Monthly Archives: June 2016

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Miller Grove Shot Clock League Analysis

After battling the traffic on 285 for two hours, I arrived at the Miller Grove Shot Clock Summer League on Wednesday. The League plays on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout June. The prestigious event showcases 14 teams throughout the summer. Miller Grove, Hiram, Mays, North Clayton, Jonesboro, Lithonia, Tucker, Sandy Creek, Shiloh, Cedar Shoals and Statesboro all made state tournament runs while Brookwood (17-9), Henry County (15-11) and Druid Hills (14-12) didn’t earn a berth but are as dangerous as any group in the 14-team field.

Cedar Shoals 78, Henry County 63

Cedar Shoals remained undefeated for the summer and scored another impressive win, this time ousting Henry County by 15 in a game that featured high level athletes with true D-I aspirations. Coming off of a 29-3 season with a Final Four run in Class AAAAA where they fell to Allatoona 48-46, Cedar Shoals faces the unenviable task of replacing sparkplug point guard and Sandy’s Spiel Most Underrated award winner, Jerrick Mitchell (Columbia State).

The Jags had no problem with Henry County using a wide open floor to pick apart the Warhawks. Cedar Shoals buried seven first half threes and finished with 10 on the day to gain and maintain their separation. Phlan Fleming was as good as advertised. The long 6-foot-5 senior guard poured in a game-high 29 points and nailed three triples. Fleming also collected 10 rebounds and won his personal matchup with the explosive Damion Rosser. The two even got a double technical in the second half. It did not feel like a preseason game with the amount of intensity in the building.

Snipe Hall, a 6-foot-2 senior shooting guard, was lethal from beyond the arc to open the game. He finished with 23 points and banged in three of his four three-pointers in the first half. He added on three rebounds and three assists as well. Hall was more than just a one-trick pony, scoring in the lane off pull-ups and tallying six points from the line.

AJ Jones, a 5-foot-9 scrappy guard, canned three long balls and finished with 12 points and four assists. Inside, workhorse tight end on the football field Stavion Stevenson chipped in six points and six rebounds.

The common theme for Cedar Shoals on Wednesday? Sharing the ball. The Jaguars collected 17 assists to Henry County’s seven. The engine that made Cedar Shoals go wasn’t Jerrick Mitchell anymore but instead senior Damarrea Lowe.

Damarrea Lowe ran the Cedar Shoals offense expertly
Damarrea Lowe ran the Cedar Shoals offense expertly

With Fleming and Hall already as known commodities, ‘D-Lowe’, a rail thin point guard listed at 5-foot-10, 130 pounds, might play just as important of a role in the Jags’ success in 2016-17. Lowe was inserted into the starting lineup and had the Jaguar offense clicking like it was in mid-season form. Lowe didn’t show the flashy burst of speed like Mitchell or the daringness to knock down pull-up jumpers like his predecessor did when he was on, but Lowe did exactly what Coach L’Dreco Thomas needed of him: make smart decisions with the ball.

He finished with four points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Every time I looked up, Lowe was affecting the action on the court in a positive way. If he can contribute the way he did yesterday, finding open shooters on the perimeter and limiting turnovers, this Cedar Shoals offense will be tough to slow down, especially if they can knock down their threes.

Even in the loss for Henry County, positives were taken away. Coach Vincent Rosser often told me last season, they could be a special team if they learned how to defend consistently. Against top level competition like Cedar Shoals who can shoot you out of the gym in a heartbeat, the Warhawks were tested and received a good measuring stick of how much further they need to improve to become a state title contender.

The Warhawks, down double-digits for nearly the entire game, never gave in. Coach Rosser stayed on his group and had them playing hard till the final buzzer, a very welcomed sign. Henry County has one of the best backcourts in Class AAAA, the tandem of seniors Damion Rosser and Javon Greene is good enough to hang with anyone. The 6-foot-4 Rosser plays above the rim and is constantly looking to attack. He scored 15 points and chipped in four rebounds, two steals and a block. Rosser is great at getting to the hole, but he mustn’t forget to keep the defense honest with his jump shot. He knocked down one three yesterday and if he can consistently knock them down, that will open up even more driving lines.

