Charlotte area has strong presence in high school basketball’s version of Shrine Bowl
The official team name is the North Carolina All-Stars, but it essentially will be a team of Charlotte-area high school basketball players taking on South Carolina in Saturday’s Carolinas Classic game.
Top players from the Carolinas will square off in a doubleheader in Wilmington, with a girls-boys doubleheader.
Tipoff for the girls’ game will be 3 p.m. at Hoggard High, with the boys’ game to follow.
All but one of the North Carolina boys’ all-stars are from a 50-mile radius of Charlotte.
But surprisingly, in this era of summer travel league teams, Saturday’s game will mark the first time that many of the N.C. stars have played on the same team.
“I really haven’t played with a lot of these guys before,” said Myers Park’s Sir Mohammed. “Of course, there’s Bishop, but I haven’t played with too many others.”
Mohammed, a 6-6 forward who is headed to Notre Dame next season, was referring to his Myers Park teammate Bishop Boswell, a Tennessee commit who also will play with the N.C. all-stars Saturday.
“We’re all pretty good basketball players, and we’ve been doing this a while, so I know we’ll mesh together well,” Mohammed said.
The Carolinas Classic is a basketball version of the Shrine Bowl. It features top players from the two states, and the players also participate in community service activities before the game.
Mohammed, who averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds during the recent season, said Elijah Strong, who graduated from Myers Park last year and now plays at Boston College, spoke highly of his experience at the Carolinas Classic.
“He said it was a pretty cool experience,” Mohammed said. “They visited a school before the game and did some other stuff in the community.”
And, he said, Saturday’s game will be a chance to play on the same team with players like Duke-bound Isaiah Evans and Trey Maxwell of 4A state champion North Mecklenburg; brothers Carson and Chase Daniel of two-time 3A state champion Central Cabarrus; and Wake Forest commit Juke Harris of Salisbury.
Mohammed said he also is friends with a South Carolina player, Julen Iturbe of Riverside High.
“We were together on Team Curry,” he said. “Julen is going to American University.”
Others from the Charlotte area are Weddington’s Grant Hamilton and Chambers’ Maurio Hanson.
The loaded North Carolina roster will be hoping to snap South Carolina’s three-year victory streak in the game. Gray Collegiate’s Montraivis White, now at Catawba College, led South Carolina to a 118-99 victory last year.
North Carolina’s girls’ team includes another Myers Park player, Jerin Truesdale, along with Lillian Booker of Mallard Creek and Lauren Arnold of two-time 3A state champion West Rowan. South Pointe’s Victoria Star Morris is a member of the South Carolina team.
North Carolina has a three-year victory streak in the girls’ game, and North Mecklenburg’s Neveah Farmer was last year’s most valuable player.
Tickets for the game are $10 for adults and $5 for students (kindergarten-grade 12). Tickets also can be bought in advance online.
Boys’ rosters
NORTH CAROLINA
Carson Daniel, Central Cabarrus (Catawba College); Chase Daniel, Central Cabarrus (Catawba); Isaiah Evans, North Mecklenburg (Duke); Grant Hamilton, Weddington (Roanoke); Trey Maxwell, North Mecklenburg (undecided); Sir Mohammed, Myers Park (Notre Dame); Juke Harris, Salisbury (Wake Forest); Ari Fulton, Westover (New Jersey Tech); Bishop Boswell, Myers Park (Tennessee); Maurio Hanson, Chambers (undecided). Head coach: Brian Carver, Enka.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Cam Scott, Lexington (Texas); Jaxon Prunty, Lexington (undecided); Yannick Smith, Summerville (East Carolina in football); Ellis Graham, Gray Collegiate (Charleston Southern); Braylhan Thomas, Gray Collegiate (Georgia Southern); Alex Atkinson, Lower Richland (Presbyterian); Will Fowler, Byrnes (undecided); Jayden Pretty, Ridge View (undecided); Julen Iturbe, Riverside (American); Justin Ray, Eastside (Monmouth). Head coach: Thomas Ryan, Dorman.
Girls’ rosters
NORTH CAROLINA
Jayda Angel, Cape Fear (Elon); Yamorie Hardison, Southwest Onslow (undecided); Lillian Booker, Mallard Creek (Longwood); Lauren Arnold, West Rowan (Mars Hill); Laila Lewis, Rolesville (N.C. Central); Dot Mills, Pisgah (Emory & Henry); Jasmin Harris, Northern Guilford (undecided); Jerin Truesdale, Myers Park (undecided); Audra Hilman, Wake Forest (USC-Beaufort); Joi Pergerson, Middle Creek (undecided).
SOUTH CAROLINA
Terriana Gray, A.C. Flora (Alabama A&M); Jasmine Frierson, Hartsville (Lander); Kiara Croskey, Sumter (undecided); Raina McGowens, Wren (UNC-Asheville); Norriyah Bradley, Aiken (undecided); Jaleya Ford, Lake View (undecided); Destiny Drakeford, Ridge View (undecided); Victoria Star Morris, South Pointe (N.C. Central); Quinasia Abercrombie, Wade Hampton (undecided); Jerchel Geathers, Carvers Bay (undecided).
