Prep notebook: Kinston’s Brandon Ingram stars in team’s Hoop Summit loss

Kinston High’s Brandon Ingram was almost perfect on Saturday as the USA Junior National Select Team lost to the World Select Team, 103-101, in the 2015 Nike Hoop Summit basketball all-star game at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.

Ingram made five of six shots from the floor, made both free-throw attempts, had three rebounds, one assist, one steal and a blocked shot. He led the team with over 26 minutes of playing time.

His basket gave the USA an 84-81 lead with 7:30 left.

After the USA fell behind by 14 points in the first half, coach Eric Flannery of Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward High played the 6-foot-9 Ingram at the power forward position most of the second half.

“Our advantage was to try to make this a fast-paced game,” Flannery said. “Size didn’t really seem to matter at that point. If we had one of our bigs in, it was still not big enough so we wanted to be able to stretch them out offensively, and to just speed them up defensively. So that was kind of our strategy throughout most of the second half.”

Duke recruit Luke Kennard led the USA with 22 points (9 of 18 from the floor). Chase Jeter, another Blue Devils recruit, had five points.

Jamal Murray led all scorers with 30 points (12 of a game-record 23 attempts). Thom Maker, who starred in the Holiday Invitational at Broughton High in December, did not score from the field and finished with two points, but grabbed 10 rebounds.

Enloe coach honored: Enloe High track coach Brian Fullenkamp was named as one of eight N.C. High School Athletic Association "coaches who make a difference." Sportsmanship is one of the primary criteria.

He has been selected to receive one of the Homer Thompson Memorial Eight Who Make a Difference awards. The award is named in honor of the late Homer Thompson, the long-time Winston-Salem Parkland coach and member of the NCHSAA Hall of Fame.

Among the other winners are Rob Maloney of Greenville Conley, Rodney Orr of Rocky Point Trask; Bryan Till of Fayetteville Sanford, Woody Wall of Rockingham County, Johnny Sowell of Monroe, Nick Brown of Lake Norman and Sue Moon of North Henderson.

Heart of champion: Durham Jordan’s Micah Marcin and Jaylen Barnes are among 19 recipients of the NCHSAA’s Heart of a Champion award, which honors sportsmanship.

The students must have participated in at least one varsity sport or activity, including cheerleading, during the 2014-15 school year, have not been ejected from any contest, and must have demonstrated outstanding citizenship and sportsmanship during their high school careers.

Soaring: Drew Pedersen of Apex cleared 16-foot, 5-inches in the boys pole vault on Saturday during the 23rd annual Taco Bell Classic in Columbia, S.C. The jump is the second highest ever by a North Carolina high school vaulter, according to ncpreptrack.com.

Robinson back: After one year away, Green Hope High has hired Mike Robinson as its girls basketball varsity coach. John D’Agostin resigned after one season. His club went 13-9 and advanced to the 4A playoffs.

Robinson went 137-33 in six seasons in his previous stint as girls basketball coach, leading the team to four conference titles and the 2010 state championship game. He has continued to coach the school’s girls and boys golf teams, where he led the Falcons to the 4A girls golf title in 2014.

Apex Friendship coaches: Apex Friendship High School, which opens in the fall, has hired more fall sports varsity coaches. Ryan Matthews and Rusty Jenkins will run the cross country and track programs, leaving Panther Creek. Millbrook junior varsity soccer coach Derek Blackwelder will be the school’s soccer coach and St. David’s volleyball coach Stephanie Bennett, who previously coached Sanderson, will take over the Patriots’ program.

Last month, the school hired Adam Sanders, offensive coordinator at Chapel Hill High, as its first football coach.

J. Mike Blake contributed to this report.

This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 9:38 AM with the headline "Prep notebook: Kinston’s Brandon Ingram stars in team’s Hoop Summit loss."