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Published Dec 29, 2022
Preview of Thursday's John Wall Holiday Invitational
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Jacey Zembal  •  TheWolfpackCentral
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The John Wall Holiday Invitational returns to action Thursday at Raleigh Broughton High.

Here is a preview of the action.

11 a.m. — Raleigh Christian vs. The Burlington (N.C.) School

Junior combo guard Zion Walker leads The Burlington School, and he had 20 points Tuesday in a 64-51 loss against Winston-Salem (N.C.) Christian. He has offers from East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Kent State, Radford, Mount St. Mary’s, Eastern Kentucky and North Carolina A&T.

Senior wing Jakel Powell and sophomore forward Preston Copeland lead the way for Raleigh Christian. Copeland, the younger brother of former Georgetown/Nebraska player Isaac Copeland, had 18 points and six rebounds in a 71-58 loss vs. Raleigh Word of God on Wednesday. Powell had 14 points and three three-pointers.

12:30 p.m. — Concord (N.C.) Cannon School vs. Wilson (N.C.) Greenfield School

Cannon School has a strong trio with junior combo guard Austin Swartz, sophomore guard Isaiah Henry and junior power forward Sean Birmingham of Europe, who has drawn raves for his outside shooting.

Swartz had 24 points and Henry had 22 points and nine rebounds in a 83-65 loss Wednesday against Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep.

Junior forward Hampton Evans leads Wilson (N.C.) Greenfield School, and is an aggressive shot-maker. Greenfield School got drilled 81-42 against Lincolnton (N.C.) Combine Academy on Wednesday.

2 p.m. — Garner (N.C.) High at Raleigh Broughton

Garner is off to an 8-2 start with sophomore guard Cam’ren Reyes as one to watch in the class of 2025. Garner lost 74-52 to Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep on Tuesday.

Broughton fell 68-43 to Corona (Calif.) Centennial on Wednesday.

3:30 p.m. — Winston-Salem (N.C.) Christian vs. Raleigh Word of God

Word of God is loaded with Tennessee signee Freddie Dilione, Alabama wing signee Davin Cosby and College of Charleston signees Mayar Wol and Isaiah Coleman. Dilione runs the show at point guard and is ranked No. 35 in the country by Rivals, while Coleman is ranked No. 71 and Cosby is No. 84.

Sophomore wing Zion Collins and sophomore combo guard Trevor Best supply depth.

Wol had 18 points and Dilione had 15 points and seven assists in a 71-58 win over Raleigh Christian on Wednesday.

Winston-Salem Christian has a quality starting five, with juniors Kany Tchanda and Lewis Walker having high major offers thus far. Rivals.com ranks Tchanda No. 139 overall in the class of 2024. Junior guard Isaiah Washington of Fayetteville, N.C., could be emerging this season, and junior guard Kobe George is an impressive athlete. Senior forward Torey Alston of Durham, N.C., has signed with Sam Houston State.

Alston had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Walker added 13 in a 64-51 win over The Burlington (N.C.) School on Tuesday.

5 p.m. — Lincolnton (N.C.) Combine Academy vs. Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep

Combine Academy has three players in the Rivals.com top 60 on a deep roster. Small forward Trentyn Flowers is ranked No. 24 in the class of 2024, and NC State junior target Rakease Passmore is at No. 48.

Former NC State target, senior point guard Silas Demary Jr. has signed with USC and is ranked No. 58 in the country. Richmond wing signee Collin Tanner is originally from South Granville in Creedmoor, N.C.

Combine Academy junior post Mason Hagedorn came off the bench for 19 points and five three-pointers, and Flowers had 19 points and eight rebounds in a 81-42 win over Wilson (N.C.) Greenfield School.

Prolific Prep is loaded with three players who played high school basketball in North Carolina in the past. Charlotte natives Aden Holloway and Trey Green are senior guards, who signed with Auburn and Xavier respectively. Senior center Michael Nwoko, who played at The Burlington School last year has signed with Miami (Fla.). Holloway is ranked No. 33, Green is 101 and Nwoko is No. 124 by Rivals.com.

Junior center Yves Missi is ranked No. 11, and junior forward Zion Sensley is ranked No. 114 in the class of 2024. Freshman Tyran Stokes is trending as a top five player in the class of 2026.

Green had 21 points and eight assists, and Holloway added 19 points and seven assists in Prolific Prep’s 83-65 win over Concord (N.C.) Cannon School.

6:30 p.m. — Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep vs. Corona (Calif.) Centennial

Duke signee Jared McCain led to Centennial High to get invited to the Holiday Invitational. McCain is ranked No. 18 overall in the class of 2023 by Rivals.com. He is joined in the rankings by talented inside-outside senior power forward Devin Williams. The 6-10 Williams is ranked 93 in the country. Senior forward Aaron McBride has signed with Loyola Marymount.

Williams had 14 points and six rebounds in a easy 68-43 win over Raleigh Broughton on Wednesday.

Junior wing Dylan Harper is the star for Don Bosco Prep, and Rivals.com ranks him as a five-star prospect and No. 10 overall in the class of 2024. He is the son of former NBA star Ron Harper, and younger brother of Toronto Raptors rookie Ron Harper Jr.

Harper had a pretty and efficient 24 points in a 74-52 win over Garner (N.C.) High on Tuesday.

8 p.m. — Raleigh Millbrook vs. Farmville (N.C.) Central

Raleigh Millbrook forward Colt Langdon has nine offers, with LSU, Illinois, Virginia Tech and Ole Miss, among them. Millbrook also has Durham Jordan junior small forward transfer Jayan Walker, who is tracking as a Division I recruit.

Wing Gabe Cerda had 24 points and Langdon added 16 points in a 70-63 win over Southern Durham (N.C.) High on Tuesday.

Farmville Central, which has produced Terquavion Smith at NC State and Josh Wright at North Carolina Central, has another guard poised to join the college ranks. Athletic guard Jah Short is headed to New Orleans. He had 31 points in a 74-59 win over Holly Springs (N.C.) High on Tuesday.

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