Skip to main content

The Carolina Corner with @JustinByerly

16, Dec 2020

The Carolina Corner with @JustinByerly

In this weeks Carolina Corner we take a look at some big commitments over the past few days in the Carolina's, the upcoming Beach Ball Classic, and more. 

Jamarii Thomas Commits 

Jamarii Thomas

Greensboro, NC

Class
2021
|
Position
PG
|
Height
6' 1"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
8
State Pos. Rank
3

UNC-Wilmington Head Coach Takayo Siddle continues to impress on the recruiting trail. The former Gardner-Webb, UNC-Wilmington and NC State assistant knows the state and recruits it as well as anyone. Thomas picked up some offers and interest over the summer playing with Team Curry.

His recruitment took another upward turn with The Burlington School over the past month with Eastern Kentucky, UNC-Wilmington and NC A&T offering. In the end, UNC-Wilmington "felt like home" and he will have a chance to earn minutes from the get go and that was what he wanted to hear. Thomas has been considered one of our top available seniors for the past few months and saw his recruitment pick up by playing the waiting game. 

PJ Edwards Is Off the Board 

PJ Edwards

Charlotte, NC

Class
2021
|
Position
SG
|
Height
6' 5"
|
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
17
State Pos. Rank
5

Liberty Heights Athletic Institute guard PJ Edwards made his commitment to UCF over the weekend. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard had offers from Charleston Southern, East Tennessee State, Southeast Missouri State and Southern Illinois before choosing to play for Johnny Dawkins.

Edwards, an Illinois native will bring his shooting and size at the guard spot to the Sunshine State. His teammate Jonas Aidoo who committed to Marquette late last week gives two high-major commitments for Liberty Heights and Head Coach Michael Wright in a little over three days. 

A Look Back 

Let's take a look at what the top-10 prospects from last years HoopSeenNC rankings are doing now.

Josh Hall

Hickory, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
SF
|
Height
6' 8"
|
School Team
National
16
National Pos. Rank
4
State
1
State Pos. Rank
1

 #1 Josh Hall, Moravian Prep - Signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder on a two-way contract. Has yet to play in the NBA preseason. 

Isaiah Todd

Raleigh, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
PF
|
Height
6' 9"
|
School Team
National
23
National Pos. Rank
5
State
2
State Pos. Rank
1

#2 Isaiah Todd, Word of God - Signed with NBA G-League 

Carson McCorkle

Raleigh, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
CG
|
Height
6' 3"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
3
State Pos. Rank
1

#3 Carson McCorkle, Greensboro Day - Has played in two games for The University of Virginia, averaging 1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10 minutes of action. 

Shakeel Moore

Greensboro, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
PG
|
Height
6'
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
4
State Pos. Rank
1

#4 Shakeel Moore, Moravian Prep - Averaging 14 minutes per game for NC State while pouring in 4.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. 

Cam Hayes

Greensboro, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
PG
|
Height
6' 2"
|
School Team
National
53
National Pos. Rank
14
State
5
State Pos. Rank
2

#5 Cam Hayes, Greensboro Day - Averaging 19 minutes per game for NC State and scoring at a 11.3 point per game clip along with 5.2 assists. 

Ja'Dun Michael

Burlington, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
SF
|
Height
6' 6"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
6
State Pos. Rank
2

#6 Ja'Dun Michael, The Burlington School - For Elon, Michael is averaging 10 minutes per contest and 2.5 points per game. 

Justin Thomas

Fayetteville, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
SF
|
Height
6' 6"
|
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
7
State Pos. Rank
3

#7 Justin Thomas, Village Christian - Averaging 8.5 points per game in 17.3 minutes per game for Queens University of Charlotte. 

Tristan Maxwell

Huntersville, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
SG
|
Height
6' 3"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
8
State Pos. Rank
1

#8 Tristan Maxwell, North Mecklenburg - Has not seen any time at Georgia Tech this season. 

Justice Ajogbor

Arden, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
C
|
Height
6' 10"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
9
State Pos. Rank
1

#9 Justice Ajogbor, Christ School - Harvard canceled the 2020-2021 season due to Covid. 

Josh Banks

Charlotte, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
SG
|
Height
6' 4"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
10
State Pos. Rank
2

#10 Josh Banks, Olympic - Averaging 11.3 minutes and scoring 3.8 points and grabbing 1.5 rebounds per game. 

Beach Ball Classic 

One of the longest running events in the country, The Beach Ball Classic is still planned to be happening just after Christmas at The Myrtle Beach Convention Center in downtown Myrtle Beach. You can buy tickets here. 

