Monthly Archives: July 2018

Analysis, GHSA Basketball

Battle For Georgia 17U Notes

Game Elite Gold (Champions)

6-8 F Jaylin Williams (Brantley County) was instrumental in Game Elite Gold capturing the Battle For Georgia 17U Championship. He and Louisville-commit Josh Nickelberry composed a devastating inside-outside punch. Williams averaged 16.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.6 blocks over the event and put up 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in a thrilling title game victory over Atlanta Xpress, 68-67. Game Elite wouldn’t have made it there if it wasn’t for a late Williams And-1 that beat the Atlanta Celtics, 79-78. Williams is a smooth elite athlete that ignites his own fastbreaks and glides to the basket. He displayed very good court vision and found open men in tight spaces. His overall consistency was impressive against Georgia’s elite. Continuing to develop his outside shot will be an area of focus.

6-2 PG Hunter McIntosh (GAC) came off the bench and supplied Game Elite Gold with exactly what they needed: a true point guard. With Ashton Hagans gone, McIntosh’s impact was apparent. While he didn’t play the same scoring role in the offense, McIntosh did what a great point guard does – he organized the troops, got his teammates in the right position both offensively and defensively and distributed the ball. McIntosh supplied a spark in Game Elite Gold’s tournament opening win over Team AJ Bouye, finishing with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. In the title game, McIntosh chipped in 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

Atlanta Xpress (Runner-Up)

6-5 SG Anthony Edwards (Holy Spirit Prep) looked every bit of the next NBA Lottery pick from Georgia before he landed hard on his wrist after a thunderous dunk and had to miss the championship game. Edwards had a modest beginning to the Xpress’ 65-55 win over Game Elite Black, scoring just 3 points in the first quarter, but he exploded for 27 over the next three periods for a game-high 30 points to go with his 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Edwards is a wrecking ball when getting to the basket, combining power and grace with his smooth and at times unstoppable eurostep. He knocked down 2 threes and got buckets whenever his team needed him the most, especially in the fourth quarter as he played closer with 13 points.

6-7 F Jordan Smalls (ELCA) didn’t make a major dent in the box score, but the growing junior playing up an age group provided key minutes throughout the tournament off the bench. Smalls was wet behind the ears last year at ELCA, at times looking out of place. But with the Atlanta Xpress there was no pressure on Smalls to provide anything more than energy and a quality breather for the starters. His rebounding stood out the most, finishing with 4 points and 7 rebounds against Game Elite Black and in the title game, hitting a three and collecting 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.

Team AJ Bouye

6-4 W Asher McGee (Drew Charter) has made me a fan with his play this summer. McGee is a steady scorer and a good overall player. He can score off the dribble, hit open threes and finish at the rim. He had 9 points in a 72-55 loss to Game Elite Gold. McGee has enough size to help on the glass and rotate quickly on defense. He is a nice player with good small school value.

6-7 F Nate Ogbu (Tucker) supplied Team AJ Bouye with 7 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal. He hit a nice three-pointer creating for himself. Ogbu has a really nice touch as a stretch-4 that can pound the glass and score inside. He’s not quite quick enough to stay on the perimeter as a swingman, but he can certainly space the floor. He has a well-rounded skillset and never forces up bad shots.

6-5 W Devin Gordon (McEachern) was extremely impressive with his effort, knowledge of the game and his ability to be in the right place at the right time. The thick combo forward dropped in 18 points (4 threes), 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. His play was paramount in Team AJ Bouye’s early success against Game Elite Gold.

6-6 F Kendall Lewis (Shiloh) is a bouncy combo forward with a good motor. He hangs his hat on the defensive side of the floor and sparks his team with his battling mindset on the boards. He had 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Lewis needs some refinement offensively and with his three-point shot.

Game Elite Black

6-5 SG Charles Smith IV (Wheeler) has a sweet jump shot that he hunts from the mid-range out to the three-point line. The Cal-commit can attack the rim and finish through contact. He needs to remain aggressive and be a little selfish at times when it betters his team. He had a nice 13-point, 3-steal performance against the Atlanta Xpress.

Analysis, GHSA Basketball

Battle For Georgia 16U Notes

Atlanta Xpress (Champions)

6-1 PG Eric Gaines (Lithonia) was named 16U Most Valuable Player and rightfully so. The svelte springy guard came up big down the stretch in the Xpress’ 72-68 championship victory over Game Elite Black, hitting 3 threes in the second half including scoring six crucial points in the fourth quarter. Gaines had 14 points in both the finals and the semifinals and used his electric athleticism to keep defenses on their heels.

