Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions
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Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions: Top Performers


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Blake Wilson2024 6-5 F Blake Wilson – ATL Pivot – Hebron Christian
A breakout performance from Blake Wilson netted him an offer from Voorhees.  Wilson was tremendous to open Bob Gibbons on Friday night, locking horns with one of Georgia’s most decorated unsigned seniors in Khalon Hudson. ATL Pivot secured a 75-72 victory large in part to the play of Wilson, who recorded 26 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Blake is a monster athlete with great hands. He rebounds everything he can get a paw on and is a versatile scorer. Wilson has a high release on his jumper and nailed two shots from the mid-range while shooting 6-8 from the foul line. Blake scored with nice footwork down low, drop stepping and finishing on the other side of the rim with tough reverses. He showed some creativity on the perimeter when getting to the hoop and he had two monster slams where he elevated above the opposition. The bouncy forward impressed as a rim protector as well, meeting opponents at their apex to deny layups and dunk attempts. Wilson’s in-season move from Dacula to Hebron Christian spurred the Lions to a Sweet 16 run at just 13-17. With a full season upcoming, expect Hebron Christian to be a real threat for the Region 8-3A title and for Wilson to be an early frontrunner for Region Player of the Year. D-II/NAIA/D-III schools will want to follow closely.

Khalon Hudson2023 6-5 W Khalon Hudson – Southern Kings – Westside-Augusta
Those in attendance rightfully asked me, “How is he still unsigned?” That is a good question. Khalon was his typical dominant self on Friday, the elite double-double machine racking up 31 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Hudson may be a bit of a tweener as a combo-forward that can play inside or out, but that versatility should be viewed as a positive. Hudson puts his fingerprints all over games with his hustle and nose for the ball. Defensively, he can guard guards on the perimeter or defend in the post. Hudson has been one of the very best rebounders in Georgia over the past two seasons, a true vacuum who is a nightmare to keep off the backboard. Hudson scored from all three levels on Friday night, hitting a three and scoring on three putbacks, two mid-range jumpers and two coast-to-coast drives. Khalon finished with both hands up close and went 8-9 from the foul line. He had two highlight slams, one coming on a putback over an unsuspecting opponent. The high academic 4.3 GPA two-time state champion is the real deal. He would be a steal at the D-II level and a Day 1 contributor.

Jah-mel Bruce2024 6-2 G Jah-mel Bruce – Team SMASH Blue – Mountain View
I appreciate that Jah-mel Bruce saved his best for last. In the final game of the weekend, Bruce still had gas in the tank as he compiled 21 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block in a 78-69 win over GA Havoc. As apparent from his stat line, Bruce is a high motor guard. He is aggressive on both ends of the floor, often turning defense into offense. Jah-mel’s athleticism caused problems. He secured rebounds and ignited fastbreaks. He excelled at getting to the basket and played above the rim when he had the launching pad to do so. While Bruce scored the bulk of his points in the paint, he did sink a pull-up three and went 8-10 from the charity line.

Justin Mims2024 6-3 W Justin Mims – GA Havoc – Richmond Academy
Small schools will want to touch base with Justin Mims. At almost 6-foot-4, Mims is an active swingman that does a lot on the floor. He has an interesting game. Justin loves to attack the length of the floor after gathering rebounds and absorbs contact when converting And-1s. Mims focuses on getting into the paint. Out of his 10 made field goals, nine came at the rim – four on coast-to-coast drives. While Justin looked for his offense on the wing, he would also go onto the block and post up. Mims rebounds very well for his size and is a capable defender. Mims finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

Elijah Mincey2025 5-8 PG Elijah Mincey – South GA Elite – Bryan County
I loved what I saw from Elijah Mincey. Already regarded as a big-time scorer who first eclipsed the 40-point barrier in a game as a freshman, the pint-sized powerhouse poured in buckets in a 63-33 win on Sunday. Mincey has great quickness with the ball but it was his range that stood out, sinking four threes as he stretched the floor from deep. Elijah was a threat to net long balls from off the catch and off the dribble. When he decided to penetrate, Mincey showed the ability to embrace and score through contact. Elijah did a good job surveying the defense and found his big men easy buckets. Mincey finished with 16 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. He is one of South Georgia’s most fun players to watch.

Elijah Brown2026 5-10 PG Elijah Brown – South GA Elite – Liberty County
Elijah Brown came off the bench and immediately got to work. I really liked the balance he played with. Brown shot lights out, sinking five pull-up jumpers. He routinely found soft spots in the defense and rarely missed his target. The rising sophomore has some strength to his frame, albeit he’s on the shorter side but has time to grow still. The sparkplug produced 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Chris Perry2026 6-6 W Chris Perry – South GA Elite – Bradwell Institute
Standing close to 6-foot-7, Chris Perry’s stock will continue to grow. He’s a fluid athlete and a real Swiss Army Knife. Perry is a piece that can be used in a multitude of ways, often leading to advantageous mismatches. On Sunday it was his playmaking that shined brightest. He looked smooth as a ball handler and was able to get to the rim in transition. In the half court, Perry drew in the defense on his attacks before hitting the open man. Chris’ length and athleticism give him major upside defensively as a guy that can defend 1-5. He posted 6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block. Down near the coast, he is one of South Georgia’s top long-term prospects.

