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Best Unknown player

REWhitley

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2021
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Last year I came on this thread and said clearly and certainly, that Lake Norman's Kristen Lewis-Williams was one of the best, if not the best, ladies basketball player in the State and was so underrated and disrespected by the ACC among other conferences. I believe without a doubt she has proven me correct with her play at the University of Buffalo as a freshman.

Today I am posting to say the most underrated NC Senior is Lake Norman's Santana Lynch, previously of Myers Park. I remember seeing him play twice last year at Myers Park, coming off the bench and I said mid way in the first game: How is that kid not playing all the time?

This year I have had the privilege of seeing him play 12 to 14 games and the first two rounds of the playoffs. To say he is the most unselfish player I have seen in years would not be an understatement. His passing is classic and on point to the open person.

To say he is one of the most polished players I have ever seen is not an overstatement. I believe he is playing out of position as the power forward at Lake Norman, but that is where he fits in for the Lake Norman team and, in my opinion, excels at it. He rebounds like a machine, is fast as greased lighting, handles the ball like a small guard, and can shoot both the in close and 3 point shot with ease.

His one drawback is that he is SOOO cool, calm and collected all the time, and thus, sometimes looks slightly out of the game. BUT that is an absolutely incorrect conclusion. Santana is getting a fair amount of college interest, and I understand he has several mid major scholarship offers. And while there is nothing wrong with that, I would suggest he is Davidson, Charleston, Wake Forest, East Carolina, Appalachian, Butler, etc quality if not higher.
 
Got it!
Taky Prosper- Forward/Oak Ridge
Nicholas Graves- Guard/Bishop
Patrick Graves- Guard/Bishop
Tyren Martin- Guard-Wing/Page
Aiden Martin- Guard/Bishop

All under the radar and very good players. All of these guys are 2025s. Definitely agree with your Santana Lynch statement, I know he's a extremely good player.
 
I could also say that Landon Vaughn, Jr. for Bandys is a little unknown players. They have him at 6'9 but he looks to be more around 6'7, I could be wrong. If he played on a Lake Norman type team with other talented guys around him, I think he would excel. He plays in a league where everyone tries to stop him and he still gets 20. The kid has a smooth jumper also and if he could move quicker would be the ideal big SF or stretch 4 colleges are looking for these days. I'm not sure what travel team he plays for, but if I was him, I would be looking at playing with a high caliber travel team on the shoe circuit that could help his recruiting. If you take him off the Bandys team, they are a 10 win team at best. The kid can play and never seems to get rattled at much.
 
I’ve only seen either Lake Norman or Mooresville play this year. I have to say I agree with REWhitley about Santana Lynch. Very good underrated player. As for the girls who would anyone mention?
 
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I’ve only seen either Lake Norman or Mooresville play this year. I have to say I agree with REWhitley about Santana Lynch. Very good underrated player. As for the girls who would anyone mention?
Heritage girls starting 5 are scoring 12,10,8,7,7 ppg with 3 or4 players in that 3-3.5 assists per game. They are extremely balanced but if they were all on teams where they were really required to do more I feel like they would each definitely be talked about a little more. JMO
 
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Heritage girls starting 5 are scoring 12,10,8,7,7 ppg with 3 or4 players in that 3-3.5 assists per game. They are extremely balanced but if they were all on teams where they were really required to do more I feel like they would each definitely be talked about a little more. JMO
How do you feel about the teams chances to win the west region? Shelton’s teams always play hard and are fundamentally sound.
 
I think they can go as far as they want to go. That being said they can’t show up like they did against draughn in the playoffs last year. I personally feel like they are the deepest most balanced team in the west. But they can’t have those mental let down games I’ve seen them have over the years since they were 7-8 years old at this point and win.
 
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West Stokes Camden Edmonds for sure! Flying under the College Radars...and he also won "Player of The Year" in that conference over that 6'8 soph. Harrison kid who breaks backboards at Reidsville.

Same conference and they are on a collision course IN THE PLAYOFFS if West Stokes wins again. West Stokes just Upset the 4 seed Fri Night...This kid is D-1 all day long... Big Colleges are sleeping
 
Yes but out of respect for her and the team I will not expound upon it here. I will say I am very sorry that she is not playing, I think she was progressing into a very good player with a lot of real upside potential.
I remembered her being on the roster. I had wondered what happened
 
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Braelyn Stillwell from E. Burke is not widely known, but everyone who has seen her play knows she's a baller. She reminds me of a girl I saw on one of the Forsyth County schools in the regionals a few years ago who ended up playing for High Point. She's undersized but can score off dribble penetration and has a nice jump shot. I honestly think she'll end up somewhere like L-R, but she could surprise me and sign with App. State or another D1 school.
 
