Category Archives: Player Feature

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Player Feature

Artistic Cammon uses hardwood as his canvas

A picture is worth 1,000 words. You might need that and then some to describe rising senior guard Joshua Cammon and his worldly outlook on life. From basketball to baseball to photography and fashion, Cammon doesn’t just stuff stat sheets, he also lives a very busy and fulfilled life.

“I know I picked up baseball first because my older brothers played baseball and they taught me but I actually ventured into basketball when I was five years old but I started baseball when I was four,” explained Cammon who played his junior season at Eastside where he averaged 13.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.4 steals as a team captain for the 20-10 Eagles.

More impressive was Cammon accomplished this feat with a broken wrist that kept him sidelined during baseball season and limited him to being only a pinch-runner.

“I didn’t know I had a wrist injury but I had a broken scaphoid bone in my left wrist. During the basketball season, it had happened around Christmas but I just wrapped it up and played. I thought it was just a sprain.”

Cammon was a leader on the floor and personified toughness playing with a broken wrist
Cammon was a leader on the floor and personified toughness playing with a broken wrist
The Unknown

For high school players with aspirations of playing on the college level, playing year round is a must. Travel ball constantly allows kids to continue working on their game and in some cases, garner more exposure to college programs. On the other hand, the miles can start racking up on bodies and may cause fatigue if players don’t manage their time wisely.

The fact that Cammon, a potent performer on the high school level, has never played AAU is hard to fathom in this day and age. Instead, he has balanced his baseball and photography careers with the hardwood.

“I’ll go to the gym or even outside just to keep up”, explained Cammon on how he balances each sport by practicing the offseason sport – in this case basketball – on the weekends to maintain his muscle memory.

With one of his many goals being to play in college, missing out on the AAU scene can be a tough pill to swallow.

“I think I’m missing out on a bunch of things like scouts-wise because I know my really close friend Isaiah Miller who just left Eastside, he’s gotten a lot of scouts just through AAU itself. So I know if I played AAU two or three years back I probably could have gotten some better looks.”

Being an unknown commodity to college coaches and even at the high school level in the state of Georgia has its obvious downsides but it can also serve as motivation.

“I do feel like I’m an in the shadows person because of where I’m at in Georgia.”

New Beginnings

No longer will Cammon be in the shadows as he has transferred to DeKalb County’s winningest program in history, the Tucker Tigers who have a mark of 870 wins and 591 losses. Coming off a 20-7 season, Cammon brings a versatile skillset to the table.

“I know I can bring more scoring and defensively, I’m not going to lay down on defense and not get back,” explained Cammon who also thinks he can change the tempo of the game by either slowing or speeding the pace to his liking.

With transfers in and out of the Eastside program, Cammon and his parents sought a more stable location to play his senior season. Cammon received recommendations about Coach James Hartry who has amassed a 317-149 record in 16 seasons at Tucker.

After playing his whole career at Eastside, joining a new school posed potential problems fitting in, but Cammon has made the transition seamlessly.

“I feel like it’s not too hard [picking up a new system]. I like it. At first I wasn’t sure about it but then when I actually went in there and started playing more summer games with them I kind of fell in love with it and the team and people. It was so calming.”

Youphoric Lifestyle

Joshua Cammon separates himself from other athletes with his passions off the court. The 3.3 GPA student is a fan of anime such as Naruto and Dragon Ball Z but more impressively, runs his own fashion company and is a passionate photographer.

“Photography has been my thing for a while. I’ve actually been taking pictures since I was about 12. I’ve been taking pictures of my mom’s friends’ weddings and I’m going to be taking pictures for my aunt’s in January,” said Cammon, a modern day Ansel Adams.

Photography takes Cammon to his happy place
Photography takes Cammon to his happy place

Cammon noted that his dream school would be Virginia Commonwealth because of their great basketball, baseball and photography programs.

Aside from his photography, Cammon has also begun a clothing line called Youphoric ATL. That is focused on happiness.

“Youphoric, the word comes from euphoria which means being happy and elated. So I put ‘You’ because you can’t find happiness without finding it in yourself first.”

Cammon’s inspiration for the line came from his own life experiences.IMG_9807

“I started it because there was a time I was sad because of family things and issues I don’t like going through. I just learned how to not be involved with it but still enjoy life without it,” explained Cammon who with a group of friends opened the company on March 20 of 2015.

