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: MM/MM+

There may not have been a more competitive young man at the camp than
Cooley. When his team went up against T.J. Warren, he picked up Warren full
court, bumped and rode him the entire length of the floor. While he played
overly aggressive at times, he was there to make a statement and the
statement was simple, “I’m here to make a name for myself, especially on the
defensive side of the ball.” While Cooley will need to be more of a
consistent outside shooter, he could easily become a target of mid majors
and above, just based upon his competitive and physical play. Like the old
saying goes, “he was tough as nails!”

Player: 6’6 Christian Hairston

Hometown: Greensboro, NC

High School: Greensboro Day

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: MM

While Forsyth Country Day played Greensboro Day three times last year, I
don’t ever remember watching this young man play. That being said, Hairston
was another “surprise” player at the camp. When I first watched him, I
thought he was a new player that transferred in, but he played JV ball last
season. Well, he won’t play JV ball this season as Hairston is a skilled WF
that has good balling skills and the ability to attack and finish around the
basket. In addition, he sported a nice 10 foot pull up jumper. He was super
competitive and was also a tough defender. All this young man needs is game
experience since he has the physical attributes and basketball skills to
become a mid major prospect.

Player: 6’6 Brian White

Hometown: Chester, VA

High School: Matoaca High School

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: MM+/HM-

Brian White (no relation to Andrew White or Coach Ty White of Team Loaded)
is another player I have written about extensively over the past year,
especially since I’ve watched him numerous times playing for the 15U Team
Loaded squad last season. Brian White is an extremely long and athletic WF
that possesses tremendous hops. He is best in transition and also sports a
beautiful mid range game. If he continues to grow and develop, he reminds me
of a younger Dorian Finney-Smith.

Player: 6’2 Eric Johnson

Hometown: Durham, NC

High School: Kestel Heights

Class: 2014

Phenom Hoop Report: MM+/HM-

Only a freshman, 6’2 Eric Johnson possesses the physical attributes of a
strong PG that has outstanding fundamentals and a developing high basketball
IQ. His biggest strength is his ability to run a basketball team as
showcased at our event this past weekend. He communicated well with his
teammates as a traffic cop delegating traffic at a busy intersection.
Johnson does sport good athleticism, but is not super quick but it is
ability to handle the basketball and direct a team that is impressive for a
young freshman. He is next in line of talented players that come through the
D-One Sports pipeline.

Player: 6’7 Shane Whitfield

Hometown: Bayboro, NC

High School: Pamlico County

Class: 2012

Phenom Hoop Report: MM

Whitfield is another alumnus of the Phenom 150 camp and his development was
clearly seen in his overall physical strength. He has added bulk and muscle
and he was an absolute beast in the paint. Along with Jareese Cooley of
Richmond, VA, no one out hustled and out played him on both ends of the
court. He simply played with more passion than before and he didn’t live on
the perimeter as in prior camp or AAU games. Whitfield also sports a nice
mid range games and is currently a tweener between a WF/PF, but his best
work during the camp was at the PF position. While he may be an undersized
PF at the next level, he also utilized pump fakes and nifty up and under
moves around the basket. A no miss MM prospect.

Player: 6’9 Emeka Ikezu

Hometown: Greensboro, NC (Host family)

High School: Caldwell Academy

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: MM

Like many of the African players that make the trek to the U.S., the first
year is a complete learning curve. The 6’9 sophomore is long and athletic
and extremely active on both ends of the court. He is still somewhat raw,
but he does show glimpses of potential on the offensive end of the floor. He
did play big and utilizes his wingspan to alter shots on the offensive end
of the floor. Definitely a MM prospect at the moment.

Player: 6’4 Andrew Franz

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

High School: Ravenscroft

Class: 2012

Phenom Hoop Report: LM

Andrew Franz may have been one of my favorite players at the camp. At 6’4,
he has extremely high basketball IQ and outstanding fundamentals, plus is
extremely crafty with the basketball. While not a PG, he does have a PG
mentality with slick and nifty no look passes and a flair for advanced ball
handling moves. He has a nice and soft shooting touch and has the ability to
attack the basket. While he is not a high riser, he is just a solid,
fundamentally sound and high IQ player that will give you a 100% effort on
and off the court.

