Category Archives: GHSA Basketball

Analysis

Sandy’s Spiel Spring Showcase Boys Evaluations


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The Sandy’ Spiel Spring Showcase sold out, hosting 73 prospects from all across the state of Georgia who were looking to improve their game and boost their exposure before diving into travel ball. With the help of our esteemed eight-coach staff, here are our player evaluations sorted by team.

RLEAD PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO GALLERY

TEAM 1

Jagger Whitty
2028 5-11 G Jagger Whitty – Griffin – Triple Double
Smooth release on three-point shot. Willing to pull up from deep in transition. Sees the floor well as a lead guard. High effort level on defense late into camp, closing out hard to contest three-point shots. Should add immediate value to a varsity roster with his skill as both an on and off-ball guard.

Bahji Daniel
2026 5-9 G Bahji Daniel – Spalding – BBallers Elite
Sparkplug with high energy. Uses a quick burst to the basket. Explosive finisher gets good elevation. Scores at the rim with both hands. Was able to keep the defense honest with his three-point shot. Could turn up the heat as an on-ball defender and turn over opponents.

Cameron Ogletree
2025 5-11 G Cameron Ogletree – Heard County – YSE
Did the dirty work as a glue guy. Dove on the floor for loose balls. Ignited fastbreaks with his outlet passing. Continuing to improve his ability to finish at the rim through contact will bode well for his development. Plays under control with the ball. Limits turnovers.

Teagan Houser
2026 5-10 G Teagan Houser – Coahulla Creek – Underdogs
Solid athlete, agile with the ball in his hands. Remained active away from the ball, sneaking in for rebounds when not blocked out. Adding some more weight to his frame will help him defensively and as a penetrator on offense. Showed a crafty finishing package when he was able to get to the hoop and found the open man off the dribble. Helped space the floor with his jumper.

Princeton King
2025 6-0 G Princeton King – Wilson Academy – Team Forest
Made his presence felt defensively. Was aggressive when trapping the ball and was able to dig out steals. Quick laterally and a good leaper with quality wingspan for his size. Wasn’t afraid to attack downhill, seek contact and finish through it. Had enough one-on-one skill to create space on the perimeter to get clean looks from the mid-range and beyond.

Justin McMillian
2025 6-2 G Justin McMillian – Tattnall County – Tattnall Chiefs
Epitome of a big guard. Was physically overpowering at times. Used his strength to go into the post, identifying mismatches and exploiting them. Scored with his back to the basket and worked hard on the offensive glass for putbacks. Knocked down a few threes throughout camp. Adding to his left hand and his overall handle will help open up his game. Received high marks for his great attitude and coachability.

Ryland Chambers
2027 6-1 G Ryland Chambers – Union County – Ga Kings
Reliable hustler that got on the floor. Attacked the basket with his left hand. Becoming more of a fast-twitch athlete. Range is growing on his jump shot. Sees the floor well and makes good decisions with the ball. Helped rebound and defend bigger players.

Thrasher Wilkins
2025 6-1 G Thrasher Wilkins – North Oconee
Athleticism has really improved, becoming a much bouncier player with the capability of playing above the rim. Uses his newfound hangtime when attacking the basket, hanging in the air to make decisions. Did a nice job of sucking in the defense before dropping off assists. Continuing to improve as a ball handler against pressure. Made an impact with his ability to block shots. Shoots the ball well from the mid-range.

Maddox Young
2025 6-1 G Maddox Young – Union County – NGE
Can always count on him to play hard. Slashes to the basket and will attack the offensive glass. Filled the lanes in transition. Utilized a step-through floater in traffic. Rotated over to block some shots and is a steady defender. Hit some threes but needs to become more consistent from distance. Has a chance to grow as a playmaker downhill.

TEAM 2 

MJ Jinks
2027 5-5 G MJ Jinks – Tattnall County – Tattnall Chiefs
Little guard got valuable reps with varsity level players. Got more comfortable with the pace of play as the day went on. Stood out with his hustle. Provided good effort defensively and was a team player that shared the ball on offense.

Jy'Son Mallard
2027 5-11 G Jy’Son Mallard – Long County – Georgia Bombers
Lanky guard starting to find his identity. Made plays on defense, blocking shots as a one-on-one defender. Brings toughness to the floor. Worked his way onto the offensive glass for putbacks and hit a few threes on the day.

Samuel Ginn
2028 5-5 G Samuel Ginn – Harvester Christian – ALLIN Brotherhood
Even though he was the smallest player on the floor, Ginn competed at a high level. Knocked down some perimeter jumpers and attacked off the dribble with a baseline floater. Used a spin move to break free of his defender. Was a scrappy defender and tried to mix it up whenever he could.

Brody Carruth
2025 6-0 G Brody Carruth – East Jackson – SW Stamp Squad
Well-rounded wiry playmaker. Used his length to finish at the rim. Got downhill as a drive-and-kick creator. Has a smooth feel to his game. Handles pressure well while seeing the floor. Did a nice job on defense, able to switch off his man and keep ball handlers in front.

Joe Drew III
2025 6-3 W Joe Drew III – Pierce County – SPB
Impressive physical athlete. Plays very hard. Gets on the glass to find garbage points. Dangerous slasher finishes with both hands. Earned the review as being a “Draymond-esque” type player due to his grittiness as a defender. Wide receiver is someone you want to go to war with.

Hayden Collins
2027 6-0 G Hayden Collins – Wilkinson County – Team Culture
The skinny goggled guard showed off his shot making on the perimeter, hitting a handful of threes throughout camp. Defensively, his quickness and activity level earned him high grades.  As he adds muscle to his frame, expect Hayden to become more effective as a driver.

Zi'on Thomas
2027 6-3 W Zi’on Thomas – Long County – Skills Sports Academy
Explosive athlete with a high ceiling. Threw down dunks and netted corner threes. Came on strong to close his freshman season. Adding to his arsenal as a ball handler will help him get to the rim consistently. Can live off hustle plays for now. Has a soft touch around the basket. Has all the tools to really blossom over his next three seasons. Sneaky good prospect out of Ludowici.

Jason Welborn
2026 6-2 G Jason Welborn – Decatur
Nice skill level. Wiry guard created offense with one-dribble step-back jumpers. Strong finisher in traffic with an explosive downhill attack that results in slams. Boasts a mature, well-rounded floor game. Gets others involved and is an active participant on defense. Flashed his high upside throughout camp.

Zyi'Air Holt
2026 6-1 W Zyi’Air Holt – Long County – Georgia Bombers
3&D mold. Knocks down corner threes and is a versatile and physical defender. Plays bigger than his size. Good reach to contest shots. Active rebounder. Does a good job finding the open man.

Kingston Whitty
2026 6-1 G Kingston Whitty – Lovett –Team Huncho 3SSB
Fills it up from the perimeter. Compact shooting form. Nails pull-up threes and gets to his spots in the mid-range. Wired-to-score. Can be shifty with the ball when attacking the hoop. Will use his shoulder to power into defenders. Sneaky explosive, able to elevate to the rim when finishing in a crowd. Was one of camp’s most well-rounded guards.

TEAM 3 

Corderra Williams
2025 5-7 G Corderra Williams – Westover – Georgia Thunder 17U
Aggressive on-ball defender loves to lock down opponents. Uses his speed and active hands to frustrate ball handlers. Reliable ball handler himself. Does a good job getting penetration. Is a pass-first facilitator. Rotates down to rebound amongst the trees.

