Young Guards Shine
2021 5-10 PG Tyrease Jones (Brunswick/Team Next Up): Tyrease Jones stole the show on Sunday with his ability to score in bunches. Jones came out red-hot, scoring 13 of his team’s first 18 points before finishing with a game-high 30 in electric fashion in a 73-47 win over SBT. The wired-to-score shooter nailed seven threes and scored at all three levels. Jones even collected 6 rebounds to go with his offensive outburst. The microwave scorer has lit it up this offseason and looks primed for a breakout season at Brunswick. He will be a player to keep tabs on over the next two seasons, especially if he carries his scoring prowess into the high school season.
2021 5-11 PG Isaiah Logan (Allatoona/North Metro Elite): Cat-quick with a knack for playmaking, Isaiah Logan ran wild in a 69-65 win over Team Strap. Logan was a blur in transition, outracing defenders to the basket to finish with 28 points while going 7-11 from the foul line. Logan looks like a true point guard, one who can handle pressure in tight spaces and also zip in assists out of tough angles. Logan is all gas no breaks. With more time he will get better at changing speeds and knowing when to pull back or go full throttle. Logan should be ready to take over the reins of the Allatoona offense and be able to push the tempo in Coach Chad Phillips’ system.
Rising Senior
2020 6-0 G Keon Sedgwick (Paulding County/SEBA FCI Warriors): A true menace on defense, Keon Sedgwick is non-stop energy and effort on the perimeter. Sedgwick replicated his performance from when I first saw him last season and did not disappoint with his ability to stuff the stat sheet on Sunday. Sedgwick is a tenacious defender that thrives in an up-and-down tempo. He’s a wiry long guard that takes pride in his defense. Sedgwick has a nose for the ball that helps him be involved in nearly every play. Offensively, he uses his quickness to get to the basket but also has a steady midrange pull-up when he stops on a dime.
For the Future
2022 6-2 SG DJ Potts-Heard (Woodstock/Cherokee Legacy): D-I programs might want to keep the name DJ Potts-Heard on the backburner. The rising sophomore is a lights out shooter, one of the best in his class rivaling Chase Cormier of St. Pius X. It wasn’t just Potts-Heard’s shot-making ability that stood out on Sunday but his constant movement without the ball to get free, coming off screens and weaving his way in and out of traffic until he found freedom. Potts-Heard knows that his greatest weapon is his three-point shot, but he can do more than just stroke it from deep. As he continues to mature his body expect his game to diversify and develop into one of the toughest scorers in the North Metro area.
2022 6-5 W Trey Harris (North Paulding/SBT): Coming off of the program’s best season in school history, North Paulding will begin the rebuilding process around Tampa-signee Jacob Harris’ little brother, Trey. Much like his older brother, Trey has a smooth feel to his game with a feathery soft touch to score from all over the floor. He poured in 20 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in a loss to Team Next Up while hitting three three-pointers. Harris can score in a hurry but not in a loud way, he gets his points quickly and quietly leading opponents shell-shocked when they look at the box score. Harris can put the ball on the floor and get to the basket with his length but his jump shot is probably the most reliable piece of his arsenal right now. As he gets stronger and gets more reps at the varsity level, Harris’ ceiling might be higher than his brother’s who had a historic career with the Wolfpack.
2020 6-4 CG Camrone Cherry (Northeast-Macon): The Middle Georgia Bucks showed up late in their game against the Atlanta Timberwolves both literally and figuratively as the game was nearly ruled a forfeit. Down almost 20 points at one point and losing 43-28 at the half, the Bucks staged a furious comeback behind Cam Cherry to win 76-70. Cherry scored 18 of his game-high 21 points in the second half and added 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks. In the first half Cherry was in cruise control. He had a nonchalant demeanor about him, just floating around on the floor. The second half was a different story. Cherry decided to play and when he decides to play, he can takeover games which is exactly what he did. The set-shooting lefty bombed in two deep threes to get his scoring barrage rolling and hit a total of three in the second half. Cherry is a physically imposing guard with a great frame complete with strong wide shoulders. Once he put his head down and got his shoulders past his defenders there was nothing they could do to stop him. Cherry also created open looks for his teammates and had a nice two-man game with running mate Jarden Maze. Second half performances like Sunday afternoon are why many people are so high on Cherry and the immense talent he possesses but the first half is the other side of the coin that has to be completely wiped away for him to reach his potential. If Cherry is engaged for the full 32 minutes he steps on the floor every time out, he has a chance to the be the best player in Middle Georgia this season and a Mid-Major level recruit if not higher. Cherry’s altitude will be determined by his attitude on the court.
