us prep athletes the magazine february 2014

FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes 3

T H E M A G A Z I N E

CJJACKSON

PHILLSGOOD

LATE HORNETS STAR’S CHILDREN MAKING THE FAMILY NAME,

GAME PROUD

TOPATHLETES

HIGHLIGHTSTOP BOYS AND GIRLS

IN CHARLOTTE

FUTURELEADER

POST GRADCHARLOTTE’SBLAKE SMITH

LEADING THE TROJANS TO PROMINENCEFEBRUARY 2014www.usprepathletes.com

CHARLOTTE’S FIRST PRINT AND DIGITAL MAGAZINE THAT FOCUSES ON HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES IN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE AND SURROUNDING AREAS

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ALSO INSIDE:

AND MORE!T H E M A G A Z I N E

• US PREP FUTURE ELITE CAMP

• EDUCATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

• SPORTING EVENTS IN THE CHARLOTTE AREA



CJJACKSON

PHILLSGOODLATE HORNETS STAR’S CHILDREN MAKING THE FAMILY NAME, GAME PROUD

TOPATHLETES HIGHLIGHTSTOP BOYS AND GIRLSIN CHARLOTTE

FUTURELEADERPOST GRADCHARLOTTE’SBLAKE SMITH

LEADING THE TROJANS TO PROMINENCEFEBRUARY 2014www.usprepathletes.com

CHARLOTTE’S FIRST PRINT AND DIGITAL MAGAZINE THAT FOCUSES ON HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES IN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE AND SURROUNDING AREAS



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UUS Prep Athletes are standout leaders on the field and/or court

and they strive for excellence within the classroom. They often

demonstrate a strong yearning and keen interest towards their

favorite sport by practicing longer and working much harder on

their game than their peers and competition. As an organization we

have built many age-specific programs that will help promote and

cultivate their unique sports and academic talents and skill sets.

Several of these top athletes will be featured in US Prep Athletes

The Magazine.

US Prep Athletes The Magazine is Charlotte’s and the surrounding

area premier print and digital magazine. We feature highlights and in

depth stories of high school athletes who have risen to higher levels

within their playing abilities and inside the classroom. In addition,

US Prep Athletes The Magazine covers local business and

volunteers who have dedicated themselves to a worthy cause.

We publish full content digital issues, special issues and quarterly

print magazines.

Our digital products includes usprepathletes.com, email newsletter,

online digital flip magazine, social media, and the Prep Market.

Our organization and strategic partners bring over 50 years

combined award winning corporate experience in the fields of

journalism, digital and print publications & sales and marketing. As

an organization we strive to bring a high level of professionalism,

About timeliness and expertise towards each digital and print issue we deliver, as well as in

the way we interact with coaches, parents, our strategic partners and the business

community as a whole.

How to Use Our Digital Publication:Each US Prep Sports Magazine issue will feature a QR Code inside the publication.

When a user clicks on the QR code with their smart phone the user will be placed on

a special web page “The Prep Market” with the opportunity to receive

special offers from our advertisers and sponsors. The QR code will be linked

to a URL and provided as a courtesy for those who do not utilize a smart phone.

Prep Vote:Often we will publish polls for our readers to vote regarding topics such as

best athlete, best team & favorite coach. These polls are meant to be interactive and

fun and we welcome your participation.

Prep Portal:Throughout the digital publication you will notice certain words highlighted with a

different color and underlined. When you see these words hover over them and click

as the Prep Portal is designed to take you into a deeper understanding of that word

and to provide you with additional information of the topic contained within the context

of the article.

Comments:Select articles will have a comments section for you to respond. Remember to keep it

clean and fun-spirited.

10 FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes

CONTRIBUTORS

ABOUT USWHO WE ARE and what we do

TOP ATHLETES HIGHLIGHTS (GIRLS)MCDONALDS ALL-AMERICAN Jatarie White and the top h.s. girls basketball athletes

CJ JACKSONHOW THE STAR SENIOR PG made personal adjustments to prepare for this years season

FEBRUARY 2014

USPREPATHLETES

FUTURE LEADERBLAKE SMITHFormer Meck County basketball star Blake Smith talks life after graduation

EDUCATIONAL SPOTLIGHTSOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY a hidden gem of education and athletics

VOLUNTEERSANTAWUAN SCHOFIELD using his time and efforts to give back to the community

US PREP FUTURE ELITE CAMPMIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL CAMP covering more than just basketball

SPORTING EVENTSEVENTS OCCURRING in the Queen City

PHILLS GOODLATE HORNETS STAR’S CHILDREN making the family name, game proud


TOP ATHLETES HIGHLIGHTS (BOYS)1000 PT JUNIOR SCORER STEVEN SANTA Ana and the top h.s. boys basketball athletes

PROOF ONLY

2 FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes12 FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes

TOP ATHLETES HIGHLIGHTS

TThey lace up their sneakers just like the boys, they work hard and are just as dedicated to the game yet their accomplishments often stand in the backdrop to their peers. Yes I’m talking about the girls elite basketball players. But consider the accomplishments of some of these highly touted and skilled basketball stars; Gatorade All-American, McDonalds All-American, several 1000 point scorers and a group who has led their team to a national ranking. WE ALL BETTER RECOGNIZE. US Prep Athletes – The Magazine stands up and congratulates you on all of your hard work and success during this years basketball season.

WHO WILL EMERGE AS NEXTYEARS ELITE GIRLS HIGHSCHOOL BASKETBALL STAR,

WILL IT BE YOU?

girls


JORDAN MUHAMMADBREAKING DOWN MUHAMMAD:In need of a leader for your hoops squad? Look no fur-ther than Ardrey Kell High, where this 5-7 point guard holds court. Muhammad is the consummate floor general; she’s not concerned with gaudy statistics – just helping her team win. “Jordan brings a point guard’s mentality,” Knights coach Jennifer McVicker said. “She’s a great defen-sive presence for us, but she’s also very skilled. “Sure, Muhammad comes from a famous family – her dad, Muhsin, is one of the most beloved players in Carolina Panthers history – but she’s done quite well making a name for herself on the court. And with an-other year of high school left after this season, there’s no telling how much bigger that name will get.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR MUHAMMAD:How’d you choose your jersey number?“When I played ball in elementary school, I started out with number 34 because my mom (Christa) and dad (Muhsin) both had it in high school. But me and my sister share the same birthday, November 24 or 11/24, so in middle school and AAU, we wore (num-bers) 11 and 24. I’ve stuck with 24.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“(Ohio State point guard) Aaron Craft. He’s a great on-the-ball defender, and he gets most of his baskets on fastbreaks and steals. He gets lots of assists, but he can still score. I think I’m that way. I look up to him a lot.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“Right now, there are some Ivy League schools, some way over on the West Coast and some close to home. I’m keeping my options open. It’s just my junior year, so right now I’m considering everyone.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“It would have to be in AAU, when we beat a team 101-47.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, JORDAN MUHAMMAD WILL BE?“An architect. I like custom homes, but I want to keep my options open with commercial architecture as well.”

#2

JATARIE WHITEBREAKING DOWN WHITE:From the first time White took the court for Providence Day nearly four years ago, tremendous expectations have been heaped upon her. Somehow, she hasn’t just met those expectations; quite possibly, she has exceeded them.The 6-4 center is the No. 1-ranked high school center in the nation, and the seventh-best player overall, according to ESPN. Scores of colleges pursued White’s services before she finally chose South Carolina over the likes of North Carolina, Ohio State, Tennessee and Texas.As a junior, White was named the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds, 3.2 blocks and 1.8 steals. That year, the smooth left-hander also won her third consecutive state title with Providence Day.White isn’t just a local and national standout; she has international success in her background as well, having made the USA Basketball Under-16 team.“She’s been the rock backbone of our program the last four years on both ends of the floor,” Chargers coach Josh Springer said.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR WHITE:How’d you choose your jersey number?“My dad (Erving) was number 4 in high school and college, so I just gravitated toward 40.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“I would probably say Hakeem Olajuwon. I play a lot like him with my hook shot and counter moves.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“I just thought South Carolina was the best fit for me. Coach Dawn (Staley) is a really good coach. I go to a lot of their games, and I see how she talks to the players and how she coaches them through situations. When I went on my official visit, I saw how close the players are. I really like that family-based team.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“It’s hard to find anything that can compete with winning a state title.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, JATARIE WHITE WILL BE? “In the WNBA,” White said with a big grin.

#1

DEE DEE ROGERSBREAKING DOWN ROGERSAlthough her first name actually is Rydeiah, this 6-2 Myers Park standout is a laid-back personality who prefers to be called Dee Dee -- which is a great nickname because Rogers plays great “D” (two blocks and two steals per game), but she has plenty of “O” to go along with it. Rogers has a plethora of interior moves to pour in buckets in the paint, but she also is talented enough to run the floor for fastbreak points , and she can knock down mid-range jumpers. Rogers will have her pick of colleges, but she’s just a junior, so she has time to choose the perfect landing spot for herself. Hardwood success is in her blood. Rogers is the daughter of former Wake Forest star and NBA player Rodney Rogers. Meanwhile, her older sister, Roddreka, is a former Myers Park star who now plays at Georgia Tech.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR ROGERSHow’d you choose your jersey number?“I wore (number) 54 for AAU season when I was younger because of my dad, but when my sister and I got here (after moving from Arizona in 2010), we kind of wanted our numbers close to each other, so I got 32 and she got 30.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“A player I’m really into in college is (University of Maryland forward) Alyssa Thomas. I really like to watch her play.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“N.C. State, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Auburn and a few others are looking at me.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“Playing against (Ardrey Kell) last year was a really good time. The game went into overtime, I had four fouls and didn’t foul out, and we won. “

10 YEARS FROM NOW, DEE DEE ROGERS WILL BE?“Out of college and hopefully playing somewhere overseas or here in the WNBA. But overseas would be nice, because I like to travel.”

