Trio of local hoopsters to participate in Fab 40 Showcase

Last winter, four eighth graders from Burke County were invited to participate in the inaugural WNC Fab 40 Middle School Showcase, which featured 40 of the best middle school boys basketball players in the western part of North Carolina.

The event is back this year, and three more county players are set to attend: Table Rock’s Jordan Debro, Walter Johnson’s Kylen Caldwell, and Liberty’s Nate Coffey. The trio will take part in skills training, practices, and live games in front of media, scouts, and coaches on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa.

Debro is a 6-foot-2 shooting guard for the Falcons, who finished the regular season with an 11-1 record in Foothills Athletic Conference play to win their second straight league title and as the top seed were scheduled to host fourth-seeded East McDowell (6-6) in the semifinals of the FAC tournament on Thursday. Debro averaged 15.0 points per game during the regular season, including 10 double-digit performances and a season-high 27 points in a 52-51 home victory over Liberty on Jan. 2.

Debro also played football at Table Rock this past fall and will be a member of the track team in the spring. He noted that when it comes to basketball, “I’ve only been playing for like three years.”

A fan of current Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards as well as the late Kobe Bryant, Debro believes that his biggest strength on the court is “getting to the rack,” but he would like to improve his ball handling. Furthermore, he chose the Falcons’ wins over Walter Johnson (52-27 on the road Dec. 4, 68-61 at home on Tuesday) as his best memories of the season thus far.

“He’s very athletic, but more than that, he just has a really high motor,” Table Rock coach Tyler Martin said of Debro. “He’s constantly playing hard, he plays the top of our zone, and he’s relentless. He’s on the ground, just doing everything we need him to do.”

Martin called the Fab 40 Showcase “a really cool experience” before adding that “as far as exposure goes, it’s always good to compete with guys that are that good, and if you can compete with them then there’s people there that get to see what you can do.”

Caldwell is listed as a 5-8 combo guard, and he averaged 19.9 points per game during the regular season as the Yellow Jackets posted a 10-2 record to earn the No. 2 seed in the FAC tournament and a home game against third-seeded Liberty (7-5) in Thursday’s semifinal round. He scored at least 10 points in 11 FAC contests, including a season-high 28 points in a 55-40 road win over East McDowell on Jan. 14.

Also a member of Walter Johnson’s football, baseball, and track teams, Caldwell has been playing basketball “ever since I was 5 years old.” He thanked his father and stepfather for helping him train, stating that “they push me hard.”

According to Caldwell, he is happy with the continued development of his offensive game, but he would like to get better on the defensive end. His favorite memory of the season so far was defeating East Burke by a 48-18 final — Caldwell scored 26 points in the win — on Dec. 16 in Icard.

Walter Johnson coach Ishmail Berry has been impressed by Caldwell’s “work ethic,” which he referred to as “unmatched,” and he said that “every evening after practice, he’s like, ‘Coach, can you work me out?’”

“He’s putting the work in and he’s getting the results that he’s looking for and I’m looking for,” Berry added of Caldwell. He also acknowledged that being invited to the Fab 40 Showcase is “a big accomplishment” for his leading scorer, who has “just got to stay humble and keep striving to get better.”

As for Coffey, he is a point guard who has been measured at 6 feet tall. A basketball player since first grade, he also competes in football, baseball, and track.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is Coffey’s favorite NBA player, and he named his father and brother as two of his most important influences in the game of basketball. In addition, he said that he is “very honored” to receive an invitation to take part in the Fab 40 Showcase.

The county’s leading scorer at around 24 points per game during the regular season, Coffey believes that his biggest strength on the court is “my finishing ability,” but he would like to improve his outside shot. And rather than bringing up his most memorable game of the season, he stated that he enjoys getting the opportunity to “practice with my teammates.”

“Nate is an all-around player who helps us in multiple facets of the game, including offense, defense, playmaking, and leadership,” Knights coach Chris Wiseman said of Coffey, who reached double figures in scoring in every regular-season game, including a season-high 31 points in a 52-34 home win over West McDowell on Jan. 7. “He is an elite scorer and can score in a variety of ways, and can defend against multiple positions, assist teammates, and contribute in other areas like rebounding and ball handling. He is truly a generational talent.

“He has been a true blessing to coach and this honor (being invited to take part in the Fab 40 Showcase) is well-deserved, but more importantly well-earned. This opportunity will indeed showcase his talents, and I can’t wait to watch him continue to grow.”