Cason Reed
2028 5-10 G Cason Reed – Banks County – Georgia Generals
Knocked down corner threes and made the extra pass along the perimeter. Moves well without the ball and gets his feet set on the catch. Has some wiggle downhill, able to get to his floater in traffic.

Dorian Watkins
2025 5-10 G Dorian Watkins – West Laurens – Dubtown
Emerged as one of the best shooters in camp. Sprayed threes from the corner and from the wing. Understood what his strengths were and played into them. Also stood out as a defender that was able to protect his yard.

Jaylon Seymour
2025 6-0 G Jaylon Seymour – Providence Christian
Showcased versatility as he was able to play on and off the ball. With the ball in his hands, Seymour created well for others. He kept the ball moving and saw the floor well. He made others around him better with his unselfish play. Jaylon packed a punch on offense with his scoring touch, drilling multiple mid-range jumpers. Seymour defended on the perimeter and held his own when stuck guarding on the low block.

Emanuel Befekadu
2024 6-0 G Emanuel Befekadu – Meadowcreek – No Excuses
I liked the pace that Befekadu played at. The veteran guard got the ball up the floor quickly and was constantly surveying the floor for his open shooters. Emanuel got praise for being his team’s floor general with his communication. He displayed toughness and physicality as a defender.

Whitfield Hyde
2025 6-7 W Whitfield Hyde – Hoop Atlanta
Whitfield was among camp’s breakout stars. The 6-foot-7 rising senior was lights-out from distance, piling in threes throughout the day. At his size, Hyde’s shot was challenging for anyone to contest. He is a zone buster with his ability to shoot from the corners. He used his length to attack the offensive glass for putbacks and blocked a handful of shots. Hyde is an early candidate to see his stock soar his senior season.

Luke Lawson
2026 6-7 F Luke Lawson – North Oconee
Did what you would want from a post player – block shots and rebound. Lefty played with a high motor. Knocked down multiple 15-footers. Ran the floor for putbacks. Showcased blossoming ball skills, grabbing rebounds and pushing in transition as a distributor.

Tallie Webber
2026 6-3 G Tallie Webber – Grace Christian
Big guard with length. Well-rounded scorer. Filled the lanes in transition. Finished with his left hand. Found success as a slasher, able to score over top of smaller defenders. Holds upside on defense, able to guard multiple positions with his switchability.

Kai McAfee
2024 6-2 G Kai McAfee – Lithonia – Atlanta Heat
Got to his spots in the mid-range. Was able to get all the way to the hoop, finishing with both hands. Three-level scorer kept the defense off balance. Got into the paint and was able to dish to open teammates. Wasn’t shy about doing the dirty work as a rebounder and defender.

Cole Berry
2026 6-1 G Cole Berry – ELCA – HLHK
Sturdy frame. Plays bigger than his size thanks to his strength and vertical leap. Battles for rebounds and can guard both on the perimeter and in the paint. Hit shots from all over the floor. Fits in the ELCA mold of being a do-everything guard.

TEAM 4

Bryson Vincent
2026 5-9 PG Bryson Vincent – ACE
Love the improvement from last year to this year. Used his low center of gravity to turn corners and attack the hoop. Consistently was able to penetrate. Mixed in some pull-up jumpers. Quick, active and was able to make the right reads. Looked comfortable with the ball in his hands.

Ryan Strickland
2027 5-10 G Ryan Strickland – Monroe Area
Came out of the gates strong, playing with energy as he scrapped his way for putbacks. Understands his role and immediately races down to the corners in transition for three-point looks. Played within himself and made good decisions with the ball. Adding strength will help him as an individual defender. Was starting to find his groove before a foot injury cut his day short.

Keyon Calhoun
2027 5-10 G Keyon Calhoun – Tattnall County – Tattnall Chiefs
Bowling ball of a guard was tough getting downhill. Used his physicality to ward off defenders. Knocked down some threes from the corner. Stayed in attack mode. Rebounded well from the backcourt. Strong enough to block out bigger players.

Juan Hawes
2027 6-0 G Juan Hawes – Paulding County – NME
Lanky guard proved to be a hard worker. Active on both ends of the floor. Had a nice handle and a quick first step. Was able to get to the basket and holds upside as a drive-and-kick facilitator.

Jacob Batusic
2027 6-0 G Jacob Batusic – Lanier Christian
Made his mark with his outside shooting. Competed well defensively. Liked to back down his man when handling the ball on the perimeter. Working on a sharp crossover when facing up his man will allow him to make quicker moves downhill. Holds promise as a guard that can play both on and off the ball.

John Morris II
2027 6-7 F John Morris II – Tri-Cities – Running Rebels
Flashed upside in our one-on-one station. Big lefty knocked down a three and used his size to overpower defenders on his way to the hoop. Needs to quicken his feet, but was still very effective on the block, scoring with his back to the basket. Scored through contact. Has long-term potential out of the screen game, both in the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop.

Trip Griffith
2025 6-5 F Trip Griffith – Monroe Area – Classic City Ballers
Explosive leaper with quick second jump. Cleans up misses extremely well. Scores through contact. Will take his man off the dribble from the high post. Extending his range to 15-feet and beyond would be huge for his game. Workhorse never takes a play off. One of Georgia’s elite double-double producers and most improved players.

Payton Waters
2025 6-3 W Payton Waters – Mt. Zion-Carrollton – BTA Basketball
Elite motor. Plays extremely hard. Very athletic wing that loves to attack downhill. Battles on the backboards and gets on the floor for loose balls. Finishes through contact. Has improving range on his jumper. Impactful player on both ends of the floor. Tone setter.

Levi Slaten
2024 6-2 SG Levi Slaten – Oconee County – Classic City Ballers
Catch-and-shoot threat from the corners. Plays under control and can work his way to the rim. Implements one and two-dribble pull-ups. Provides offensive production from all three levels. 4.0 GPA student scored a 1260 on the SAT.

TEAM 5

Birdy Cunningham
2024 5-11 G Birdy Cunningham – East Jackson – Riggs
Big body guard absorbs contact when getting downhill. Uses his strength to get two feet in the paint before kicking out to shooters. Hustles in for putbacks.

JD Ellis
2025 5-11 G JD Ellis – North Murray – NG Pink Panthers
Knockdown shooter buried threes from the corner. Sees the floor well. Delivers bullet corner-to-corner skip passes for open threes. Has room to improve his left hand. Does the little things well and provides consistent effort on both sides of the ball.

Fabian Bailey
2027 5-10 G Fabian Bailey – Thomson – TM ELITE
Brought energy on defense as a pesky on-ball defender. Used his quickness to create for others when getting downhill. Has some craftiness to his game when it comes to beating his first defender off the bounce. Knocked down shots out of the pick-and-roll.

Savon Kelly
2026 6-3 F Savon Kelly – Columbus – Columbus Wolves
Physical combo-forward uses his muscle inside. Carves out space and can finish through fouls. Has a soft touch from the free throw line. Left hand still in the process of development. Was able to play above the rim. His activity on defense led to blocked shots.

Cullen Marti
2025 6-6 PF Cullen Marti – Coahulla Creek – Colts
Marti was one of the premier breakout stars of camp. The big bodied post had an advanced skill set. Not only could he bang down low and score with his back to the basket with up-and-unders and drop steps, but Cullen stepped outside and drained three after three, showcasing his stretch-forward arsenal. Marti did a great job scoring through contact with a soft touch and was unmovable off the block once he got position for post feeds and rebounds. While Marti primarily played below the rim and has room to grow athletically, the rising senior likely boosted his stock better than anyone else in camp. D-III and NAIA programs will want to evaluate.

