Category Archives: GHSA Basketball

Game Stories

Smith shines in No. 2 Sandy Creek win at No. 5 Trinity Christian

No. 2 Sandy Creek 60, No. 5 Trinity Christian 47

Separated by just 9.3 miles, Friday night’s Top 10 showdown was the first time Class 4A No. 2 Sandy Creek (7-3) and Class A-Private No. 5 Trinity Christian (9-5) had met on the hardwood. In a packed bandbox, five-star 6-foot-9 junior Jabari Smith led his Patriots into battle against Trinity Christian’s athletic backcourt and lengthy frontcourt.

Trinity Christian, powered by the Dominican trio of 6-foot-7 senior Giancarlo Bastianoni, 6-foot-3 senior Raul Arias and 6-foot-4 junior Isaac Brito, got on the board first with a Bastianoni baseline jumper off a Brito assist.

Bastianoni asserted himself inside early, scoring nine of his 15 points in the opening quarter but with less than two minutes to play, Sandy Creek edged ahead and seized control of the lead as Deshon Proctor muscled his way to eight early points.

Sandy Creek led 16-13 after the first quarter as Smith contributed four points and set the tone defensively with three blocks.

The Patriots would nurse their lead the final 24 minutes, slowly extending it before the Lions would trim back into the deficit. Sandy Creek led 24-15 before Brito challenged Smith at the rim to end an 8-2 run.

Riding Smith, Sandy Creek pushed their lead to 32-21 with 56.5 seconds left in the half and had their sights set on a double-digit lead heading into the final two quarters but instead, the Lions closed with a flurry, sparking a 7-0 run as Michael Morge drilled a three off the bench to wake Trinity Christian from the doldrums and help bring the halftime score to 32-28.

With Smith sitting at 12 points, Coach Will De La Cruz turned to Brito to defend the nation’s fifth-ranked player in the 2021 class. Giving up five inches, Brito bodied up and played physical. He baited Smith into his third foul at the 7:08 mark as the Lions stilled trailed by four points.

Trinity Christian sliced the Patriot lead to 35-34, the closest they had been since the first quarter, but a Daryl Rice layup and a subsequent Smith And-1 dunk quickly pushed the Sandy Creek lead back to six at 40-34 with 2:10 remaining in the third quarter.

The Patriots took a 44-36 lead into the fourth quarter as the Lions began to run out of steam, playing just six players. Trinity Christian made one last mini-run as they drew to within six at the 5:54 mark following a Bastianoni bucket inside.

Smith picked up his fourth foul 20 seconds later, but the Lions could not capitalize as the Patriots finished on a 14-7 run to close out a 60-47 road win. Smith took over down the stretch with nine of his game-high 26 points coming in the fourth while finishing with a double-double, collecting 14 rebounds and 6 blocks. Matt Williams hurt the tired Lions in the fourth with his energy, creating second chance opportunities on the glass while Brian Branch chipped in four late points as insurance.