One player who wasn’t shy to let it rip was 6-foot-2 senior Javon Greene. Greene netted a team-high 22 points and ripped off 16 points in the second half. Henry County was in too big of a hole for it to make a difference, but Greene caught fire in the second half. The unconscious Greene was in ultimate heat check mode, drilling four threes in a row, pulling up on a dime and letting them fly. Along with his scoring outburst, he collected three rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

Both eligible to play this year, Kovi Tate and Seth Brown should be big difference makers for the Warhawks. The quartet of Rosser, Greene, Tate and Brown have been playing together in the summer with the Atlanta All-Stars and have been building a cohesion towards an exciting senior season. Tate, a stout 6-foot-5, brings power inside and an ability to convert easy buckets. Like seemingly all of his peers, he is also an above the rim finisher that can change games. He finished with a modest six points, six rebounds and one block. Brown was quiet last night with four points and three rebounds, but once he finds his footing, he will round out a very dangerous starting five with senior Sadonta Lindley heading up the point guard position.

Tucker Transfers

The Tucker Tigers breezed past Lithonia after an impressive second half, coasting to a 59-44 victory. Tucker is without last year’s leading scorer, Kenton Eskridge, as he is now at Columbia playing for Dr. Phil McCrary. Eskridge leaves one living legend (James Hartry) for another, but the Tigers will find a way to have some bite as always. Coach Hartry, who has amassed a 317-149 record over his 16 seasons at the helm of Tucker, won’t have a barren cupboard.

Transferring over for his senior season is 6-foot-3 guard Joshua Cammon. Cammon was overshadowed by 25-point-per-game scorer Isaiah Miller at Eastside, but the former team captain can fill it up himself. He averaged 13.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.4 steals per game as a junior. Cammon looked good yesterday, showcasing tight handles in traffic and the ability to get and create his own shot. He is a strong athlete with a muscular frame that will help him attack the hoop. Cammon attempted 92 free throws last year and knocked down 51 threes. He will have to raise his shooting percentage on both (64% & 27%), but Cammon looks like he can provide some instant offense for the Tigers, a team looking for a new go-to guy for the second straight year.

Jackmon on the Mend

Miller Grove senior Joshua Jackmon was on-hand at the summer league. Jackmon suffered a torn ACL on the adidas Uprising circuit and is eager to get back on the court. He expects teammate Tae Hardy and himself to have big senior seasons under new head coach Rasul Chester.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Peachtree Ridge Summer League Analysis

I stopped by Peachtree Ridge High School on Saturday to check out Day 2 of their two day summer league. In attendance were: Peachtree Ridge, Statesboro, East Hall, Dacula, Mill Creek, Strom Thurmond (SC), Grayson and Buford. I caught four games on the day and was able to come away with some solid feedback.

Peachtree Ridge 52, Statesboro 47

Peachtree Ridge led for much of the game and was able to close out Statesboro after a late Blue Devil run put a scare into the Lions. Peachtree Ridge finished 19-11 last season and made a trip to the Class AAAAAA Sweet 16 where they fell to semifinalist Newton 63-61. The Lions lose Milz Tatum and Markel McCollum, but return juniors Devin Vassell and Fred Payton. Vassell, a wiry 6-foot-5 wing, netted a game-high 20 points and collected five rebounds in the win. Vassell’s length allows him to play the passing lanes on the perimeter and rebound the ball inside. He will need to add weight to consistently finish inside (which he had no problem doing on Saturday) to get buckets against the state’s more physical teams.

Devin Vassell was in attack mode for Peachtree Ridge
Devin Vassell was in attack mode for Peachtree Ridge

Fred Payton is the quarterback on the football team and a 6-foot-3 scorer on the basketball team. Payton knocked down three three-pointers and finished with 14 points. He is an exceptional athlete that will help on defense and stretch the floor on offense. Another big time football recruit, Connor Heyward, took to the hardwood. Heyward won’t wow you with his scoring, but the 6-foot-2 guard is a physical player that likes to mix it up on defense and on the glass. His strength allows him to body up taller players inside which gives him great value on the defensive side of the ball. On offense, he is a willing passer.

Caleb Holifield, a transfer from Pace Academy, didn’t have a great game but will bring a scoring knack from the outside. He is a good shooter and has experience playing with and against top level competition.

For Statesboro, a 22-9 team from a year ago that fell to quarterfinalist Riverwood 48-47 in the Class AAAAA Sweet 16, senior guard Marcus Kirkland powered the offense.  Kirkland dropped 15 points and collected two blocks. The 6-foot-2 guard hit three of the Blue Devils’ seven threes. Kirkland has a strong build on him. He can get to the basket consistently and should be the leader for Coach Lee Hill’s team. Junior guard Tyler Goodman added eight points and is a scrappy 5-foot-9 guard.