#3


SAADIA TIMPTONBREAKING DOWN TIMPTONThis Myers Park senior guard exudes energy and toughness. Whether she’s taking on the opposing team’s best offensive player or making a clutch basket to help her nationally recognized team to another vic-tory, Timpton simply gets the job done. Area fans are fortunate, too, because she’ll be joining the Davidson Wildcats next year.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR TIMPTONHow’d you choose your jersey number? “I was (number) 14 in middle school. I was always a Kobe fan, so when I saw (number 24) was available my freshman year, I said, ‘Let me get it before anyone else does.’”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“Alyssa Thomas (of Maryland). Our games are a little different because she obviously has more of an outside game and can shoot a lot better than I can, but because of her aggressiveness – she’s constantly in somebody’s face trying to get the ball and take it to the basket – I think we resemble each other.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“I’m going to be a Wildcat! I’m so excited. I really think I made the best decision for myself. They’re switching conferences (to the Atlantic 10), so the basketball competition is going to rise by the time I get there, and I think I’ll be an impact player.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“A couple summers ago, I broke my nose and had to play with a mask. It was a bummer, because that was my big summer (for recruiting). The last game at Nike Nationals, I had the mask, the gym was lined with coaches, and I hadn’t been playing well. With 10 seconds left, I got an ‘and one,’ made my free throw, and we ended up winning the game right before the national championship. I was crying and everything.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, SAADIA TIMPTON WILL BE? “Successful. I’ll just be graduating grad school and looking to enter the big world as an adult.”

#5

CHANTEL WILLIAMSBREAKING DOWN WILLIAMS:Williams is just a 10th-grader, but she’s proven she deserves to be mentioned alongside some of the biggest names in Mecklenburg County basketball.As a rookie last season, Williams averaged 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Mavericks in a league that featured some of the state’s toughest teams (North Mecklenburg, Hough and West Charlotte). This season, things haven’t changed much, as Williams is averaging double figures in scoring while leading the Mavericks in rebounding (seven per game), assists (4.4) and steals (three).Williams isn’t a flashy player; she’s simply a box-score-filler, using a multitude of skills to leave her imprint on the game.“This year, I just wanted to be a leader and push my team to go as far as it can,” she said.With Williams at the helm, coach C.J. Johnson thinks that could equal an extended postseason tour for the Mavericks.“She’s been in the big games for us,” Johnson said. “As a freshman, she carried us last year. She’s a good, strong player. She’s got good leadership. Good things are going to happen for her.”

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR WILLIAMS:How’d you choose your jersey number?“My jersey number when I was younger was 23. But when I got to Mallard Creek, they didn’t have it, so I went with 23.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“I’d say I’m more like (former UConn star and current Minnesota Lynx player) Maya Moore. She’s a guard, she can play any position, she’s a hustle player, and she can rebound and score. That’s how I try to be.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“Last year, playing against Vance, when I got the as-sist to my teammate to win it at the buzzer. I’ll always remember that.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, CHANTEL WILLIAMS WILL BE?“I’m not sure yet. I’m only in 10th grade, so I’ve got a lot of time.”

#6

ALIYAH MAZYCKBREAKING DOWN MAZYCKThis 5-9 junior guard from Myers Park High can do essentially whatever she wants on the court. During her freshman and sophomore seasons, she focused more on scoring. Now, she’s a bona fide lead guard who puts teammates in position to score with her deft passes and high basketball I.Q. Not that she can’t score when she needs to. In fact, at the midway point of the season, Mazyck led the immensely talented Mustangs with 17 points per game. There’s no won-der a boatload of ACC and SEC schools are diligently pursuing the magic of Mazyck.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR MAZYCKHow’d you choose your jersey number?“When I was a freshman, I didn’t want to play any (upperclassmen) for their jersey number, because I was trying to be nice. Somebody said, ‘Oh, you play like Jordan!’ So I took (number 23).”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“Sydney Colson. She played for Texas A&M. Her style, her swag – everything about her was all me. But I’m a Kobe Bryant fan, but it’s more about the mentality he plays with than his skills.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK? “Florida State, Louisville, Auburn, Duke, Ole Miss, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech – and quite a few others -- are all looking at me.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY? “I guess the first time I picked up a ball. I was about 9 or 10. I was born with a bunch of uncles and (male) cousins who were all about my age. They’d say, ‘Come on, let’s go play football.’ I’d say, ‘Nah,’ and that’s when I decided to picked up a basketball. Since then, I’ve never stopped.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, ALIYAH MAZYCK WILL BE? “I want to be an architectural engineer, eventually. But if ball takes me to the pros, then I’ll take that opportunity. But if not, I want to be an architectural engineer and build those big skyscrapers.”

#4


RACHEL PORTERBREAKING DOWN PORTER:To say Porter takes a cerebral approach to the game would be an understatement. What else could you say about someone who has a 4.0 GPA and ranks 10th in her class?But Porter isn’t just some bookworm whose intellect somehow allows her to make up for a lack of athleti-cism – this 5-8 senior guard is a baller who also uses her quickness and energy to excel. “She’s a dynamic player,” Lions coach Reggie Mobley said of Porter, who leads the team with nearly 20 points per game. “She knows the game, and her basketball IQ is phenomenal. But one of the biggest reasons she’s helped us grow is because the players have responded to her energy. She’s the one you want to have in your corner.”

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR PORTER:How’d you choose your jersey number?“(Former West Charlotte star) Christal (Caldwell) wore (number 23). I’ve known her for a long time. We go to the same church, Little Rock AME Zion, and our parents are really close, too. Christal’s like a big sister to me. I admire her a lot, and I wanted to wear number 23. I had to ask for her permission to wear it, and she said it was cool.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“Christal Caldwell. She plays at West Virginia now. She knows how to drive to the basket, she can use both hands, and she can pull up, too. I think we play alike, and I like her a lot. We talk all the time.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?Porter has received recruiting attention from schools such as Davidson, Furman and Elon.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“When I was playing AAU basketball growing up, we won the state championship at the age of 10 with the Queen City Jewels. I play against a lot of those girls now.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, RACHEL PORTER WILL BE?“An oral surgeon.”

#7

DESTINY BARRINO

BREAKING DOWN BARRINO:At 5’8 Destiny can play any position on the court and at the same time guard anyone. She is averaging 14 points while snatching down 9 rebounds to go along with over 4 steals per game for the North Meck Vikings. The key to her versatility? “Destiny has been playing basketball since she was 7 years old and playing defense was the first principle she learned” says her mom Lakisha Wade. “She works hard at being an elite player by her dedication and willingness to get better” FIVE QUESTIONS FOR DESTINY BARRINO: HOW’D YOU CHOOSE YOUR JERSEY NUMBER? I choose 23 jersey because my best friend and I wanted the same number and it reminds me of Michael Jordan. WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE? Lebron James is one player that resemble my game. He resemble my game because he is a very strong aggressive player offensively, and defensively. He also is a great attacker and leader. COLLEGE OUTLOOK? My college outlook is to come in as a student athlete ready to learn and be a leader on and off the court. WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY? One of my greatest memories in basketball has to be when I won player of the year. It was one of my greatest memories because I felt like I really deserved that award, I worked very hard to get in practice so I could be better for my team. 10 YEARS FROM NOW, I WILL BE?In 10 years I plan on graduating from medical school , becoming a physical therapist , and getting a house.

#9

RAVEN DEANBREAKING DOWN DEAN:When you encounter Raven Dean off the court, she’s as calm and low-key as they come. Get the Ardrey Kell junior on the hardwood, though, and she transforms.Dean is a rugged, relentless performer who plays as if her golden locks are on fire. The 6-0 forward fre-quently rips rebounds away from hapless opponents and sprints to the other end of the court to make something else happen. Dean is the leading scorer for the balanced Knights, but she’s earned her all-star status because of the blue-collar aspects of her game. That would endear a player to any coach, and Knights mentor Jennifer McVicker is no exception.“Raven is a post presence and a great leader for us,” McVicker said.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR DEAN:How’d you choose your jersey number?“I always had number 23 because I’m a big LeBron James fan. But when I got to high school (former Knights star and current Wake Forest forward) Christelle Shembo was a senior who had 23, so I had to pick another number. I chose 32 because LeBron was number 32 in high school.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“Draymond Green from Michigan State (and the Gold-en State Warriors). He’s big, but he can do everything, from playing on the perimeter to going in the post. I try to play just like that.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“There are a lot of different schools looking at me, but I’m really keeping my options open. I’m not sure if I want to go far away or stay home.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“It doesn’t really have to do with me; it’s about our younger team (for the NC Spartans). Kerstie Phills hit the winning 3 for a state championship in AAU in 2011. That really stuck with me, because they didn’t give up.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, RAVEN DEAN WILL BE?“In med school, studying to be a dermatologist.”