The Next Chapter

The next chapter of Joshua Cammon’s life has yet to be written. At age 17, Cammon’s lifelong novel already has an impressive introduction. As a renaissance man, the body of Cammon’s book will continue to expand with the many different avenues he can choose upon. Combo guard in basketball, infielder in baseball, exquisite photographer or fashion entrepreneur, the life of Josh Cammon is worth the follow on and off the court.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Player Feature

Duo’s Loyalty Helps South Paulding Shatter Records

A school-record 25 wins. A 17-3 mark in Region 5-AAAAA. An Elite Eight appearance; the deepest run for any boys team in school history. This is the resume of the 2015-16 South Paulding Spartans led by Coach Gil Davis.

From humble beginnings back when the school opened in 2006, Davis has been there from the very start. Over the past four years since Davis has taken over as head coach the Spartans have taken off, compiling a record of 87-28.

Gil Davis
Gil Davis

Overseeing the program grow from a relative unknown into one of the brightest young programs in the state has been a gratifying experience for Coach Davis.

“It’s been crazy. It’s been a tough process but it’s been a lot of fun to see it come to where we’ve been the last four years,” explained Davis. “A lot of hard work, a lot of butt kickings early and just fighting through it. It’s just been a lot of fun these last four years.”

That hard work and those butt kickings endured as a young program have paid off.

“It’s really been awesome to be honest with you. We’ve been tabbed kind of as a football school from the beginning,” said Davis about the basketball program’s recent success in the playoffs.

“Here in Paulding County, basketball has never really been a big deal, so it’s been a really big deal to us to put this county on the map so to speak and put our school on the map as far as basketball is concerned.”

Pillars of a Program

Two rising seniors have led the way in South Paulding garnering statewide respect and attention. Kane Williams and Ja’Cori Wilson both hold Division-I offers. Williams is a playmaking 6-foot-3 guard that averaged 16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals per game as a junior, good enough to earn a Sandy’s Spiel All-State Class AAAAA Second Team selection. Wilson, a versatile 6-foot-7 forward, led the team in scoring with 17 points per game and 10 rebounds a night on his way to Honorable Mention honors.

Kane Williams
Kane Williams

The two building blocks of the program are still reaching their potential and their humility has prevented them from acknowledging just how much they have meant to South Paulding.

“I don’t even think they really realize how big it’s been,” said Davis. “It’s just another thing that’s put us on the map. County-wise, we’ve been on the map so to speak, but it puts us on the map as far as the state goes with all these things they are being a part of like HoopSeen and things like that; bringing a lot of attention to our school and making us more viewed as a basketball school and an up-and-coming program.”

Williams and Wilson’s play has gained the attention of college coaches. Williams holds offers from Middle Tennessee State, Alcorn State and Southern, while Wilson has scholarships from Alcorn State and Southern in hand.

JaCori Wilson
JaCori Wilson

“It’s been awesome to see these recruiters come out here. A lot of them get here and are like, ‘Coach, I didn’t even know this school was here’ and things like that. It’s just great that South Paulding is becoming a place that people can view in a positive light when it comes to basketball.”

Blood Is Thicker Than Water

The South Paulding basketball program has become a family, close knit with each player and coach looking out for one another. For every Kane Williams and Ja’Cori Wilson, there is an unsung hero like Anthony Brown inside gobbling up misses and setting the school-record for most rebounds in a career with 481. Brown has graduated but other key pieces return like D.J. Jackson, a gritty undersized guard, Jordan Burge, a 6-6 forward ready to make an impact in Brown’s absence, and others like Drew Shepherd and James Bryant.

A team that prays together, stays together
A team that prays together, stays together

What do these steady role players have in common with stars like Williams and Wilson?

An all for one and one for all mentality.

Williams and Wilson like so many other high school standouts with designs on playing D-I could have left their homegrown AAU team the Georgia Stunners. Instead, the two stalwarts anchor the team they have been a part of since the seventh grade and continue to build an unmatched chemistry with their year-round teammates.

Georgia Stunners
Georgia Stunners

“We’ve been together since seventh grade. Every year I’ve been like, if I left now, it’s like leaving a brother behind or leaving someone behind that I’ve been with for so long,” explained Williams about his loyalty to not only the Georgia Stunners program but the camaraderie built at South Paulding.

Wilson echoed his sentiments.

“It’s been like family. It’s been a great experience and you learn a lot, you do a lot, it’s just great.”

Reaping the Benefits

Going on over five years now playing together, both Williams and Wilson have seen their hard work and dedication to one another come to fruition with their individual and team success at South Paulding.