  • CALVARY CHRISTIAN – (FL)
  • CANNON SCHOOL – (NC)
  • CAPE FEAR ACADEMY (NC)
  • CAPE FEAR CHRISTIAN
  • CARDINAL NEWMAN – (SC)
  • CAROLINA FOREST – (SC)
  • CARVERS BAY -(SC)
  • DORMAN – (SC)
  • GREENSBORO DAY – (NC)
  • LAKE NORMAN CHRISTIAN – (NC)
  • MILTON – (GA)
  • MOELLER – (OH)
  • MYRTLE BEACH – (SC)
  • NORTH MYRTLE BEACH – (SC)
  • OAK RIDGE – (FL)
  • SOCASTEE – (SC)

The Winter Jam is a new addition to The Beach Ball Classic and will feature teams playing at The Myrtle Beach SportsCenter. 

  • Baltimore Panthers (MD)
  • Blue Ridge (VA)
  • Combine (NC)
  • iSchool of Lewisville (TX)
  • Real Salt Lake (UT)
  • Team Loaded (VA)
  • West Oaks (FL)
  • Winston-Salem Christian (NC) 

Updated 2021 Commitment/Signing List 

North Carolina

PLAYER HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE 
AJ Allenspach Lake Norman Christian Army
Ben Burnham Carmel Christian Winthrop
Blane St. Clair Davidson Day  Army-West Point 
Bobby Pettiford South Granville Louisville
Bre’on Pass Reidsville North Carolina State
Brock WIlliams Burlington Christian High Point
Chris Ford  North Mecklenburg Davidson
D’Marco Dunn Westover  North Carolina 
Dante Kisenhofer Holly Springs Wofford
Daylen Berry Panther Creek  Charlotte 
Dondre Watson Bull City Prep East Carolina
Dontrez Styles Kinston North Carolina 
Eric Van der Heiden  Millbrook  Louisville
Isaiah Moore Ben L. Smith HS  Cal Poly Pomona (D2)
Jaden Cooper Wayne Country Day Columbia
Jacob Morgan Moravian Prep Emory & Henry (D2)
Jamarii Thomas The Burlington School UNC-Wilmington
Jordan Wildly Winston-Salem Christian  Iona
Jonas Aidoo Liberty Heights Marquette
Kadyn Dawkins Eastern Guilford  Mars Hill University (D2)
Keeyan Iterje Grace Christian  Texas
Kuluel Mading The Burlington School Howard
Kris Robinson Combine Academy Catawba (D2)
Lucas Taylor  Heritage  Clemson 
Michael Dudley  Combine Academy College of Charleston
PJ Edwards Liberty Heights  Central Florida
Redford Dunton Millbrook  Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne
Saiqone Harris Word of God Hutchinson CC (Juco)
Terquavion Smith FarmVille Central North Carolina State
Terrance Harcum Granville Central Appalchian State 
Trae Benham Concord First Assembly Lipscomb
Tre Morgan Green Hope  Barton College
Tyler Gill Trinity of Raleigh Towson

South Carolina 

A.J. Hamrick Westminster Catawba Christian Charleston Southern
Bailey Wiseman James Island Charter Converse College
Bryce McGowens Wren Nebraska
Cesare Edwards  Hartsville Xavier
Chase McDuffie Gray's Collegiate NC A&T
Cohen Gaskins  James Island Charter Converse College
Ike Cornish Legacy Early College Maryland
Jacobi Wright  Legacy Early College South Carolina
James Lovorn III TL Hanna Presbyterian
Janyle Pittman Lancaster Mars Hill 
John Butler Christ Church Florida State
Josh Beadle Cardinal Newman Clemson
Robert McCray AC Flora  Wake Forest
Russell Felton Aiken East Carolina
Timothy Barnes Grey Collegiate UMKC
Tyler Rice Ridge View  William & Mary
Xavion Bennett Goose Creek Converse College

Carolina's Transfer List 

Player Name High School  Old School 
Brandon Stone Christ School (NC)  LaSalle
Ryan Schwieger Weddington (NC)  Princeton
Nick Brown Jamestown (NC) Navy
Tyre Boykin West Bladen (NC) UM-Kansas City
Patrick Iriel AC Flora (SC) 

South Carolina


Justin Byerly
State Editor

Justin Byerly has spent the past 15 years covering North Carolina prep and grassroots basketball. He has previously worked with The Recruit Scoop and Rivals.com. In addition to that he has contributed to The USA Today, Charlotte Observer, The Asheville Citizen-Times and The Sun News. He has held The Justin Byerly Upstate/WNC Showcase the past two years and has helped student-athletes from North Carolina and South Carolina receive college scholarships. He owns The Byerly Report scouting service that has over 100 college subscriptions. Justin resides in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife Danielle and four children.