2026 6-3 G Brandon Nelson – Gainesville
Overall, one could argue that Brandon Nelson was the top player in camp. Nelson was silky smooth getting to his pull-up jumper, peppering defenses from the mid-range and three-point line. When Brandon took shots, he made them – very rarely missing. He displayed athleticism as a downhill driver, finishing at the rim with authority. Nelson made the game look easy with his easy approach. Year 3 will be big for Brandon.

Kenari Harris
2025 6-2 G Kenari Harris – Calhoun County – Georgia Thunder
Wiry high-energy guard can play 1-3. Did a good job getting downhill and scoring through contact. Earned multiple second chance opportunities with his hustle, scrapping for rebounds and winning loose balls. With his length and athleticism, has a chance to be an above average perimeter defender.

Marquez Coffey
2024 6-0 G Marquez Coffey – Lithonia
Good outside shooter with a pretty release. Drained threes from the corner and wing. Could get physical when attacking the paint. Crafty finisher in traffic. Three-level scoring threat that also got others involved.

TEAM 6

Michael Polke
2025 5-10 PG Michael Polke – Toombs County – Tattnall Chiefs
Tough-nosed on-ball defender. Quick instincts when shooting into passing lanes. Doesn’t have to score much to positively impact games. Very strong with the ball. Tends to be a pass-first creator. Found his offense on drives. Hit the three-ball overtop of screens. High motor lead by example type of point guard.

Jaiden Thomas
2025 5-11 G Jaiden Thomas – First Preparatory Christian
Entered camp as a relative unknown coming from the GIAA but left Sunday as one of the top guards in attendance. Took full advantage of the stage showcasing his high-level shot making ability. Dynamic isolation scorer that went to work in the mid-range on pull-ups. Created just enough separation to hit step-backs. Three-level scorer used his athleticism to get downhill and played a physical brand of basketball while doing so. Effective on-ball defender.

Tyler Blake
2026 5-7 G Tyler Blake – Fannin County
Used his lack of height to his advantage, utilizing a lightning quick low crossover to breakdown defenders. Had the ball on a string, going behind the back while weaving through the defense. Shifty playmaker read the defense well. Maintained a high level of activity as a pesky on-ball defender.

Nolan Roberts
2027 5-7 G Nolan Roberts – Lanier Christian
Looked to get others the ball as a distributor before hunting his own offense. Didn’t force things and was able to find the open man. Used both hands well. Very coachable.

David Boman
2025 6-0 G David Boman – White County – Metro Elite Basketball Club
Strong frame. Combo-guard can play with or without the ball. Knockdown three-point shooter with great form. Made plays off the dribble, attacking baseline before dishing for open layups and corner threes. Sneaky good explosion to the rim. Received praise as a 3&D guard.

Kolby Watson
2025 6-4 G Kolby Watson – Banks County – Stamp Squad
Sizeable shooter has seen his frame fill out over the years. Has a sturdy build which he can use to go post up smaller guards or back down defenders on the wing until he gets to a comfortable spot for his turnaround jumper. Deadly catch-and-shoot threat. Capable of making plays off the bounce when ran off the line. With his size and strength, he can help defend 1-4 on switches. Foot speed has been improving. One of the best shot makers in Northeast Georgia.

Cade Marti
2026 6-3 W Cade Marti – Coahulla Creek – Colts
Wiry swingman has impressive length. Good three-point shooter that can go on hot streaks. Understands defensive rotations. With his length, holds versatility as a defender. Can come over from the weakside to block shots.

Jake Mihalick
2026 6-7 F Jake Mihalick – Lanier Christian – Hoop Atlanta
Stretchy combo-forward played inside and out. Finished around the rim with dunks. Shoots the three well. Scored with his back to the basket with baby hooks and turnaround jumpers. Increasing his strength will help him long-term when it comes to playing inside, but has an exciting skill set especially as a catch-and-shoot option.

Matthew Clausen
2025 6-3 W Matthew Clausen – North Oconee
Drilled pull-up threes and got into the paint and finished with floaters. Has good length on the perimeter. Can play either the 2 or 3 and can guard different spots. Has improved his creativity with the ball, able to turn corners and kick to open shooters. High academic student holds a 100.5 GPA and tallied a 1400 on the SAT.

Austin Gerard
2027 5-8 G Austin Gerard – Lanier Christian
Scored in transition and showed toughness when it came to getting to the rim. Finished through contact very well for his size. Has a quick first step and a crafty handle, able to go behind the back to lose defenders. Smart player plays with energy.

TEAM 7

Eric Love2026 6-0 G Eric Love – Valdosta – Team Georgia Magic
Shifty playmaker used his speed to get to his spots. Knocked down pull-up jumpers in transition and used two-dribble attacks to net mid-range shots. Hit multiple threes throughout the day. Finished at the rim, using changes of speed to beat defenders. Had good reads as an outlet passer to spark fastbreaks.

Tylen Metcalf2027 5-11 G Tylen Metcalf – Woodland-Carterville – Team Scoot
On the smaller side physically, the svelte young guard showed well on Sunday with his skill. Slick ball handler was hard to stay in front of. Looked good as a drive-and-kick playmaker. Used his speed in transition to score coast-to-coast with his left hand. Broke traps with his quickness. Provided reliable energy, diving on the floor for loose balls.

Dedrick Griffin
2025 5-6 G Dedrick Griffin – Toombs County – Pirates
Provided great eye contact with the coaches. Was one of the first players to get on the floor anytime there was a 50/50 ball. Showed attention to detail, quick to run back in transition defense. Stuck out with his willingness to do the little things.

Caden Watson
2026 6-3 G Caden Watson – Banks County – Georgia Generals
Has been in the weight room since last year. Knockdown shooter was more of a slasher on Sunday, using an improved handle paired with clean footwork to get to the rim. Made a difference on defense with his active hands, stripping opponents of the ball when going up for shots inside.

Austin Waters
2025 6-3 W Austin Waters – Mt. Zion-Carrollton – BTA Basketball
Much like his twin brother, will run through a brick wall. Elite effort and energy. Springy athlete scores on putbacks and short drives. Gets after it as an on-ball defender. Competitive and athletic enough to guard 1-5 if need be. Scored around the rim with duck in buckets. Made winning plays throughout the day, highlighted by stepping in to draw a charge in transition. Tough kid.

Braedyn Gillespie
2025 6-0 G Braedyn Gillespie – Tucker – Generation 2k
Southpaw was a binge scorer, one of the very best players in camp. Lights-out three-point shooter netted long balls in bunches. Did it off the catch and plenty off the dribble. Mixed it up as an on-ball defender and played with pace in transition.

Caleb Paige
2027 6-3 G Caleb Paige – Providence Christian – Georgia Stars
Intriguing long-term upside. Very good size and length in the backcourt. Fluid athlete eases into his pull-up jumper. Sees the floor well, delivering accurate bounce passes in transition and able to float in the air before dropping off dimes in the halfcourt. Uses his hangtime to get clean looks at the basket as well. High IQ playmaker. Good things happened when the ball was in his hands. He can play either guard position and is a valuable defender with his wingspan.

AJ Brown
2026 6-1 G AJ Brown – Elbert County
Great rebounder for his size. Didn’t give up on any plays. Lanky guard attempted to draw charges. Willing to defend any position needed for his team. Found his offense on putbacks and hit some floaters throughout the day. Nice touch from 10-feet and in. Ran the floor well.