#8


TOP ATHLETES HIGHLIGHTS

EEach season throughout Mecklenburg County over 300 young men suit up to participate in high school basketball competition. With their off season

hard work on display and their dreams in motion inevitably certain players emerge from the pack to lead their teams throughout the

season and on to the playoffs, with the hope of being crowned a State Champion. US Prep Athletes – The Magazine would like to recognize the Elite of Charlotte’s high school basketball stars. We salute your hard work

and accomplishments and we wish you much success in this years playoffs.

WHO WILL EMERGE AS NEXT YEARS ELITE HIGHSCHOOL BASKETBALL STAR,

WILL IT BE YOU?

boys


STEVEN SANTA ANABREAKING DOWN SANTA ANA:A 6-3 junior for Ardrey Kell High, Santa Ana is one of the most hard-nosed players in the Queen City. Santa Ana plays with a relentlessness that allows him to snag rebounds over bigger players, and collect steals and get past smaller players who purportedly are quicker.Simply put, Santa Ana does it all.Last season, Santa Ana averaged 18 points and six rebounds per game, en route to winning conference player of the year honors. This season, the powerfully built guard was determined to show he could be even better.“I wanted to be a strong leader for the team, making sure everybody knows I’m the best player on the floor,” Santa Ana said. “Even if I’m not putting up big numbers every night, I’m going to get assists, I’m going take charges, I’m going to do all the dirty work, too, so that they know they can’t do anything to stop me.”

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR SANTA ANA:How’d you choose your jersey number?“After I started working out here the summer after eighth grade, Coach (Mike) Craft said, ‘Have you got a preference for jersey number?’ I said, ‘No, Coach, I just want a jersey.’ And number 22 was the one that he gave me.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“As a shooter, J.J. Redick or Stephen Curry – obvi-ously, not anywhere near the skill level they’re at. But I like to come off ball screens and bring the ball up court a little bit, too.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?Santa Ana is receiving interest from programs in the ACC, SEC, Big Ten and Southern Conference.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“Honestly, it probably was this year, when we beat Olympic by 20. To have the defending state champions come out here, and just putting it to them, that was a fun game.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, STEVEN SANTA ANA WILL BE?“In the NBA.”

#1

LUKE MAYEBREAKING DOWN MAYE:There isn’t much Maye cannot do on the court. The Hough High junior is a dead-eye jump shooter, an unstoppable penetrator, a fierce rebounder and a deft passer. Those are spectacular attributes for any player, but when you’re 6-8, 230 pounds, it’s a downright scary combination of skills.Maye literally plays every position on the court for Hough, which he led to the Class 4A Western Regional semifinals last year before losing to eventual state champ Olympic. So it’s easy to understand why a litany of colleges is making their case to lure Maye to their campuses.Maye is the son of former Independence High and University of North Carolina star quarterback Mark Maye, who is sports royalty of sorts in Mecklenburg County. But this teenager is so good that, pretty soon, Mark Maye might eventually best be known for being “Luke Maye’s dad.”

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR MAYE:How’d you choose your jersey number?“I’ve always liked high numbers. (Number) 32 was one of the highest numbers we had, so I got it. I wore 21 in middle school, because that’s what my mom (Aimee) had. But once I got in high school, I wanted a bigger number.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?At the college level, it’s Doug McDermott (of Creigh-ton), and at the NBA level, it’s maybe Kevin Love (of the Minnesota Timberwolves). But my favorite player is Dirk (Novitzki).

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?Maye already has more than 10 scholarships offers in hand, including invitations from Clemson, Virginia Tech, Charlotte, Davidson and UAB. But blue bloods such as North Carolina, Duke and N.C. State also are keeping a close eye on Maye.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“Probably last year with this team nearly going all the way. We had great chemistry, and hopefully we’ll get even farther this year.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, LUKE MAYE WILL BE?“Hopefully, playing in the NBA.”

#3

JORDAN WATKINSBREAKING DOWN WATKINS:A quick release, impressive accuracy and stunning range have made Watkins one of the most dangerous players in area basketball circles. Providence Day’s 6-0 senior guard simply has a scorer’s instinct, using timely bursts of speed and body maneuvering to average about 18 points per game throughout his career for the Chargers. Watkins has point guard height, but his prolific shooting and deceptive athletic ability make him more than capable of playing shooting guard at the college level. Watkins certainly would have had a bevy of scholarship offers, but he committed to Davidson before his junior season, so the “big boys” missed a shot at getting a special player.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR WATKINS:How’d you choose your jersey number?“Honestly, (number 3) was one of the smallest jerseys we had, so that was the one I went with. I’m not really a guy who gets caught up in jersey numbers. I just go out and play.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“I’d say Jamal Crawford (of the Los Angeles Clippers). When he gets to shooting and making shots, he’s hard to be stopped. But when he’s off, he’s off. I think my game resembles his. I come out and make plays and keep my teammates involved.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“(Davidson) was a good fit for me. They’ve been recruiting me since my freshman year, and their system is kind of like our system – run and shoot, all the guards get out and all the guards are interchangeable.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“Probably when I hit seven 3s against (Charlotte) Latin my freshman year. It was seven 3s, back-to-back. It was pretty awesome. That was my favorite game.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, JORDAN WATKINS WILL BE?“Hopefully, still playing the game. But if not, I’ll probably be somewhere working for someone’s business and working my way up to owning a business someday. That’s what I want to do.”

#2


MATTHEW FISHER-DAVISBREAKING DOWN FISHER-DAVISAt 6-5, this silky-smooth performer from Butler High just might be the best shooter to emerge from the area since Stephen and Seth Curry were at Charlotte Christian. Speaking of that school, Fisher-Davis excelled at Charlotte Christian the previous two seasons before returning to Butler, where he played his freshman year. He’s had some 40-point outbursts and made it easy for people see why he became a top recruit who chose Vanderbilit over the likes of Virginia, Wake Forest, Georgia, Mississippi and the Charlotte 49ers. “Matthew is a quiet leader,” Butler coach Donald Kirby said. “He’s quiet, but he’s a confident young man. He’s a tremendous shooter, but I think a lot of people don’t realize his athleticism. He can jump out of the gym, he’s got a nice post game and he can handle (the ball). I think in the coming years, people are going to see that he’s much more than a spot-up jump shooter.”

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR FISHER-DAVISHow’d you choose your jersey number?“I like single-digit numbers, and this was the only one that was available, so I just stuck with it.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“Ever since my freshman, I’ve pretty much heard (former UConn star and current Oklahoma City Thunder player) Jeremy Lamb from a lot of people. He’s smooth, he’s long and lanky like me. But I really like Kevin Durant because he’s an assassin.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK:“Vanderbilt was the most comfortable place for me athletically, socially and academically. It just seemed like a no-brainer to me.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“Probably my first bucket. I was about 9 years old, I came off a screen, took it to the cup and laid it up. I was on a MARA rec team.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, MATTHEW FISHER-DAVIS WILL BE?“Hopefully, still playing somewhere. Hopefully, I’ll have a degree and still playing basketball in some form.”

#6

ISIAH BLACKMONBREAKING DOWN BLACKMON:It might be hard to believe that the leading scorer from one of the top programs in the city and state could be underrated, but that’s exactly what Blackmon is.Sure, the junior guard is a known quantity. But perhaps because of his relatively small stature – he’s a slender-built 5 foot 10 -- or the team-focused approach Lions coach Baronton Terry uses with the squad, Blackmon doesn’t receive nearly the amount of attention most players with his talents do.Blackmon is an explosive leaper and a slick passer with a strong mid-range game. He leads the Lions with a modest 13 points per game and surprisingly ranks third on the team with 4.4 rebounds each outing.Blackmon has no problem handling the contact when he drives to the basket for dunks and layups among bigger foes. His game exudes a quiet confidence, and that shows in the way he refuses to fret about receiving more individual attention.“I just wanted to help my team,” he said. “It’s all about winning.”

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR BLACKMON:How’d you choose your jersey number?“My brother (Mark, now at Maryland-Eastern Shore) was number 22 (for West Charlotte). I didn’t want his jersey, so I just figured I would pick a higher number and go with 24.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“Russell Westbrook. He’s really athletic, and he’s really fast. He’s not just really fast; he’s really fast dribbling around the defender. And when he’s up in the air, nobody can stop him.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“I have an offer from Old Dominion right now, but I’m also getting interest from Minnesota, South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Towson.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“I don’t know. It’s really hard for me to just choose one.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, ISIAH BLACKMON WILL BE?“Looking forward to seeing where the future takes him. Maybe he’ll be playing in the NBA.”

