Georgia State Session II Player Standouts

By Trent Markwith   (@TMarkwith14)

Holy Innocents’: Garrison Powell, Alex Hyatt

Powell and Hyatt look like they’re ready to take the reins at Holy Innocents after the graduation of three important seniors. Powell is only a rising freshman but he is extremely confident on offense and for good reason. He gets to wherever he wants on the court and can score in a variety of ways, Powell always plays with an intensity about him that you don’t usually expect to see from such a young player.

Hyatt had a strong sophomore season for the Bears but is looking to take on an even bigger role this season. Hyatt has an exceptional mid-range game, hitting time and time again with his soft shot. Although undersized for a forward, Hyatt has solid length and good touch around the basket. Look for these two to have big seasons for HIES.

Milton: Brady O’Connell

After the Georgia Tech team camp, I mentioned O’Connell as a long, athletic prospect who could help himself with a more active approach. O’Connell did just that this weekend at GSU. He was much more aggressive in half-court scoring opportunities, slashing from the wing and using his length and touch to convert inside frequently. O’Connell also got out in transition often this weekend, getting out ahead of the pack and putting his athleticism on display with some impressive dunks. If O’Connell continues this type of play, it will add another dimension to this Milton team and will go a long way in their success.

Northview: Matt Davis, Joseph Jones

Joseph Jones Northview
Joseph Jones

Northview’s team is highlighted by PG Justin Brown who had some absolutely dominant stretches this weekend. Brown is a well-known commodity for the Titans but Jones and Davis are both nice pieces on the perimeter for this team as well. Jones has made some noise on the travel circuit with AC Georgia and is one of the more athletic players you’ll see. He blows by defenders with tremendous speed in the half-court and transition but is not just an athlete, Jones has a good feel for game and nice skill-set to go with it.

Davis a lanky player on the wing for the Titans; he has a high, quick release from the outside and is very confident shooting. Davis is not afraid to go inside and while his lack of strength can limit him there at times, it is nice to see that he is willing to attack. Only a 2020 prospect, as Davis gets stronger he could turn into a very good all-around scorer for the Titans.

Dawson Christian AcademyLuke Chism, Ahmad Kamara

Dawson Christian went 27-5 this past season but now the Eagles have lost their three top scorers to graduation and are looking for others to step up. Chism played a big role as a sophomore last season and will now be the main guy for DCA. Compared to his JC Ballers team that I saw in May, it looks like Chism will have to be more of a scorer for this Eagles team, a job that he has embraced. He is very aggressive attacking the basket and has good touch and length when he gets there. Adding strength and consistent perimeter shooting should be his areas of focus over his last two years.

Kamara gives DCA another aggressive scorer. You can tell Kamara plays football, he loves contact and is fearless going inside with his strong build. I like how Kamara bangs down low and knows how to use his body even though he may lack height.

Duluth: Will Huzzie, Lamont Smith

Adam Flagler has been getting some publicity for the Wildcats recently and he displayed his scoring ability at all three levels again this weekend, but Huzzie and Smith are two other guys to keep an eye on this year for the Wildcats. Huzzie an ultra-athletic wing forward for this team and sets the tone for Duluth with his energy. He excels at the top of Duluth’s full-court zone press, wreaking havoc with his active hands and forcing turnovers that turn into powerful dunks for Huzzie at the other end.

Smith is a speedy guard who handles PG responsibilities for the Wildcats. Smith has scoring ability but it looks like he enjoys being a distributor for the team whether it’s him getting a steal and finding guys in transition or controlling things in the half-court. Smith averaged over 4 APG last season and I expect this number to rise this year. These two to go along with Flagler and Christian Kelly in the backcourt forms a very good core for Duluth.

King’s Ridge Christian: Eric Coleman

Eric Coleman

Coleman has been on the rise recently as a prospect, receiving offers from Mercer, Kennesaw State, and Western Carolina over the past few weeks. After seeing Coleman this weekend, it is easy to see why college coaches are starting to give him attention. Coleman is going to have to do a lot on offense for a Tigers team that lacks scoring but it doesn’t seem like he has a problem with that. At about 6’6”, Coleman has a very smooth outside shot for his size and has solid athleticism when attacking the basket. It also looks like he has improved his ball-handling ability, which is a big plus for a wing with his size. Look for Coleman to continue to solidify himself as one of the better 2019 prospects in Georgia.