My Take

Sandy Creek’s Jabari Smith is as good as advertised. Smith is a well-rounded player that can play inside and out. There aren’t many 6-foot-9 big men that are run off flare screens for threes but it’s a wrinkle that Coach Jon-Michael Nickerson can deploy to get his star open looks all over the floor. Smith’s defense hindered Trinity Christian’s downhill approach. Even though he finished with 26 points, Smith had to work for every point. The Lions played him straight up with Isaac Brito at times while other times digging down with a double team. Smith picked up an early technical foul after blocking a shot away but for the most part did a good job of keeping his head and not letting Trinity Christian’s physical approach take him out of his game. Deshon Proctor finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds, eight of his points in the opening quarter. Proctor has cut up his body even more and is a physical presence down low and a trusty worthy scorer up close. He also made a few nice passes that led to assists. Undersized 5-foot-8 point guard Daryl Rice had a few nice moments, his best coming in the third quarter with five points. I felt like Sandy Creek’s most impactful guard was 6-foot quarterback Matt Williams. The senior amassed 4,093 yards on the football field and while he may not be “the man” like he is on the gridiron, he still brings over invaluable toughness and a motor that doesn’t quit for the Patriot backcourt. Williams made back-breaking play after back-breaking play in the fourth quarter as the fatigued Lions couldn’t keep up. Williams did a great job of rebounding, especially on the offensive end earning a handful of second chances. Williams has a nose for the ball and on Friday, a knack for making winning plays. He finished with 7 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Trinity Christian was impressive in my first look. Their backcourt is big, athletic and aggressive, always looking to push the tempo and get downhill. 6-foot-4 junior Isaac Brito was the alpha male for the Lions. He is an elite athlete that plays above the rim and always is trying to find a way to get into the paint. His athleticism and toughness allow him to be an effective defender. He spent a good chunk of the game in one-on-one coverage on Jabari Smith and frustrated him at times, using his body well to refuse Smith deep post position. Brito finished with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 block as a high-usage guard that was asked to do a lot on both ends. Giancarlo Bastianoni was the second source of offense, but he was winded come the fourth quarter. Trinity Christian played just six players with only Michael Morge seeing the floor for a few minutes off the bench. Their short bench will play a role in how deep they can go at state, especially against teams that can shuffle guys in and out, press or can just get the Lions in foul trouble. The Patriots pressed early on and took some body shots at the Lions to make them expend some more energy earlier than they would have liked. Back to Bastianoni however, the big man is skilled and understands how to play the game around the rim. He is patient in the paint and uses his frame well and he has range that extends out to the three-point line. He came out with a big first quarter but his impact waned as the game went on. Bastianoni could be a good fit for a program that likes to operate their big men in the high post. If D-I schools don’t materialize, which they likely will, a D-II program will be getting a plug-and-play post.  North Georgia-signee Brady Burnett was rendered ineffective with two points. He did not have many opportunities to affect the game. When he’s involved, Burnett is a well-rounded forward that can produce both inside and out. Raul Arias was also quiet with 4 points. Sharmari Reed, a Kennesaw State football-commit, is another athletic guard that makes his biggest impact defensively. When the Lions are clicking, they are impressive getting to the rim but with how Sandy Creek shut down a majority of the driving lanes, they will need some consistent floor spacers to emerge against teams that can pack the paint.

Top Performers

Sandy Creek
Jabari Smith – 26 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal, 6 blocks
Deshon Proctor – 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Matt Williams – 7 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists
Daryl Rice – 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

Trinity Christian
Isaac Brito – 19 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Giancarlo Bastianoni – 15 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block
Sharmari Reed – 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals

Girls Recaps, Recaps

Statewide Recap 12-17-19

BOYS

Class AAAAAA

No. 10 Richmond Hill 60, Glynn Academy 47: Liam Markgraf netted 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds to pace the Wildcats. Sheldon Lewis had 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

Heritage-Conyers 78, 4ANo. 8 Salem 56: James White scored 27 points to lead the Patriots. RJ Noord netted 17 points and Darion Dalton had 13.

Apalachee 70, North Oconee 39: Jamonte Wallace scored 16 points while Jeremiah Chance netted 15. Brayson Hayes added 11 points.

Douglas County 64, Mays 48: Jaylen Jackson scored 14 points and snagged 5 rebounds. Jermicheal Mahorn scored 12 points while Omarion Smith finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 blocks.

Valdosta 62, Tift County 55: Ricky Brown had 32 points, 3 rebounds and 4 steals. Allin Floyd added 14 points and 3 assists. Melvin Smith scored 9 points.

Continue reading Statewide Recap 12-17-19 →

Rankings

Week 5 Boys Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

1. Grayson (10-1)
2. Norcross (9-0)
3. Milton (8-1)
4. McEachern (7-1)
5. Shiloh (13-0)
6. Wheeler (8-2)
7. East Coweta (9-2)
8. Pebblebrook (5-5)
9. Cherokee (9-1)
10. Newton (6-3)

Class AAAAAA

1. Tri-Cities (11-0)
2. Tucker (12-1)
3. South Cobb (9-1)
4. Lanier (5-3)
5. Pope (9-0)
6. Chattahoochee (9-4)
7. Alexander (7-2)
8. Allatoona (7-1)
9. New Manchester (7-2)
10. Richmond Hill (10-1)

Class AAAAA

1. Eagle’s Landing (7-0)
2. Lithonia (11-0)
3. Dutchtown (8-1)
4. Hiram (8-1)
5. Kell (9-2)
6. Cedar Shoals (8-1)
7. Veterans (9-0)
8. Warner Robins (8-1)
9. Walnut Grove (8-0)
10. Buford (7-3)

