Nike EYBL Hampton Friday Notebook
The first day of the April evaluation period tipped off Friday and some of the best young talent in the country converged in Hampton, Virginia for the initial stop of the Nike EYBL.
With a surplus of talent and a who’s who of college coaches in attendance, several storylines were able to unfold. Here are Friday’s storylines from our own Garrett Tucker’s point of view…
TREY DOOMES TAKES CHARGE
In a game expected to showcase a strong sophomore group with Vernon Carey, Balsa Koprivica, and Trendon Watford, it was 2018 Acworth (GA) Allatoona guard Trey Doomes who took charge and seized the limelight.
Doomes, an explosive 6-foot-2 combo guard, scored the ball with ease at the rim. He displayed the ability to be a playmaker off the bounce, but his most impressive attribute was his passing ability. The junior had some nice finds in the half-court setting and in transition. Add in his explosive athleticism and you have quite the night from the Georgia product.
Following the Friday’s opening game, Doomes listed scholarship offers from Georgia, Auburn, Georgia Tech, South Florida, Tennessee Tech, East Carolina, Kennesaw State, and Middle Tennessee State.
Bruce Pearl and Josh Pastner, along with an assistant from Georgia, were front-and-center for the matchup. Those three programs are already highly involved, and, with the majority of the SEC and ACC in attendance, Doomes could be called on by some new programs.
COBY WHITE MAKES STATEMENT
Wilson, NC
One of the most impressive performances of the night came from 2018 Goldsboro (NC) Greenfield School combo guard Coby White. The North Carolina pledge had an exceptional outing in front of Roy Williams, as it was impossible for opposing defenders to stay in front of him.
With blazing speed at 6-foot-5, White changes gears well and keeps the defense off-balance. He isn’t strictly a point guard, but the athletic guard excels at scoring the basketball. He showed off his quick first step and explosiveness to get to the rim Friday evening en route to 16 points.
White currently sits at No. 45 in the 2018 HoopSeen rankings, but, after tonight’s performance, its apparent he is trending upward early this spring.
RYAN BOYCE’S STRONG SECOND HALF LEADS TEAM PENNY
It took Team Penny a half or so to get things going, but they came away with a nice win over Expressions Elite to open the Nike EYBL season Friday evening. A main reason for that win? None other than 2018 shooting guard Ryan Boyce.
Boyce rallied Team Penny with a strong surge in the second half after knocking down a couple of mid-range jumpers off the catch. Throughout the game, he showed his toughness and ability to take smaller guards to the paint and finish at the rim.
With his athleticism and shot-making ability, Boyce will be a highly-coveted player in the Southeast. Ole Miss, Florida, Memphis, Auburn, Georgia Tech and others were in attendance to open the evaluation period.