Mill Creek 51, Strom Thurmond (SC) 35

Mill Creek has always been known for its balanced offensive attack. The Hawks snuck into the postseason last year and finished the season 14-15 after a 70-62 loss to Lambert. Key contributors Charles Botchway, Miles Riley and Evan Richardson graduate, leaving the offense to run through rising senior Christian Mancillas. Mancillas is excellent in the classroom (4.0 GPA) and steady on the court as a 6-foot-3 forward. He can affect the game in many ways as proved by his stat line: seven points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Sophomore point guard Jayden Marshall saw varsity minutes as a freshman and will be counted on to orchestrate the offense. He scored nine points in Saturday’s win. Sophomore Brandon Fletcher, a 6-foot-3 forward, led the Hawks with 12 points. Fletcher played on the ninth grade team last season but could help out the varsity due to their lack of size. Junior Noah Kenney made the most of his varsity stint this past weekend, netting 11 points with nine coming via the long ball.

Strom Thurmond was led by 6-foot-1 guard Onesis Brown. The senior scored a game-high 18 points and added five blocks.

Dacula 46, Grayson 44

Dacula has had one of the best summers from the teams I have seen play so far this offseason, consistently racking up wins. Playing a depleted Grayson team without center Kenyon Jackson and other important pieces, Dacula jumped out to a 25-12 halftime lead. Grayson ramped up its defense with great communication out of a 2-3 zone in the second half. The Rams’ intensity ignited a 19-2 run to take a 31-27 lead with 9:33 left. In the end, poor free throw shooting was the difference maker as the Rams ran out of gas.

Dacula’s balanced backcourt did the damage. Junior Arusha Hunter scored 12 points to pace the Falcons while senior Gary Bishop added 10 and five rebounds. Junior 6-foot-4 post Shayne Buckingham ended with eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Super sophomore Mekhail Bethea was quiet in the first half with just one basket, but scored six points in the second half including clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Grayson’s young backcourt consisted of sophomore Justin Fleming and freshman Deivon Smith, who hope to become as productive as Alphonso Willis and Austin Dukes were over their careers at Grayson. Fleming scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds and collected two steals, but missed a huge 1-&-1 free throw with 35 seconds left down 42-39. On the day, Fleming was 0-for-4 from the line with a majority of the free throws counting as two-for-one’s due to summer league rules.

Smith is a tiny guard around 5-foot-7 that has the ability to sneak past defenders and draw open looks for teammates. He finished with four points, three rebounds and four assists. Senior Joey Chavez scored a team-high 12 points and added five rebounds and a block from his forward position. He’s a willing three-point shooter that will have a chance to see important varsity minutes this year. Senior Kyle Butts rebounded the ball well. The 6-foot-4 forward totaled six points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Buford 62, Strom Thurmond (SC) 41

Coach Eddie Martin has not rested on his laurels at Buford. The veteran head coach still teaches non-stop on the sidelines and has the Buford program in good shape heading into Year 2. He has a coach’s dream in rising junior point guard Alex Jones. Jones was named Sandy’s Spiel Class AAAA Best Passer and for good reason. He pitched in 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists in their romp of Strom Thurmond. Diminutive in size, Jones has some of the best court vision in the state. Big men Sahil Patel and David Viti carved up the Rebels inside. Patel, a 6-foot-8 senior, and Viti, a 6-foot-5 junior forward from Lambert, should pair nicely this season. Patel went for 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks while Viti added 11 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Senior forward Austin Panks is an athletic energy swingman. He tallied eight points and six rebounds and should be a nice piece whether coming off the bench or earning some starts. Sophomore Ashton Young looked good with the varsity, leading the way with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists. Veteran guard Dawson Wehunt rounded out the attack with seven points.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Etowah Summer Shootout Showcase Analysis

On Wednesday, Etowah held its Summer Shootout Showcase, featuring Johnson-Gainesville, Harrison, Campbell, Johns Creek, Etowah, Whitefield Academy, East Hall and Milton. Each team played two games with the event tipping at 4 PM and concluding after the 7 PM time slot. I was able to catch two games: Johnson vs. Johns Creek and East Hall vs. Whitefield Academy.

