Five things I learned at the Carmel Christian Tip-Off Classic

Matthews, North Carolina – The fifth annual Carmel Christian Tip-Off Classic was this weekend, and much like in years past, it was filled with great games. This event serves as the kick-off event in North Carolina. Presented by the guys at Phenom Hoop Report, 12 of North Carolina’s best teams were showcased in the first official games of the season. Three of the games on Saturday went into, at least one, overtime. The other games went right down to the wire.

National commodities like Trentyn Flowers and Austin Swartz were excellent, but so were newcomers like Derin Saran, Isaiah Henry, and Zion Walker. The stage was set as the players began to write their 2022-23 season stories.

I spotted coaches from Clemson, East Tennessee State, UNC Greensboro, Elon, Queens University (NC), and more taking in the action. Let’s go through the storylines I walked away from the event talking about.

1. Trentyn Flowers getting into the flow

It has been a while since we have been able to consistently see five-star Trentyn Flowers consistently play. The 6-foot-8 wing guard has always shown flashes of talent and ability, but he has not been able to show consistency.

Flowers is showcasing toughness this season, battling on the boards, pushing the break, and finishing with contact around the rim. The jump shot has great balance and release, and he is a fluid and explosive athlete on both ends of the floor. The role Flowers played suited his game really well; able play outside, but also show he can do things around the basket. The 2023 On3 150 No. 8 player finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds and left his impact squarely on the win.

Flowers, who recently narrowed his recruitment to a final 13, has taken four junior year official visits; Louisville, Georgia State, Creighton, and Oklahoma.

2. Austin Swartz is a premium shot maker

What makes Austin Swartz’s shot-making so interesting is his ability to create space for himself, and get a clean look. The 6-foot-5 guard handles the ball confidently and only needs a sliver of opportunity to get a shot up.

Swartz is an explosive athlete, which he shows in transition and on the boards. His jump shot is pure, he has a unique ability to find his balance, and he is unafraid of letting it fly. Swartz is a good passer, sees the floor well, and he did a good job in the passing lanes here with deflections. Swartz finished 6-of-16 here with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. The 2024 On3 150 No. 65 player also knocked down the three that sent the game into overtime and then the free throws that sent the game into double overtime.

Swartz has not taken any official visits yet, but he has recently been on campus at South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Georgia.

3. Derin Saran is the best available PG in the Carolinas

Never sped up, always making the right play, and at 6-foot-3, he could score it as well as distribute. Derin Saran simply controlled the tempo of the game. Saran is a senior point guard at Asheville (NC) School. The native of Turkey faced off against defending 4A state champion and the home team Matthews (NC) Carmel Christian, where he was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points.

Saran played this summer with LaMelo Ball’s 1 of 1 travel program. He picked up 12 offers from the likes of Wilmington, Northeastern, Denver, Elon, Colgate, and others. Saran has taken official visits to Northeastern and Stony Brook. He said programs like Richmond and Davidson have checked in, which makes sense. After Southern California signee Silas Demary, Jr., Saran is the best point guard in the Carolinas for the 2023 cycle.

4. With his back against the wall, Jaydon Young came out swinging

In the second quarter, Virginia Tech signee Jaydon Young looked up at a deficit approaching 20 points. Then a switch flipped, and Young took over the game. The 6-foot-3 guard brought his Greensboro (NC) Day School team all the way back to send the game to overtime. Young was aggressive getting downhill, handled the ball effectively, and played good defense. Despite the loss, he brought a lot of positive things you want to see from an ACC signee. Young finished with 23 points.

5. Bryce Cash is a premier defender

Unsigned senior Bryce Cash is as good a defender as you will find in the southeast for the 2023 recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-5 wing has the ability to shut down the one through four positions, depending on where the opposing team’s biggest threat is.

Cash is a long-armed, strong-framed, quick-twitch high academic player for Matthews (NC) Carmel Christian. He finished with 14 points and 6 rebounds in the wing. Cash claims offers from The Citadel, Hampton, Siena, Coastal Carolina, and others. As the season progresses, it will be interesting which other schools jump in. He carries a lot of winning qualities.

This and that

*2024 Zion Walker left his impression firmly on the event. The Burlington (NC) School guard claims seven offers from the likes of Radford, Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, and Mount St. Mary’s. His grit and toughness shined bright in his 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists double overtime win.

*You may recognize Isaiah Henry’s last night; the 2025 guard is the younger brother of Clemson defensive end KJ Henry. Henry is a strongly built explosive guard at Concord (NC) Cannon School. He plays with toughness, both on defense and on the boards, and he attacks the rim with a purpose. Henry finished with 31 points and 9 rebounds; he claims early South Florida and Appalachian State offers.

*While the 9-point and 6-rebound stats may not show it, anyone who was courtside saw the impact 2025 LJ Rush had on the game. The Charlotte (NC) 1 of 1 Academy point guard had the ball in his hands in crunch time. He finished well around the basket, rebounded, and guarded the ball. At 5-foot-10, he is a player to earmark and watch how he progresses from the sophomore class. He does a lot to impact winning.