The buzz had been building up to the Absolute Basketball Fall League, it was one of the few North Carolina based fall leagues that was able to be played during this stage of quarantine. Fall Leagues being played, mean the start of basketball season is right around the corner. Comenius School was set to host one of the very first fall leagues to take place in the basketball hub that is the Charlotte-Metro.

Driving up to Comenius School, it is unassuming. An older warehouse/strip center in the middle of a nice neighborhood in Fort Mill, South Carolina. You walk into the facility, it has a feel to it, it isn’t the newest of facilities, but when the ball gets bouncing, the building simply creates a basketball vibe.

Fort Mill, South Carolina is a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina, the next city across the North Carolina/South Carolina state line. As many people know the Charlotte-Metro area has a basketball-centric population, and when the basketball is good, the people will show out.

People had been talking about this league for a couple of weeks, and then when Langston Wertz put out his write up for the Charlotte Observer the buzz became very palpable. Now, the players were named, the matchups were set, the talk had been set off.

Last night the basketballs got bouncing for the first weekend of the Absolute Basketball Fall League. The Charlotte-metro area showed out for opening night. Maybe it was the buzz coming out of quarantine, maybe it was the feel that basketball season is just around the corner. Whatever it was, Comenius School had a vibe to it.

For Sunday night, that unassuming strip center was the center of the region’s basketball eye. The crowd, the vibe, the games was nothing short of electric.

Let’s take a look at what we saw, being in the gym.

The MVP

6’4” 2021 Jarvis Moss – Team Cougars - Cannon School

Making shots is the name of the basketball game, what we liked about Moss was his ability to make the crucial shots. The feature game of the opening night was the final game of the night, Team Liberty took on Team Cougars. The game lived up to its billing as it came down to the wire, but the player people left the court talking about was Jarvis Moss, and his ability to make shots.

Moss knocked in the game winner, over an outstretch arm of a 7-footer, off an iso play where there was no doubt who was taking the shot. It was a great shot. This is coming off a first half where he also went on an 11-0 run by himself to give his Team Cougars a two point lead heading into half time. There were a few players whose names could be up for this one, but the most clutch player, on the biggest stage got the nod.

The Starting 5

6’0” 2022 Isaiah Tate – Team KMM - Kings Mountain

Toughness is actually a skill set; however, it is a skill you cannot teach. Either you are tough or you are not tough. Isaiah Tate has toughness in spades. It shows in his demeanor, his style of play, his motor and in his competitive streak. Tate looks unassuming when he steps on the floor, but once the ball is tipped, that dog within him is unleashed. He was able to get to his spots on the floor, he created space for his lethal jump shot and he showed the ability to toe the line between facilitator and scorer.

6’3” 2021 Justin Taylor – Team Carmel - Carmel Christian School

Taylor has a name people recognize, he has multiple D1 offers to his name and plays for a high-profile program and has the ability to get busy on the floor. Last night Taylor showed the ability to get to his spots off the bounce, he pulled up in the mid-range and shot and knocked down threes off the catch. All in all, Taylor showcased why the coaches fell in love with him as a scoring lead guard.

6’7” 2021 Terence Johnson – Team Liberty- Liberty Heights

Turn the cameras on, make sure the lighting is good, Terence Johnson is going to give you some high-flying highlights. Watching Johnson heading into this new season, Johnson seems to really impress playing with a lot of energy on the defensive end. He is switching up and down the lineup, protecting the rim and running the floor. This is a new look Johnson, one that college coaches will appreciate.

7’0” 2022 Christian Reeves – Team Cougars - CannonSchool

When stepping on the floor, the 7-footers tend to catch your eye. Reeves has always been taller than his peers, with great length and fluidity with his movements. After missing the majority of last season due injury he was one that I was excited about watching during this Fall League. If night one was any indication, Reeves knocked the showing out of the park. He played tough, he blocked shots, he rebounded, he ran the floor and he finished with his back to the basket. He posted hard, made plays and really showcased the USF offer.

6’8” 2021 Peyton Gerald – Team AKK - Ardrey Kell

The best players for the best teams always open eyes, Ardrey Kell has state championship aspirations and Peyton Gerald was their best player on the floor last night. He is coming off a big summer for QCAA, and parlayed that into a rim running special in this event. Gerald is lengthy with good athleticism and a nose for making plays around the basket. He is a good rebounder and tries to dunk everything.

The Future is Bright

6’’1” 2023 Dilen Miller – Team PRP - Porter Ridge

If you read my stuff, you probably know I have an affinity for shooters. Of course there are a ton of other things that go into prospects and projections, but shooting is something that opens up so many doors in a player’s and team’s game. Miller had one of the prettiest and most consistent jump shots in the gym.