6-5 F Jamaine Mann (ELCA) did his usual work in the paint. Too powerful to stop inside, Mann converted tough hoops up close. Right now, Mann is best suited to play inside as a power forward, but his athleticism and bloodlines may help him find an eventual future as a swingman. His quickness and explosion as a face-up 4 causes matchup problems. He had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 1 block against Infinite Skillz before totaling 15 points – 9 in the fourth – in the 16U title game.

6-2 SG Deandre Brown (Holy Spirit Prep) found buckets on the perimeter as he did all season long at Therrell. The lefty drilled 3 threes en route to 11 points and 4 rebounds against Infinite Skillz before scoring 7 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter in the championship. Brown is a crafty scorer that can find the bottom of the net in a variety of ways.

Game Elite Black (Runner-Up)

6-1 PG KD Johnson (Southwest DeKalb) was hands down by far and away the best 16U player in attendance and he was rewarded by receiving Most Outstanding Player and an offer from Seton Hall. Johnson was brilliant to open up the tournament, pouring in 37 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Johnson was the epitome of a “man among boys”, doing whatever he wanted in a 99-71 win over ATL Hoops. Most impressively, Johnson drilled 6 three-pointers, hardly hitting the rim on his first four attempts. After a 5-point first half in the championship game, Johnson revved it up in a losing effort to finish with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. Johnson was outstanding all day long. As he matures, he will need to learn when to take his foot off the throttle and change speeds. Johnson can tend to be an emotional player as well, usually for the good, but when adversity hits with a bad call or an off night, he must respond appropriately. Johnson is a sure-fire High Major prospect.

6-6 F Sam Hines (Wheeler) is a winning player that does both the little things and the big things. He is a consistent threat to reach double figures offensively while still providing tough rebounding and good ball movement. He posted 10 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal against ATL Hoops. In the championship game, Hines tallied 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. Hines’ value is as a stretch-4. He is skilled enough to provide minutes on the wing and his versatility as a guy that can do a little bit of everything makes him a piece that can play multiple positions. He reminds me of former St. Francis standout Chance Anderson who signed with San Francisco, who served a similar role and put up comparable numbers in Coach Drew Catlett’s system. Now at Wheeler, Hines doesn’t need to try to do too much or try to prove himself. He just needs to play his game and continue to make winning plays.

6-7 C Darius Gaddy (Wheeler) is a space eating post with soft hands. He is ambidextrous, shooting almost exclusively with his left hand in the paint while jumpers and free throws are delivered with his right hand. Gaddy is big and physical. He can carve out space and uses the glass well on baby hooks. He had 8 points and 5 rebounds against ATL Hoops. Gaddy dominated in the first half of the title game, scoring all 8 of his points before Game Elite went away from getting him touches in the second half. He gobbled up 8 rebounds to boot. Defensively, Gaddy has to move his feet more and focus on blocking out. Right now his offense is ahead of his defense.

Infinite Skillz

5-7 PG DJ Wright (Greene County) did it again. If you listened to last week’s Spielin’ & Dealin’, it should come to no surprise that Wright carried over his outstanding play from Georgia State Team Camp into the Battle For Georgia. In a semi-final loss, the dynmo poured in 29 points, hitting 4 threes. Wright is such a tough cover with his quickness and shot making. He is one of the best undersized guards in the state, regardless of class.

6-4 W Demetrius Rives (Tri-Cities) deserves more statewide publicity coming off of a sophomore season in which he was named Clayton County Underclassman of the Year, All-Clayton County First Team and Region 4-AAAAAA Third Team after averaging 15 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Rives has a strong body on the perimeter and a nose for the ball. He finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks in the semifinals against the Atlanta Xpress, showcasing his versatility.

6-3 G Tyler Johnson (Cedar Shoals) is a big guard that can do it all. Since seeing him for the first time two years ago, you can always count on Johnson to produce on both ends of the floor. Johnson is a true stat sheet stuffer and he didn’t disappoint at the Battle For Georgia. In their tournament ending loss to the Atlanta Xpress, Johnson collected 13 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. Even when Johnson has an off-shooting night, he knows how to find a way to affect the game in a positive manner.

ATL Hoops

6-1 PG Rod Jones (Dougherty) led the Trojans in scoring as a sophomore, averaging 14.9 points per game. With an overmatched ATL Hoops team at Battle For Georgia, Jones was fearless and played end-to-end, trying to provide a spark which never came in a 99-71 loss to Game Elite Black. Jones brought great energy, finishing with 9 points, 4 assists, 5 steals and 1 block. He plays bigger than his listed height and has the trademark South Georgia toughness. He will be a player to keep tabs on.