“It’s been very fun. It’s been an amazing experience to actually break the [school] record and all that stuff. Accomplishments that nobody at this school probably thought we could accomplish. It’s been a fun ride since freshman year all the way to now,” said Williams.

“It means a lot like what Kane said,” explained Wilson on the duo’s years together turning into shattering school records and leaving a lasting legacy. “We came from nothing and we’ve been striving to get to where we are. To see that we’ve accomplished something that not many people have done at this school, it’s been great.”

When asked about their goals for their final season in the burgundy and gold, the 2015-16 County Player of the Year, Williams, and the program’s single-season record holder for points in a season, Wilson, didn’t mention anything about individual goals, but team missions.

Kane Williams honored as County Player of the Year
Kane Williams honored as County Player of the Year

“Of course I want a state ring,” exclaimed Williams. “But short-term I just want a winning season; taking every game one game at a time.”

“Not losing inside the region. Claiming a region championship and getting W’s,” is Wilson’s objective.

As two of the program’s best players ever to step foot in South Paulding High School near their final season, both players have praised Coach Davis for his guidance along the way with Wilson stating, “He’s been a great mentor, a great coach, a great guy and being there for us.”

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Player Feature

St. Pius looks golden behind Kerney Lane and brothers

“A workhorse. He’s an absolute gym-rat. I’ve never quite been around somebody who loves the game as much as him. He loves it, he lives it, sleeps it, breathes it and he’s somebody that when the lights turn on and when the crowd’s big, his game rises.”

That is what St. Pius X Head Coach Aaron Parr said at DeKalb County Media Day of senior forward Kerney Lane. The Golden Lions, coming off of a school-record 25-win season and a Sweet 16 appearance, have relied heavily on the southpaw since he moved to town for his junior season.

Born in San Luis Obispo, California, his mother elected to move the family to the East coast to be closer to relatives. It turned out to be a good decision and a blessing for the Golden Lions as Lane earned First Team All-Region honors last year and now has St. Pius at 17-2 and ranked No. 3 in Class AAAA.

Windermere Prep Rock Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team
Windermere Prep Rock Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team

Going from California to possibly the toughest region in the state, Lane explained that the competition in Georgia is a bit fiercer.

“In California I went to a small catholic school with like 400 kids and we played other catholic schools that were around the same size,” said Kerney. “So I’d say that the competition here is a little more competitive just because of people being taller and more athletic. Just the skill of play is probably a lot higher because Atlanta is obviously a big city.”

King of the Jungle

Playing in Region 6 means there are no days off. Entering the season, four teams were ranked among the top ten. Fast forward to Week 9 and the Region boasts No. 2 Lithonia, No. 3 St. Pius and No. 4 Grady, with Lithonia and Grady both holding the No. 1 spot in the state for multiple weeks.

The Golden Lions have never been known as a high-flying act or a power plant for Division-I talent, so how have they been able to compete with the likes of Lithonia and Grady with Bucknell-commit Avi Toomer and even a prestigious program such as Columbia?

“Focusing on details has put us in a great position,” said Lane of the Golden Lions’ current 42-7 two-year span. “I think we’re a very respectful team because of our defense and how we shoot the ball and how we play well in big moments. Last year we had the most wins Pius has ever had because we did the small things.”

Simply put, with all the success St. Pius has had, it all boils down to one thing.

“It has a lot to do with our coaches and our players all wanting the same thing, which is to win. I think that Coach Parr has set us up for each of us to succeed in the right moment.”

The smooth lefty has averaged 18.5 points and 7 rebounds per game this season, meaning he is St. Pius’ go-to guy on offense; a role Kerney embraces.

“I’m a really big competitor. I just think that when my team needs me, I’ll step up for them. I’ll do whatever it takes to win. So if that means me scoring a lot, I’ll do that. If it means me passing or making big plays for someone else or finding someone else then I’ll do that. I think it’s just whatever my team needs me to do, I’ll do.”

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Overcoming Adversity

A player with the right size and versatile skillset to score either inside or outside is something college programs crave. So why is one of the Peach state’s best unsigned seniors still available? During the travel season with the Atlanta All-Stars Lane tore his meniscus in June which caused him to miss some time during the hotly recruited summer months. The adversity of the slight setback did not hinder Lane’s ability to stay positive and work his knee back into shape. With the numbers he is producing his senior year, no one can question that Kerney is back to 100 percent.

