And that's why Lewis took more players than usual this year.
Lewis said N.C. players have more opportunity for exposure now with the plethora of summer travel teams around the state, versus in years past where there were just a handful. And he also thinks that North Carolina's long-standing reputation as the "Hoop State" has a lot to do with it, too.
The day before the Top 80, the Langley twins led SW Guilford to the NCHSAA 4A state championship. Still they came to the camp and showcased their blend of athleticism and skill set. They are blessed with tremendous athleticism and may be two of the quicker and most explosive guards in their class. Both are committed to Virginia Tech.
The Virginia Tech commit showcased an advanced skill set in the post and has the ability to step out and hit the mid-range jump shot. He has passer friendly hands and unbelievable footwork in the paint. We were impressed with his patience and poise throughout the day. In addition, he may be one of the better passing big men in the country. His passing skills from the post are reminiscent of UNC's Kennedy Meeks.
Without question, this was a break out performance by Blake Preston. In the first game of camp, he poured in 39 points showcasing a nice arsenal of offensive moves. He has excellent hands and ran the floor extremely well. Tracking as a mid major prospect, don't be surprised for high majors to jump right in and start recruiting him sooner rather than later. He has all the physical attributes and intangibles that will make him one of the top hot prospects in North Carolina this spring and summer.
Hunter showcased a complete all around skill set. As a matter of fact, 247 National Recruiting Analyst Andrew Slater stated Hunter had a chance to jump into the national top 100 national rankings. He has good length/wingspan and has tremendous range. He can score from all three levels and demonstrated his advanced skill set at the NC Top 80. The versatile wing has the ability to put the ball on the floor and is also very tough and gritty around the paint. He is being recruited hard by Clemson and Tennessee and look for his stock to climb even more this spring and summer.
The UNC commit is simply wired to score and without question the best scorer in N.C. high school basketball. What separated Coby from his peers was the amount of energy and effort he displayed in all the station work and it carried over to the games. He averaged over 35 points per game and there may not be a better guard in the country at attacking and finishing at the rim. While he is one of the top players in the state and his national stock will continue to climb, Coby White is an excellent student and also high character young man.