2020 5-9 PG DJ Wright (Greene County): The All-State guard has a flair for the dramatic. DJ Wright drilled a three with seconds left to complete a comeback from down 16 points to stun the Hype Hawks 63-61. Wright turned it on, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the second half. Wright lets the game come to him. During the varsity season he could probably stand to be a little more aggressive but especially on the travel circuit, Wright is content with getting his shots in the flow of the offense. He hit three three-pointers in the win and also scored from the mid-range and in. For him to succeed at the next level as an undersized guard, Wright will have to have a bulldog mentality – something that he has shown he already possesses.
2019 6-5 PF Shamar Rouse (Warner Robins): The unsinged senior had a monster game in the Battle For Georgia Qualifier Championship, posting 22 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 blocks. Rouse played above the rim with his sneakily explosive bounce. He used that athleticism to clean the glass, rock the rim and protect the paint. Rouse showed some rough and tumble inside to score in traffic and win loose balls. It was a great performance for the big man looking for a late home.
2020 6-5 F Josh Spencer (Alpharetta): Josh Spencer had an excellent first half and carried God’s Property. The strong combo-forward finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds while drilling three threes. Spencer had a handful of early injuries and setbacks during the high school season before rounding into shape. Spencer should be a featured option with Alpharetta this season which will help his development. He has improved with putting the ball on the floor and creating his own shot. With increased confidence and experience, Spencer should be in a good position to have a college destination this time next year.
2020 6-0 PG Roman Son (Therrell): The state champion picked up where he left off at Therrell using his blinding speed to blow past some of the most highly sought-after prospects in Georgia en route to 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in a 78-74 win over Game Elite. Son is a floor general and vocal leader not shy to bark out orders. He knocked down a few pull-up jumpers in the lane – a good sign – but his overall shooting outside of 15-feet is still a heavy work in progress. He went 2-10 from the line, missing three late free throws. Son has the intangibles to be considered a top 10-15 point guard in the 2020 class for Georgia, but to fully cement himself as a top dog he will need to get up as many shots as possible to shore up his one offensive weakness.
2020 6-4 SG Chris Youngblood (East Coweta): East Coweta’s climb from nearly worst to first in Region 2-AAAAAAA was well-documented this season. Youngblood’s perimeter prowess and strong frame have made college coaches take note. Coming off of a 
2020 6-3 G/F Kirshon Thrash (Eagle’s Landing): Since seeing him last summer at Georgia State Team Camp, Kirshon Thrash has slowly begun to grow on me. His uniqueness and physicality make him a jack-of-all-trades at the high school level. Standing 6-foot-3, Thrash plays at the guard position but honestly could play 1 through 4 with his strength allowing him to defend multiple positions. Much like Youngblood, Thrash is a bully on the low block when needed but what separates him from most guards in his class is his outright productivity all over the floor. Thrash is an exceptional passer that riffles assists into tight quarters. His powerful build makes him a menace on the glass and defensively, he seems to always have his hands on loose balls. Against Game Elite he tallied 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. If Thrash is able to add a consistent three-point shot to his arsenal, expect the human wrecking ball to be even tougher to stop offensively.
2020 6-5 W Trashawn Wilson (New Manchester): The biggest stock riser from the HoopSeen Tip-Off had to be Trashawn Wilson from New Manchester. The Jaguars were the most talented 11-16 team in the state last year and having Wilson as a fourth leading scorer is something most coaches in the state would dream of. Wilson had a big game in Team Forrest’s 69-68 OT win over AC Georgia, scoring 22 points, grabbing 5 rebounds and snatching 2 steals. The 6-foot-5 wing was smooth, hitting jumpers all over the floor while also attacking the rim and finishing 5-5 from the line. His And-1 jumper in OT sealed the win. Going from unknown to head-turner, Wilson left me wanting to see more and that’s definitely a good thing.
