Bonkowske, Summers, Caldwell to compete in Fab 40 Showcase
The third annual WNC Fab 40 Middle School Showcase is slated to take place today (Saturday, Feb. 7) at Asheville Christian Academy in Swannanoa, and three eighth graders from Morganton will be among the boys basketball players in attendance for the invite-only event.
Guards Jacoby Bonkowske of Liberty, Xander Summers of Table Rock, and Kylen Caldwell of Nebo Crossing Academy are set to demonstrate their abilities in front of media, scouts, and coaches during skills training, warmups, and live games. Bonkowske is one of nine players on the roster for Team Hustle, Summers is one of 10 players on the roster for Sunset Park, Caldwell is one of 10 players on the roster for the Blue Chips, and the other squad includes nine players and is named Uncle Drew.
Bonkowske
Also a soccer player and a member of the Knights’ track and field team, Bonkowske called it “a pretty good honor to be able to play in the Fab 40,” acknowledging that he has worked hard to improve on the hardwood.
According to Liberty head coach Chris Wiseman, Bonkowske is averaging around 15 points per game this season to go with 5.5 rebounds, five steals, and three assists per contest. Notably, his season high in points is 21 and his season high in steals is 11.
“I think I see the court pretty well and pass the ball pretty well, and if you need me to score, I can score,” said Bonkowske, who added that his favorite thing about playing basketball is “the connections you build with your teammates.”
The Knights are 8-3 in Foothills Athletic Conference play this winter, which is currently third in the league standings with one game remaining on Tuesday at Table Rock. However, Bonkowske stated that his best memory of the season was Liberty’s win over Arndt in a scrimmage game.
“Everybody was hyping each other up because we won,” said Bonkowske. “We hadn’t beat Arndt in a scrimmage before in basketball, so it was a pretty big deal.”
Summers
Summers recently helped Table Rock secure its third FAC regular-season title in a row — which he acknowledged was his best memory of the season — with the Falcons posting an 11-0 record so far this winter. Additionally, Summers is averaging 16.0 points per game on the season.
“It means a lot (to be invited to participate in the Fab 40 Showcase) because it means that my name’s getting out to more people and a lot of people are seeing my game,” said Summers, “so that’s a plus for sure.”
A member of Table Rock’s football, baseball, and track teams as well, Summers feels that his “athleticism and quick first step” are what set him apart on the basketball court. He also believes that “being able to get to my spots and get to where I need to go in order to score” gives him a major advantage.
Summers has reached double figures in scoring in nine FAC contests, with 30 points representing his season high. Furthermore, he was named to the all-tournament team after helping the Falcons finish second during their host Christmas tournament in January.
“My favorite things about playing basketball are definitely meeting new people, team bonding, and getting my name out there in front of other people,” said Summers.
Caldwell
Finally, like the aforementioned Bonkowske, Caldwell is also scoring around 15 points per game. Also a Fab 40 participant last year when he was at Walter Johnson, Caldwell is averaging six assists and four rebounds per contest as well while playing both varsity and JV — players are limited to 32 total minutes between the two per night — at Nebo Crossing, where he is the only eighth grader on either roster.
“It’s fun playing with the older people, and it’s gonna get me better for next year when I start high school,” said Caldwell, who also pointed out that he hopes to “do better this year than last year” at the Fab 40.
“I got to see a lot of talent and compete against some good guys,” added Caldwell of last year’s Fab 40.
Caldwell also participates in football, baseball, and track. His varsity season high in points on the hardwood was a 23-point effort in a 60-50 home victory over Veritas Christian Academy on Jan. 9.
Entering Thursday’s road game against Temple Baptist in Asheville, the Bulldogs’ varsity squad boasted an 11-5 overall record and a 6-4 mark in Western Piedmont Conference play, while the JV team was 9-1 overall and 8-1 in league games. The varsity team was previously the runner-up during the Harvest International Tournament last month near Pittsburgh, with Caldwell — who was named to the all-tournament team — identifying that as his best memory of the season.
Josh McKinney can be reached at 828-445-8595 or josh@thepaper.media.
