Phenom Hoops is diving into the upcoming season and we’re bringing several previews and discussions of teams and players to watch out for. We’re looking at several conferences to see who might look strong early based on the information we have and last year’s results. Check out these teams below as we think these could be programs to watch out for in each of these conferences.
Chatham Charter
Chatham Charter has been one of the top programs in the conference and has had good results over the years, so I expect them to challenge for the top spot again, but they will need players to step up to replace key talent from last year. 2024 Jonah Ridgill was really good last year, nearly managing a double-double and finishing the season averaging 20 points per game. 2024 Aidan Allred was also very consistent, as they will be losing two key players from last year. However, they do have some strong talent back in 2025, most notably Brennan LaVelle.
River mill
The Jaguars of River Mill finished 6-6 in conference play and will lose last year’s top scorer Will Jones (12.4 points per game) in 2024, but have several key players back who will be seniors and looking to lead the way. Anthony Brown (2025) and Jackson Osbourne (2025) will continue to lead the offense, but the Jaguars will need others to step in if they want to compete for a conference title.
Southern Wake Academy
The Lions had a really good season last year, finishing 23-10 and coming in first in the conference at 10-2. And even though they’re losing their top two scorers from last year, who combined for nearly 30 points, they’ll also be returning a lot of talent that gained valuable experience last year and will look to step up. A lot is being bet on Seung Surmon’s 2025, but they have a lot of young players who are now seasoned veterans and will hope to claim the top spot again.
Forest Charter
The Wolves would be an interesting team and one to keep an eye on in this conference. Last season, this team nearly finished at .500 overall and has a chance to really take the next step. Last year, they had so many freshmen and sophomores leading the way, and now they’re almost all returning to start the season. If players like Grant Richardson (2027), Alden Phillips (2027), Levi Haygood (2027), and others can take that next step, Woods Charter has a chance to compete.