#4

SIMIEON CARTERBREAKING DOWN CARTER:If there’s a Charlotte-area player with more upside than Carter … well, there isn’t one. The 6-7 junior isn’t the most talented player on West Charlotte’s dynamic squad, but he just might bring THE MOST to the table: length, intimidation and potential.Carter has a wingspan that exceeds 7 feet, and he is a quick leaper who seemingly tries to slam home ev-erything. For most of this season, he’s nearly averaged a double-double. And get this: He didn’t start playing organized ball until last season.“Coach (Baronton) Terry got me going,” Carter said. “My ninth grade year, he talked to me a lot and helped me with my grades. He wanted me to play because he thought I had a chance to be good.”Carter took his lumps last year, seeing very little court time while serving as an apprentice to former Lions great Kennedy “Big Baby” Meeks, who’s now a freshman at North Carolina.“After seeing ‘Baby’ play all the time, he taught me a lot about rebounding, boxing out – all the big-man moves,” Carter said.These days, Carter is the one giving lessons on the court.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR CARTER:How’d you choose your jersey number?“Last year, everyone had picked a number before me since I was new. I saw 00, and I thought I’d stick with that number.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“I really don’t know. But who am I trying to be like? Kevin Durant. I really think his game is phenomenal.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“I get letters from Appalachian State and the Aggies of (North Carolina) A&T so far. I’ve come a long way.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“My first alley-oop last year. It was against Lake Norman. It just gave me a lot of energy. It motivated me to do more, to work harder.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, SIMIEON CARTER WILL BE?“An NBA player. That’s my goal.”

#5

FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes 3 FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes 19

GIOVANNI MACKBREAKING DOWN MACK:Butler’s 5-10 senior is a pure scoring guard trapped in a point guard’s body. During his junior season, Mack averaged more than 24 points per game for Providence High and made numerous all-star teams. For his final high school season, however, he moved in with his father, who lives in the Butler district, and the Bulldogs certainly got a special player in Mack, who has drawn recruiting interest from the likes of Maris and Mount Saint Mary’s. If he were taller, he’d likely be a high-Division I prospect. And he STILL might wind up being one.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR MACK:How’d you choose your jersey number?“My freshman year, I got number 20. I was supposed to be number 2, but they didn’t have that, so I stuck with 20.”

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?“A lot of people say Chris Paul, but I try to model my game after Kyrie Irving, although I try to have a little bit of Chris Paul because of his leadership qualities. I like Kobe’s game, too, but when it comes to point guards, it’s Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul.”

COLLEGE OUTLOOK?“Right now, I’m just focusing on getting eligible for the NCAA. I have a few mid-majors interested, but once everything gets done with the Clearinghouse, I’ll just start to see what other schools are interested in me.”

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY?“My sophomore year against (Ardrey Kell), I hit a shot to send it to overtime. Even though we ended up losing, it was a big shot. Everyone in the crowd went crazy. It was definitely a memorable experience.”

10 YEARS FROM NOW, GIOVANNI MACK WILL BE?“Hopefully, continuing to play basketball. The most important thing for me is just getting to college right now and getting a free education. If I do have the opportunity to play pro ball somewhere, I’ll definitely take it.”

#7

JALEN SAUNDERS BREAKING DOWN SAUNDERS:The 5’10 Southlake Christian Academy Point Guard ability to control the rock and get to the cup with ease puts him at a competitive advantage over anyone who guards him. “Jalen works hard during the summer with personal trainer, Scottie Scott and at the Accelerate Basketball facility” according to his dad Malcolm Sanders. “He also elevated his game playing with top talent in the Anthony Morrow Summer Hoops Pro-Am. Playing with and against professional athletes during the summers shines through in the senior floor general as there’s a sense of comfort and he doesn’t get rattled under pressure. What also comes to mind is his court awareness, floor intelligence, basketball IQ but whatever name you call it, it’s found a home with Jalen not only on the basketball court but also in the classroom.Mr. Sanders adds “Jalen is not just an athlete, he is a student-athlete. His current GPA is 4.3 and he scored 1830 on the SAT.”

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR JALEN SANDERSHow’d you choose your jersey number? I play in the #30 which is the same as my God brothers, Ian Miller who plays for Florida State, and Stephen Curry of Golden State Warriors.

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE? I would say it’s a mixture of the two Ian Miller and Stephen Curry. Ian because of the way he attacks the basket and Stephen because he is a playmaker. I’m not necessarily a pure shooter but definitely a scorer who can knock it down consistently.

COLLEGE OUTLOOK? Right now the only D1 interest I have is from Cornell University. I feel like I’m being overlooked but I’d rather be underrated than overrated. I’m hoping more offers will come soon as I’m just looking for somewhere that I can take advantage of both my academic and athletic gifts…..My time is coming.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY? My greatest basketball memories would be hitting the game winning shot in the NC AAU States and then winning the AAU National Championship.

10 YEARS FROM NOW, JALEN WILL BE? In 10 years I hope to be playing basketball professionally, God willing. If not, I will be at the top of my game in the public policy and finance fields.

#8

ANDREW HOWARD BREAKING DOWN HOWARD:The 6’7 Southlake Christian forward is an active rebounder on the glass and has good timing on blocking shots especially coming from the “weak side.” Offensively he plays extremely well with his back toward the basket and from watching his demeanor on the court you can glean that he has worked extremely hard on his double and triple moves in the post. According to Coach Monroe “establishing Howard down low” is a tremendous objective in their keys towards a victory.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR A. HOWARD:How’d you choose your jersey number? I chose number 12 because Dwight Howard is my favorite player since we share the same last name and he is also a post player. Most of all we both have a goofy personality.

WHICH PLAYER DOES YOUR GAME MOST RESEMBLE?My game most resembles Dwight Howard’s because he is an awesome shot blocker and was named Defensive Player of the Year at one time. My favorite part of the game is defense because it helps to win the game and I also have a natural ability to block shots.

COLLEGE OUTLOOK? I haven’t decided which school I would like to attend but a few of the schools that I am interested in include NJIT, Western Carolina University, Sacred Heart University and Texas Christian University. The career that I would like to pursue is managing money.

WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST BASKETBALL MEMORY? A couple of weeks ago I was featured on ESPN Sport Center’s Top 10 at Spot #3. It was Senior Night, we were playing against Hickory Grove, and the score was tied with 2.1 seconds left on the clock. I caught an alley-oop pass and dunked it to win the game. The ESPN commentators called it a “walk-off” dunk.

10 YEARS FROM NOW, I WILL BE? Playing in the NBA.

#9

QU

IET

STO

RMCJ

JA

CKSO

NBY

C. J

EMA

L H

ORT

ON

SOFT-SPOKEN JACKSON IS MAKING NOISE IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE FOR THE OLYMPIC HIGH TROJANS

Cleveland “C.J.” Jackson is a

young man who knows about

change.

He entered the world 18 years

ago with a medical condition that

required him to spend his first

two weeks in the hospital and

the next several months trying to

recover.

Oh, he recovered all right. So

much so that he was walking

at 7 months old, talking soon

after that and essentially was

potty-trained by the time his first

birthday arrived.



THE’S A VERY QUIET, RESERVED KID WHO COMES FROM A GREAT FAMILY”

The toddler years got

interesting, though -- at

least for Jackson’s parents,

Cleveland and Shawn. Not

that there were any health

scares; little C.J. amazed

doctors as he fought

through a severe esophagus

problem and performed

tasks many older kids older

couldn’t accomplishment.

But behavior was another

thing. There simply were

times his parents had trouble

controlling their eldest child.

“We used to go out and eat

as a family, but we got to a

point where we had to stop

going because he wouldn’t

keep still, he wouldn’t sit


down,” Mr. Jackson recalled.

“It got to be too much.”

But fast-forward 14 years,

and most people who know

C.J. Jackson actually use

the term “soft-spoken” to

describe the Olympic High

School senior.

“He’s a very quiet, reserved

kid who comes

from a great

family,” said Ty

Baumgardner, who

coaches Jackson

on the Olympic boys

basketball team. “He

does pick and choose

his moments to come

out of that shell, so to

speak – usually around

his teammates and around

his coaches – but he’s just a

great, soft-spoken kid.”

That track record for

changing, even during the

toughest of times, has made

Jackson who he is today:

an honor-roll student, one

of Mecklenburg County’s

brightest high school

basketball stars, a highly

pursued college prospect.

So last summer, when

Baumgardner summoned

Jackson into his office and

told the teen he needed to

shed his low-key demeanor

and become the vocal

leader of this season’s

squad, Jackson knew he

could make the switch.

And he HAS become more

outspoken. But

there’s no

overzealous yelling, no

getting in teammates’ faces.

He doesn’t deliver fire-and-

brimstone, Ray Lewis-style

speeches in the locker room.

Instead, Jackson’s lifting the

Trojans, the defending Class

4A state champions, with his

own spin on demonstrative

leadership: a mixture of

perfectly timed words of

advice tinged with respect

and supported by nightly on-

the-court performances that

inspire his teammates to be

better.

“I’m the only starter back

from last year’s team, so

I knew I had to do what

Coach needed me to do to

help the team,” Jackson

said. “But I also have to stay

true to myself, go about

things the best way I know

how.

“I probably don’t seem

like it, but I can be

very demanding on

my teammates. I get

onto them more

than you would

think. If I see them

screwing around in

the hallway, I might try to

straighten them up a little

bit. On the court, I pull them

aside and try to give them

one or two pointers that

might help them. I don’t try

to embarrass anyone.