Class AAAA

1. Woodward Academy (12-1)
2. Sandy Creek (6-3)
3. Eastside (11-1)
4. Denmark (9-2)
5. Americus-Sumter (7-0)
6. Cross Creek (9-2)
7. Chapel Hill (7-4)
8. Salem (7-4)
9. Howard (8-3)
10. Marist (7-2)

Class AAA

1. Pace Academy (9-3)
2. Johnson-Savannah (7-1)
3. Hart County (6-0)
4. Dawson County (9-1)
5. Franklin County (11-1)
6. Windsor Forest (6-2)
7. Monroe (6-1)
8. Westminster (9-2)
9. Lovett (8-3)
10. Cherokee Bluff (6-4)

Class AA

1. Therrell (10-3)
2. Swainsboro (7-1)
3. Banks County (7-0)
4. Spencer (6-2)
5. Vidalia (7-2)
6. Jeff Davis (6-2)
7. Laney (6-1)
8. Douglass (8-3)
9. Woodville-Tompkins (6-3)
10. Butler (5-3)

Class A-Private

1. St. Francis (9-1)
2. Greenforest (5-3)
3. Walker (10-1)
4. Mt. Pisgah (9-1)
5. Trinity Christian (8-4)
6. Galloway (10-1)
7. Mt. Bethel (3-4)
8. Christian Heritage (6-0)
9. Wesleyan (4-2)
10. WD Mohammed (9-1)

Class A-Public

1. Treutlen (8-0)
2. Wilcox County (5-0)
3. Terrell County (6-0)
4. Lanier County (9-1)
5. Calhoun County (4-2)
6. Wilkinson County (4-3)
7. Drew Charter (6-1)
8. Hancock Central (8-2)
9. Irwin County (0-0)
10. Macon County (6-2)

The Hawks-Naismith Holiday Classic provided nationwide implications in Class 7A.

Continue reading Week 5 Boys Rankings →

Game Stories

Rutledge keys balanced attack in No. 7 Franklin County win over Jefferson

No. 7 Franklin County 71, Jefferson 63

Franklin County vs. Jefferson

What difference a year makes.

Tuesday night’s Region 8-AAA bout between Jefferson (4-5, 0-2) and No. 7 Franklin County (9-1, 3-0) pitted two teams with realistic goals of making noise in the state tournament. Last year’s postseason went in different directions as the Dragons finished 17-11 and lost in the first round to Westminster 53-50 while the Lions, ousted in the region tournament, had to rely on the power ratings system to sneak into the postseason where they had a Cinderella run, finishing just 15-14 but taking a trip to the Elite Eight before falling 60-58 at Dawson County. Fast forward 10 months later and Franklin County is far from being labeled an underdog anymore, off to their best start in over a decade and now regarded as one of the favorites to win Region 8.

Still getting used to playing with a target on their back, the Lions would have their hands full with 6-foot-8 Navy-signee Jacob Radaker. All-State senior guard Titus Brown got Franklin County off to a hot start, scoring seven of his team-high 21 points in the first quarter including a three-ball off an assist from running mate Micah Roebuck that made it 10-4 in favor of the Lions.

Minutes later, Brown returned the favor helping Roebuck get a clean look at a three in the corner to give the Lions a 14-8 lead after one period of play.

Owen Parker provided the Dragons with a lift in the first quarter and his energy around the basket became infectious as 5-foot-7 water bug Kam Robinson began to squirt into the lane and cause problems for Franklin County’s perimeter defense. His layup cut the lead to 19-18, but the Lions responded with an 8-1 run as the defense tightened the screws and found points in transition off a Roebuck layup and eventually pushed the lead to 27-19.

Spencer Darby ended the Jefferson drought with an offensive rebound and pull-up jumper.

Roebuck swooped in for a tough layup with 35 seconds left and on their final possession, the Lions dug out an offensive rebound off a loose ball scramble which led to a Qua Jones three at the buzzer to build the lead to 33-24 at the half.

Franklin County extended their lead to 40-27 at the 6:15 mark of the third quarter on a Brown three from the top of the key before Radaker finally awoke and started to dominate around the basket. The D-I big man sparked a 10-2 run which brought the score to 42-37 with 4:06 remaining and finished with 11 of his game-high 24 points in the frame, but it was 6-foot-3 sophomore post Keylan Rutledge who played neutralizer for the Lions.

The nimble wide bodied red-head scored nine points of his own in the quarter to give Franklin County a 54-46 lead after three. As Robinson and Radaker continued to attack the paint and draw the Dragons closer and closer, Rutledge provided body blows to stymy the comeback.

