The first NCISAA Live Period was exactly what you would expect when some of the top talent in North Carolina gets put under one roof. Greensboro Day was packed with college coaches throughout the weekend, with Duke sitting courtside along with Clemson, NC State, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Wake Forest, and plenty of other programs getting early eyes on the next wave of prospects. With that type of attention in the building, several 2027s took advantage of the stage and made real statements. Here are a few 2027 standouts from the first NCISAA Live Period:

Geren Holmes - The Burlington School

Geren Holmes was the most skilled and versatile scorer I saw on display this weekend. He averaged 18.6 points per game last season, and somehow looks even more comfortable and confident now, which is not exactly great news for the people asked to guard him. Holmes has that natural scorer feel where it never looks rushed. He can get to his spots off the bounce, rise into pull-ups, attack closeouts, and finish through contact with size. What makes him so difficult is the way he blends skill with patience. He does not need to over-dribble or force bad looks to get going. He understands angles, pace, and when to let the game come to him. At 6’5, he has the positional size to shoot over smaller guards, the handle to attack bigger wings, and the confidence to punish defenders at multiple levels. The scoring package is real, and he looked like a player ready to take another jump.

Zeke Battier - Providence Day

Zeke Battier is genuinely applicable to any team. Every coach wants long, athletic, high-motor players who can defend, finish, and make winning plays, and Battier checks a lot of those boxes. He is active defensively, runs the floor hard, attacks the glass, and plays with the type of energy that makes possessions feel different when he is involved. Offensively, Battier has really strong instincts. He knows how to cut, find gaps, get downhill, and use his length around the rim. He does not need to dominate the ball to impact the game, but now with Providence Day needing him to step into more of a focal-point role, his ability to create and produce will be huge. The tools are easy to see: size, athleticism, toughness, and feel. Add in the motor, and you have a player who can fit almost anywhere while still continuing to grow into a bigger role.

Jayon Connor - Forsyth Country Day

The improvement Jayon Connor has made is one of the biggest takeaways from the weekend. This was already a player coming off a monster season where he put up 20-and-10 type production, helped lead Forsyth Country Day to a state championship, and earned all-state honors. He was already known for his motor, physicality, rebounding, downhill scoring, and ability to overwhelm opponents with constant energy. Now the skill development is starting to make him even more dangerous. Connor’s shot-making ability has taken a noticeable jump, especially from the three-point line. He is no longer just a player you have to worry about around the rim or in transition. He is becoming a threat from multiple spots on the floor, and that completely changes how defenses have to guard him. When a 6’7 player with his energy and physical tools starts making shots consistently, the scouting report gets uncomfortable fast. The momentum he built during the spring with Team CP3 looks like it is carrying straight into the summer. Connor plays like someone who knows his game is expanding, and that confidence is showing. The rebounding, effort, toughness, and production were already there. Now with the jumper becoming a real weapon, his ceiling continues to rise.

Romain Boyer - Concord Academy

Romain Boyer was the best shooter in the building this weekend. Not one of the best. The best. There were coaches yelling at their players for letting him touch the ball like he had just walked into the gym with a flamethrower. That is the type of attention his shooting demanded. Boyer’s value goes beyond just being able to make shots. He moves extremely well without the ball, understands how to relocate, and knows how to use screens and spacing to create clean looks. Defenses were picking him up high and trying to faceguard him from 94 feet because giving him even a little space was a bad business decision. His footwork, balance, and confidence as a shooter all stood out. What I really liked was how he played within the flow of the game. He did not force shots just to prove he could shoot. He let the ball find him, made quick decisions, and stayed disciplined within the offense. He is coachable, skilled, and clearly understands his role. Shooters who can move, think, and play within structure are valuable, and Boyer showed exactly why.

Dylan Twitty - Christ School

Dylan Twitty is an athletic big with good touch and a lot to like long-term. At 6’9, he moves well, plays above the rim, and gives Christ School a frontcourt presence that can impact both ends of the floor. He has the ability to finish through contact, run the floor, and be a real target around the basket. What stands out with Twitty is the combination of size, mobility, and touch. He is not just a big body taking up space. He can finish with control, catch in traffic, and make plays around the rim without everything looking robotic. His activity level allows him to clean up misses, create second-chance opportunities, and be involved even when plays are not drawn up for him. Defensively, he has the tools to protect the paint and make opponents think twice at the rim. As he continues to add strength and polish, his impact should keep growing. Athletic bigs with touch are always worth tracking, and Twitty showed enough flashes to make him one of the more intriguing frontcourt names in the event.

Mason Robinson - Greensboro Day

Mason Robinson is the focal big man for the best team in the state, and that is not a small responsibility. Greensboro Day has depth, structure, and talent everywhere, but Robinson’s presence inside gives them something that changes the entire feel of the game. He is long, physical, active, and gives them a true anchor in the paint. Around the rim, Robinson plays with force. He rebounds in traffic, finishes through bodies, and brings a level of physicality that stands out immediately. When he catches the ball close to the basket, he is not trying to be cute with it. He punches the ball like the rim said something personal. That type of force matters, especially in games where possessions get tight and teams need easy points inside. His value also shows defensively. He alters shots, takes up space, and gives Greensboro Day a back-line presence that allows their perimeter players to be more aggressive. Bigs who can rebound, protect the paint, and finish with authority are huge at the high school level, and Robinson fills that role at a high level for a team with championship expectations.

Josiah Johnson Freeman - Davidson Day

Josiah Johnson-Freeman will be the leading factor for Davidson Day. At 6’4, he brings size, skill, and a smooth offensive feel on the perimeter. He has the frame and scoring instincts to be a difficult matchup, especially when he gets into rhythm and starts attacking with confidence. Johnson Freeman has the ability to create off the bounce, score at multiple levels, and make plays without looking sped up. He plays with good pace and has a natural feel for when to attack, when to pull up, and when to let the offense breathe. That poise is important. Some players can score, but not every scorer knows how to control possessions. Johnson-Freeman showed flashes of being able to do both. For Davidson Day, his presence gives them a strong creator and offensive weapon. He can take pressure off others, generate his own looks, and bring production from the guard/wing spot. With his size and skill set, he has a chance to be one of the more important pieces for them moving forward. The tools are there, the scoring ability is there, and the role should only continue to grow.