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Programs such as Elon, Holy Cross and UNC-Asheville have remained in touch with Lane and have shown interest while Georgia College and North Georgia have put forth offers for the 6-foot-6 forward’s services.

“It’s been difficult at times but I think that by working hard and playing well, coaches will remain in contact,” said Kerney of his recruitment process which has slowly began to heat up.

Parr’s Purpose

One person Lane has leaned heavily on during the recruitment process and who has helped guide Kerney into becoming a better player is Coach Aaron Parr. A Class of ‘06 graduate from St. Pius and the school’s all-time leading scorer, Parr is a young head coach who already is in year five at his Alma Mater after finishing his playing career at Birmingham-Southern.

Coach Parr on stage with Kerney and Christian Merrill
Coach Parr on stage with Kerney and Christian Merrill

His youth and relatability has helped form a close bond between him and his players.

“He has helped me a lot,” said Kerney. “He’s taught me a lot because he’s a younger coach and he’s went through the same thing I have. He’s familiar with AAU and that whole situation, so he’s kind of helped me with getting coaches in the gym and how to react to coaches and respond to them.”

Lane and the entire St. Pius team has a chance to make a statement and gain some exposure as they travel to Norcross High School this Saturday to take part in the Peachtree Corners Invitational (formerly Hilton Invitational). The Golden Lions meet Mountain Brook High School out of Birmingham, Alabama.  The Spartans boast 6-foot-7 freshman Trendon Watford, a five-star prospect and younger brother of former Indiana University standout, Christian Watford. The younger Watford averages 24.5 points and 11.1 rebounds and will likely be locked up with Lane all game long.

With countless college coaches on hand for the day long tournament, Kerney and the rest of the Golden Lions remain focused on getting better each day and not letting the potential pressure of hundreds of eyes watching get to them.

“It’s a non-region game so we kind of look at it more as an opportunity to get better. At every game there could be a lot of coaches, but I think we have to just treat every game like the last one and play hard and try to win every game. I don’t focus on the other stuff.”

Family Ties

Kerney is not the only Lane on the St. Pius roster. Young brother Everett is a 6-foot-2 sophomore who has seen his role and playing time grow each week. At first the idea of playing with his brother was a little different, but now the elder Lane has come to embrace it.

Everett pictured in middle
Everett pictured in middle

“It’s actually been a lot of fun. I was kind of expecting it to be a little annoying at first just because he’s a brother and I’ve been playing with him since I was a little kid, but it’s always been not fun and games, it’s been extremely competitive,” explained Kerney.  “It’s actually been a really big help because we both know each other’s strengths and weaknesses to a point. I think we are both really good when we are on the floor together and he’s having a great year so far. He’s a really good teammate so it’s been a fun experience having us both out there.”

Kerney actually isn’t the oldest brother, the eldest being 22-year-old Arthur who resides in Charleston, South Carolina. Arthur is as proud an older brother as they come, always watching St. Pius games on his computer and supporting his two siblings from over 300 miles away.

“It’s been great,” said Kerney. “He watches all the games online. He’s been an incredible supporter and extremely helpful with things that he sees on film. He is very good with making sure my image is right. He’s very committed to it and I really appreciate that.”

Kerney, with the support of his family along with his teammates and Coach Parr, has put St. Pius into the limelight as a state title contender.  Battling past his minor summer setback, Lane looks to be a lock to follow in his coach’s footsteps and become a gem for any college program that offers him a scholarship.

Coaches' Corner, GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Player Feature

Lincoln County Quickly Becoming More Than Just A Football School

500 Wins. An .830 winning percentage. 33 Region titles. 11 State Championships. That is Lincoln County’s resume for football. Lincolnton, one of the best pigskin towns in the state. For basketball? Try 1998 as the Red Devils’ last notable winning season. Lincoln County has long been known as a football county but with Wesley Wuchte at the helm and Ahmad Rand inside, the two are steering the Red Devils to one of the program’s best seasons in school history.

Currently Lincoln County is 7-3 overall and ranked No. 7 in Class A-Public. It has been a vast turnaround from last year’s 10-11 campaign. Coach Wuchte, a former Evans High School standout under Coach Kevin Kenny and Aiken Tech forward for Coach Bruce Capers, is in his second year as varsity head coach after leading the junior varsity. The 26-year-old coach has overseen the slow development of the program, coaching all the juniors and sophomores on the roster since they were in eighth and ninth grade. Wuchte also serves as the Lincoln County Middle School head coach.

