Joe Miller Invitational brings big opportunity to Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Some future stars in college and maybe the NBA are in town for a first ever Phenom Hoop Reports Joe Miller Invitational. The four day event tipped off today in Wilmington at New Hanover’s Brogden Hall. This is huge for those who hit the hardwood with scouts watching closely.

“We wanted to do something in Joe Miller’s name,” Jamie Shaw of Phenom Hoop Reports said. “As much as he did for the city and state and scholarship monies he brought in for the kids and athletic director, Hall of Fame.”

Big names and big opportunities are on the hardwood for four days.

“It’s a national level tourney,” Shaw said, “we’re having some of the top ranked teams in the country come in to play with some of the top ranked players in the country that are being recruited by the who’s who of college coaches.”

New Hanover High School is hosting the event and the local team on the court.

“Just getting my guys exposed to national talent, kids are coming in from 16 total teams, 8 different states,” Head Coach Kirk Angel said.

“I know our kids play travel ball,” the New Hanover coach continued, “but they get to see kids who are going to play at the next level with their high school teams and it gives our guys a chance to see what it is like to play against kids who are going to Kansas, going to Kentucky, going to UNC, and Virginia Tech and Florida.”

“We wanted to bring it to Wilmington because it is a basketball rich area,” Shaw added as to why this location was selected. “New Hanover High School has the most state championships of North Carolina Basketball. Some of the greats have played in Wilmington.”

“For some of my kids,” Coach Angel said, “it’s a chance to be recruited if they play well as individuals and we play well as a team, it will help their chances to play at the next level.”

From Sports Director John Rendleman:

Showcase Games at Brogden Hall – Tuesday, Dec. 27
Blue Ridge vs. Tug Valley 10:00 a.m.
Oldsmar vs. Virginia Academy 11:30 a.m.
Miller School vs. Union City 1:00 p.m.
Lincoln Charter vs. University Heights 2:30 p.m.
Kinston vs. Miami Country Day 4:00 p.m.
Greenfield vs. Word of God 5:30 p.m.
New Hanover vs. Trinity Christian 7:00 p.m.
Hamilton Heights vs. Saint James 8:30 p.m.

First Round Matchups at Brogden Hall – Wednesday, Dec. 28

Group 1 Bracket
1. Hamilton Heights
8. Blue Ridge 8:30 p.m.

4. Oldsmar
5. Miller School 11:30 a.m.

3. Trinity Christian
6. Lincoln Charter 4:00 p.m.

2. Word of God
7. Miami Country Day 1:00 p.m.

Group 2 Bracket
1. Saint James
8. Union City 2:30 p.m.

4. Virginia Academy
5. University Heights 10:00 a.m.

3. Kinston
4. Greenfield 7:00 p.m.

2. Tug Valley
7. New Hanover 5:30 p.m.

“We are going to have 16 players that will be ranked in the top 150,” Phenom’s Jamie Shaw said. “We have guys who are committed to Power 5 schools throughout the country. College coaches will be recruiting these kids. It’s a national level event. The nation’s eyes will be on Wilmington, NC. 8 games a day for 4 days in a row. We are fortunate that we’re going to have 3 teams that are ranked in the nation’s top 50 teams in the country that are coming. Hamilton Heights out of Tennessee, Oldsmar Christian out of Florida and St. James out of Maryland. We’re going to have two separate 8 team brackets. 16 total teams. The brackets are not going to be an A bracket B bracket so it’s going to be equal brackets and we’re going to have two champions. ”

Kirk Angel is the New Hanover boys head basketball coach.

“I don’t know if we can compete in these games,” Angel said. “For me, some of my individual players, if they play well in the tournament, then it will help them get recruited.”