6-7 C Jared Ivey (North Gwinnett) had a couple nice moments down low, throwing down three dunks and finishing with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Ivey is a naturally strong athlete that plays defensive end on the football team. On the hardwood he is still a little raw with his footwork and balance. If he can run rim to rim, he should be able to give the Bulldogs a couple easy hoops per game and be a nuisance on the glass.

GHSA Basketball, Spielin' & Dealin' Podcast

Spielin’ & Dealin’ Ep. 54: Georgia State Team Camp Session II

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Reactions from Ron Hunter Georgia State Team Camp Session II.

Solomon Ray [1:45]
DJ Wright [4:50]
New Manchester [6:38]
Chattooga [9:02]

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Analysis, GHSA Basketball

Georgia State Team Camp Session II

Sleeper Alert

Solomon Ray

No one turned more heads than 2019 6-8 C Solomon Ray of Grayson. Still new to the game of basketball, Ray played JV last season. This year, Ray could be the state’s best late blooming big man. He is an elite shot blocker and a good rebounder that attacks each carom with two hands. Offensively, he is still raw and does all of his damage on the offensive glass, but his defensive presence is game-altering. Only playing the game for a few years according to his coaching staff, Ray does a good job of not biting on too many pump fakes. He keeps his arms straight up and can block shots with both hands. Ray had games of 8, 2 and 5 blocks in the three games attended. With some more player development and a good low post teacher, Ray could end up sneaking onto some D-I radars. Western Illinois already showed interest on Sunday.

Stock Risers

Jalen Lamar

2019 6-2 SG Jalen Lamar is a three-time state champion at Class A-Public Wilkinson County. He shined on the big stage back in March, scoring a team-high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting to clinch the Warriors’ third-straight title and 10th in school history. Lamar stood out at the HypeSouth30 Camp and did so again at Georgia State as he poured in 21 points and 6 rebounds against Liberty County. Lamar has a quick release on his jump shot and accuracy to boot, nailing 4 threes. He should be regarded as one of the top seniors in Class A-Public and is firmly entrenched in the discussion as a Top 20 SG.

2019 6-4 SG CJ Hood (Eagle’s Landing) has long been a steady producer, but the Region 4-AAAAA Honorable Mention selection has been in the shadows at times behind Brandon Thomas (Mercer), Tee Evans, Jacob Durmveil and Jordan Lewis in a crowded backcourt over his first three seasons. However, in 2019 it looks like Eagle’s Landing should officially be his team. Hood was the go-to guy in wins over New Manchester and Class AAA state champion GAC. Hood pumped in 24 points against the Jaguars and finished with 22 vs. the Spartans. Hood is a strong shooter that can hit the three but also utilizes the mid-range.

2020 6-5 W Terrence Edwards (Miller Grove) came on strong down the stretch for the Wolverines last year as they fell on a buzzer beater in the Class AAAAA state championship to Warner Robins. Edwards dropped in 11 points in the loss but has continued his upward trend. With a lot of inexperienced faces in the Miller Grove lineup outside of Region 5-AAAAA Player of the Year Maurice Harvey, Edwards’ usage should explode this year. His versatility was on full display in a 58-44 win over Holy Innocents’ as he posted 15 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks.  Edwards hit the outside shot and crashed the glass as the Wolverines’ biggest player.

2020/2021 Guards

The top of the 2020 class is littered with star guards. Sharife Cooper, Dwon Odom, Christian Wright, KD Johnson, the list goes on and on. But there are some more great guards that get nowhere near the publicity of the big four who all lead the charge on elite shoe teams and strong high school programs.

Peyton Daniels

6-0 CG Peyton Daniels (Tri-Cities) is proving to be one of the better shooters in the class of 2021. He outplayed a great 2020 point guard in Deivon Smith (Grayson), filling it up with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block in a 57-49 win over the Rams. Daniels nailed 3 threes and created his shot on an island, freeing himself with crossovers to knock down jumper after jumper.

 

DJ Wright

5-7 PG DJ Wright (Greene County) is a name you don’t know if you’re a casual fan from Metro Atlanta. The spunky guard from Greensboro plays in Class A-Public, the smallest classification in Georgia, but his game is big. Wright is quick with the ball in his hands and can score from all three levels. He made opponents pay for going under screens but also got in the lane and finished with a variety of acrobatic layups. Wright might not ever be able to carry Greene County to a deep playoff run, but he still has to be considered one of the best point guards in the classification. The edge he plays with makes up for his diminutive size. He had 21 points (3 threes) and 3 assists in a 48-46 win over Jones County and 2020 CG Bryson Wooten.

