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The Carolina Corner with @JustinByerly

22, Apr 2020

The Carolina Corner with @JustinByerly

In this week’s Carolina Corner we take a look at the Elon recruiting class for 2020, we dive into the best available in the Carolina’s, take a look at our growing college-bound player list, and more.

Best Mid-Major Class?

What a class at the mid-major level that Mike Schrage and Elon have put together for the upcoming season. Five signees including Darius Burford, a 6-foot point guard from Illinois, 6-foot-6 small forward Brandon Harris from Savannah, Georgia, 6-foot-8 power forward Michael Graham from Brooklyn, New York, Bryant University transfer guard Ikenna Ndugba, and the one that sent the recruiting world into a frenzy JaDun Michael from Burlington. Michael is ranked as the 6th best recruit in the state for 2020 and had committed to Wichita State prior to COVID-19.

Schrage has assembled a class that is ranked #1 in the CAA and he did it by recruiting all over the country. Getting kids to by in to what he is doing at Elon and still recruiting North Carolina hard.

Elon finished 13-21 on the season and 7-11 in conference before the season was shut down. The Phoenix are returning everyone from their roster with their only loss being grad-transfer Marcus Sheffield. The future looks bright in Burlington.

 

Best Available in Carolinas’

Silas Mason

Greensboro, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
SF
|
Height
6' 6"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
14
State Pos. Rank
5

 

Mason is one of the top available players in the state and has offers from UNC-Wilmington, Sienna, Central Connecticut State, UAB, Wichita State, Elon and Appalachian State. The all-state selection led the Piedmont Triad conference in scoring this past season. The versatile wing can score from the perimeter and has the size to get buckets in the paint.

Justin Thomas

Fayetteville, NC

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

 

Thomas makes the list with his versatility and ability to guard so many positions on the floor. Thomas helped lead Village Christian to the finals of the NCISAA 2-A championship this past season and he was a standout on our HoopSeen stage with Garner Road. The 6-foot-7 wing does a lot of things similar to Mason with his ability to score from all spots on the floor and his defensive ability to guard multiple positions. Georgia Tech and East Carolina are involved.

Christian Hampton

Greensboro, NC

Class
2020
|
Position
CG
|
Height
6' 2"
|
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
34
State Pos. Rank
7

Hampton is one of the most athletic players in the country and his dunks have made ESPN. The quick-twitch athlete from Northwest Guilford has offers from Catawba and Mount Olive. Blessed with high-major athleticism, Hampton should be being recruited by low-to-mid major schools.

Raekwon Horton

Columbia, SC

Class
2020
|
Position
SF
|
Height
6' 6"
|
School Team
National
NR
National Pos. Rank
NR
State
8
State Pos. Rank
2

 

The Columbia, South Carolina native is one of the top scoring guards in the state and holds offers from College of Charleston, Old Dominion, East Tennessee, North Florida, UNC-Wilmington, Charleston Southern, Charlotte, Towson, Coastal Carolina and more. Horton helped lead Keenan to another SCHSL 3-A state title this past season.

 

Updated College-Bound NC List

 