“They’re usually very

receptive to it. I have great

teammates, and they respect

me very much.”

He is the unquestioned

“HE CAN REALLY

SHOOT THE

BASKETBALL,”

BAUMGARDNER

SAID OF

JACKSON. “HE’S

GOT A GREAT

FEEL AND PACE

TO HIS GAME.”


leader of the Trojans, who

lost what Baumgardner

said was 87 percent of

their offense to graduation

last year. Jackson

opened the season

by averaging 31

points in his first three

games, and in January

was nominated as a

McDonalds All-American,

serving notice that

Olympic’s high standard of

success hadn’t disappeared

with all those seniors back in

June.

And while the Trojans

certainly have their share

of team-wide talent – such

as 6-foot-6 senior Kenny

Lemon, 6-5 junior Malik

Constantine and versatile

Maryland sophomore

transfer Damari Parris –

everything runs through

Jackson, who has assumed

point-guard duties this

season after being the

shooting guard a year ago.

“He can really shoot the

basketball,” Baumgardner

said of Jackson. “He’s got

a great feel and pace to his

game. He’s got a really high

IQ, and he knows the ball’s

got to be in his hands a lot

for us to be successful.”

THE COMEBACK KIDJackson’s basketball exploits

impress many people,

including his parents, who

both are former players.

But nothing about their

son today comes close to

impressing them more than

the way he battled through

the medical issue he was

stricken with at birth.

“He was really sick when he

was born,” Shawn recalled.

“He had an underdeveloped

esophagus. Doctors said

that it happened to about

30 percent of young

black boys who were

born at that time. He

could not process

food and digest it

at all. He would

throw up all the

time. When he

was 2 weeks old,

he had to be

hospitalized.

Tubes were

everywhere. It was terrible.”

The family had to make

some decisions. At the

time, the Jacksons were

living in Athens, Ga., where

Cleveland had finished up

his career at the University

of Georgia. But the Jacksons

felt doctors in Los Angeles,

Calif., Cleveland and

Shawn’s hometown, were

better equipped to treat their

son’s condition. So when

C.J. was just 5 weeks old, he

and his mother moved to Los

Angeles, where he began

receiving treatment at UCLA.

“MY SON

HAD TWO

BASKETBALLS,

DRIBBLING

AROUND HIS

BODY. I MEAN,

TWO REGULAR-

SIZED BALLS,

AND HE WAS

POUNDING

THEM!”


“We were new parents, and

we really didn’t know what

to do at first,” recalled Mr.

Jackson.

“We just went into parent

mode. We’re Christian, so

we prayed a lot and just

had faith and believed.

Because of those things,

we didn’t worry a whole lot.

We just made sure that we

did everything that we were

supposed to do, as far as

making sure he made his

doctor’s appointments on

time and took his medicine

properly.”

Cleveland and Shawn didn’t

share their son’s health

problems with anyone, other

than their parents. But C.J.

made it easy to hide things.

“We’ve always called him

an ‘old soul,’” Shawn said.

“He really was walking at 7

months. Everything he did

was early. It was amazing.

Many of the things that other

kids his age didn’t normally

do, he just grabbed on and

did them very well.

And “He got better after

about 12 months.”


It wasn’t long after that

when C.J. began revealing

a penchant to excel on the

hardwood.

Basketball certainly was

in his bloodlines. After his

standout career at Georgia,

Mr. Jackson played in

Venezuela and then returned

to Los Angeles to begin

his coaching career at

Campbell Hall High School.

One day, after his team had

played poorly in a loss, Big

Cleveland was lecturing his

players as 2-year-old C.J.

waited in the background.

“I had sat all the players

down, and I was yelling at

them -- I was going off,”

Cleveland said. “After a

while, I noticed that they

were looking through me,

like they weren’t paying

attention. I remember saying,

‘What are you guys looking

at? See, this is the problem!

You can’t pay attention!’

“Then one of the kids said,

‘Coach, look at your son!’”

Sixteen years after the

fact, Cleveland still sounds

amazed as he recalls what

he saw that day.

“I turned around,” he

said, “and my son had

two basketballs, dribbling

around his body. I mean, two

regular-sized balls, and he

was pounding them!.”

‘KICKING’ BAD HABITSBut like many children, C.J.

didn’t always use his energy

in positive ways.

“How can I put this?” Shawn

said, pausing. “He was

rambunctious.”

When the family decided that

going out to dinner with C.J.

was too much of a task, the

Jacksons decided they had

to do something to help their

son maintain control. They

found a surprising answer:

karate.

When C.J. was 4 years old,

he enrolled in his first class.

His parents immediately

noticed a change.

“After being in karate for a

while, he just kind of calmed

down,” Cleveland said. “It

really helped him gain control

of his emotions and center

himself, which I think some

of those traits that he picked

up back then still help him

now. If you watch him, he’s

very poised, he’s very even-

keeled.

“We often talk about not

being controlled by emotion

and not getting too high

and not getting too low. He

understands that if your

emotions are controlling you,

then you can’t be rational

under adverse conditions. He

really began to absorb that

as a youngster. And because

of that, I think it really helps

him out on the (basketball)

floor AND in the classroom.

When the pressure’s on,

that’s when it seems he really

shines the most.”

After finding that inner

peace, C.J.’s basketball

talents grew exponentially.

When his family moved back

to Georgia after his father

became the associate head

coach at Mercer University,

he began tearing up the

AAU circuit. He eventually

became one of the top high

school players in the Peach

State before moving to

Charlotte in 2012 after Mr.


Jackson accepted a job at

Belmont Abbey.

Last year, on a team

that went 30-0, Jackson

averaged 17 points per game

as the Trojans earned a No.

5 national ranking while

marching to the state crown.

“The guys really embraced

me last year,” he said. “I

haven’t had any issues

moving here. At first, I was

kind of hesitant, but now I’m

glad we made the move. I

love it here.”

Last July, he played for

Aim High, an AAU team

sponsored by former NBA

player Kenny Smith, and

things got even better.

Jackson entered the Best

of the South tournament in

Suwanee, Ga., without any

scholarship offers in hand.

But according to www.

hoopseen.com, after leading

his team to the tourney

title over the weekend,

Jackson received offers from

Winthrop, Campbell, Pfeiffer,

Wofford, High Point, The

Citadel, Middle Tennessee

State, Jacksonville, Georgia

Southern and Youngstown

State. And after Jackson’s

hot start to the 2013-

14 season, a number of

high-Division I programs

began calling, including the

University of Tennessee

of the Southeastern

Conference.

MAKE THAT CHANGEMany people believe

Jackson can be even better,

and Baumgardner believes

much of that development

starts with his star guard

dedicating himself to making

another drastic change in his

life: being more outspoken.

The coach made that

abundantly clear to him last

summer.

“We said, ‘Look, this team is

going to be full of a bunch of

inexperienced guys, a bunch

of young guys, a bunch of

guys that are going to need a

leader outside the coaching

staff, and you’re the logical

choice,’” Baumgardner said.

“I said, ‘I know there are

different kinds of leaders:

vocal leaders, guys who lead

by their actions and things

like that. But we need you to

come out of your shell a little

bit and be more of a vocal

leader and lead these kids,

because that’s going to be

crucial to our success.’

“He understood it,”

Baumgardner continued.

“He knew it. He comes from

a basketball family, so he

knows what’s necessary.”

Jackson has already gone

through one enormous

change since last season:

He’s gotten bigger. A lot

bigger.

Last season he stood about

5 feet 11 inches. Now, he’s

nearly 6-2.

“The height, it just helps,

and I love it,” Jackson said

with a grin. “It gives me an

upside to shoot over smaller

guards that I play against,

considering I play point

guard.”

Doctors believe Jackson has

a chance to be even taller,

largely because of his size-

13 ½ feet and the fact that

Mr. Jackson stands 6-5 and

Shawn is nearly 5-11.


His mom, in fact, points out

that she deserves some

credit for C.J.’s basketball

talents, as she was a star

player at Van Nuys High

School. During her senior

season, she averaged

17 points and 17

rebounds.

“You can absolutely

say (C.J.) gets his

skills from me!” Shawn

said with a laugh. “Big

Cleveland and I have

this debate all the time.

“I had some

opportunities to go play

in college, but I didn’t

want to. I didn’t want to

sweat. I wanted to be

cute.”

Despite his rich

basketball gene pool,

C.J. makes it clear

who his basketball role

model is.

“Kobe – always,”

he said. “It’s just his

energy. His passion

for the game is just

something you can’t

really compare to other

players.”

And much like the Los

Angeles Lakers star, Jackson

will have to alter the way he

goes about things – whether

that’s scoring less, focusing

on defense or, yes, speaking

up more.

“I think I’m doing fine,” he

said with a nod. “Sometimes

it’s hard to handle, but I try to

look at the positive side of it.

I have to remember it’s just a

game. That’s all it is.”

FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes 3 2 FEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes

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WANT MORE?


“THE TRANSITION HAS BEEN GREAT, AND THE PREPARATION THAT I RECEIVED IN BASKETBALL HAS DEFINITELY HELPED ME TO MAKE THE TRANSITION IN SALES AND THE CORPORATE WORLD.”