TEAM 8 

Joshua Merrill
2025 5-9 G Joshua Merrill – Bremen
Lefty had a knack for slicing through the defense and finishing in traffic. Quick first step got him to the hoop routinely. Knows how to finish amongst size. Made an impact as an on-ball defender, turning ball handlers multiple times.

LaFrance Ballard
2026 5-9 G LaFrance Ballard – Kell – Formula Elite Academy
Scrappy defense on and away from the ball. Had some nice looks in transition. Solid athlete was able to mesh well with others in the backcourt.

Jer'Meer Hatcher
2026 6-0 G Jer’Meer Hatcher – Thomson – E1D1
Strongly built guard brough toughness on defense. Played bigger than his size, especially when it came to rebounding. Hustled at all times and never let offensive players get any type of rhythm. Pushed the ball in transition and made good decisions in the open floor. Shot some mid-range pull-ups and was able to garner the defense’s attention before swinging the ball for better looks.

Jaylon Davis
2027 6-4 W Jaylon Davis – ACE
Tweener of a forward that can play inside and out. Wide receiver is a strong athlete. Gets a lot of points off hustle. Ball skills will need to tighten up over time, but is still effective as a downhill attacker that can clear rebounds and go coast-to-coast. Threat to score from the high post. Will use the one-dribble pull-up to score in the mid-range. Legitimate upside. Just scratching the surface of his potential.

Dayden Rogers
2026 6-3 G Dayden Rogers – Banks County – Georgia Generals
Big guard is a three-level scorer. Lefty loves to stroke the corner three. Showed off his individual creativity in our one-on-one station, able to get defenders leaning before spinning back for turnarounds.  Finished well in the paint. Has good athleticism to work with over the next two years.

Jase Dixon
2025 6-3 W Jase Dixon – Veterans – Team OSA (One Step Away)
Can be used in a variety of ways. Strongly built athlete saw time in the high post, able to catch and shoot from the elbow. Had good moments as a physical rebounder. Attacked from the top of the key and got downhill on the left side, finishing with a right-hand scoop. Mixed in some threes and pull-up jumpers. Was tough to cut off once he got a head of steam.

Andrew Batusic
2026 6-0 G Andrew Batusic – Lanier Christian
Scrappy guard got after it on defense. Saw the floor well as a distributor. Able to probe the defense before hitting the open man. Made some plays as a slasher before hurting his ankle.

Brice Proctor
2025 6-4 F Brice Proctor – Providence Christian – dor5 Elite
Big body bully-ball tweener. Overpowers defenders in the low post but has good guard skills to create on the perimeter. Breaks down his man and can finish with a finger roll. Hit shots from the three-point line and nailed pull-ups from the mid-range. Impressive footwork for his size to couple with his decision making.

Zakhar Valasiuk2024 6-3 G Zakhar Valasiuk – Tallulah Falls
Scored a 21 on the ACT and a 1040 on the SAT. Impressed with his improved playmaking ability. Big guard got downhill and patiently made his moves, bumping off defenders as he got to his spots. Used spin moves to free himself in traffic and played off two feet. Delivered some no-look passes and cashed in on three-point attempts.

Rankings

Final 2023-24 GHSA Boys Basketball State Rankings


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Class AAAAAAA

1. Grayson (30-2)
2. McEachern (26-6)
3. Wheeler (25-6)
4. Milton (20-11)
5. Newton (20-7)
6. Peachtree Ridge (22-8)
7. Walton (23-6)
8. Norcross (17-14)
9. Buford (25-4)
10. Campbell (16-14)

Class AAAAAA

1. Riverwood (25-7)
2. Alexander (29-3)
3. Jonesboro (22-11)
4. Woodward Academy (26-6)
5. St. Pius X (22-7)
6. Lee County (23-4)
7. Shiloh (23-5)
8. Langston Hughes (21-9)
9. Douglas County (19-13)
10. Woodstock (20-10)

Class AAAAA

1. Kell (28-3)
2. Eagle’s Landing (23-8)
3. Maynard Jackson (21-9)
4. Winder-Barrow (26-5)
5. Tri-Cities (21-9)
6. Dutchtown (19-10)
7. Warner Robins (21-8)
8. Tucker (23-6)
9. Chapel Hill (21-9)
10. Decatur (20-7)

Class AAAA

1. North Oconee (30-3)
2. Holy Innocents’ (26-7)
3. Baldwin (27-3)
4. Seckinger (23-8)
5. McDonough (26-4)
6. Pace Academy (24-5)
7. New Hampstead (23-6)
8. Benedictine (17-8)
9. Westminster (21-10)
10. Whitewater (19-12)

Class AAA

1. Sandy Creek (27-3)
2. Johnson-Savannah (20-12)
3. Dougherty (23-8)
4. Douglass (17-11)
5. Hebron Christian (25-4)
6. Monroe (23-7)
7. Carver-Columbus (24-6)
8. Cedar Grove (16-9)
9. Hart County (16-14)
10. Cross Creek (19-10)

Class AA

1. Westside-Augusta (28-4)
2. Toombs County (29-3)
3. Butler (24-7)
4. Columbia (27-4)
5. Thomson (22-4)
6. North Cobb Christian (20-7)
7. Athens Academy (23-6)
8. South Atlanta (23-9)
9. Model (22-8)
10. ELCA (23-7)

Class A D-I

1. Mt. Vernon (23-9)
2. Paideia (17-13)
3. Savannah (22-9)
4. Darlington (24-6)
5. Mt. Pisgah (14-18)
6. East Laurens (22-5)
7. Bleckley County (21-9)
8. Woodville-Tompkins (22-5)
9. Jasper County (19-9)
10. St. Francis (14-13)

Class A D-II

1. Greenforest (27-4)
2. Macon County (27-4)
3. Manchester (20-9)
4. Warren County (24-6)
5. Portal (28-2)
6. Calhoun County (24-6)
7. Lanier County (23-6)
8. Clinch County (19-6)
9. Mitchell County (23-6)
10. Christian Heritage (21-6)

2023-24 GHSA Basketball State Championship Recaps

Boys State Playoffs, Girls Recaps, Girls State Playoffs, Recaps

2023-24 GHSA Basketball State Championship Recaps


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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

CLASS A D-II

Greenforest EaglesR7 #1 No. 1 Greenforest 39, R3 #1 No. 3 Montgomery County 28: A 10-0 run spanning the end of the third quarter into the fourth quarter gave Greenforest (27-5) the separation needed to pull away from a scrappy Montgomery County (30-2) team, giving the Eagles their first state title. Greenforest trailed 8-5 after one and led 14-12 at the break as both teams struggled from the field, a combined 9-58. In the third quarter Greenforest began to establish 6-foot-6 UCF-signee Arek Angui inside, seeing the lanky post score with her turnaround jumper. The Eagles outscored Montgomery County 26-8 in the paint after being tied 4-4 at the half. Greenforest only won the rebounding battle 46-45. Angui finished with 10 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks while Milica Lazarevic added 11 points and 5 rebounds. Montgomery County was held to 9-62 (14.5%) shooting. Star senior Marley Bell ended her career with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Amire Banks added 7 points on 3-22 shooting.

Greenforest Eagles R7 #1 No. 1 Greenforest 68, R6 #2 Manchester 39: Greenforest (27-4) captured their fifth state title using a 22-7 third quarter to bury Manchester (20-9), outscoring the Blue Devils 38-20 in the second half. Up 30-19 at the half, Greenforest’s size and sharpshooting proved too much for the Blue Devils to contend with. Elijah Lewis dropped in 18 points to pace Greenforest. The Eagles held the Blue Devils scoreless for nearly three minutes as Greenforest soared ahead on a 7-0 run. Caleb Kawela provided the Eagles with 11 points and 11 rebounds as Greenforest outrebounded Manchester 56-29 and outscored the Blue Devils 34-20 in the paint. Daniel Daramola totaled 9 points, 7 rebounds and 1 block. Greenforest shot 39% from the field compared to Manchester’s 27.5%. The Blue Devils were led by Treylin Jones who finished with 14 points. Daryus Bryant collected 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks.