Johns Creek 55, Johnson-Gainesville 41

A school-best 24-5 record last season wasn’t enough to save Pete Goggin’s job, meaning Keenan Temple takes over the reins at Johns Creek. Temple has learned under the tutelage of Eddie Martin while at Norcross and most recently Scott Bracco at Lambert with a head coaching stop for three years at Parkview sandwiched in between. Coach Temple inherits a team that loses its top five scorers and looks to be in-line for a down year, but not so fast.

The Gladiators jumped out to a 10-0 run and never looked back. A big reason why Johns Creek cruised to victory?  Rising sophomore guard Neil Ilenrey. The 6-foot-2 guard got his feet wet at the varsity level last year, making a few short appearances. In Year 2, he looks ready to take control of the team. Ilenrey poured in a game-high 16 points to go along with his four rebounds and four assists. He knocked down three deep balls and got in the lane when he needed to.  Ilenrey looked like the real deal and should explode onto teams’ radar this season with the major increase in role and playing time.

Senior Andre Taylor provided 12 points off the bench from an off-guard position. He scored in bunches and provided a nice lift whenever Ilenrey caught a breather on the sidelines. Inside, seniors Alex Ruoff and Topher Sullivan hurt the smaller Knights. Ruoff posted eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks while Sullivan chipped in eight points.

Johnson-Gainesville’s guard play failed them at times, struggling to find open baskets for teammates and allowing Johns Creek’s full-court press to take them out of their rhythm. Dwayne Wilson and Will Richter were the only two players to score more than four points. Wilson, a 6-foot-5 senior, netted 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks. When he touched the ball on offense close to the paint, good things usually happened for the Knights.

Richter, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, will bring shooting to the Johnson backcourt. He hit two three-pointers and finished with 12 points and two assists. On a team that is streaky from beyond the arc, Richter will be heavily relied upon to stretch defenses and allow Kylan Curry and Marcus Jones space to drive and kick while also giving Wilson room to score inside.

5-foot-10 senior Issac Hernandez came off the bench and sparked Johnson-Gainesville with his energy. The cross country standout finished with four points, two assists and two steals. Though he won’t keep scorekeepers busy with his scoring, if Hernandez can bring the same intensity he brought off the bench on Wednesday all season long for Coach Tim Slater, he could play a valuable role this year.

Whitefield Academy 40, East Hall 34

East Hall came into Etowah boasting the youngest roster at the Showcase hands down. Coach Joe Dix loaded his roster with a majority of freshmen with a few sophomores sprinkled in. Imre Earls, a highly touted eighth grader, even saw some playing time. Dix didn’t have much of a choice but to throw his boys into the fire as junior sharp-shooter Luke Cooper broke his ankle during the first day of practice.

Even though they were shorthanded and lacking in experience, the Vikings played hard till the final horn, losing to Milton and Whitefield Academy in competitive games. Luke Holtzclaw was a bright spot in their low-scoring loss to the Wolfpack. The sophomore stroked three threes and finished with a team-leading nine points to go with his three steals.

Senior Mahki Brown collected four points and nine rebounds. The 6-foot-4 post was a double-double threat a year ago and will be asked to anchor the paint and give the Vikings some more offense now that Tylor Brown has graduated and Markese Jackson has decided to forgo his senior season on the hardwood and focus solely on becoming a D-I football receiver.

Whitefield Academy’s Isaiah Hart was East Hall’s main target defensively. The senior guard that averaged 20.1 points per game in 2015-16, was held to six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, which helped the Vikings stay within striking distance. Sophomore guard Noah Dryden seems poised for a strong season in the backcourt along with Hart. Missing was 6-foot-7 Tyson Jackson who was not in attendance.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Cobb SSA Summer Team Camp Analysis

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Day 2 of All Tournament Players Park (aka Cobb SSA)’s, Summer Team Camp took place on Tuesday. From 6/13-16, the 10-team field will take the court, playing two games a night. The participants include: Woodstock, Westminster I & II, Kell, Osborne, Lovett, Cumberland Christian, King’s Academy, Active Elite (AAU) and AC Georgia (AAU).

Lovett

Coming off of a Class AA Elite Eight appearance, the Lions lose eight seniors. Luckily for second-year head coach Ryan Koudele, sophomore point guard Ryan Greer, sophomore post Nick Jackson and junior shooting guard Crawford Schwieger all return with plenty of experience under their belts. Lovett lost to Active Elite 57-53 and Westminster 53-50, but the Lion backcourt was dynamic.