BBlake Donte Smith the 6’4 former standout shooting guard from United Faith Christian

Academy received a scholarship to play basketball at Radford University. Not long after the

start of his collegiate sophomore year, Blake realized that playing at the NBA level wasn’t a

tremendous possibility and he began preparing for life after basketball. “I realized basketball

got me here but there are so many more opportunities I can take advantage of” said Blake,

who now works as a Senior Sales Agent at Red Ventures. Blake took advantage of some

of the university networking

and leadership opportunities

by becoming a Quest

Assistant and Peer Instructor

that helped freshmen

students successfully make

the transition from high

school to college. These

opportunities helped to

crystalize his decision to

major in business marketing.

“I’ve always been intrigued

by why certain things,

advertisements (products)

was placed there” recalled

Blake. “And why certain

things make people react in

certain ways.”

Today it’s Blake who finds

himself making one of life’s

biggest transitions, from the

classroom and hardwood to

the corporate world.

This past summer Blake

landed a job with Red

Ventures, the Fort Mill

S.C. based company

that specializes in sales,

marketing and technology

infrastructure for some of

the nation top brand names.

And within six months of

joining the team, Blake was

promoted from Sales Agent

to Senior Sales Agent. “The

transition has been great,

and the preparation that I

received in basketball has

definitely helped me to make

the transition in sales and the

corporate world.” Blake also

credits his mother Bobbie

Smith for all of her hard work

and sacrifice over the years

and also notes two coaches

that helped mold him along

the way. Former Charlotte

Nets associates, Eric Horton

and Darius Smith who still

is a part of his life today.

And the future for this rising

business leader? “I want to

perfect this sales craft and

move on up that ladder.”

BY TONY PEARL

H I G H S C H O O L S T A R

Blake Smith

“I REALIZED BASKETBALL GOT ME HERE BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES

I CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF”


Late Hornets star’s children making the family name, game proud BY C. JEMAL HORTON


KKendall Phills knew

the day was coming.

On far too many occasions

since her husband,

Charlotte Hornets

guard Bobby Phills,

died in a car

crash 14 years

ago, she’d

catch

herself looking at her only

son and noticing glimpses of

familiarity.

The broad shoulders.

The dimpled grin. The

pensiveness. The love for the

game of basketball.

The similarities were

downright eerie at times,

but Kendall’s thoughts soon

would turn toward things

such as finding her way in

this world as a much-too-

young widow or passing the

exam to earn her real-estate

license.

But in the recesses of her

mind, as her son, Trey, grew

older, Kendall knew she

needed to prepare for that

inevitable moment.


I

HE’S AN HONOR STUDENT WHO’S JUST AS IMPRESSIVE OFF THE COURT AS HE IS ON IT

“I knew there

was going to

be a day when

I was going to

wake up and

Trey Phills was

going to walk

through the

door, and I was

going to think

it was his dad,”

Kendall said.

“And now, at 17 years old,

he walks through the door,

and sometimes I just have

to take a moment, because

I think, ‘Oh, my God. That’s

Bobby, up and down!’”

Yes, Bobby Ray Phills III –

aka Trey – can be favorably

compared to his father. He’s

an honor student who’s just

as impressive off the court

as he is on it – which is

saying something because

the Charlotte Christian

School junior happens to

be one of the best high

school basketball players in

Mecklenburg County.

The crazy part is that Trey

isn’t the only Phills child with

that distinction.

Not even two full seasons

into her high school career,

Bobby and Kendall’s

daughter, Kerstie, ranks

among the area’s most

ballyhooed girls hoopsters.

She’s a fierce defender, a

relentless rebounder and a

potent scorer.

Kerstie, too, conjures a

certain familiarity for her

mother.

“It’s almost like my husband

has been reincarnated into

a girl and into a young man

all over again -- it’s like he’s

come back in the form of

Trey and Kerstie,” Kendall

said, shaking her head. “I

can’t even put it into words,

to be honest.”

The Phills siblings, however,

aren’t newsworthy simply

because they have a famous

father. Their story would be

compelling no matter

their surname. After

all, how many times in

Mecklenburg history has

a brother-sister tandem

been widely regarded

among the county’s

top 15 high school

basketball players at the

same time?

Trey is a bona fide Division I

college prospect who, thus

far, has scholarship offers

from UC Irvine and The

Citadel but also has garnered

interest from a number

of big-time programs,

including Stanford. In the

first quarter of the season,

he was averaging more than

25 points per game for the

Knights, who need him to

do many things after losing

several key players from last

season.

“We’re playing him at the

point right now,” Charlotte

Christian coach Shonn

Brown said. “But even

though he’s only 6-1 or 6-2,

he can play (point guard)

through (power forward), and

he can guard a (center). He’s

very fundamental, and he

understands the game.



KERSTIE, RANKS AMONG THE AREA’S MOST BALLYHOOED GIRLS HOOPSTERS. SHE’S A FIERCE DEFENDER, A RELENTLESS REBOUNDER AND A POTENT SCORER.

“We had a (college) coach

here watching him who was

just amazed. He was like,

‘Shonn, he can do so many

different things – on the

ball, off the ball, he doesn’t

have to have the ball, he

cuts hard, he screens well.’

Trey’s IQ for the game is

tremendous, and I think that,

in itself, is going to take him

a long way.”

Kerstie? She’s downright

lethal. As a do-it-all forward

for the Knights, she was

averaging about 28 points,

10 rebounds, three steals

and three blocks for game

at the midway point of the

season.

If not for 6-4 Providence

Day center Jatarie White,

Kerstie likely would be

considered the best player

in the Charlotte Independent

Schools Athletic Association.

But while White is a senior

who’s signed with the

University of South Carolina,

Kerstie’s just a 10th-grader.

And, well, she doesn’t take

a backseat to anyone in her

brother’s mind.

“When I watch her play,

it just makes me smile,”

Trey said. “She doesn’t

realize how good she can

be. I just laugh. She’s just

a sophomore, and it’s just

scary how good she’s

going to be. She’s already

averaging a double-

double. It’s just crazy.

“Right now, she can

handle anybody she

wants – ANYBODY.”

BALL IN THE FAMILY

The Phills name has been

in Charlotte headlines for

quite some time now – it was

there long before Trey and

Kerstie even began playing

basketball.

On January 12, 2000, Bobby

Phills II died in a car crash

as he left a Hornets pre-

game shootaround. Trey was

3 years old. Kerstie was 1.

Their mother was young, too

– just 28 years old – but she

was hellbent on providing

a sense of normalcy for her

two children as they took on

life without a father.

Eventually, she helped

them find a haven on the

basketball court.

Trey actually had been

exposed to the game from

the moment he entered this

world, as his dad spent time

with the Cleveland Cavaliers

before joining the Hornets

in 1997. Just a short time

after the Phillses moved into

a home at the Ballantyne

Country Club, Bobby looked

out the window one day and

saw a familiar face on the

golf hole that backed up to

their house. Bobby grabbed


Trey, sprinted outside and

asked the golfer if he would

take a picture with his son.

Michael Jordan – then a

mega-star with the Chicago

Bulls – politely held Trey

Phills in his arms and posed

for the photo.

As he became a toddler, Trey

often could be seen in the

Charlotte Coliseum as his

dad developed a reputation

as one of the Hornets’

leaders. And a passion for

the game stayed with Trey

even after his father passed

away.

“My favorite memory when

I was 5 or 6 was out in the

driveway.” Trey recalled.

“I used to have a mini-

trampoline, and I was

obsessed with dunking. I

would lower the goal – crank

it all the way down. I’d have

a couple pillows to make

sure I didn’t get hurt, then

I’d have my mom and sister

record it. I’d watch it over

and over again.”

When Trey was around

6 and Kerstie 4, Kendall

signed them up to play in a

park-and-rec league. Even

then, although they weren’t

superstars, Kendall saw

enough potential in Trey and

Kendall to get them extra

time on the court so they

could develop their games.

Kendall even went on to

become coach of one of

Kerstie’s teams, and that

experience seemed to fuel

the fire that the teenager

shows when she’s on the

court today.

“The best time I’ve ever

had as a player came when

I played on the church-

league team and we won the

championship with my mom

as the coach,” Kerstie said.

“I felt like I contributed to

my team. It was really cool

to win that championship.

I thought, ‘Maybe I have a

shot at this.’”

After that, Kerstie moved

on to the AAU ranks. She

played for the Charlotte

Monarchs before joining the

NC Spartans, a team led by

former Carolina Panthers

star wide receiver Muhsin

Muhammad.

Kerstie developed a

reputation for being a hard-

nosed player, someone

who disrupted offenses and

defenses with her tenacity

and fearlessness. And her

aggressive style wasn’t

something she just used

when she was facing other

girls.

Just ask her brother.

“The crazy thing is that she’s

probably stronger than me,

so she bullied me when

we played!” Trey said with

a laugh. “We used to play

one-on-one, and I would

get mad because I was out

there getting posted up and

elbowed – by my little sister.

We’d be out there going at

it.”

Kerstie takes a deep sigh

when asked about playing

against brother.