Player: 6’3 Ricky Council

Hometown: Durham, NC

High School: Durham Northern

Class: 2014

Phenom Hoop Report: MM+

This is one young man to definitely put in your memory bank or SIM CARD is
6’3 freshman Ricky Council of Durham Northern. Council is extremely strong
and athletic for such a young prospect and has the ability to transition
into a viable and high level PG down the road. He plays with emotion and
passion and has a competitive spirit that is fun to watch.

Player: 6’4 Matthew Madigan

Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC

High School: Reagan

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: MM

The 6’4 southpaw has a sweet looking stroke and has surprising and sneaky
athleticism and he skied to catch a few alley oop passes for dunks, but make
no mistake, his biggest attribute is his ability to shoot the rock. With
added strength and development, his game could expand and develop into a MM+
player. He has outstanding fundamentals and a high basketball IQ. Without a
doubt, the best and purest shooter at the camp.

Player: 5’10 Andrew Rowsey

Hometown: Lexington, VA

High School: Rockbridge

Class: 2013

Phenom Hoop Report: LM+/MM-

While Rowsey is another favorite of mine, he plays the game with a
“cockiness, swagger, and confidence.” He has a beautiful shooting touch is
can be a “lights out shooter.” Right now, he is a scoring PG and down the
road must transition into more of a pass first PG to further advance his
level of play. That being said, he is extremely fun to watch and doesn’t
back down from a challenge

13 thoughts on “The Phenom Hoop Report from the Phenom 150 Camp with 6’6 Christian Hairston(GDS) and 6’9 Emeka Ikezu(Caldwell Academy)

  1. christian hairston played varsity last year for Grimsley High School. He came to GDS and reclassified. The player you’re thinking about that played JV is Trey Chapman.

  2. You’re right C’mon. He has shown real improvement over the summer and will be a force off the bench. He and Christian are two long players that are capable of playing wing and down low. They could make a big impact throughout the season.

  3. BTW Dave telep is a straight down…..anyways C-boogey did his thing at the phenom camp…..STRAIGHT BUCKETS!!!!!!!!

  4. Who are these kids up here playing around. This is a site for good basketball conversation not for play. Please GET IT TOGETHER !

  5. Who ever evauated this kids should be sued for taking these kids parents money. T J Warren looked so good because everyone else was just average. All of these kids have a lot of work to do

  6. I didnt know christian transferred to GDS. I attend his father’s church. Nice respectable young man with huge talent once fully developed. Reclassing was the right thing to do in his case. He would have been entering his junior year and with another year to develop, he will be a high recruit in the college ranks

  7. Absolutely No Defense being played at all, was he the only player over 6’2 on the court. Looks to me like GDS has gotten another tall average player.

  8. I dissapointed in this camp no team ball no defense and seem like the scouts only looked at a few players. who did not look that strong. the speech about 3 dribbles and pass was just that a speech i have coaching for over 26 years and some of this was the worst display of basketball Ive ever seen. and some of the players you are talking about werent really that good. I know players tryto show there skills. but skills were very limited sorry but it needed to be said

  9. Another player who did not make the lisT and he most willingly deserves was 5’10 2013 PG Logan Jackson of Marvin Ridge High School. He was one of the top point gaurds in the camp, no doubt. The sad thing was i did not see many scouts watch his team play which actually went undefeated at the camp. Watching him play you could definately tell that he has great potential. I saw him turn the ball over maybe one time throughout all three games and he plays a style similar to how Rondo plays and how a smaller point gaurd should play, always passing first. His d-fence is great, his shot could use some work but it isnt to bad. He should definately be ranked after this coming year, probably one of the most underrated PGs in the southeast.

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