Things to Watch For Heading into The John Wall Holiday Invitational


The John Wall Holiday Invitational is finally upon us! Here are some of the top matchups/storylines to pay attention to heading into the first day of the tournament:


Can Christ School Stay Undefeated?


Christ School’s record still sits at an impressive 10-0, and they’re the consensus best team in North Carolina. However, they could find themselves tested in this tournament. Their first game is on the 27th, against Knightdale High School. While they should be able to win that matchup, they’ll face the winner of Grace Christian/Northern Nash. If they go up against Northern Nash, Christ School will face CJ Rosser, MADE Hoops’ #1 recruit in the Class of 2027. If they face Grace Christian, it’ll be Michael Phillips, the 6’6” wing committed to Marquette. Either way, they’ll play against a big-time player in Round Two. While they have the depth and star power to match these teams, it’ll be a good opportunity for this squad to further prepare for the playoffs.


Can Reidsville Win the Day’Ron Sharpe Bracket?


Reidsville is another team that comes into the John Wall Holiday undefeated; however, they’ve played half as many games as Christ School has. Their first-round matchup will be against Farmville Central, the runner-up in last year’s NCHSAA 2A state championship game. This game will be the 8 PM game on Day 1 of the tournament, so it’s going to be prime-time, with the lights and fans shining on both of these teams. Reidsville has been coming together nicely as a team, and this matchup will be one of their toughest of the year. If they win, it doesn’t get much easier, as they’ll have to face the winner of Caldwell Academy/Davidson Day. Their path won’t be easy no matter what, but if any team could win this bracket, it’s Reidsville.


Who’s Going to Have the Best Individual Performance?


The John Wall features a lot of top-tier talent, per usual. So, the question has to be asked: who’s going to have the best performance? It could be CJ Rosser or Jordan Page, two of the top kids in the class of 2027. It could be Nate Ament, the highest-ranked unsigned senior in the country. It could be someone committed to an elite basketball college, like Acaden Lewis (Kentucky), Samis Calderon (Kansas), or Zymicah Wilkins (NC State).


However, I think the player most likely to have the best individual performance is a player whose team runs through them. Last year, Chance Gladden set the John Wall scoring record by dropping 57 points. However, he did this because his team was facing Southern Durham, he got hot, was already their go-to scoring option, and the team needed every one of those points to avoid losing. The game also went into overtime, which helped. While I don’t know if Gladden will have a performance as incredible as that one, he has to be monitored for a nuclear performance, along with Kobe Edwards of Greenfield, Chance Mallory of STAB, Jackson Keith of Southern Durham, and Michael Phillips of Grace Christian. All of these guys are the consensus best players on their team, and everything runs through them; if someone is going to have a monster performance, my money is on one of these five.


Day 1 Matchup Spotlight: John Marshall vs. Clayton


My top matchup I’m looking forward to watching on Day 1? John Marshall vs. Clayton. John Marshall is the top-ranked team in the state of Virginia, and in the top 10 nationally as well. They’re arguably the best team at the John Wall, and they’ll be facing a local powerhouse in Clayton. You can check out my preview on them here, but know this: Clayton brought in three high-impact transfers this year (Preston Copeland, Darrion Ellis, Aiden Smalls) to pair with their dynamic duo of Justice Mitchell and Andrew Grimes. They recently had one of their best performances to date, beating a New Hanover team that almost won the state championship last year. They have good vibes and good chemistry, and are one of the largest teams in North Carolina; if anyone can give John Marshall a run for their money, it’s them.


Make sure to check out the Made Hoops website for daily coverage of the John Wall Invitational.


Please Wait... processing