“Yeah, I usually am the

bully,” she said, sheepishly.

“Sometimes I can be mean

and aggressive, and I tend to

pick on him sometimes. But

at the end of the day, I still

love my brother.”

But Trey was busy building

a basketball reputation of

his own. He joined an AAU


program called the Charlotte

Hornets, coached by Derrick

Brewer, who made sure

Trey and his teammates

developed a strong work

ethic.

“He would take us players

to a 24-hour gym (Peak

Fitness),” Trey said. “We’d

work out all night, until like

4 or 5 in the morning, take

a little nap and then go get

breakfast and go work out

again. There were some

tough nights. There were

times I wanted to go home

crying to my mom, “This

man is crazy!” But I think it

paid off. Looking back on it,

it was good for me.”

It was around that time,

when he was in seventh

grade, that Trey got his first

dunk.

“I was 13, and my trainer

(Scotty Scott) said, ‘Trey,

come catch this lob,’” Trey

said. “He just threw it in

front of the rim, and I barely

caught it. I told all my friends

the next day. I was excited.

“And after that, my sister

didn’t want to play me one-

on-one anymore.”

But their relationship actually

began to get stronger.

They became each other’s

biggest supporter – besides

their mother – at basketball

games. Even today, as Trey

drives them to school in the

mornings, they’ll giggle with

each other about little inside

jokes that no one else would

understand.

“At a very young age –

Kerstie couldn’t even

walk – my husband said,

‘They’re going to be close,’”

Kendall said. “Trey was like

her little caregiver – very

overprotective of his little

sister. And sure enough, they

are like best friends. They

just chat each other up from

the time they come home

from school until they get

ready to go to bed. They sit

on the sofa side-by-side like

adjoining twins and watch

all their favorite recorded

shows.”

And they spend a lot of time

talking about basketball. It’s

inevitable. With Trey having

the role as the best boys

player at Charlotte Christian,

everyone knows him. The

elementary-school-aged

children on the campus

adore him, and he rarely

disappoints when he’s on the

court.

After spending his first two

years on the varsity squad

as a player who largely

focused on defense, he’s the

unequivocal offensive leader

for the Knights, although he

does plenty of other things

well, too. He averages 6.1

rebounds and nearly four

steals per game while usually

being assigned the task

of defending the opposing

team’s top scorer.

Many college programs

are on his trail. Besides

UC Irvine, The Citadel and

Stanford, schools such as

Davidson and Harvard have

contacted Trey. And there’s

a reason so many academic

powerhouses are interested.

Trey has a 4.75 cumulative

GPA, which includes the 5.0

he achieved during the first

semester.

“I know I’m trying to play in

college – a good college,

because academics are more

important than anything

to me,” Trey said. “If I can


get to a good college that

can provide opportunities

beyond basketball, that’s

what I want. I know there’s

life outside of basketball,

but I also know I can have

a successful career and do

whatever I put my mind to.”

His mom agrees.

“I’m excited for Trey,”

Kendall said. “He has a lot to

offer any basketball program

that he goes to. He’s going

to make the coach proud.

Academically, he’s a brilliant

little boy. I couldn’t ask for a

better son.

“And my daughter’s the

same way. She has a high

GPA. I’m excited for them to

excel and take it to the next

level.”

And based on the aggressive

way she plays, if Kerstie

isn’t given a basketball

scholarship, she just might

TAKE one.

“Yeah, I’m aggressive on the

court,” Kerstie said with a

sheepish grin. “When I get

on the court, I just find this

energy. Plus, I love the game,

so I just get aggressive with

it. I channel my energy.

“People say I play like my

dad. I’ve watched some of

his games on video, and I’ll

say, ‘Hey, that kind of looks

like ME out there!’ But I

haven’t watched too many

of his games. I get really sad

when I watch them, because

I miss my dad. But I know

that his legacy still carries

own, so it’s good to know

where I come from.”

EMBRACING A LEGACYIt might have been simpler

for Kendall to keep her

children away from

basketball. That way, there

would have been no grand

expectations instantly

heaped on them when

people heard their last

names at sporting events

– sort of how former NBA

player Grant Hill was able

to shine on the hardwood

without playing football and

having people constantly

looking for him to be the

Second Coming of his dad,

former Dallas Cowboys

running back Calvin Hill.

But Kendall Phills didn’t

worry about such pettiness.

Her kids actually loved the

sport. And if people got

carried away because these

were Bobby Phills’ kids, then

that was THEIR problem, not

hers or her kids’.

Besides, Kendall herself

loves the game of basketball.

Sure, Bobby was the NBA

player. But Kendall loves to

joke that maybe, just maybe,

some of her children’s

basketball prowess comes

from her, too.

Back in their native Baton

Rouge, La., Kendall and

Bobby both played for

Southern Lab High School.

Each season, Kendall

made the first-team All-

Defensive squad, using her

quickness and the same kind

of aggressiveness Kerstie

employs today to steal the

ball and score on layups.

“That’s right!” Kendall

said with a hearty laugh.

“I have to keep reminding

my children that their mom

played basketball ninth

through 12th grade. Yes, I

was the homecoming queen,


“PEOPLE WOULD BE LIKE, ‘YOUR DAD WAS IN THE LEAGUE, SO …’ BASICALLY, THEY FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE THAT GOOD OR BETTER, AND THAT DEFINITELY CREATED PRESSURE.

too, but I played basketball.”

Kerstie loves to hear her

mom recall her playing days.

“Yeah, I guess in her

prime time, she was a

mini-hooper,” Kerstie said

proudly. “I got some of my

aggressiveness from my

mom, too. I guess we get it

from both sides.”

Because of their ages when

he died, Kerstie and Trey

don’t remember much

about their father’s NBA-

playing days. And since

their hectic lifestyles of

AAU basketball, Charlotte

Christian basketball

and intense schoolwork

dominate their schedules,

they haven’t spent much

time watching footage of

Bobby’s performances. So

instead of modeling their

games after their dad –

Bobby was a silky-smooth

jump shooter who still

ranks fifth in NCAA history

for the 4.03 3-pointers

per game he averaged for

Southern University during

the 1990-91 season – Trey

and Kerstie just do what

feels right on the court.

But genetics are a crazy

thing, and Kendall said

there’s no denying that

people see parts of Bobby

Phills when her children are

on the court.

“Trey and Kerstie don’t

remember their dad on

the court,” Kendall said.

“They have seen video

footage here and there, but

they’ve never studied his

game. But what’s ironic to

me is, my daughter more

so than Trey, has a lot of

(Bobby’s) characteristics and

mannerisms and athleticism

on the floor. She has the eye

of the tiger like her father

did on the court. She has

tenacity and versatility like

her dad had. They both put

their hand behind their back

like their dad did, especially

when they’re fatigued.

They’re the epitome of their

dad, so it’s eerie.”

Not that Kerstie shies away

from being compared with

Bobby.

“People come up to me and

say, ‘Oh, you’re Bobby Phills’

daughter, you’re going to

ball out today,’” Kerstie said.

“I just try to do what I can.

I can only do so much. But

I kind of like it when people

talk about how my dad

played in the NBA. It’s kind

of cool trying to play up to

his level.”

Trey admits feeling the

weight of the Phills name

when he’s taken the court in

the past, although he’s never

tried to run away from it. His

e-mail address includes the

number 13, which was the

jersey number his dad wore

for the Hornets. He sports

number 1 for Charlotte

Christian, but he said the


only reason he doesn’t wear

13 is because the school

doesn’t have a jersey with

that number.

“There definitely used to be

pressure when I was playing

– I will say that,” Trey said.

“People would be like, ‘Your

dad was in the league, so

…’ Basically, they feel like

you have to be that good

or better, and that definitely

created pressure. But I’ve

made it my own. It’s not so

much about what my father

did; it’s about what I can

do out of my own situation.

I couldn’t imagine myself

doing anything else. If I were

to take a couple days off, I’d

be like, ‘Ah, man!’ I’d have to

get on YouTube and watch

a couple basketball videos.

Basketball grew in me and

became a part of me, and I

just loved it.

“Honestly, I feel like if my

dad were still here today,

there would be a lot more

pressure. But it’s almost

more comforting just to

know that he lived and had a

great life. I’m his son. I have

it in my blood, and I can do

whatever I put my mind to.

And I know he’s watching

over me, so that makes

me happy if I have a good

game.”

So as he embarks on the

final year and a half of

his high school career,

Trey is excited about the

possibilities. He’s optimistic

that the Knights will prove

to people that they can

maintain a high level of

success after losing so many

good players from last year’s

squad. He can’t wait to see

what college program he’ll

eventually join. And, oh, yes,

he’s thrilled about watching

his baby sister destroy the

competition in Charlotte

Christian girls games.

Brown, the Charlotte

Christian mentor, has

coached his share of players

with famous parents,

including Stephen and Seth

Curry, whose father, Dell,

played for the Hornets.

Brown believes Trey is

equipped to handle all the

expectations – fair or unfair

– that come with being the

child of a celebrated athlete.

