GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Cherokee County Media Day

Etowah High School hosted Cherokee County Media Day on Tuesday morning. The boys went first for an hour followed by the girls. Much to my chagrin, I was only able to stick around for the boys portion of the event before having to hustle over to the office. Here’s some news and notes from my homeland.

 

Woodstock

Head Coach: Kingston Clark
Region 4-AAAAAAA
2015-16: 14-15 

How to become a perennial state playoff team in their new region: “We’ve been working out and conditioning. It’s going to be a tough task. We don’t have Wheeler to worry about any more, thank God for that. Milton’s gone, but it’s wide open. One through six, anybody can come up and win the region.”

What the Class of 2017 means to the program: “We have a great group of seniors. Tyreke [Johnson] was First Team All-Region last year, so he actually has something to prove. Brant [Hurter] signed with Georgia Tech already with a baseball scholarship. Cam [Crowe] has had several people looking at him so he has several offers on the table. They have a lot to prove. First and foremost, the very first thing I talked to them about when I walked into Woodstock’s gymnasium, there were no banners on the wall for boys basketball. So that is the number one goal, that those guys want to leave that legacy so they can come back and have something hanging on that wall they can say they played a part of.”

 

Cherokee

Head Coach: Roger Kvam
Region 4-AAAAAAA
2015-16: 12-14 

On the importance of Phil Cirillo and the senior class: “Phil’s been on the varsity for three years so has Eli [Mayberry] and Jack Carroll, who’s been on for four years, so we have a lot of experience. Jack was on the team as a freshman and actually started. I count on all three of those guys for leadership. Phil is very talented, he can do a lot of different things and play a lot of different positions. We kind of use him like a Queen in chess to do a lot of different things. I feel like we underachieved last year. We were not good on defense and we were kind of selfish on offense and I think we addressed that this summer a little bit.”

 

Etowah

Head Coach: Allen Whitehart
Region 4-AAAAAAA
2015-16: 14-14 

How to shape a new winning culture at Etowah: “First and foremost we came in with hard work immediately in the weight room. Most of the kids haven’t really lifted before. I feel like if you can go in there and push through barriers and kind of get a little strain going you can find out about yourself and that translates right over to the floor. We talked about everything being first class. You’ve got to look the part as well as be the part. I was fortunate enough while I was at Buford High School to be around phenomenal coaches: Gene Durden, Jess Simpson, Tony Wolfe and took a little bit from them. I was smart enough to steal a little bit and take some of that with me.”

On Kam Hickey: “He is going to be playing a 3/4 position for us. He’s going to be really counted on to be a mismatch for us for what we do offensively.”

On Lewis Simonson: “He did not play last year but he is going to be counted on as one of our leaders and someone who can knock down shots.”

On Julian Baldwin & Adrian Cohen: “Julian has a chance to have a great year. We really worked hard with his consistency, getting him stronger. His understanding of the game has really come around a lot. I feel like if he continues to improve at the rate he’s improving he will have a chance to have a phenomenal year. Another kid with a chance for a breakout year is Adrian Cohen. Adrian had a phenomenal fall and phenomenal summer on the [AAU] circuit. Again, consistency is something we are preaching with him as well. He has games when he looks like a really high level player. If those four can have consistency, they can really help us go.”

 

Sequoyah

Head Coach: Allen Carden
Region 6-AAAAAA
2015-16: 20-9 

How to build an identity with a young and inexperienced group: “We’ve talked about that from Day 1 in the weight room – our culture is going to be hard work. We are going to identify with being a strong defensive team. We are going to play smart fundamental basketball. We are going to act the right way and do the right things. As much as I talk about defensive rebounding, everybody knows you still have to put the ball in the hole so you’ve got to be strong skill-wise. But identity, we are always going to hang our hat on playing defense.”

 

Creekview

Head Coach: Casey Gramling
Region 6-AAAAAA
2015-16: 16-10 

How to become a state playoff team year-in and year-out: “That’s the million dollar question. Of course we want to be there and we do have some good pieces this year and we are trying to make a couple culture changes. One of the things we did was my team didn’t participate in a fall league this year. Now the kids are playing 100 games a year and those 25 games they play for their school just represented other games. We are trying to bring it back to where when they put on a Creekview uniform it means something to them.”