CLASS 4A

Baldwin BravettesR2 #1 No. 1 Baldwin 47, R1 #1 No. 2 Hardaway 39: After seeing a state title slip away last year, Baldwin (29-2) rallied from down 27-11 in the third quarter to stun Hardaway (27-5) for the school’s fourth state title, first since three-peating between 1986-88. With both teams playing 1-3-1 zones, points were hard to come by, especially in the first half. Hardaway led 15-9 at the break, holding the Bravettes to three points in the second quarter. The Hawks got momentum early in the third quarter building a 27-11 lead at the 5:18 mark riding a 12-2 run, forcing turnovers and getting balanced contributions offensively. Baldwin stormed back with 16-2 run highlighted by a 13-0 spurt to close the gap to 29-27 with 6:55 to play in the fourth quarter, but Hardaway would respond and drew Janaye Walker’s fourth foul at the 5:17 mark up 32-29. Mount St. Mary’s-signee Madison Ruff converted a tough And-1 to knot the game at 36 with 3:22 to play. Walker fouled out at the 1:31 mark tied at 39, finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Ruff struck again at the 1:14 mark, finding Kassidy Neal for a hoop to give Baldwin their first lead since 2-0 50 seconds into the game. Ruff, who scored nine of her team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter, also finished with 8 rebounds and 2 assists. The Hawks closed the game on a 16-3 run, including scoring the final 11 points of the game as the Hawks were held scoreless over the final 2:48. Neal finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds for the Bravettes who outscored Hardaway 22-10 in the final frame. The Hawks were led by Adazha Burrell’s 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Akilah Shelton posted 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks while Mikayla Johnson netted 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, all her points in the second half.

North Oconee TitansR8 #1 No. 3 North Oconee 65, R6 #1 No. 5 Holy Innocents’ 60 : A balanced attack and bevy of three-pointers helped North Oconee (30-3) upend Holy Innocents’ (26-7) for their first state title in school history. Down 29-25 at the half, the Titans went on a 14-0 run sprung by four consecutive threes to jump ahead 44-33. Holy Innocents’ wouldn’t lead again after the stretch which saw freshman Justin Wise bury three of his five three-pointers en route to finishing with 19 points. North Oconee would go 9-24 from deep, including 6-12 from distance in the second half. Khamari Brooks, who did a great job defending Caleb Wilson in the first half, picked up his fourth foul with 1:33 to play in the third quarter. Wilson quickly got to work, and propelled the Golden Bears to a 7-1 run to finish the third quarter down 45-40. Fast forward to 39.1 seconds left in regulation, Holy Innocents’ still trailed 60-57 after Devin Hutcherson ripped away steal under the North Oconee basket for two of his 23 points to pair with his 13 rebounds. The Golden Bears got a stop on defense but with Wilson trapped in the corner on offense, the star junior called a timeout but had none left, resulting in a technical foul where Justin Payne split a pair of free throws to put the game out of reach for good. Wilson finished with 26 points (9-11 FT; 3-4 3PT), 18 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks but the balance of North Oconee was too much. Byrd Carter piled in 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block while Brooks tallied 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Evan Montgomery provided 7 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block while Payne had 5 points, 8 assists and 2 steals. The Titans beat the Golden Bears in transition, outscoring them 12-2 in fastbreaks and turning 12 Holy Innocents’ turnovers into 15 points while turning the ball over only six times.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

CLASS 2A

Mt. Paran EaglesR6 #1 No. 1 Mt. Paran 59, R4 #2 No. 2 Josey 52: Mt. Paran (29-3) didn’t make a field goal the last 6:18 of the game but the Eagles shot 12-24 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and 23-40 for the game to three-peat as state champs. Campbell-signee Ciara Alexander put in 22 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 8-13 from the line while Jessica Fields collected 16 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals and 6 blocks, going 10-15 from the line. Tied at 27 at the half, Josey (28-4) never led in the second half as the Eagles slowly pulled away. Kerri Fluellen was electric for Josey with 11 of her 20 points coming in the first quarter before fouling out at the 1:58 mark down 53-46. KeAsia Henderson supplied support with 17 points. Mt. Paran saw Kitali Youmans post 5 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists and 5 steals. Jacalyn Myrthil had 11 points.

Westside-AugustaR4 #1 No. 1 Westside-Augusta 64, R3 #1 No. 4 Toombs County 29: Westside-Augusta (28-4) controlled the pace from the opening tip, jumping out to a 10-0 run to race away from Toombs County (29-3) to claim their third consecutive title. 11 players scored for Westside led by Lavonta Ivery’s 14 points and Jarious Adkinson’s electrifying 11 off the bench highlighted by a handful of dunks. The Patriots outscored the Bulldogs 34-6 in the paint, 12-0 in transition and 28-6 via the bench. Dominic Eason led Toombs County with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. The Bulldogs trailed 16-7 after one and 31-14 at the half. Westside held Toombs County to just eight made field goals and a 24.2% success rate. The Patriots converted on 26 attempts and took 20 more shots than the Dogs.

COED THREE-POINT CONTEST

  1. North Hall
  2. Commerce
  3. Trion/Lowndes

CLASS 5A

Maynard Jackson JaguarsR5 #1 No. 2 Maynard Jackson 58, R5 #2 No. 4 Midtown 44: For the fourth time this season, Maynard Jackson (29-1) defeated region rival Midtown (27-6) to claim the program’s elusive first state title. Down 14-10 after the first quarter, the Jaguars ripped off a 14-0 run which grew to a 24-6 spurt that gave Maynard Jackson an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter after holding a 28-22 advantage at halftime. Turnovers were the story as they were all year for the Knights against Maynard Jackson, coughing the ball up 22 times after turning it over 29, 17 and 17 times during their first three meetings. The Jaguars scored 27 points off turnovers and netted 18 fastbreak points. Briaiah Lewis was held to six minutes in the first half after picking up two fouls and finished her career with 1 point and 10 rebounds. Midtown trimmed the lead to 38-35 with 6:33 to play on a Devin Bockman jumper, two of her game-high 23 points on 7-11 shooting, 4-5 from beyond the arc, but the Jags would respond with a 9-0 run which featured a three-pointer from Kennedie Cooper, Maynard Jackson’s first make from distance after missing their first 11 attempts.  The Jaguars outscored the Knights 36-12 in the paint. Shakira Gresham led Maynard Jackson with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 steals and 2 blocks. Aaliyah Weaver posted 13 points while Taliah Cornish added 11. Hailey Wortmann battled foul trouble and provided the Knights with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Kell LonghornsR6 #1 No. 1 Kell 62, R2 #1 No. 3 Eagle’s Landing 51: After beating Eagle’s Landing 61-53 last year in the state championship, the Longhorns (28-3) topped the Eagles (23-8) again behind a decisive 8-0 run in the fourth quarter. Kell led wire-to-wire in a close game, up 26-24 at the half. A 6-0 run from Eagle’s Landing knotted the score at 35 at the 2:29 mark of the third quarter but the Longhorns closed on a subsequent 7-0 spurt keyed by a Connor Staphylaris corner three right before the buzzer to surge ahead 45-37. Staphylaris, who finished with 9 points, drilled back-to-back threes part of an 8-0 jolt that pushed Kell to a 55-42 advantage with 4:51 left in regulation. Before the Staphylaris daggers, it was South Florida-signee CJ Brown who answered every Eagles threat. Brown tallied 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block to close his career, excelling at getting to the rim and scoring through traffic. Alabama A&M-signee Jaylen Colon provided 14 points while Cannon Richards posted 8 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Eagle’s Landing saw Chris Morris II record 17 points and 6 rebounds. Dwight Brown pitched in 9 points and 8 rebounds.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

