Battle For North Carolina gave players chance to shine
BERMUDA RUN — The Battle For North Carolina gave the players from across the state the chance to shine Saturday.
NC State junior wing commit Paul McNeil and junior target Rakease Passmore of Garner Road traveling team helped power the squad to a pair of wins. McNeil came up big with a big steal and assist to junior guard JJ Moore to pull off the 59-57 comeback victory in its second game against NC Rise.
Passmore finished with a team-high 22 points, with a good chunk coming in the last 7 1/2 minutes to spark the comeback. Passmore went 9 of 15 shooting from the field, 2 of 5 on 3-pointers and 2 of 6 at the free-throw line. He added seven rebounds, two steals and two turnovers in the win.
Passmore has worked to improve his outside shooting to complement his defense and electric athleticism in the open court. He had said previously he was going to cut his list down to 10 schools on May 1, but has now postponed that scenario. NC State was one of the first colleges to get him for an unofficial visit in October 2021, and he’s returned since then, but has also become a national recruit. He just officially visited Oregon this past month.
Passmore had 14 points, one assist and two steals in a 54-31 win over RDC Lakers in the first meeting. Garner Road came out sluggish in the first half, but took care of business in the second.
McNeil had his jumper working and had 16 points, seven rebounds and went 3 of 4 on three-point shooting. He finished 6 of 10 from the field and made his lone free throw.
The jumper wasn’t going in for McNeil in the NC Rise, but he adjusted by being a more active passer and rebounder. He had 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two steals and one turnover in the win. He went 3 of 11 from the field, 2 of 9 on 3-pointers and he made all three free throws.
Becoming a more well-rounded offensive performer has been a goal for McNeil. Both McNeil and Passmore have been invited to the Adidas Euro Camp.
Junior wing J3 Swindell of Greensboro (N.C.) Caldwell Academy scored 24 points for NC Rise, who led the majority of the game. Winston-Salem (N.C.) Calvary Day senior power forward Jaydin Spillman also showed his inside-outside game.
Team Curry 15s Guard Chaise Smith Explodes
Freshman guard Chaise Smith is from Washington (N.C.) High, which is the alma mater of NBA legend Dominique Wilkins.
It also could become a popular stop for college coaches over the next few years. Smith poured in 26 points in a win over Team Eat 15s, and did it in a variety of ways. He is smooth, efficient and makes shots, and when his slender 6-1 frame matures, he’ll have all the tools. Smith is also fearless in a good way and wasn’t afraid of the moment.
Smith arrived during the first half of Team Curry’s game last Sunday at the Under Armour Association in Rock Hill, S.C., and showed flashes of his potential. At the Battle For North Carolina, he was able to show the total package with fellow freshman point guard Kobe Edwards of Wilson (N.C.) Greenfield School, who already has offers from East Carolina and Charleston.
Freshman forward Elhadji Diallo played his usual efficient game — he scored 13 points — and he provided his impressive shot-blocking presence at 6-6 for Team Curry. The Lincolnton (N.C.) Combine Academy standout made the game-winning basket in the second overtime session to pull out the 60-58 win over Team Eat.
Freshmen Alex White and Tarris Bouie led the way for Team Eat. Bouie is a lengthy, think 6-4 guard. He oozes long-term upside, but is still learning what he can and can’t get done on the court. Cutting down on the turnovers is the short-term goal, and adding weight will be the long-term one. He could be a high major prospect down the road, and was just offered by Hampton on April 21.
White of Huntersville (N.C.) North Mecklenburg High finished with a team-high 23 points and wasn’t afraid to take key shots down the stretch, and is another one to watch in the future.
Garner Road 15s Has A Sniper
The Wolfpack Central isn’t one for hyperbole, but Charlotte Mallard Creek freshman guard Rassell Young more than lived up to his advanced billing.
The 6-1 lead guard or combo guard has enough wiggle and shake to set up his deadly three-point shot. It’s easy to see why he’s leading the adidas 15s division in scoring through two sessions.
Young averaged 10.8 points per game at Mallard Creek, which has had a steady run of Division I football players, and also currently features sophomore Division I wing prospect Elle Stone on the girls side.
Take note college coaches, Young made 42 of 106 three-pointers for 40 percent, and he was 31 of 34 at the free-throw line for 91 percent at Mallard Creek.
In the two games viewed of Young on Saturday, he scored 15 points in both contests and combined to make seven three-pointers, and probably didn’t play more than 18 minutes in either game. Ohio offered him this past week, and he’ll continue to see a steady dose of offers the next few years.
Garner Road 15s also had St. Pauls (N.C.) High freshman center Tyson Thompson, who flashed his long-range potential. He was particularly comfortable in the first game game against NC Rise, coming off the bench with eight of his 12 points coming in the second half. The 6-8 low-post threat is the great nephew of the late Charles Shackleford, who played center at NC State and in the NBA.
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