At 26, Coach Wuchte has led the Red Devils to their best start in years
At 26, Coach Wuchte has led the Red Devils to their best start in years

So how has Lincoln County gotten off to a fast start? It has to do with taking the seriousness on the gridiron and transferring over that same winning attitude onto the hardwood.

“I think it’s just buying into the culture,” explained Wuchte. “It’s a big football school out here. I only have three of my kids that don’t play football and only play basketball and that’s Zach [Crite], Ahmad [Rand] and Maciah [Gunby], which are my three leading scorers.

“Overall they are just buying into the culture. …They are playing defense hard, they play together and they are playing for one another.”

Introducing Ahmad Rand

For a program that hasn’t seen a winning season in nearly two decades, Wuchte was brought in with a young energy and a passion to turn things around. Players have been held accountable, film has been dissected with the team and each player has bought into doing the little things in order to be successful.

As the team has grown and realized something special could be on the horizon, one star has shined bright. 6-foot-7 junior forward Ahmad Rand has blossomed into the centerpiece for a now balanced attack with Crite (16.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.8 spg), Gunby (9.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Devon Holloway (11.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg) all making key contributions. The interest in Rand has started to grow and for good reason as he has shattered the school record for triple-doubles and is averaging an eye-popping 16.7 points, 16.4 rebounds and 9.6 blocks per game this year. He has heard from a handful of Division II schools and one D-I program, Kennesaw State University.

(L-R) Ahmad Rand, Zach Crite & Devon Holloway
(L-R) Ahmad Rand, Zach Crite & Devon Holloway

Rand has helped turn Lincoln County into a highlight factory with his dunks and ability to swat any shot thrown his way. The Red Devils welcomed rival Washington-Wilkes to Lincoln County last Tuesday and won 74-64 in front of a sell-out crowd that hasn’t been seen in years thanks to the hype that Rand and the rest of the Red Devils have built.

“It was so packed. It was so unreal. Kids were like ‘man I’ve never seen the gym this packed’ and I said yeah, you guys are turning it around, continue to grind. We are in the right direction, I’ll tell you that,” said Wuchte.

Finding Focus

Rand initially played football his freshman year but decided basketball was his calling after Wuchte encouraged him to focus on hoops. So how has Rand turned himself into a household name? It didn’t happen overnight or by luck.

“He just dedicated his whole entire offseason. So every day, I’m talking about four or five days a week him, Maciah and Zach, those three would be in there every day and Ahmad and Maciah especially, religiously they came every day,” said Wuchte.

Ahmad agreed that it has been a lot of hard work that has gotten him to the level of play he’s reached this season.

“I’ve been doing a lot of individual workouts with my coach in the offseason. Plus I’ve been into AAU which has definitely helped me out a little bit,” said Rand.

Ahmad Rand has overcome obstacles to become a premier '17 player
Ahmad Rand has overcome obstacles to become a premier ’17 player

Rand played over the summer with Team Power in Augusta but may be branching out to play with the Atlanta Xpress, one of the best Under Armour sponsored teams in the entire nation which features the likes of MJ Walker (Jonesboro), Elias Harden (Sandy Creek), Rayshaun Hammonds (Norcross) and Michael Durr (Westlake) as some headlining juniors.

Rand says he is used to playing power forward or center, but understands that if he joins a larger team or plays at the next level he may see a lot of time at the small forward position as well.

When asked why he decided to dedicate his life to improving on the court and in the classroom, one name came up as a motivating force.

“To be honest, he’s [Coach Wuchte] is the main reason why I’ve made it this far,” said Rand. “I didn’t really start taking basketball serious until my freshman year and sophomore year. He’s been helping me a lot during the offseason and doing a lot of workouts. He’s been pushing me and motivating me. Every day in the car ride home he’s telling me what I need to improve on and what other stuff I need to do.”

On The Map

As Coach Wuchte continued to provide support and guidance for Rand, the light went on as Ahmad realized he could have a future in basketball.

“When I started seeing myself get better, I started going home and thinking real hard about it. This year I said I have to have a better season than last year and that’s what I’ve been doing. And every day I’ve been working harder and harder and my name started getting out there more.”

Along with seeing his own name popping up across the internet, the re-emergence of Lincoln County basketball has been something special to Ahmad and something he takes pride in being a part of.

“Knowing that Lincoln County is a football county, we have a lot of leaders. Me and our starting shooting guard were talking about it. We have to bring LC up. This week we’ve beaten teams from Augusta and everything so that has been helping us get our name out there a lot.”