CLASS 3A

Hebron Christian LionsR8 #1 No. 1 Hebron Christian 62, R7 #1 No. 2 Wesleyan 60: A Chit-Chat Wright three-pointer trimmed the Hebron Christian (30-2) lead to 19-18 at the 4:20 mark of the second quarter but the Lions responded with a 13-2 run to close the half and lead 32-20 at the break, before surviving in the second half to repeat as state champs. Hebron outrebounded a relentless Wesleyan (27-4) 40-27 and held the Wolves to 31% from the field. Danielle Osho posted 14 points and 15 rebounds in the win. Texas-signee Bryanna Preston powered Wesleyan with 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Wolves closed the third quarter on a 7-0 run to enter the fourth down 47-35 after trailing by as many as 23 points and sliced the lead to 49-40 after a Shayla Bahr three but Johanna Potter fouled out with 4 points for Wesleyan at the 6:02 mark. A pair of Wright free throws put the Wolves behind 55-48 with 2:40 left and trailed 61-56 with 20.6 seconds left after a Wright three. The Georgia Tech-signee finishing with 24 points, 14 coming in the fourth quarter sparking a frantic comeback, outscoring Hebron 25-15 in the final period. Following a technical foul on the Hebron bench and a foul on a jump shot, the Wolves found themselves down just two with 6.8 left to play. Coming out of a timeout, the Wolves were unable to get a shot up, turning the ball over.

Sandy Creek PatriotsR5 #1 No. 1 Sandy Creek 74, R3 #2 Johnson-Savannah 49: Sandy Creek (27-3) ripped off a 27-4 run in the first half to pull ahead for good and claim their second consecutive state title. The upset-minded Atomsmashers (20-12) went blow for blow with the Patriots, tied at 11 midway through the first quarter before Sandy Creek found their groove. Jacobi Robinson netted eight of his 18 points in the frame to spring the Pats to an early lead. Sandy Creek shot 6-13 from beyond the arc in the first half to build a 42-22 lead and finished the game 8-19. James Madison-signee Micah Smith posted 15 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 5 blocks. Five Patriots reached double figures with Jared White (12), Missouri baseball-signee PJ Green (12) and Amari Brown (11) all producing. Joshua Quarterman paced Johnson-Savannah with 20 points and 5 rebounds. Favion Kirkwood netted 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks.

GIRLS THREE-POINT CONTEST

Lizzie McGrath

First Place: Lizzie McGrath – Riverwood
Second Place: I’ziah McCutchins – Trion
Third Place: Ellie Southards – Rabun County/Amira Walters-Smith – Colquitt County

CLASS 6A

Marist War EaglesR4 #1 No. 3 Marist 67, R8 #1 No. 2 North Forsyth 48: Marist (30-1) shot a blistering 63% and saw Kate Harpring rack up 27 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 1 block before fouling out at the 2:29 mark up 62-45 as an encore performance after netting 47 points in the Final Four to power the War Eagles to their second title in three years. Tied at 16 after one quarter, North Forsyth (31-1) fell off pace, outscored 16-7 in the second quarter to enter the break down 32-23. Abby Lindsay sank a pair of threes for the War Eagles in the frame and finished with 13 points. Hannah Faklaris posted 16 points. North Forsyth got a buzzer-beating three from London Weaver to send the game into the fourth quarter trailing 54-38. Weaver would finish with 15 points and 4 rebounds. Gabbie Gliatta tacked on 16 points and Emma Rose scored 10.

Riverwood RaidersR4 #4 No. 7 Riverwood 67, R5 #1 No. 1 Alexander 63 OT: History was made in scintillating fashion as Riverwood (25-7) stunned the defending state champs after trailing 12-1 to open the game, forcing overtime on a pair of Vanderbilt-signee Karris Bilal free throws at the 1:04 mark of regulation. Riverwood trailed Alexander (29-3) at the half 29-26, shooting just 19% from the field, but buoyed by JR Leonard’s 13-16 shooting from the foul line. In total, Leonard would go 19-23 from the charity stripe as the Raiders went 25-32 while shooting just 2-23 from beyond the arc. Riverwood took their first lead of the game with 6:20 to play in the third quarter, 32-31, but would lead for just 16 seconds before falling behind again. Alexander held a 43-39 lead through three quarters but couldn’t gain any separation. Kennesaw State-signee Braedan Lue led the Cougars with 26 points and 13 rebounds while Chris Hutchinson stepped up with 15 points and 9 rebounds, but fouls were a major problem throughout, especially in the backcourt as Alexander was whistled for 27 fouls as they struggled to contain Leonard. The star junior gave Riverwood their first lead since early in the third quarter when he scored at the 3:30 mark of the fourth quarter to go ahead 52-51. From there, the score would see-saw, Jermaine Freeman putting the Cougars up 54-52 after converting an And-1 with three minutes to play but the South Cobb transfer would foul out with 1:04 to play with 8 points as Bilal netted a pair of free throws to deadlock the game at 57, forcing overtime. In the extra period, Bilal hit a pull-up jumper with 2:13 to play to take the lead, two of his 17 points to pair with his 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Jesse Graves, who had 5 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal, hit a short jumper in the lane to go up 61-57 with 90 seconds left before Leonard sank two more free throws to lead 63-57, part of his 31 points and 5 rebounds. Lue trimmed the lead to 64-63 with 26.8 left to play, but Kaleb Bilal coolly sank a pair of free throws before Leonard buried the dagger from the line to make it a four-point game. The Raiders led for just 2:57 of the game, trailing Alexander for 27:12.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

CLASS A D-I

St. Francis KnightsR6 #1 No. 1 St. Francis 74, R6 #2 No. 2 Galloway 71 OT: A 6:30 scoring drought for Galloway (19-11) in the second quarter nearly cost the Scots a chance at a state title as St. Francis (24-7) utilized a 16-0 run to jump ahead 30-17 and lead 30-19 at the half before a Tianna Thompson barrage got the Scots back in it before ultimately falling to St. Francis (24-7) for the third time this season and second straight year in the state championship. Thompson exploded in the third quarter with 11 points and two free throws from freshman Sophia Louis-Pierre pushed Galloway ahead 40-38 before settling for a 42-40 deficit after three quarters. Austin Peay-signee SaMya Wyatt, the reigning Class A D-I Player of the Year, was saddled with foul trouble and attempted just two shots over 14 minutes over the first three quarters. Wyatt, who scored 13 of her 27 points in the fourth quarter of last year’s championship, scored eight points over the fourth quarter and overtime to finish her career with 10 points on the day. A transition layup from Thompson, a Georgia Tech-signee, put the Scots up 62-60 with 69 seconds left but Wyatt would knot the game up from the foul line seconds later and the score would head into the extra period deadlocked at 62 after a Desi Taylor layup with three seconds left rimmed out for the Knights. Up two in overtime, Nya Young delivered a dagger three from the wing with 32 seconds left to take a five-point lead. Freshman Giaunni Rogers led St. Francis with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while Amelia Basit double-doubled with 12 points and 11 rebounds.  Thompson led all scorers with 37 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Louis-Pierre stepped up with 18 points and Taryn Thompson netted 8 in a game that featured 12 lead changes and 14 tied scores.