Greer finished with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals against Active Elite and followed up with 17 points and seven rebounds vs. Westminster. Greer attacked defenses all night, using a hesitation dribble to square his broad shoulders and finish in the lane. Once the defense was keen to Greer getting to the rack, he would stop on a dime and make a pocket pass to an open teammate. Greer plays beyond his years. His maturity level measures up with top seniors across the state.

Crawford Schwieger commanded constant defensive attention
Crawford Schwieger commanded constant defensive attention

Running mate Crawford Schwieger tickled the twine all night as he was the best shooter in the building. He canned six threes en route to a 20-point performance in Game 1, and knocked down three more on his way to 15 points in Game 2. Schwieger is a floor stretcher extraordinaire that commands attention as soon as he crosses over mid-court.

For an undersized post, Nick Jackson played tough inside and corralled 10 boards against Active Elite who featured big-man Chris Agbo.

Westminster

A 22-3 season ended on a sour note last year as the Wildcats were stunned in the Region 4-AAA tournament and were denied a postseason bid after ranking in the Top 10 for much of the season. Will Benson, a 6-foot-5 workhorse forward, has graduated and was selected by the Cleveland Indians 14th overall in the MLB Draft last week.

The Wildcats scored a 53-50 win over Lovett thanks to the play of senior Mikael Sampson. Sampson, 6-foot-6, was anchored on the block last year. Now that Benson is out of the picture, the offense will run through Sampson. He looked much more confident against Lovett and Coach Tray Malloy put the ball in his hands, taking over the role Benson held. When Sampson put the ball on the floor, he was a freight train.

Mikael Sampson can now score inside and out
Mikael Sampson can now score inside and out

He finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks. Sampson has extended his game to the three-point line even, knocking down a straightaway three. Being able to play on the perimeter will greatly help his stock instead of solely being viewed as a back-to-the-basket energy big man. Sampson will have all the opportunity in the world to stuff the stat sheet his senior season as the offense will run through him.

Woodstock

After waiting 20 years for their first state playoff appearance, the Wolverines will look to build on their success behind a talented backcourt. The Wolverines thumped Cumberland Christian 90-48 and then trounced King’s Academy 71-44.

St. Francis transfer Dylin Hardeman powered Woodstock in the second half. The sophomore hit a three at the buzzer to extend their lead to 34-28 going into the break before he exploded for 12 of his game-high 19 in the final 20 minutes. Hardeman provides good size at the off-guard position standing 6-foot-3, and brings a confident swagger after having a great summer circuit with 16U Team Atlanta.

Senior holdover Tyreke Johnson has garnered the most interest from next level coaches. Johnson played well at the Kennesaw State Elite Camp on Sunday and continued where he left off last season, posting 17 points and five rebounds. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 17.6 points per game last year and shouldn’t have as much pressure on him to score the ball now that Hardeman is in the fold.

Late blooming stretch forward Cameron Crowe had a big game against King’s Academy with 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Crowe stands close to 6-foot-6 and brings with him some nice athleticism inside that will pair well with bruiser Brant Hurter. Crowe rebounded with two hands and showed a nice touch off the glass in the paint.

Rising junior Will Allen played sparingly last season but played exceptionally well off the bench on Tuesday. A long 6-foot-4, Allen drained three three-pointers and tallied 15 points, five rebounds and one block off the bench. He looked confident and wasn’t afraid to let it fly. Allen should be a very nice rotational piece in the mold of graduating forward Zack Wallace but with more aggression.

Once all of Coach Kingston Clark’s pieces are together, including Hurter and Noah Frith, Woodstock has to be an early favorite out of Region 4-AAAAAAA.

Chris Agbo

Senior center Chris Agbo suited up for Active Elite after playing with the Southern Stampede this summer. Agbo by far is the biggest, strongest player I have seen in the high school game since covering it this past year. At 6-foot-8, 250 pounds of all muscle, the Covenant Christian super hero is imposing to say the least.

Active Elite earned a 57-53 win over Lovett and Agbo was a big reason why. Early in the game, Agbo was laboring getting up and down the court, seemingly disinterested. Once he was subbed out, he was grimacing and holding his shoulder. He decided to change shoes and shook out his arms and looked fine the rest of the game. He wrecked the Lions frontline for 15 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks.