Blayne Gunter2027 6-3 SG Blayne Gunter – South GA Elite – Calvary Day
Calvary Day is starting to make some noise in Savannah. The Cavaliers took a surprise trip to the Elite 8 in 2022 and had quality success in the first half of the season this year before dropping off. Scepter Brownlee stepped in this offseason and inherits an interesting array of talent. Blayne Gunter should be one of the more impactful freshmen in the area this upcoming season. Playing up at the 16U level, you would have never guessed that Gunter has yet to play a varsity game. He has good size on the perimeter and is calm and confident with the ball. Gunter is a knockdown shooter from beyond the arc. He’s a threat to pull-up in transition and can get to his spots in the mid-range. The little things stood out to me about Blayne’s game, most notably the fact that he follows his shot. He tossed in 11 points via three three-pointers and added 4 rebounds and 1 steal.

Kuol Deng2026 6-10 C Kuol Deng – South GA Elite – Calvary Day
The South Sudan native should be ready to roll full-time this upcoming season, joining 6-foot-9 Chol Kiir, giving Calvary Day elite frontline size. As are most international imports that are nearly 7-foot tall, Deng is an interesting prospect. Aside from his elite height and length, Deng turns heads with his mobility. Kuol runs the floor well and flashes some intriguing skill. Deng’s indelible plays included catching on the three-point line in the corner pump-faking and taking one dribble baseline for a slam, a quick shovel assist inside through traffic to a teammate and a euro step in the lane. He finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Based on recent history compared to similar players, Kuol looks to be starting down path that should lead him to multiple D-I offers in the near future if he continues to improve each season. I’m very interested to see more of Deng and gauge his true ceiling.

2025 6-4 SG Akai Fleming – Atlanta Celtics – Osborne
It was two very different games for Akai Fleming in the two I caught. On Friday vs. 1of1 Rare in 17U action it did not go well, losing 56-41 with 4 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist, struggling from the line going 2-8. On Saturday back down in 16U with in-state bragging rights on the line against Team Huncho, the Akai Fleming with High Major offers everyone has grown accustom to seeing reappeared, catching fire in the second half to turn a 28-15 halftime deficit into a 62-53 victory. Fleming dropped in 27 points – 21 in the second half – 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. The tough shot-maker finished 6-13 from the field after a 1-7 first half. He sank one-dribble pull-ups and finished through contact for a pair of And-1s. Akai was money at the line shooting 14-14. Fleming keeps constant pressure on the defense with his ability to score at all three levels and does a great job of drawing fouls, especially on his jump shots with defenders overeager to contest.

2025 6-3 G Zachary Foster – Atlanta Celtics – Woodward Academy
Zac Foster was rock-solid on Friday and Saturday. His steady play is becoming harder to ignore as he is starting to pop up on college radars. Even in their 17U loss to 1of1 Rare, Foster was effective with 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, netting four threes. Against 16U Team Huncho, Foster once again did a little bit of everything, dumping in 17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks while knocking down three three-pointers. Foster is tough on both ends of the floor. He is a wiry athlete that can get into the lane and finish with floaters and is adept and filling the lane in transition. His three-point shot is an obvious weapon that defenses struggled to eliminate over the weekend. Zac is a valuable defender with his length and activity, able to guard all spots around the perimeter. Foster has a good overall feel and an exciting future.

2024 5-11 PG Clark Mastin – AE5 – Eagle’s Landing
One of the very best energy providers in the state, Clark Mastin is a jitterbug with lightning quickness. Clark is a true point guard that likes to facilitate, but he does so much more than just set the table. He is a terrific rebounder for his size. He crashes down for rebounds and ignites fastbreaks going the other way. He’s slippery when getting to the rim and can rise up the finish against larger defenders. Clark makes an impact on defense with his gnat-like sticking power as an on-ball defender. Mastin recorded 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal in a 77-53 win.

2024 6-6 F Xavier Shegog – AE5 – Mt. Vernon
D-I schools are starting to recruit Zay Shegog for his non-stop effort around the rim and monster athleticism. Shegog is a real workhorse inside. When he wants a rebound, he can go and get it. Against ECU he scored on three putbacks and three dunks. Shegog runs the floor hard, hunting for lobs and easy buckets. He posted 18 points, 6 rebounds and 1 steal.

2024 6-1 G Byrd Carter – No ID – North Oconee
No ID ran out of gas with only five players, trailing 38-37 at the break before losing 84-64 to Sunshine Elite, but Byrd Carter managed to carry the load in an efficient manner, shooting 10-16 from the field including knocking down three threes. The All-State selection tallied 24 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks. He used patient drives and heady footwork to score inside and through contact. Maybe an underappreciated aspect of Byrd’s game is his defense. He is a very good shot blocker for a guard and doesn’t give up on plays, often coming from behind to swipe the ball away from the offensive player.

2024 6-0 G Ben Shar – No ID – Athens Academy
I was impressed with how well Ben Shar shot the ball on Sunday, nailing four threes and a pull-up from the mid-range. Shar hit threes off the dribble, most impressively his second coming on a step-back. Ben contributed 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal vs. Sunshine Elite.

Jax Abernathy2024 6-4 SG Jax Abernathy – Atlanta All-Stars – Christian Heritage
Mr. Efficient shot 9-15 from the field in a 67-54 come from behind win over Thunder Supreme. Jax finished with 19 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. He nailed four pull-up jumpers and had some crafty drives to the basket in traffic. Abernathy’s footwork is very sound. He will patiently work pivots to find scoring angles and is the true definition of a three-level scorer.