Ticket Information
First 3 days of the event – $30 in advance
Day of the event – $15 at the door

Oldsmar Christian (FL)
6’4″ 2018 Elijah Weaver
Ranked: Rivals #21
Offers: UConn, Villanova, UVa, Louisville, FSU, Nebraska, USF, Florida, etc…
6’6″ 2018 DJ Mitchell
Offers: Penn St, St Joseph’s
6’9″ 2017 Stefon Fisher
Offers: Kansas St, UNCW, Illinois St, Wofford, Rider, Winthrop, etc…
6’8″ 2017 Alex OGuinn
Offers:
6’11” 2018 Michael Durr
Offers: Texas Tech, North Florida

Miami Country Day (FL)
6’8″ 2017 Ibrahim Doumbia
Ranked: Phenom Hoops #110
Final Group: Florida, South Carolina

Hamilton Heights (TN)
6’4″ 2017 Shai Alexander (Florida)
Ranked: ESPN #44
Committed to Florida
6’5″ 2017 Nickiel Alexander Walker
Ranked: ESPN #29
Committed to Virginia Tech
6’4″ 2017 Therron Shelton-Szmidt
Offers: MTSU, Old Dominion, Duquesne, Southern Utah, App St, etc…
6’10” 2017 Mark Tikhonenko
Offers: Iowa St, Arkansas St
6’6″ 2019 Wheaza Panzo
6’8″ 2019 Issa Samake
Offers: Iowa St

Union City (TN)
6’4″ 2017 Parker Stewart
Will Commit to Ole Miss on Wednesday

Trinity Christian (Fayettevile)
6’7″ 2019 Joey Baker
Ranked: 247Sports #23
Offers: NC State, Florida, Wake Forest, Clemson, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia Tech, etc…
6’5″ 2019 Josh Nickelberry
Ranked: 247Sports #58
Offers: Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, VCU, Baylor, Penn St, Providence, Tulane, etc…
6’6″ 2019 Greg Gantt
Offers: Hampton

New Hanover

Greenfield School (Wilson)
6’5″ 2018 Coby White
Ranked: ESPN #28
Committed to UNC
6’6″ 2018 Elijah McCadden
Offers: Wake Forest, ODU, Charlotte

Kinston
6’5″ 2019 Damian Dunn
Ranked: 247Sports #70
Offers: ODU, Tulane

Word of God (Raleigh, NC)
6’3″ 2017 Blake Harris
Ranked: Phenom Hoops #96
Committed to Washington
6’10” 2017 Brandon Huffman
Ranked: Phenom Hoops #70
Final Group: UNC, South Carolina, USC, Indiana, Clemson, Tennessee
6″ 2020 Evan Johnson
Ranked:
Offers: Iowa St, ODU

Lincoln Charter (Denver, NC)
6″ 2018 Kody Shubert
Offers: USF, Mount St Mary’s, American, Hampton, Houston Baptist

Saint James (MD)
6’8″ 2018 Isaiah Mucius
Ranking: Scout #30
Offers: Xavier, Wake Forest, St John’s, Penn St, Oregon, Minnesota, Seton Hall, etc…
6’8″ 2018 Grant Golden
Ranking: Scout #65
Offers: NC State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, UCF, St Joseph’s, etc…
6’4″ 2017 Omar Hobwe (Mount St Marys)

Miller School (Charlottesville, VA)
6’6″ 2019 Aundre Hyatt
Ranking: 247Sports #29
Offers: ECU, Southern Cal, VCU, Yale, St John’s, UMass, USF, etc…
6’5″ 2018 Dae Dae Heard

Blue Ridge (St George, Va)
6’9″ 2017 Aamir Sims
Ranking: Phenom Hoops #79
Final Group: Clemson, VCU, Iowa St, Miami
5’9″ 2018 Darius McGhee
Offers: Campbell, High Point
6’5″ 2018 Sardaar Calhoun
Offers: Hampton

Tug Valley (WV)

Virginia Academy (VA)
6’9″ 2017 Ejike Obinna
Ranking: Phenom Hoops #100
Final Group: Clemson, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, and Florida
5’11” 2017 Jahlil Jenkins
Offers: Towson, Farliegh Dickinson, Howard, LIU Brooklyn, St Peter’s
6’11” 2019 Qudus Wahab
Ranking: 247Sports #30
Offers: Clemson

University Heights (KY)
6’1″ 2017 Tray Hallowell
-Offers: St Louis, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville St, East Tennessee St.
6’2″ 2019 KyKy Tandy
-Offers: Oklahoma, New Mexico St, Western Kentucky