By: Zack Adams
1/5/17
The brand new, NAC-6 will open conference play beginning this coming Tuesday, January 9th. NAC-6 play was supposed to begin Friday, Jan. 5 but with the recent snow and ice keeping the students/athletes out of the classroom, games that were set for the 5th have been rescheduled. Nonetheless, the season is already over a month into existence and the teams are ready to battle it out for what really counts, a conference championship and a playoff berth. With that being said, let's hit some key points of the six teams season's thus far and give you all some players to watch for.
Knightdale
 |
| (5 -- Cole Johnson -- Photo Courtesy of HighSchoolOT) |
Knightdale (9-3) has started the season really well. The Knights come in being ranked #11 in the Preps Now rankings because their only losses are to Cary (NR), Broughton (#9), and Ravenscroft (#7). But Knightdale just avenged that loss to Cary this past week when they knocked off the Imps (78-58) in one of two semifinals of the South Granville Holiday Tournament. The Knights fell to Chris Barnette and Ravenscroft, as mentioned before, 64-54 in the Navy Bracket Championship. Senior forward Shayne Saigo scored 15 points in the Knights ten point defeat. Saigo is a six foot junior forward who does the most of his damage in the post, which is a little rare for someone of his size to be playing down low as oppose to the wing. Coach Anthony Byrd does have himself an impressive back court. Seniors Xavier Fennell and Cole Johnson. In last week's 20 point victory over the Cary Imps, Johnson scored 21 points and he knocked down six threes. Knightdale also took down Riverside (93-75) last week and Johnson scored 22 while also hitting six triples. Fennell added 16 and 13 points in those to games respectively. Knightdale also has Andrew Tuazama down low. He is a 6'5", 225 pound senior that obviously can take up a lot of space in the post. Knightdale could open a lot of eyes in January and February, especially with a back court that can score at a high level and a solid post game. Knightdale will also have a big test within conference play as they had a game scheduled against Leesville Road earlier on in the season and it was moved to Jan. 11. The Pride are ranked #3 by Preps Now so that is another huge test, or another wedge thrown in for the Knights for this two months stretch. The Knights open conference play on Tuesday (Jan. 9) with a road tilt at #21 Rolesville. The two school's used to be Greater Neuse River foes so it will be interesting to see how they do battle in a new conference at least twice this year.
Heritage
 |
| (40 - Jayden Gardner -- Photo Courtesy of The John Wall) |
Heritage (8-4) is not undefeated like they were at this time last year prior to Cap-8 play. They've lost two tough games to Preps Now #1 Garner, 84-79 defeat at South Garner High and 91-79 defeat at home. The two other losses came at this past week's John Wall Holiday Invitational where they fell to Hillcrest Prep (AZ -- 70-60) and Cannon School (64-55). Heritage have been in each and every one of their defeats this season. The Cannon School loss came without starting point guard, Dyson Pender for a majority of the game due to an ankle injury. He returned the following day in the Huskies blowout win over Panther Creek (74-32) but still, losing your ball handler, or "steady eddie" as Coach Brill called him called him last week, can really turn the tide of a ballgame in which it did against Cannon last Friday. Jayden Gardner and Jarren McAllister are continuing to prove why the two are some of the best players in the Triangle. Gardner, an ECU commit, is coming into NAC-6 play averaging a double-double with 25.4 points per game and he is grabbing 13 rebounds per contest. McAllister will be attending Virginia Tech next fall and the senior guard is having yet another stellar season as he's averaging 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. You can absolutely not double team either one of these guys because they other one will be the focal point of Brill's offense and you'll have to somehow contain them and the Huskies have more than just two options on offense. 6'5" freshman Redford "Red" Dunton is a shooter. The kid can shoot the long ball and has some mad crazy flow to go along with it. Red has four double digit games on the season, one of which came at the Holiday Invitational where he had 14 against Panther Creek. Dunton is shooting 52% from three so he is definitely another weapon for Heritage on offense. Sophomore Tre Waller and freshman Lucas Taylor are also capable three point shooters. Waller hit five threes in a 16 point performance earlier this season in the Heritage's 69-65 home win over Millbrook where on Twitter he earned the nickname, "Tre Baller". Taylor is only shooting 34% from three but has exploded for 2-3 triples in a couple of games including the night he scored his career high of 16 points against Middle Creek, the frosh shot three of five from long distance. Heritage comes into conference ranked #12 in the Preps Now Top 25 and will open NAC-6 play at home Tuesday (Jan. 9) against former Cap-8 rival, #15 Wakefield.