 

Demajion Topps

5-10 PG Demajion Topps has people thinking twice about New Manchester. The explosive lead guard orchestrates a relentless Jaguar attack which also features 2019 5-11 CG Jordan Bragg and 2019 6-5 F Niyon Ashley. Bragg is a knockdown shooter that sprays threes. The southpaw drilled four in a 14-point showing against Eagle’s Landing before burying 6 threes en route to 24 points against Collins Hill. Ashley is the bouncy combo forward that provides scoring inside. He had 18 points vs. Eagle’s Landing and 14 against Collins Hill. But make no mistake, its Topps that creates the action. He flourishes in transition, often pitching ahead to shooters running to their spots. Topps has a burst that lets him get to the basket, but also has a solid three-point stroke. Against Eagle’s Landing he had 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. In a win over Collins Hill, Topps tallied 15 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steal and 1 block.

Liberty County Big 3

27-year old Head Coach Julian Stokes had an up-and-down season with an inexperienced group last year, finishing 12-13 without the star power and leadership of Will Richardson who left for Oak Hill Academy.  This year, Coach Stokes is optimistic about the Panthers’ chances of bouncing back and for good reason. Liberty County has a tough backcourt trio consisting of rising seniors Jaden Young, Arieus Taylor and Keannon Taylor. The triumvirate combined for 38 points in Liberty County’s 50-44 win over Wilkinson County. Young was the engine, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block while Arieus Taylor led with a team-high 17 points. Keannon Taylor supplied 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. The triad’s versatility will be key in the Panthers returning to statewide prominence.

Dawson County Ready to Contend

The mass exodus of Dawson Christian Academy to Dawson County has changed the landscape of Class AAA. While the Tigers might not be a favorite to win a state title, Dawson County looks like they will definitely be a fixture in the Top 10 all season long. A 59-56 win over Grayson will be a distant memory once the season tips in November, but for now it will serve as a small confidence booster and a proof of concept that there can be a winner in Dawsonville.

The offense will run through 2019 6-5 W Luke Chism. The former GICAA star will be a handful for North Georgia teams to slow down. He had 20 points in their win over Grayson, relentlessly attacking the rim. Chism has great body control going to the basket and is able to absorb contact and finish through the chest and arms of defenders. Continuing to round out his three-point shot will help him diversify his offensive game.

Chism will be a part of maybe North Georgia’s best 1-2 punch with Jefferson move-in 2020 6-2 PG Jasper Gibson. While he didn’t have a great offensive game against Grayson, Gibson scored five big points late and did a nice job handling pressure. His shots weren’t falling, but he crafted his way into the lane and found clear looks at the basket thanks to good footwork and ball fakes. 2019 6-0 G/F Ahmad Kamara and 2020 6-5 SF Eli Burruss are both huge pieces from Dawson Christian Academy. Kamara is a positionless bowling ball of effort that helps out in anyway possible while Burruss brings size and energy as a multidimensional option.

Chattooga Impresses

The Chattooga Indians from Summerville came to Georgia State with something to prove after a 23-4 season ended with a first round loss to Monticello at home in the Class AA state playoffs. The senior-laden Indians lost (or won according to who you ask thanks to multiple scoring miscues by the table) to Cedar Grove 54-50 but played with their traditional scrappiness and grit.

Jundraius Adams

The Indian starting five has starters fluctuate with height anywhere from 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-2 on a good day, but it was the smallest man on the floor, 2019 5-6 PG Jundraius “Nuk Nuk” Adams, who stole the show in the first half. Adams was fearless with the ball and was locked in from beyond the three-point line. The pesky jitterbug drilled 4 threes on the day to finish with a game-high 19 points to go with his 4 assists and 4 steals. He frustrated known commodity Devon Barnes at times with his ability to slice into the defense, hang in mid-air and find open teammates at the very last second.

Adams is probably the most skilled player on the Indians while the rest provide constant effort matched with athleticism that wears down every team they see in North Georgia.

2019 6-1 F Devin Price found himself in the right place at the right time on numerous occasions as he finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block. 2019 6-2 W Glenn Walker has a funky shot, but the lefty was able to sink 2 threes as he finished with 8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.

Chattooga’s defensive-minded style of play will muck up most games and the fact that they play so hard will lead to a ton of wins, a program that has notched an 86-17 over the past four seasons. Their December 8th showdown with burgeoning South Georgia power Woodville-Tompkins at the sportalShowcase presented by Sandy’s Spiel could be a state playoff preview.