2023: Diamonds Classic
The first weekend of the last month of this year saw many premier players and teams representing private schools in North Carolina travel to Spartanburg, SC for the inaugural Diamonds Classic.
The all-day event, which was held at Spartanburg Christian Academy hosted lots of teams and lots of standouts – from both North and South Carolina. As hoops onlookers know, this is an area plentiful in talent and it was on full display in Spartanburg.
Prep Girls Hoops was on hand to observe many of these teams and take in the festivities. Here is a list of names from the Class of 2023 that stood out in the Palmetto State.
Aunyah Teague – Trinity Christian School – It is not how you start, but how you finish – and late in the Crusaders’ game with Victory Christian, Teague finished. She managed 13 points for the game which led all Trinity Christian scorers, but what was particularly impressive was how she performed in crunch time. Twelve of Teague’s 13 points came after halftime. She is a proficient scorer as well as someone who can find her way to the free throw line. Teague uses her 5’10 frame to her advantage to score points around the basket. She scored a layup in overtime that tied the game again at 36.
Valeria Batista – Victory Christian Center School – A worthwhile addition to a team that last season went 25-8 in 2019-20. Batista is a talented and energetic forward that can get up and down the floor and will also fight for rebounds. On a few occasions, the Kings’ movement on the offensive end of the floor allowed her to get under the rim so her teammates could find her for high-percentage shots, which are especially important when teams play the kind of defensively-dominant contests that the Kings played against the Crusaders. Batista finished the game with Trinity Christian having scored eight points.
Zion Duncan Zion Duncan 6'2" | PF Stuart Cramer | 2023 State NC – Victory Christian Center School – Duncan is a pure big at an even 6-foot and provided a great deal of help late for the Kings off the bench. In a contest where points were at a premium, Duncan provided seven points for Victory Christian – all after halftime, being the team’s primary source of depth. Duncan is also a force on the defensive end of the floor as a shot blocker. Sanchia Chapman has to be pleased with what she saw out of Duncan on Saturday afternoon – productive minutes off the bench in crunch time that can provide all of the difference in tight games like that one with Trinity Christian.
McKenzie Taylor – Concord Academy – Take one look at the Eagles’ No. 10 and she may be dribbling the basketball either in the backcourt, at half court or at the top of the key. Then blink. She got to the rim for a layup. Taylor utilizes her speed and agility to advantage to find her way to the rim, either in the halfcourt offense or out in transition. Taylor contributed 11 points to the Concord Academy cause in the Eagles’ 60-16 rout of Legion Collegiate Academy. Taylor even mixed in one from downtown in her scoring outing on Saturday for what looks to be another dangerous Eagles bunch.
Zoey Ward Zoey Ward 5'11" | CG Concord Academy | 2023 State NC – Concord Academy (pictured on front) – Eagles coach Bill Middlebrooks has to be elated that even after this season that he still has two more seasons of this highly skilled combination forward/guard donning gold and navy blue colors. Ward is a 6-foot standout that can drain shots from behind the arc, but can also get in front of the rim for tough shots and draw her fair share of contact. Ward scored 12 points in what was, despite the lopsided final score of its victory over Legion Collegiate, a balanced scoring attack. If that balanced scoring attack continues for the remainder of the season (and it more than likely will), Concord Academy is a group opponents will continue to circle on their calendars.
Ward reclassified at Concord Academy after transferring in from near Ashbrook HS (Gastonia). Ward averaged 15.8 ppg, 7.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season for the Green Wave.