Wakefield
 |
| (Photo Courtesy of HighSchoolOT) |
Wakefield (11-3) comes in with one of the teams' best starts in recent memory. The Wolverines have already matched last year's win total (11-14, 4-10 Cap-8), going into conference play this season. Also, Wakefield is ranked #15 in the area in the most recent Preps Now Top 25 rankings. This is a tremendous start for HC Garrett Stevens and his Wolverines. Two of his three leading scorers from a year ago, Tyler Wilson (14.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG) and Antonio Patterson (12.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG) both graduated so it left a huge void offensively as they headed into a new conference where they will face once again, good competition like they did for many years in the Cap-8. Trae Smith was the team's second leading scorer a season ago. The then sophomore averaged 13.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest last season. This season as a junior, Smith now averages 16.7 points and 6.6 boards. Fellow junior Elijah Shabazz is also doing work for Wakefield as he averages 11.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Senior Trent Wilson is also having himself a solid season. He averages 9.5 points per game and has knocked down a team high, 31 threes this year. Wilson is shooting 44% from long distance. Two of Wakefield's losses are the #13 Green Hope. The two met on Dec. 2 at the Millbrook Showcase where the Falcons took that match up, 62-53. They also met this past week at the South Granville Invitational, in the Columbia Bracket championship as Green Hope also won that meeting, 75-63. Wakefield has shown some grit so far this season. The Wolverines downed Clayton by three, 75-72 also at the South Granville Invitational in overtime. Wakefield beat Northwood in double overtime on Dec. 5, 84-78 as well. Coach Stevens as his men could not forget about the Cap-8 as they beat down two former conference foes in Millbrook (69-54) and Sanderson (72-54) earlier on in the season. Wakefield opens up NAC-6 play this upcoming Tuesday, Jan. 9 at Heritage in what should be a great Preps Now Top 25 matchup.
Rolesville
 |
| (11 - Ricky Clemons -- Photo Courtesy of News and Observer) |
From the Greater Neuse River 4A conference, now to the NAC-6, Rolesville (9-4) looks to continue to make their mark and open some eyes at the 4A level in the upcoming months. The Rams are led by senior Ricky Clemons, who is averaging 20.8 points per game. Clemons has accounted for at least 15 points in his last five ballgames. If it wasn't for Jayden Gardner and Jarren McAllister from Heritage, this kid could very well be the NAC-6 Player of the Year with all of the talent he possesses. Fellow senior Dominique Johnson also gets in on the scoring as he averages 12.1 points and 6.4 boards per game. You can see the perks of having two scoring threats as Rolesville, the #21 team in the Preps Now Top 25, took the #1 Garner Trojans to overtime in their second meeting of the season. The final of that one ended up being 88-76 in the Trojans favor but Ricky Clemons once again put on a show as he finished with 21. Jaylin Parker (7.8 PPG) and Johnson stepped up as well and they scored 18 and 17 respectively. Rolesville also met Broughton at home earlier this season where they lost by ten, 68-58, but it was a great "early season lesson" like the two Garner games were just to get the ready for a tough conference slate where four of six teams are ranked locally. Rolesville will play host to #11 Knightdale this coming Tuesday evening (Jan. 9) at 8:00.
Corinth Holders
 |
(11 - Warren Ramsey and 24- Cameron Walden -- Photo Courtesy of News and Observer) |
Definitely not the start Corinth Holders (4-9) wanted as they move up classifications from 3A a year ago to 4A this year. Seven of the Pirates nine losses this season have came by ten points or less, so they have been in every game this season. The Pirates opened the season with a road gauntlet. Corinth Holders' first five games came on the road, four of which were lost by ten points or less. Leading the Pirates in scoring are senior Warren Ramsey (13.5 PPG) and junior Cameron Walden (10.9 PPG). Ramsey put up a career and season high back on Dec. 6 in Corinth's 56-26 win over Princeton. He finished with 25 points on 5/9 (55%) shooting from three. Both Ramsey and Walden each scored 20+ points in the Smithfield-Selma, 81-71 defeat. Ramsey had 22 as Walden added 21. Walden has three double-doubles on the season, one of which was nearly a triple-double in the Pirates' 64-62 victory over Cleveland back on Dec. 15. 16 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists was the juniors' stat line against the Rams. It's not just Ramsey and Walden that have been scoring "the rock" for Coach Davis' Pirates. Sophomore Tanner Smith is nearly averaging in double figures for the season with 9.3 points per game. Smith went through some "varsity growing pains" to begin his tenth grade season as he scored less that ten points in his first six outings. In Smith's last five, he is averaging 13.2 a game, including a 17 point performance over Holiday break against North Raleigh Christian. Speaking of Holiday break, Corinth Holders finished 2-3 over break with wins over Triton (55-53) and North Raleigh Christian (51-29). The five game stretch was concluded by a tough overtime loss to Fuquay-Varina, where the Bengals took that one by five, 51-46. Corinth Holders will play their first 4A conference game this coming Tuesday (Jan. 9) when Wake Forest comes to Wendell.