On the continuing emergence of KJ Jenkins: “KJ is a junior point guard, incredibly talented. He will be a third-year varsity player and he’s always had that mentality since he was a younger kid on the team. We are working on with him building that leadership role because this is his team and he’s the point guard. It’s a work in progress and he is doing really well in his new role. The kid can score, he’s smooth. He’s got a great shot, he can defend. We’ve had more college coaches in my gym in the last two months than we’ve had in my last two years I’ve been here. They are coming to watch KJ, they are coming to watch Chandler [Wright] and Weber [Sandlin].”

 

River Ridge

Head Coach: Ben Farist
Region 6-AAAAAA
2015-16: 8-18 

How to be patient with a young program and find a way to establish itself in a tough region: “I think a lot of it is not only now what we are doing, but investing in our junior program and realizing that they are the future of what we have but coaching who we have now. We aren’t getting any transfers in or anything crazy like that. So control what we can control. Working hard in the weight room to build athletes that we have currently in our program and making the offense more conducive to what we are good at.”

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Predictions

Bold Predictions

Parkview will make the state playoffs for the first time since 2007-08: Coming off a 10-16 season, the young Panthers will find a way to claw their way into the Class AAAAAAA state playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. With no seniors on the roster, Parkview’s young yet experienced backcourt along with versatile size in Ahmir Langlais and Tonerai Lane will do just enough to go dancing come February.

Update: Parkview finished 12-13 without a playoff berth

Lakeside-Evans and Heritage-Conyers will split during the regular season: Class AAAAAA preseason No. 6 Heritage-Conyers is a heavy favorite to win Region 3, but they will have to slip past some tough-nosed teams out of the Augusta area, especially Lakeside-Evans. A strong core with chemistry, Kalen Williams and blossoming forward Deon Berrien will push the Patriots and nip them once this year.

Update: Lakeside swept Heritage (3-0), including winning the Region 3 championship

Starr’s Mill will make the state playoffs for the first time since 2012-13: The pieces are in place for the Panthers to become one of Region 3-AAAAA’s best teams behind a young nucleus consisting of All-County guard Zach Pina, Region Freshman of the Year Nate Allison and junior forward Drew Hudson. The graduation of McIntosh’s best senior class in school history and the season-ending injuries to two of Morrow’s top three leading scorers makes the feat very doable.

Update: Starr’s Mill finished 18-11 with a Sweet 16 appearance

Stephens County will make the Sweet 16: The Indians last made the state playoffs in 2012-13 and finished 16-9 last year but missed out on the tournament. Now in a friendly region to rack up some wins, 6-foot-7 DeUndra Singleton, NuNu Walker and Ty Nails should be enough to clinch a top two seed in the region and defeat whoever comes out of Region 6-AAAA in the opening round of the state tournament.

Update: Stephens County finished 20-8 with a Sweet 16 appearance

Pace Academy will drop at least one Region 5-AAA game: Even though the No. 1 ranked Knights have arguably the No. 1 ranked player in the nation, someone out of Region 5 will knock the Knights off at least once. Preseason No. 8 Lovett did the honors last year with a 66-63 overtime victory and will get another crack to do it again this year. Add in No. 6 Cedar Grove and a scrappy Redan group and the Knights will certainly have their guard play tested.

Update: Pace Academy finished 16-1 in Region 5 with a 55-42 loss at Cedar Grove

Someone from the field will rise up to steal the Class A-Public crown from Wilkinson County: With No. 2 Crawford County and No. 7 Manchester added to the mix, Class A-Public gets a lot tougher. With that said, No. 1 Wilkinson County enters as the favorite, but this year the field might catch WilCo for just the second time in a six year span. Marcal Knolton (Crawford County) and Rashun Williams (No. 4 Calhoun County) have the talent and size to lead their respective teams to a deep run and match Wilkinson’s front line which is counting on Greg Couson to return healthy from an ACL tear.

