The OTR Circuit was well-represented at Carolina Mania. With teams from across the region of note, these are two of the programs that stood out over the weekend:

Warriors Life Elite 2027 

A well-balanced team who only knows how to play one way and that’s hard. When you watch a WLE game, you will never have to question toughness or effort. On top of that, the talent level is high throughout the roster. They finished the weekend undefeated led by contributions from everyone, but Kasyn Chase is the leader of the group. 

Chase is a tough physical guard who can score at every level. His football background translates well into how physically he plays on both ends of the floor. He does not need to dominate the ball to be effective. When he is off the ball, he cuts hard, moves well without the ball and crashes the glass like a big man. With the ball in his hands, he is a smart decision maker who gets guys involved as well as create shots for himself. 

The blend of size, speed, and athleticism gives teams issues, especially with their style of play. The big man in the middle, Seven Pounds was a rebounding machine over the weekend, especially on the offensive end. Relentless effort in the paint on both sides of the ball. Good roller off pick & roll sets but can step out to 15-18 feet to also knock down a jumper. He can switch on to smaller defenders on the perimeter as well as protect the rim.

In the backcourt with Chase, WLE has a swiss army knife in Caleb Knight. He showcased a lot of versatility on both sides of the ball. High level of energy throughout the weekend to compliment what he was able to give the team on both ends. He did a little bit of everything including rebounding, scoring & initiating the offense. Excelled in transition and getting downhill to the rim. He and Chase compliment one another well and were instrumental in their success this weekend.  

Rare 1s

Rare 1s NC split their four games this weekend, going 1-1 in both days. A little undersized but their small ball lineup gave teams issues, especially with their ability to get to the paint and spray out to shooters. The strength of their team is the backcourt and their ability to score in a variety of ways. When the team can get out in transition and play with pace, they are hard to stop.

The engine behind the success of Rare 1s NC is the dynamic guard, KJ Taylor. Loved how much energy and effort KJ played with all weekend. He is extremely quick, especially with his first step that he used to blow by the initial defenders. He got to his spots with ease and was able to finish at the rim with good body control. KJ’s strong shot creation helped him get to his spots with ease and knock down shots from all over the floor. 

Despite the lack of size on the interior, Kareem Peterkin was tough on the glass all weekend. He was able to create second chance opportunities for his team with his relentless effort on the glass. Helping him out was Tristan Gaddy, who provided offensive versatility. He knocked down outside shots as well as being effective on the glass. His timely shot making helped them get a win in overtime against FCA Upstate.

In the backcourt with KJ there is an explosive downhill driving force in Aiden Roberson. His athleticism was on full display this weekend, finishing above the rim in transition as well as the halfcourt. He thrived off the ball as a cutter and utilized his strength when attacking closeouts. He consistently touched the paint to either finish through contact or get the ball to an open teammate. The combination of him, KJ Taylor and Jerry Kuttas who is another bruising guard that got downhill to score with ease, makes the trio a tough out for teams who struggle guarding the ball.