Player  High School  College 
Ambaka Le Gregam Concord First Assembly  Presbyterian 
Ahmil Flowers  Grimsley High Point
Alex Holt  Lexington High Point
Anthony Allen  Independence  Lees-McRae
Armon Muldrew Panther Creek Lenoir-Rhyne
AJ Thompson Athens Drive Brunswick CC 
Axel Holm Lincoln Charter Piedmont 
Ben Bryson West Henderson  UVA-Wise
Brady O'Connell  Ravenscroft  Old Dominion 
Cam Hayes  Greensboro Day  NC State 
Carson McCorkle Greensboro Day  Virginia 
Cheick Traore  Concord First Assembly  Youngstown State 
CJ Huntley  Davidson Day  App State 
Daniel Ransom  Vance  Western Carolina 
Dean Reiber  NW Guilford  Rutgers 
Demarcus McLaurin  Laney  UNC-Pembroke
Djimon Bailey  Greenfield School  Wake Forest 
Evan Joyner  Piedmont Classical North Carolina A&T
Garrett Hein Concord First Assembly  Furman 
Georges Lefbevre Cape Fear Academy  Vermont 
Issac Parson Kinston Winston-Salem State
Isaiah Todd Word of God  Michigan 
Jackson Threadgill  Davidson Day  Charlotte 
Jaden Seymour Northside Christian  Wichita State 
Ja'von Anderson Moravian Prep Francis Marion
Jadyn Parker  West Brucswick  North Florida 
Jaden Scriven Fayetteville Christian Lees-McRae
Jadun Michael  The Burlington School  Elon
Jamarhi Harvey Moravian Prep  UNC-Wilmington
JaJuan Carr Pender UNC-Wilmington
Jason Sellers  Page  Averett University 
Jaylon Gibson  Grace Chrisitan Wake Forest 
Javarzia Belton Moravian Prep  Southern Mississippi 
Jalen King-Joiner Piedmont Classical  Lees-McRae
Jay Hickman Northwood Temple Mars Hill 
Jaquan Mosley Kinston Pitt CC 
Jeremiah Dickerson Dudley Paine College
Josh Banks  Olympic  VCU 
Josh Massey  United Faith  Western Carolina 
Josh Rubio Combine Academy  Erskine 
Ja'Dun Michael  The Burlington School  Wichita State 
Ji'Lil Michael  The Burlington School  Mars Hill 
Josh Hall Moravian Prep  NC State 
Josh Hall Ravenscroft  Navy
Josiah Shackleford Word of God  Brunswick CC 
Justice Ajogbor  Christ School  Harvard 
Justin Wright  Farmville Central  NCCU 
Justus Shelton Mountain Heritage  Mars Hill 
Kaleb Scott  Holly Springs  Georgia State 
Kalib Matthewa Henderson Collegiate Queens
Keishon Porter  SW Edgecombe  Radford 
Kennedy Miles  Williams  Western Carolina 
Kurtus Taylor Neuse Christian  Wingate
Lane Harrill  Cherryville  Mars Hill 
Logan Botts Forestview  Newberry 
Marcus Elliott  Holly Springs  UNC-Wilmington
Marquis Eskew Pine Forest  NC Wesleyan
Myles Hunter  Carmel Christian  Youngstown State 
Myljael Poteat  Burlington School  Rice 
Nic McMullen  Smith  Murray State 
Nick Farrar  Apex Friendship NC State 
Nolan Dorsey  Millbrook  New Mexico 
Randy Johnson Charlotte Latin Holy Cross
Reggie Raynor Northwood Temple UNC-G 
Reggie Walton New Life Christian  Mars Hill 
Ricky Council IV Southern Durham  Wichita State 
Saiquone Harris Word of God  Hutchinson CC 
Samage Teel  Farmville Central  Winston-Salem State
Shakeel Moore  Moravian Prep  NC State 
Slate Hinton SW Edgecombe  Wake Tech
Soloman Tucker  Northside Christian  Army
Stephen Minor Winston-Salem Prep Queens
Todd Burt Jr.  Trinity Christian  Catawba 
Trayden Williams  North Meck  Robert Morris 
Trent McIntyre Piedmont Classical UNC-Pembroke
Tristan Maxwell  North Meck  Georgia Tech 
Tyre Boykin West Bladen  UMKC
Tyler McKinney Asheville Christian Lincoln Memorial
Tyler Parton AC Reynolds William Peace 
Tyler Young  Fork Union via Greensboro Virginia State
Tyrece McNeal Hunter Huss Fayetteville State
Zacc Sledge SW Edgecombe Sandhills CC 
Zavian McLean  Village Christian  Columbia 
Zach Shumate  Salem Baptist  Newberry 
Zack Austin Moravian Prep  High Point 

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. 

Upcoming Events

Dates
November 16, 2024 – February 16, 2025
Venue
Suwanee Sports Academy
Who
4th-8th grades
Event Stature
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Entry Cost
$1200