Mt. Vernon MustangsR6 #1 No. 1 Mt. Vernon 48, R6 #2 No. 2 Paideia 40: Paideia (17-13) scrapped and clawed but a 17-4 third quarter did in the baby snakes as Mt. Vernon (24-9) was able to dominate inside to pull away for the school’s first state title, beating Paideia for the second time this season after cruising to the Region 6 title 66-48.  After being outscored 10-4 in the paint in the first half, trailing 23-18 on the scoreboard against Paideia, the Mustangs outscored the Pythons in the paint 12-0 in the third quarter and went on a 12-1 run to lead 35-27 following three quarters. Mt. Vernon would finish the game with a 22-16 advantage in the paint and outrebounded the Pythons 34-24. West Georgia-signee Xavier Shegog led the charge after a 1-point first half, totaling 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. KJ Garris added 10 points and 8 rebounds while Sha’Yah Goba racked up 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. Georgia State-signee Trey Scott had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 blocks, the Mustangs blocking 10 shots total. Freshman Tristan Mitchell powered Paideia with 16 points. Frank Jackson fouled out with 5 points and David Oglesby-Smith fouled out with 4. CJ Harper netted 6 points.

BOYS SLAM DUNK CONTEST

  1. Jeremy Bell – Clinch County
  2. Chris Perry – Bradwell Institute
  3. Evan Montgomery – North Oconee
  4. Dylan Barbra – East Coweta

CLASS 7A

Grayson RamsR4 #1 No. 1 Grayson 65, R3 #1 No. 4 North Paulding 44: There was no let down on the pursuit to perfection as Georgia’s best rolled to their first ever state title, Grayson (32-0) racing past North Paulding (25-7) for the second time this season. A slow start saw both teams tied at 2 early on, but a decisive 15-0 run moved the Rams ahead 17-2 and would never trail. Georgia Tech-signee Danielle Carnegie tallied 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals while Florida Atlantic-signee Erin Rodgers contributed 18 points and 6 rebounds. Grayson outscored North Paulding 42-20 in the paint and scored 27 points off 19 Wolfpack turnovers, 14 miscues which came in the first half. The Rams recorded 14 fastbreak points and 22 second chance points. Tatum Brown had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals while Nicholls State-signee Malaya Jones added on 10 points and 3 assists. North Paulding received 12 points from Marina Sippola and 7 apiece from Wheeling-signee Jayda Jackson and Ava Andrews while Andrea Landrum netted 8 points off the bench.

Grayson RamsR4 #1 No. 1 Grayson 51, R3 #1 No. 2 McEachern 41: Grayson (30-2) edged Rutgers-signee Ace Bailey and McEachern (26-6) for the second time this season to finally claim the program’s first state title and sweep Class 7A along with the girls. McEachern opened the game ice cold, just 1-17 from the field but trailed only 11-5 after one quarter. The Indians surged ahead 22-20 at the 1:42 mark of the second, but Grayson closed on a 6-0 run highlighted by two Jacob Wilkins slams to enter the break up 26-22 and never trailed again, the Rams leading for 29:15 minutes compared to just 33 seconds of an Indian advantage. The UGA-commit Wilkins had multiple highlight plays with slams that broke the back of the Indians, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Bailey did his best to lead McEachern, scoring 14 points in the first half, but the five-star prospect was clamped down to just 18 total points in the game to go along with his 6 rebounds and 2 assists, finishing 8-20 from the field as the Indians as a whole shot 30.5%, buoyed by a 53.3% second quarter in which they scored 17 points. The Rams outscored McEachern’s bench 11-0 and outrebounded the Indians 47-27, College of Sequoias-commit Ahmad Clark providing a spark off the bench with 8 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Purdue-signee Gicarri Harris tallied 9 points and 5 rebounds followed by Western Carolina-signee CJ Hyland’s 8 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. McEachern received 10 points and 6 rebounds from Nnadozie Onyirimba, the only other Indian in double figures.

Boys State Playoffs, Recaps

GHSA Boys Basketball Final 4 Matchups


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CLASS 7A

Saturday, March 2 at Georgia State

R3 #1 No. 2 McEachern 63, R5 #1 No. 3 Wheeler 56: Rutgers-signee Ace Bailey dumped in 32 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks to lead McEachern (26-5) to the state championship. The Indians used a 9-0 run to pull away after Wheeler (25-6) had cut the lead to 47-46 at the 6:55 mark of the fourth quarter. Nnadozie Onyirimba tallied 11 points and 9 rebounds. During the postseason, Bailey has now averaged 32.8 points and 15.5 rebounds per game.

R4 #1 No. 1 Grayson 57, R6 #1 No. 8 Milton 40: Amir Taylor posted 13 points and 8 rebounds while Purdue-signee Gicarri Harris collected 12 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists as Grayson (29-2) punched their ticket to Macon where they will see McEachern, who they beat in the first game of the season 79-62.  Milton (20-11) saw Daniel Ogunyemi and Anthony Gause score 14 points apiece. Josh Dixon added 8 points.

CLASS 6A

Saturday, March 2 at West Georgia

R5 #1 No. 1 Alexander 93, R3 #1 No. 5 Woodward Academy 63: Kennesaw State-signee Braedan Lue posted 20 points and 11 rebounds. Gregory Dunson had 19 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Torian Greene had 13 points, Jermaine Freeman had 11 and Chris Hutchinson added 10.

R4 #4 No. 7 Riverwood 79, R3 #2 No. 8 Jonesboro 63: Riverwood (24-7) raced past Jonesboro (22-11). Vanderbilt-signee Karris Bilal dumped in 30 points and Jalen Leonard posted 22 to lead the Raiders. Jonesboro was paced by Cortez Redding (21), Chris Jones (15) and Montez Redding (14).

CLASS 5A

Friday, March 1 at West Georgia

R2 #1 No. 3 Eagle’s Landing 69, R5 #4 Maynard Jackson 51: Bobby Buggs had 18 points followed by Dwight Brown’s 15 and John McQueen’s 10 to lead Eagle’s Landing (23-7).

R6 #1 No. 1 Kell 66, R8 #2 No. 10 Winder-Barrow 34: Cannon Richards tallied 14 points and 6 rebounds as Kell (27-3) overpowered Winder-Barrow (26-5) on their way back to the state championship. South Florida-signee CJ Brown added 13 points and 9 rebounds while Alabama A&M-signee Jaylen Colon posted 10 points and 7 assists. Chris McLavish had 9 points, 4 assists and 6 steals. Brayden Rouse had 7 points.

CLASS 4A

Saturday, March 2 at Fort Valley State

R8 #1 No. 3 North Oconee 65, R2 #1 No. 4 Baldwin 64: A putback from Khamari Brooks put the finishing touches on a fourth quarter comeback for North Oconee (29-3) to stun Baldwin (27-3) who trailed early but had a lead for a significant portion of the fourth quarter. Brooks finished with 28 points. Justin Wise scored 14 points, Justin Payne had 10 and Byrd Carter tossed in 8 points. Isaiah Dennis led the Braves with 21 points while Tre Lawrence and Karez Demory pitched in 11 apiece.