Agbo understands how to throw his body into defenders to square up his shoulders, but sometimes over does it when he doesn’t need to, drawing a few silly offensive fouls. He could still use some refining on the low block as far as post moves and counter moves go as he still can get away with overpowering opponents with brute force. Agbo tipped a lot of balls to himself on rebounds and got away with it because of his size. Against bigger opponents however, he will need to grab them with two hands consistently.

Overall, Agbo dominated the paint when he wanted to and came away with a monster stat line. The Nigerian native will warrant college looks from his size alone. If he can rev his motor up and play hard every possession, his recruitment will soar his senior season.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Georgia State Team Camp Session I Analysis

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Georgia State held its Ron Hunter Team Camp on Friday and Saturday. The single elimination tournament saw North Clayton come away victorious with a win over Dacula in the championship game. Tournament games lasted only 20 minutes while non-tournament games played the full 40.

Monticello 58, Houston County 45

Coming off of a Final Four appearance in Class AA, the Hurricanes got out of the gates quick against Houston County. Monticello relies on its speedy guards to initiate offense. Junior Ashton Bonner netted a team-high 17 points and added three assists while senior CJ Adams tacked on 11 points and four assists. As a team, the Hurricanes drilled eight threes, three via Adams. The duo of Jakeir Stone and Malik Crawford did damage inside and out. Stone, a 6-foot-3 senior, knocked down two threes and collected six rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Crawford, a rising sophomore that stands 6-foot-5, posted eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. A lot will be asked of Crawford after the graduation of De’miria Glover, who averaged a team-leading 13.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.0 block per game inside.

A slow start did in Houston County, but the Bears outscored Monticello 27-26 in the second half. Keep an eye on senior guard Ma’Kel Wallace. Wallace transferred over from Veterans last season but was ruled ineligible and had to play junior varsity. The 6-foot guard pumped in 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals for Coach Stephen Walls. He scored at all three levels, hitting three three-pointers, collecting four points from the foul line and got to the basket for his other hoops. Wallace was a vocal leader as well, communicating well with his teammates. The Bears feature important pieces from the football team and weren’t fully 100% at camp. They should be a competitive bunch once all their pieces come together.

Miller Grove 43, McEachern 42

A great game on paper instead saw a plethora of top players unable to suit up. On the McEachern side, Isaac Okoro, Babatunde Akingbola and Sharife Cooper were all away at Elite Camps while Miller Grove was without defensive specialist Joshua Jackmon, who tore his ACL and MCL. With big names out of the lineup, other players were able to step up in the spotlight. Rob Clemons led McEachern from his point guard position with 11 points and two steals.  Miller Grove was led by senior Tae Hardy, who hit the game winner and finished with 19 points and two steals. Hardy is a Collin Sexton-lite – a pure bucket getter. He will have an opportunity to score the ball a lot this upcoming season. Miller Grove will need production from big men Kevin Paige and Tworn Seals. Paige, a junior, is a meaty 6-foot-7 while Seals, a sophomore, goes 6-foot-6. Both bigs are a bit raw, but have imposing size and can rebound the ball well.

Gainesville 53, Douglas County 34

Without D’Marcus Simonds (GSU) and KJ Buffen (injury), the Red Elephants did not miss a beat. They pummeled the Tigers from the opening tip and never relented. While most of the attention will be locked on the juniors, Buffen, Bailey Minor and Xavier Bledson, senior Michael White had a sensational game. The big guard goes 6-foot-4 and can score in a multitude of ways. He heated up and drilled three threes en route to a game-high 22 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Gainesville is always a very unselfish team on offense and shares the ball extremely well, especially with Bledson at the point. He scored eight points and added three rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Minor did what he usually does, stretch defenses and create mismatches. He finished with 15 points and two blocks while canning three three-pointers.

Douglas County will need to find a go-to guy on offense after the graduation of Brandon Robinson (UNC). They struggled to score and had a hard time slowing down Gainesville’s crisp attack.