Wake Forest
 |
| (15 -- John Jiles -- now wears #1 -- Photo Courtesy of News and Observer) |
This fall, Wake Forest took home the 4AA East football State Championship when they beat Mallard Creek, 21-0. This winter, Wake Forest (7-5) will look to make some noise of their own in the gym. Coach Todd Seymour was pleased to finally gain his four football players (three juniors and one senior) back and put them in his rotation. In those four games, Wake Forest went 3-1 but that one loss was a blowout defeat to former Cap-8 conference foe, Millbrook. The Wildcats embarrassed the Cougars, 74-40 on the "Coogs" home floor in the season opener. Following that 34 point defeat, Wake Forest won five of six. In that stretch, Wake Forest downed Franklinton by three in overtime, 59-56. Of those four football players that returned the Seymour's rotation after missing the first four games, John Jiles was probably the "biggest name". Jiles is a pure athlete. He stands 6'4" and his athletic ability earned him a scholarship offer from Marshall for football. In his second game of the season against Franklinton, Jiles exploded for 23 points. How about that for a return to the hardwood? Jiles is not the only Cougar capable of scoring in mass. On Dec. 19, Wake Forest downed Holly Springs at home, 78-66. John Jiles showed his athleticism when he put a Golden Hawk in a poster with a right handed tomahawk flush. Jiles might have stole the show with that poster but junior Quandre Bullock made a statement on the stat sheet. Bullock led all scorers with 28 points in the 12 point victory. Wake Forest will hit the road and head to Wendell on Tuesday (Jan. 9) as they'll battle Corinth Holders. Tip for that one is set for 8:00.
GIRLS "PREVIEW":
Not only does the boys conference slate tip-off Tuesday, but so does the girls. Like the boys, the NAC-6 girls hold four spots in the Preps Now Top 25 rankings. Heritage (11-3) heads that list at #3. Pat Kennedy's Lady Huskies are led by three veterans. First, two juniors, Cydney Johnson and Demi Washington. Johnson (15.6) and Washington (15.1) both average over 15 a game to lead the team in scoring. Also, Morehead State commit and senior point guard, Alissa Smalls. Smalls averages 6.9 points per game and she is also dishing out 5.5 assists per game. Leading the conference in scoring is #18 Wake Forest (7-4) senior guard Kayla Surles. Surles comes into conference play averaging 15.9 points and 5.1 assists per contest. She is also shooting 38% from three thus far on the season. In her third game of the season against DH Conley (65-63 win), Surles finished with 37 points on 9/16 shooting from three (56%). Definitely going to be two interesting duels at point guard between Smalls and Surles when Heritage and Wake Forest do battle in the next couple of months. #8 Wakefield (10-2) comes in with some young fire power of their own. After a rough 12-13 finish last season, Wakefield is off to a hot start as they have won four of their last six. Juniors Jada Peebles and Gabby Donaldson both are back for the Lady Wolverines after last season, the two combined to average 25.8 points per game. #14 Rolesville (9-5) is probably the most "pesky" team in this conference. After finishing third is last year's deep Greater Neuse, HC Clinton Williams returns senior forward Valencia Carroll, who averages 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Carroll will be a huge post presence this winter and could be a huge part in a couple of Lady Ram upsets. The other two teams in the NAC-6 are not ranked by Preps Now but they both could very well make some noise of their own. Knightdale (8-3) comes into conference play having won two straight. Coach Faison's Lady Knights are led by a senior and a freshman. Senior Akira Wiggins comes into conference averaging 12.3 per game while freshman Diamond Thomas comes in averaging just over 12 a game as well, at 12.1. A veteran and a young talent "on the come up" could spell for some upsets for the Lady Knights this winter. Corinth Holders (5-9) comes up to 4A with a young team. But don't let it fool you, Corinth Holders has been able to squeak out some close wins this season and take Preps Now Top 25 ranked teams like Franklinton and Clayton to their limits. The Lady Pirates are led by junior point guard Mikayla Thompson and freshman forward Crawford Ramsey. Both have had their share of double figure games thus far. They'll need a lot more and help from the supporting cast to find success in this year's deep NAC-6.
Complete coverage of all of Corinth Holders' girls and boys varsity games from January, February, and beyond will be coming on my Twitter (@xzadamsx) where I'll be live tweeting all of our games along with stories/recaps following those games right here on my Blog. Good luck to all six teams in the NAC-6 this coming winter!
No comments:
Post a Comment