R6 #1 No. 5 Holy Innocents’ 52, R3 #2 Benedictine 45: Caleb Wilson shined with 18 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists and 8 blocks as Holy Innocents’ (26-6) finally put away an upset-minded Benedictine (17-8).  Will Hopkins added 12 points and Devin Hutcherson had 10. Rhys Williams collected 9 points and 6 assists. The Cadets received 20 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals from Caleb Jones. Northern Illinois football-signee LaDon Bryant had 9 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks.

CLASS 3A

Saturday, March 2 at Savannah State

R5 #1 No. 1 Sandy Creek 66, R1 #3 No. 10 Carver-Columbus 32: James Madison-signee Micah Smith scored 19 points, Jacobi Robinson had 15 and Amari Brown netted 10 to push the Patriots (26-3) back to Macon for a chance to defend their state title.

R3 #2 Johnson-Savannah 55, R1 #1 No. 4 Dougherty 51:  Cormari Jones posted 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals while Favion Kirkwood put up 15 points and 8 rebounds and Joshua Quarterman tacked on 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists as Savannah (20-11) upended Dougherty (23-8) in dramatic fashion as the Trojans rallied and had a chance to take the lead with under a minute to go on an And-1 attempt but saw the officials whistle a charge thanks to Quentin James’ heroics to seal the deal for the Atomsmashers.  Kaleke Singletary-Jinks led Dougherty with 18 points while Jawuan Jinks had 11.

CLASS 2A

Saturday, March 2 at Georgia College

R3 #1 No. 4 Toombs County 47, R4 #3 No. 2 Butler 42: Tied at 39 with 3:59 to left to play, Toombs County (29-2) dug deep to trudge past a scrappy Butler team that wouldn’t go away even after trailing 30-20 at the break. The Bulldogs (24-7) held Toombs County to five points in the third quarter and eventually secured a 36-35 lead in the fourth quarter with 5:42 to play, capping a 16-5 run. Defense carried Toombs County even during their offensive struggles. Coach Jared Goodwin turned to a 2-3 zone midway through the fourth that helped stifle the Bulldogs as Toombs County would close on a 8-3 run to advance to Macon. Dominic Eason had an explosive first half with 17 points and finished with 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Mike Polke added 8 points and 9 rebounds including adding two important free throws in the fourth quarter. Butler saw Kwamane Bridges tally 13 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks while Marcus Scurry contributed 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. Roosevelt Brown stuffed the box score with 6 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks.

R4 #1 No. 1 Westside-Augusta 70, R5 #2 No. 5 Columbia 59: For the third consecutive season, Westside-Augusta (27-4) eliminated Columbia (27-4) and now has an opportunity to three-peat as state champs. The Patriots leapt out to a 21-13 lead to start and held a 39-32 advantage at the half. In the third quarter, Columbia responded and trimmed the lead to 40-38, but Westside-Augusta would turn to a zone defense to stifle the Eagles. Eight different players scored for Westside led by DeMarco Middleton’s 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Dontrell Jackson contributed 13 points off the bench while AJ Jones netted 11 and Bobby Blackwell posted 10 points and 2 blocks. Columbia saw Quay Wallace lead all scorers with 22 points and 4 rebounds. JaMarcus Hatcher closed his career with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 5 blocks.

CLASS A D-I

Friday, March 1 at Georgia College

R6 #2 No. 2 Paideia 56, R3 #1 No. 3 Savannah 39: CJ Harper took over in the fourth quarter with 9 points as Paideia (17-12) surged past a short-handed Savannah (22-9) after holding a 35-29 advantage following three quarters. Harper finished with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. Freshman Tristan Mitchell scored eight of his 14 points in the first half and added 3  assists. Frank Jackson scored 9 points. Jermaine Edwards powered Savannah with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Maki Joyner-less Blue Jackets got 11 points from Jermontae Brown and 3 points, 9 rebounds and 8 blocks from Deshawn Davis.

R6 #1 No. 1 Mt. Vernon 77, R6 #4 No. 7 Mt. Pisgah 39: The Mustangs jumped out to a 15-2 lead and never looked back. Mt. Vernon (23-9) saw Sha’yah Goba rack up 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks while West Georgia-signee Xavier Shegog tallied 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Mustangs outrebounded the Patriots 41-16. KJ Garris piled in 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Dennis Scott III had 9 point and 9 rebounds. Gabe Alterman had 6 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Montevallo-signee O’Neill Connolly tallied 10 points in the loss.

CLASS A D-II

Friday, March 1 at Fort Valley State

R6 #2 Manchester 62, R8 #1 Warren County 60: Jayden Terry scored 24 points and Daryus Bryant had 14 to pace Manchester (20-8).  Torossie Leslie scored 19 points and Cosa Pender had 17 in defeat for Warren County (24-6).

R7 #1 No. 1 Greenforest 68, R6 #1 No. 3 Macon County 44: Michael Robinson netted 22 points for Greenforest (26-4) while Elijah Lewis and Caleb Kawela added 13 apiece. Macon County (27-4) was paced by Frankie Raines Jr.’s 17 points and Tyler Stephens’ 11.

Boys State Playoffs

GHSA Boys Basketball Elite 8 Matchups


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CLASS 7A

R5 #1 Wheeler 62, R2 #1 Campbell 57
R3 #1 McEachern 72, R7 #2 Norcross 57

R4 #1 Grayson 87, R7 #1 Peachtree Ridge 59
R6 #1 Milton 79, R2 #2 Pebblebrook 65

CLASS 6A

R5 #1 Alexander 62, R2 #1 Grovetown 47
R3 #1 Woodward Academy 51, R5 #4 Douglas County 42

R3 #2 Jonesboro 62, R5 #3 Langston Hughes 51
R4 #4 Riverwood 70, R6 #1 Woodstock 64

CLASS 5A

R2 #1 Eagle’s Landing 66, R5 #1 Tri-Cities 51
R5 #4 Maynard Jackson 77, R4 #2 Tucker 69

R8 #2 Winder-Barrow 66, R2 #3 Warner Robins 64
R6 #1 Kell 60, R2 #2 Dutchtown 46

CLASS 4A

R2 #1 Baldwin 58, R6 #2 Westminster 48
R8 #1 North Oconee 78, R3 #1 New Hampstead 58

R3 #2 Benedictine 65, R8 #2 Seckinger 58 OT
R6 #1 Holy Innocents’ 63, R4 #4 Whitewater 49

CLASS 3A

R5 #1 Sandy Creek 75, R1 #2 Monroe 44
R1 #3 Carver-Columbus 76, R8 #1 Hart County 53

R3 #2 Johnson-Savannah 57, R8 #2 Hebron Christian 50
R1 #1 Dougherty 71, R5 #2 Douglass 64

CLASS 2A

R4 #3 Butler 51, R6 #2 South Atlanta 47
R3 #1 Toombs County 67, R8 #1 Athens Academy 41

R4 #1 Westside-Augusta 78, R7 #1 Model 40
R5 #2 Columbia 55, R2 #2 Southwest-Macon 34

CLASS A D-I

R6 #2 Paideia 69, R1 #2 Pelham 54
R3 #1 Savannah 53, R7 #2 Darlington 49

R6 #4 Mt. Pisgah 66, R2 #3 Bleckley County 55
R6 #1 Mt. Vernon 73, R2 #2 East Laurens 57

CLASS A D-II

R6 #2 Manchester 61, R1 #2 Calhoun County 46
R8 #1 Warren County 76, R3 #1 Portal 74 OT

R7 #1 Greenforest 87, R3 #2 McIntosh County Academy 62
R6 #1 Macon County 69, R2 #2 Clinch County 53