“Trey is a kid who does

not like the spotlight,”

Brown said. “He may win

accolades, and he will

accept those roles and

fulfill them well. But he’s a

regular, old kid. He’s a kid

that comes in, hangs out

with his teammates. I think

somewhere internally, there’s

that pressure of, ‘Hey, my

dad did this …’ But Kendall

has done a phenomenal job

rearing him and Kerstie.

“Trey’s a mature kid, he’s

responsible. He’s the kind

of kid that I’d let babysit my

kids and not worry about

it. As a matter of fact, I’ve

had him drive my kids

somewhere, and I trusted

him with that. You can’t say

that about every teenager.

He has gained and earned

the respect of this Charlotte

Christian School student

body and community

because he LIVES it. Being a

good basketball player only

takes you so far.

“And both he and his sister

are going to go extremely

far.”


E D U C A T I O N A L S P O T L I G H T“SouthLake Christian

Academy’s philosophy of

education is Educating

Mind, Body and Soul.

Our goal is to enrich and

strengthen the “total”

student. SouthLake Christian

Academy recognizes that

educating a child requires

a team approach with the

team members consisting of

faculty, parents, student and

staff. This team approach to

education fosters a positive

and close relationship

between all affected

participants and enhances

communication which is the

foundation of the SouthLake

Christian Academy

educational experience.”

Dr. C. Wayne Parker, II

Head of School

Location: Located in Huntersville, NC our campus is geographically situated to serve families in Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, Denver and the greater Lake Norman area.Founded: SouthLake Christian Academy was founded in 1994 as a mission of SouthLake Presbyterian Church (PCA).

Campus Size: Located on a 19 acre campus in the scenic Lake Norman area. The school is comprised of three state-of-the-art educational buildings, computer and science labs, library, two gymnasiums, an auditorium, athletic field house, turf athletic field for football, soccer, and lacrosse, and a softball field. The master plan includes a third gymnasium for basketball and wrestling, a cross country course, a baseball field, a fine arts auditorium, and a fourth educational building.

Grades Offered: The largest

TK-12 fully-accredited private school in the Lake Norman area.Head of School: Dr. C. Wayne Parker, II appointed in 1996

Enrollment: Approximately 900 students enrolled in 2013-2014 come from diverse backgrounds surrounding the Lake Norman area.

Class Size: Overall Student to Staff ratio 18:1

Faculty: Our school has approximately 100 faculty and staff. The average faculty member has 13 years of classroom experience, and over 65% percent have attained or are working to attain their advanced degrees. We have four principals, one for each school division: Lower TK-2, Lower 3-5, Middle and Upper School. The Upper School has a College Counseling department. A nurse is available on campus during school hours. Our

Academic Development Center is dedicated to learning services and tutoring.

Technology Integration: Technology is incorporated into our campus through classroom computers and SMART Boards plus two state-of-the-art computer labs..

Scholarships: Our 2013 graduates were offered $3.5 million in college and university scholarships. Curriculum: We provide a college-preparatory curriculum that is centered on critical reasoning skills and not simply memorization. Each classroom is a technology driven interactive environment that advances students’ engagement and educational knowledge.Students are introduced to Latin and Greek in lower school Grades 3rd-8th.

Standardized Test Scores:Our Students scored an

outstanding 30% higher than other top US private schools on the ERB standardized test.

Honors & Awards: SouthLake students have earned top awards in national academic competitions such as National Merit recognition, National Spelling Bee, ACSI Academic Competitions, Math Olympics and the National Economic Council. In addition, over 50% of our 4th–7th graders qualify for the academic Duke TIP Program.

Athletics: AthleticsOur sports program includes state and regional championship athletics for almost 40 competitive teams.Our student athletes have received over $1.1 million in collegieate scholarships and include six Wendy’s Heisman Award winners.Our athletes compete both in the Metrolina Athletic Conference (MAC) and the

North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA).

Team sports include: baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross-country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, & wrestling


n. A person who freely offers to take part. One who enters into or offers himself for a service of his/her free will.

VOL •UN •TEER

Antawuan SchofieldFEBRUARY 2014 • USPrep Athletes 47

IVolunteer Organization: Founder of F.L.O.K (Future Leaders of Kipp)

Professional Organization: Supervisor of Mecklenburg County Park and Rec Why do you volunteer? “The reason why I volunteer/mentor is for the love of our youth. Growing up as a fatherless troubled teen myself I always knew there was a need. Instead of sitting and watching like the previous generation did my generation I created my mentoring group called F.L.O.K (Fathers Loving Our Kids)

A.K.A (Future Leaders Of Kipp). It gives me an opportunity to get back our youth from the strong hold of today’s entertainment and media. I am able to unplug and deprogram them for a couple hours and a month by letting them express themselves using their creativity. I have been blessed by a great friend named Rashid Williams who is a leading administrator at Kipp Charlotte. He has assisted by giving me the platform to bring F.L.O.K to Kipp Charlotte. I am able to work with the students,seeing them crave with excitement about the next meeting makes it all worth it.”

It goes without saying, that the unselfish act of volunteering time is self gratifying, and even more, can make the difference in a person’s life. Each volunteer has his/her own story behind their act. We would like to share stories of some of our community

volunteers, in hoping it will offer encouragement to donate time to a worthy cause.

Thank YouWe would like to thank each person for their time, and talents

to afford youths a life changing opportunity.


US PREP FUTURE ELITE CAMP ACCOMPLISHES DUAL-PURPOSE GOALBY TONY PEARL


JAQUAIL BROWN

ZANE HAGLAN

JALEN HARRIS


EventsCharlotte

Sportingin


FEBRUARYFeb 18…….................... NCISAA basketball playoffs start for area teams

Feb 24…….................... NCHSAA basketball playoffs start for area teams

Feb 25…….................... CIAA basketball tournament festivities start @ TW Cable Arena

Feb 26…….................... NCHSAA baseball season begins

MARCHMarch 7-9…………........ Crystal Carolina Sports 11th Annual Grand Slam

March 8-9…………........ 2014 Carolina Ruggerfest

March 13……………...... Champions Cup Tennis

March 15-16................ Charlotte Soccer Academy Spring Challenge

March 27-29………....... 2014 Palmetto Volleyball Reg. Championship

March 28-30.……......... Crystal Carolina Sports Travelball Nationals

APR I LApril 4………………....... Bobcats vs. Orlando

April 4-6………….......... Rawlings Spring State Championship

April 10……………........ Charlotte Checkers vs Grand Rapids

April 13……………........ Belmont Criterium Cyclist Race

April 16……………........ Bobcats vs Chicago

April 28……………........ Wells Fargo Golf Championships begin


US Prep Athletes – The Magazine would like

to thank all who have been instrumental and

inspirational over the years in bringing sports to

the big stage while representing Charlotte. Your

hard work and dedication has helped path the

way for us in creating our publication.

Again

thank you.

SPORTS FIGURESPablo Álvarez • Arn Anderson • Dwight Clark • Stu Cole • Mo Collins • Carlos Crawford • Dell Curry

Seth Curry • Stephen Curry • Ray Durham • Ric Flair • DeShaun Foster • Joe Gibbs • Larry Hefner

Antawn Jamison • Bobby Jones • Chris Leak • Mohamed Massaquoi • Jeff McInnis • Mildred Meacham

Sam Mills • Anthony Morrow • Mushin Muhammad • Dickie Noles • Pettis Norman • Hakeem Nicks

Richard Petty • Roman Phifer • Wali Rainer • Jeff Reed • John Sadri • Don Schollander • Jamie Skeen

Ricky Steamboat • Dale Earnhart • Chad Tracy • Dolly Vanderlip • Dave Waymer • Reggie White • Tony White

Haywood Workman • Andre Coleman • Mark Maye • Junior Burrough • Darrell Armstrong • Cedric Maxwell

Sleepy Floyd • James Worthy • Michael Jordan • Bryon Dinkins • Mugsy Bogues • Darrell Waltrip • Bobby Allison

ORGANIZATIONS AND COLLEGESCarolina Panthers • Charlotte Hornets • Charlotte Checkers • Carolina Hurricanes • Charlotte Knights

Charlotte Hounds • Charlotte 49ers • Johnson C. Smith • Queens University • Livingstone College

SPORTSCASTERS & SPORTS WRITERSHarold Johnson • Langston Wertz Jr. • Paul Cameron • Jim Thacker • Chuck Howard • Mike Solarte

Scott Fowler • Jemal Horton • Jim Crockett • Delano Little • Tiffany Wright • Tom Sorensen • Jim Nantz

POLITICIANS AND BUSINESSMENPatrick Cannon • Bruton Smith • Hugh McColl • Tommy Helms • Leon Levine • Harvey B. Gantt

Anthony Foxx • Pat McCrory • Jerry Richardson • George Shinn • Ron Leeper

FAMILY & FRIENDSKelly Pearl • Justin Pearl • Marcus Gardiner • Helen Pearl • Mr. & Mrs. Spells • George B. Washington • Corey

Dixon • Corey Robinson • Eric Gallman • Fernandez Blackshear • Thomas Massey • Johnathan Jones

Jeff McGill • Tony Pearl

C U S T O M F I T T E D M E N ’ S S U I T S • S H I R T S • T I E S

AttalloO F C H A R L O T T E

www.atallo.com

us prep athletes the magazine february 2014

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