CGHR Carolina Border Clash: Youth Movement

When an event is held in the Charlotte area, it is a good possibility that the field for said event will include teams from both North and South Carolina. That was proven once again this past weekend.    Carolina Girls Hoops Report hosted the Carolina Border Clash. It emanated from a familiar venue – the Talbert Recreation Center in Mooresville. It welcomed teams from the 17U, 16U, 15U and 14U fields.    We at Prep Girls Hoops made the trip up to the Lake Norman area for the Saturday portion of the two-day event. We conclude our coverage of the Carolina Border Clash with a look at some of the 2030s and 2031s that will be on plenty of radars in the coming years.     NC Team Reign JV managed to more than hold its own against [program_tooltip program_id='713672' first='Palmetto' last='Pressure'] 15U primarily due to the playmaking heroics of one of its many 2031s. She managed to display her skills as an at-will scorer that can place points on the board from virtually anywhere on the floor. This can be as an attacker of the basket or in the transition game. A midrange jump shot is also an element to Parker's overall game. Parker was one of many from the class of 2031 that was playing up in class against competition from the 15U and 16U realms.     Berry was another of the 2030s that proved they belong on the same court against more experienced competition. She managed to consistently make plays in close proximity to the rim. This not only displayed itself with her scoring but also her rebounding. One can place Berry in a team's lineup as either a point guard or as a small forward. Berry is listed at 5-foot-7 and is coming off a season where she played in 28 games as an eighth grader at 5A Division 2 Fort Mill. She was the only eighth grader on last season's Yellow Jackets team – one that finished second in its region.     Bolanos was a consistent playmaker in the latter portions of the day when her [program_tooltip program_id='716105' first='Team' last='Mack'] 14U Black assembling matched up against Charlotte Monarchs 14U. Whether it was her ability to attack the rim, connect on long range attempts or make tough shots, Bolanos consistently had her balling shoes on. She can set herself up behind the arc in a half court set but can throw defenders off balance with her ability to locate attacking lanes to the rim. Bolanos is also not afraid to take on tough defensive assignments against taller offensive players. She will be one to watch as her career blossoms.     [program_tooltip program_id='716105' first='Team' last='Mack'] 14U Black concluded its time at the Talbert Recreation Center with a 39-32 victory over Charlotte Monarchs 14U. Black was one of the key catalysts for that victory as she would score 10 points. Wright may be a 2030 but she already has a noteworthy size advantage over many of her peer 2030s. In addition to plenty of height, Wright also has the right amount of length as her wingspan can clog up the passing lanes of many an opponent. She particularly can thrive as a transition playmaker where she finishes strong at the basket and can get in position for many a rebound.     Stywall is excelling at basketball but she is a multi-sport athlete who also has competed in distance running events throughout her career. Her team may have been on the wrong end of a 39-32 defeat to [program_tooltip program_id='716105' first='Team' last='Mack'] 14U Black but Stywall came through as one of the many bright spots for her team. One area of the game where she especially shined was with her transition playmaking. She managed to get out in the open floor on many occasions and finish strong at the rim. The skills she has learned from her career as a distance runner certainly translate well to basketball.     As a 2031, Moore was playing up in class on a team like Charlotte Monarchs 14U which is primarily made of 2030s. She was another of the key players that contributed to a valiant effort late in the afternoon against [program_tooltip program_id='716105' first='Team' last='Mack'] 14U Black. Moore gives a team a 3-point shooting dimension to its offense. [program_tooltip program_id='716105' first='Team' last='Mack'] 14U Black connected on three 3-pointers in its matchup with Charlotte Monarchs 14U. Two of those departed from Moore's hands. She also understands the concept of drawing contact and giving her team opportunities at the free throw line. Moore has also sported the Carolina Reapers 3SSB uniform playing on the Adidas circuit in addition to playing for Oak Ridge Military Academy.

When an event is held in the Charlotte area, it is a good possibility that the field for said event will include teams from both North and South Carolina. That was proven once again this past weekend.