Eagle’s Landing 45, Allatoona 44

Sophomore Chris Hood buried a dribble handoff three at the buzzer to knock off Allatoona after the Bucs came storming back to take the lead late. Hood has exceptional size at 6-foot-4 and posed problems for Allatoona, finishing with nine points and two steals. The Eagle that turned my head the most however, was Hamilton Heights (TN) transfer Mohammed Abubakar. The 6-foot-8 senior center was a load inside and had a good idea what he was doing on the low block, using quick spins in the lane to free himself on drop steps. Allatoona didn’t have an answer for him as he posted 16 points and six rebounds.  The addition of a post presence like that could help the Eagles come close to repeating their 24-win campaign.

Allatoona didn’t deploy its best five on the court and used an array of players to mix-and-match and gain experience. When it was time to score, it was junior Trey Doomes that was leaned on. Doomes was confident with his jumper and wasn’t afraid to let it rip, netting a team-high 16 points to go with his five rebounds, one assists, two steals and one block. In order for Allatoona to go far, Doomes will need to carry the bulk of the load offensively. Versatile forward Chima Ogboi was out on vacation and will be an important piece upon his return. The 6-foot-4 forward is an exceptional passer and his lanky build projects him to have upside defensively once he completely grasps Coach Markus Hood’s defensive concepts. Senior guard Mike Johnson will need to shoulder some of the offensive scoring burden while senior Tyler Jackson will be asked to handle the ball. Juniors Rolan Wooden and Tobi Adeyeye need to fill the void left by 6-foot-8 center Randy Legros.

Langston Hughes 37, St. Francis 24

The three-headed monster of a backcourt led by seniors Derrick Cook and Khalil Cuffee along with Curie (IL) transfer junior Landers Nolley II, overpowered the new look Knights. Nolley fit in seamlessly with 11 points and was able to drive and dish, creating opportunities for corner threes. Cuffee netted nine points, five rebounds and two assists while Cook went for eight points and six rebounds. The Panthers have good athletes scattered across the floor. Senior forward Ahmid Bryant is a 6-foot-6 post that rebounds well and can alter shots inside. Sophomore Jaylen McCluney will play a huge role this year after seeing limited playing time as a freshman. I like McCluney’s ability as a springy forward that attacks the glass and plays tough defense. The 6-foot-4 forward could have a bright future ahead of him.

A litany of transfers and graduates have zapped St. Francis’ roster, but Coach Drew Catlett is optimistic and loves his young talent moving up through the ranks.  Seniors Wallace Tucker and Drew Smith will be relied upon to shepherd the Knights’ youth and get them ready for the rigors of Class A-Private basketball.

Other Observations

Holy Innocents’ Jules Erving, a senior, looked like he packed on a little muscle. Erving is a superior athlete and used it to his advantage against Eagle’s Landing V2 team. By no means was it the level of competition he will see during the regular season or the rest of the summer, but it was nice to see him impose his will, posting 16 points and eight rebounds in the first half alone. Matt Meadows and Cole Smith also played well throughout the weekend.

In a 24-19 loss to Allatoona, Carrollton senior guard Carson Culverhouse splashed in three deep balls and finished with a game-high 11 points. The 5-foot-11 guard is a sharp-shooter that has the green light to pull from anywhere. Culverhouse is also a deceptive athlete, blocking two shots on the day.

Langston Hughes knocked off Miller Grove in Round 2, 23-21. Derrick Cook hit an And-1 with seconds remaining to give the Panthers the go-ahead hoop. He scored a game-high 12 points and chipped in four rebounds. He has had great summer.

Coming off of a rebuilding 8-17 season, Clarke Central had a nice camp, picking up wins over St. Francis and Heard County before falling to Allatoona in the quarterfinals. Junior Jack Mangel shot the ball very well. He led the Gladiators in scoring at 9.7 points per game last season.

Dacula built off its impressive Georgia Cup Finals showing and made a run to the title game before bowing out against North Clayton’s frontline. Sophomore Mekhail Bethea continued to lead the Falcons flawlessly and went toe-to-toe with every guard put in his way. A win over Langston Hughes in the semifinals was a good barometer as of how good this young Dacula team can be in 2016-17.

Surprise, surprise, North Clayton took home the trophy after edging Dacula. Coming off of a 19-11 season with a Sweet 16 appearance, the Eagles graduated their second, third and fourth leading scorers. Luckily for them, 6-foot-8 senior Ahsan Asadullah is back. The skillful center dominated at Georgia State, one of the latest schools to offer the wide-body big.  After averaging 15.1 points per game last year, Asadullah is in line for another productive season. With enough help around him, the Eagles should be a force in the tough Region 4-AAAA.