Jefferson had the lead cut to five on numerous occasions but Rutledge’s tough play kept them at arm’s reach as a crafty face up step-through, two of Rutledge’s 20 points, gave the Lions a 63-56 lead at the 4-minute mark.

The two teams traded stops and buckets down the stretch as free throws loomed large. Franklin County shot 20-of-34 from the line but made them when they needed to as Brown went 6-of-8 in the fourth quarter to ice the game as the Lions closed out a 71-63 victory, leading wire-to-wire.

My Take

Having a target on your back isn’t for everyone. Following a season-opening 67-58 loss to Class 7A Mill Creek, I wasn’t sure how the Lions would respond. Was last year’s deep playoff run simply a case of getting hot at the right time? Or was this senior-laden group seriously ready to handle the pressures of being one of Georgia’s best teams in Class 3A? Nine-straight wins answers that question pretty quickly. Winning the Bearden Border Wars Championship over Byrnes, SC has helped springboard the Lions into continued success against Georgia’s stiff competition. With Morgan County still figuring out its young pieces, moving to 3-0 in Region 8-AAA is crucial as the Lions keep pace with No. 5 Hart County. The backcourt of seniors 6-foot Titus Brown and 6-foot-1 Micah Roebuck is one of 3A’s best. Brown is a great finisher in the lane and is aggressive when getting to the basket, not giving up his dribble when he first meets resistance and instead able to back down and maneuver his way to the cup after checking all angles. He finished with a team-high 21 points and came up big in the fourth quarter by coolly knocking down free throws. Roebuck chipped in with 18 points as a jump shot first combo guard that has enough physicality to finish at the rim. Titlan Wells, the third key senior guard, isn’t as polished offensively as Roebuck or Brown but makes up for it with his hustle and defensive mindset. He finished with 4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. The X-Factor for Franklin County was none other than 6-foot-3 sophomore post Keylan Rutledge. When I first saw Rutledge last year, he was an interesting looking player, not sure what to expect out of him but as a freshman you could tell he knew how to play the game and had quick feet for a man his size. On Tuesday night, Rutledge was nothing short of tremendous, especially considering his matchup with 6-foot-8 Navy-signee Jacob Radaker. Rutledge was patient on the low block and displayed great footwork. He hit baby hooks, turnaround jumpers and showcased great touch on his passes. Rutledge has an advanced feel for how to play on the low block and use his body. If Rutledge can consistently play like he did on Tuesday, he is what can help Franklin County play at a championship level. That third scorer is paramount to the Lions’ success. Franklin County as a team runs tremendous sets that get clean looks. They love back cutting from the baseline and Coach Jason Shaver is a wiz with his ATO play calling.

Jefferson has played a tough schedule thus far that will prepare them for the rigors of the middle of the season and beyond. They have gone 2-1 vs. 7A schools and 1-1 vs. 6A schools but find themselves 0-2 in the region. Now that football players have returned, the Dragons should round into form over the next couple weeks. Jacob Radaker was quiet in the first half but showed why he’s going to Navy in the second, posting 24 points and 14 rebounds. He is long and has a soft touch inside. He didn’t float out to the three-point line much and anchored himself in the paint where he knew he had an advantage. The Dragons were held to just 4 threes as Franklin County clogged the lane on any drive and kick opportunities. 5-foot-7 junior Kam Robinson is lightning quick with the ball and excels at getting into the teeth of the defense. He had 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. If he can knock down threes on a regular basis it will open up even more driving lanes. Owen Parker gave a nice spark in the first quarter and finished with 9 points and 5 rebounds. His activity inside the paint led to second chance opportunities for the Dragons. Jefferson’s most interesting player was 6-foot-3 sophomore Malaki Starks. Recruited as an athlete on the football field that plays quarterback, running back and corner back with offers from Florida, UGA, Georgia Tech, LSU, Tennessee and South Carolina, Starks didn’t resemble anything of a sophomore. Starks has a college body already and is physical specimen. He didn’t show much offensively with 4 points, but he had 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal and can cause havoc with his athleticism especially on defense.

Top Performers

Franklin County
Titus Brown – 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Keylan Rutledge – 20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Micah Roebuck – 18 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal
Titlan Wells – 4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals

Jefferson
Jacob Radaker – 24 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Kam Robinson – 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Owen Parker – 9 points, 5 rebounds
Malaki Starks – 4 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal