2025 Prep Profile: South Kent

Tuesday, October 28th, 2025

The South Kent School enters its second year under head coach Craig Carter this winter, looking to build off of last season and start to put things together. Returning a few familiar players and getting more reps with a full offseason with Carter at the helm should benefit the team as they try to improve their record this year.

 

The Returners

Chris Birden highlights the returners for South Kent as the 6’10” forward brings a versatile skill-set to the floor. The Cardinals will look to Birden to handle a lot of the scoring this season. He’s got great size, knocks down shots from outside at a good clip, and can really pressure the rim off the ball.

 

Bryce Bennett and Nehemiah Young both return to the team this year in the class of 2026. Bennett, a 6’4” wing, is known for his physicality when he touches the floor. He locks in defensively and thrives as a slasher who can hurt opposing teams in transition.

 

Young returns this season, coming off a shoulder injury that held him out last season on the developmental team at South Kent. His athleticism, shooting, and scoring off the bounce will be key to the Cardinals.

 

Michael Parris is another returner to the squad, but in the class of 2028. The young guard brings great size to the backcourt and has been noted for his glaring upside. He can really score the ball off the rip with a smooth jumpshot, and looks to impact the game more in other facets this season.

 

The Newcomers

Grant McDuffie was among the more notable newcomers to the region that we saw in the June Scholastic period, as the Georgia native figures to take on lead guard duties for the team. McDuffie’s motor is evident when he’s on the floor, as he can fly around to distribute the ball, attack the rim on drives, and get physical defensively.

 

Kareem Hopkins is another intriguing newcomer to the team coming out of Georgia as well. Hopkins has size at 6’7”, and will likely factor in as a key piece on the wing. He’s gotten attention before for his versatility, rebounding, and shooting off the catch.

 

Other newcomers include Shaun Stinson, Begad Ibrahim, Zach Walker, and Maddox Poulette.

 

Shaun Stinson figures to play a role on the team in the backcourt, coming in and running the offense. Ibrahim will be another floor spacer that can knock down outside shots, while Walker will rotate around in the backcourt as an on/off ball guard. Poulette is a well-rounded shooter in the backcourt entering his sophomore season.

 

Defining Characteristics

The Cardinals likely have their two primary options in Chris Birden and Grant McDuffie, and will rely a lot on those two to keep them in games. There is some versatility in their lineup with a good blend of guard size and wing shooters who can defend multiple positions.

 

The Bottom Line

Coach Carter’s program will have a gauntlet of a schedule, competing in the upper echelon of the NEPSAC. With some experience in their lineup and a lot of time to practice and gel together, they will look to get things on track this season. 

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