It’s been a long time coming, but Lincoln County basketball is finally being put back on the map by Coach Wuchte, Rand and a strong junior and senior class. With only around 350 kids in the school, the Red Devils have learned to become a close knit team, not only by suiting up together but by blood as Rand is cousins with both junior Zae Gartell and sophomore Javon Reid, who also stars as the Red Devils’ quarterback in football, a team which finished 9-2 this year.

Don’t be surprised if Lincoln County with its new found focus and emphasis on basketball becomes a statewide player on both the football field and the basketball court.

Chad Cook of @AugBball breaks down Lincoln County’s win over Lakeside: http://www.augbball.com/2015/12/lincoln-county-improves-to-3-0-with-win.html

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Player Feature

Freshman of the Year Jacques Holmes to put Clinch County on the Map

Sophomore Jacques Holmes quietly turned heads as a freshman at Clinch County High School in south Georgia. Clinch County, home of less than 500 students and a part of the Class A-Public field, hasn’t won a state championship in basketball since the years of 1987 and 1989. A program that hasn’t seen that type of success in years, the Panthers aren’t one of the most publicized programs in the state, but after a freshman season which saw Holmes average 13.7 points per game and lead the Panthers in scoring, the playmaking guard hopes to put Clinch County back on the map.

Holmes was named HoopSeen Class-A Freshman of the Year after his play helped the Panthers increase their win total by four games and finish the season 9-11. For those who haven’t heard of Holmes yet or don’t know his style of play, Jacques or his nickname pronounced “Joc”, gave me the inside scoop.

“I like to push the tempo and penetrate the defense and get my big men open. I like to reward my big men for running. I pass a lot, but I’m a pretty good shooter,” explained Holmes. “I’m really an all-around player.”

To build on his rookie season success, Holmes stayed in the gym to fine tune his game.

“I played AAU. I did a lot of staying after school doing drills, just constantly working.”

Playing for a team out of Brunswick called Elite, Jacques is ready to translate his summer circuit progress into the high school season. Recalling how he felt about being named the Freshman of the Year, Holmes said, “It wasn’t really a surprise, but it was kind of. Coming in as a freshman I didn’t think I was going to start or get the minutes that I got, but I worked hard.”

Panthers On The Prowl

With its leading scorer another year older with a full-year of playing experience under his belt, Clinch County has high expectations this season to compete for a top seed in the region tournament and scrap for a state playoff berth. Holmes says that the team has put an emphasis on improving their defense and feels like their blend of size and speed can give opposing teams trouble.

Junior Jerrod Jones will be one of Clinch County’s leading scorers to compliment Holmes’ abilities. He averaged over 10 points and 6 rebounds a game while handing out nearly 3 assists per night.

“He’s a pretty good player. He’s very unselfish,” said Holmes of his teammate.

In the halfcourt offense, Holmes and Jones should thrive in Coach Terrence George’s five-out pass-and-cut offense. The constant movement and ball-screens allow Holmes to drive and dish or finish at the basket.

Hitting The Headlines

Playing at such a small school, I wondered what it was like and if it is difficult to get noticed by college scouts.

“It is kind of. If you’re not playing AAU down here or if you’re not getting out of the city to play ball, you can get recognized, but you got to be a great player.”

One great player that Jacques looks forward to matching up with is Tamarrion Terry of the defending three-time Region 2-A champion, Turner County (25-4, 16-0). At his forward position, Terry garnered All-State Honorable Mention after averaging 17.1 points and 11.5 rebounds per contest.

“I just watch film on him a lot…If we can just play good perimeter defense, him being 6’4”, it’s pretty hard to stop him, he’s pretty quick, but if we just play good perimeter defense on him we’ll be okay.”

Becoming A Leader

Coach George has taken the young Holmes under his wing and has helped mold him into the player he is now becoming.

“He’s taught me a lot of things. The main thing he’s taught me is how to deal with certain situations, game situations,” he said.

One part of the growing process has been being able to keep a level head during the rebuilding process that Clinch County has been undergoing. It has been a fight for the Panthers to reach .500.

“I get frustrated a little bit, but I know I can’t be frustrated. I know being the best player on the team I have to motivate my guys to just get better at the next practice and next game. Just go out and be better.”

Leadership is something he has taken serious and wants to improve on over the next three years of his career.

“I’m going to be a bigger leader this year; I should have been last year, but I didn’t know everything that I know now. I plan on being the biggest leader I can be.”