Bertie has a junior SG who averages 18 per game. He has turned it up in the playoffs. He scored 36 with 13 RBs vs West Columbus and scored 51 tonight against Voyager in Durham.
 
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West Stokes & South Stokes are representing Stokes County...

West Stokes has pulled off 2 upsets on the road and now they face conference rival Reidsville. They lost to Reidsville by 5pts at home but got hammered at Reidsville by 35pts. West is playing fantastic right now and this Reidsville team better NOT take them lightly. West Stokes Cam Edmonds is really good.

South Stokes took out a mentally soft Eastern Randolph team fairly easy in the second half, cleared the bench and still looks as good as advertised.
I still think South was better last year and deep down I think Eastern Randolph fans probably do as well.
Next Up is Thomasville... I think South should win that one but I really don't know much about them except for the Thomasville W-L record.
 
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West Stokes & South Stokes are representing Stokes County...

West Stokes has pulled off 2 upsets on the road and now they face conference rival Reidsville. They lost to Reidsville by 5pts at home but got hammered at Reidsville by 35pts. West is playing fantastic right now and this Reidsville team better NOT take them lightly. West Stokes Cam Edmonds is really good.

South Stokes took out a mentally soft Eastern Randolph team fairly easy in the second half, cleared the bench and still looks as good as advertised.
I still think South was better last year and deep down I think Eastern Randolph fans probably do as well.
Next Up is Thomasville... I think South should win that one but I really don't know much about them except for the Thomasville W-L record.
I think South is better this year. They took it up a notch last night. #5 for ER was a head case.
 
Talking about stepping it up a notch, Lake Norman and Grimsley were tied at 29 all at the half last night. Santana Lynch kept them in the game. Then after the half, Tre McKinnon score 13 points in the 3rd, the whole team played absolutely lights out defense holding Grimsley to six 3rd quarter points (4 in the last minute of qt) while the Lake scored 26 points. The 4th was again dunk fest by LN by Tre McKinnon, Trent Spainhour and Lynch.

I was told last night that D1 Western Kentucky is now in talks with Lynch.
 
West Stokes & South Stokes are representing Stokes County...

West Stokes has pulled off 2 upsets on the road and now they face conference rival Reidsville. They lost to Reidsville by 5pts at home but got hammered at Reidsville by 35pts. West is playing fantastic right now and this Reidsville team better NOT take them lightly. West Stokes Cam Edmonds is really good.

South Stokes took out a mentally soft Eastern Randolph team fairly easy in the second half, cleared the bench and still looks as good as advertised.
I still think South was better last year and deep down I think Eastern Randolph fans probably do as well.
Next Up is Thomasville... I think South should win that one but I really don't know much about them except for the Thomasville W-L record.
No, no they don't. If South was the better team they should've proven it that night.
 
Braelyn Stillwell from E. Burke is not widely known, but everyone who has seen her play knows she's a baller. She reminds me of a girl I saw on one of the Forsyth County schools in the regionals a few years ago who ended up playing for High Point. She's undersized but can score off dribble penetration and has a nice jump shot. I honestly think she'll end up somewhere like L-R, but she could surprise me and sign with App. State or another D1 school.
You're thinking of Callie Scheier. She was so fun to watch. Best player for her size I've ever seen.
 
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You're thinking of Callie Scheier. She was so fun to watch. Best player for her size I've ever seen.
Yeah, I remember us talking about her a few years ago after I saw her in a regional final at CVCC. It was hilarious watching her trash talk opponents. If they kept off her, she would pop the jumper and if they got up on her, she would drive past them and seemed to always know when to stop and pop or go to the hoop.
 
I agree about Edmunds and has the record at west stokes for scoring and steals. Good team player. Also from stokes County South Stokes Barry Hairston jr. When he gets going you better have 2 defenders on him. Good 3 point shooter and can post up at 6'2 with athleticism
Edmunds is one heck of a player to beat out Reidsville's stars for Mid-State Conference player of the year. I agree that if it's a close vote, give it to the senior.
 
Rylan Parkins for McDowell doesn't get a lot of pub outside of the MAC. He is one of the best players in WNC. He carried the Titans to the MAC title and a solid season. He is class of 25 as well.
 
Here is some info I got from Mike London twitter about Central Cabarrus boys. They are 62-0 and won 92 out of 93 games. The game against AC Reynold. ACR had 39 turnovers. The big man for Central Cabarrus Josh Dalton scored 36 points. J. Dalton could well be in this category of best unknown player.
 
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