Update: Wilkinson County won their 9th state title with a 66-53 victory over Calhoun County

Dwon Odom will have a handful of D-I offers by the end of the season: Already a star on the AAU circuit, No. 5 St. Francis’ freshman guard Dwon Odom will make a name for himself on the varsity level and in a loud fashion. Athleticism like his can’t be taught. The 6-foot-2 pogo stick will play the passing lanes and come away with some monstrous dunks this season. He might not be good enough to carry St. Francis to another state title yet, but he has the makings of becoming something special.

Update: Georgia Tech, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Rutgers among others, have offered

Don’t sleep on Bowdon: Bowdon drops from Class AA to A-Public after making a state playoff appearance. Octavius Meadows, 6-foot-4, returns after being named Times-Georgian All-Area Newcomer of the Year averaging 17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2 steals per game in his first season playing varsity. Bowdon gets a raw draw however, matching up in Region 6-A with practically everyone else being a Private School, which could hurt their chances on garnering a good enough record to make the state playoffs with the silly power ratings system in Class A. Whether they make the state tournament or not, Bowdon won’t be a pushover this season.

Update: Bowdon finished 10-15; 5-9 in Region 6

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Rankings

2016-17 Preseason State Rankings

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Class AAAAAAA

  1. Wheeler
  2. Pebblebrook
  3. Westlake
  4. Norcross
  5. Newton
  6. McEachern
  7. Shiloh
  8. Berkmar
  9. Collins Hill
  10. Tift County

Class AAAAAA

  1. Jonesboro
  2. Gainesville
  3. Langston Hughes
  4. South Paulding
  5. Allatoona
  6. Heritage-Conyers
  7. Dacula
  8. Alexander
  9. Alpharetta
  10. Brunswick

Class AAAAA

  1. Columbia
  2. Miller Grove
  3. Cedar Shoals
  4. Buford
  5. Eagle’s Landing
  6. Warner Robins
  7. New Hampstead
  8. Southwest DeKalb
  9. Fayette County
  10. Riverwood

Class AAAA

  1. Henry County
  2. Sandy Creek
  3. Upson-Lee
  4. St. Pius X
  5. Thomson
  6. North Clayton
  7. LaGrange
  8. Westover
  9. Perry
  10. Cartersville

Class AAA

  1. Pace Academy
  2. Westside-Macon
  3. Liberty County
  4. Jenkins
  5. Morgan County
  6. Cedar Grove
  7. Greater Atlanta Christian
  8. Lovett
  9. Islands
  10. Crisp County

Class AA

  1. Thomasville
  2. South Atlanta
  3. Dublin
  4. Monticello
  5. Vidalia
  6. Callaway
  7. Butler
  8. Banks County
  9. Swainsboro
  10. Chattooga

Class A-Private

  1. Greenforest
  2. North Cobb Christian
  3. Southwest Atlanta Christian
  4. Holy Innocents’
  5. St. Francis
  6. Lakeview Academy
  7. Tattnall Square Academy
  8. Aquinas
  9. King’s Ridge Christian
  10. Whitefield Academy

Class A-Public

  1. Wilkinson County
  2. Crawford County
  3. Turner County
  4. Calhoun County
  5. Taylor County
  6. Hancock Central
  7. Manchester
  8. Quitman County
  9. Lincoln County
  10. Hawkinsville

 

Class AAAAAAA sees Region 2 open up No. 1-2-3 and for good reason. No. 1 Wheeler has undeniable talent. If Coach Doug Lipscomb is able to keep everyone focused, the Wildcats have more than enough firepower to capture their seventh state title…if not, it will be an unmitigated failure, even with how strong the rest of the state is. Super sophomore Terry Armstrong has already transferred back to Michigan. No. 2 Pebblebrook and defending state champion No. 3 Westlake won’t go down without a fight and don’t be surprised if either one of them is back in the state championship. No. 4 Norcross has all of its starters back and is a year wiser and year stronger. The Blue Devils’ blend of size and guard play will make them a difficult out. Don’t sleep on No. 5 Newton. The Rams might not have the size and length of the teams in the top four, but they have just as good of guard play if not better. Ashton Hagans, JD Notae and Isaiah Miller all have a killer mentality and have proven they can play with the big boys. No. 6 McEachern is young but talented with a sophomore class led by Isaac Okoro and Babatunde Akingbola. Unlike the teams in the Top 5, McEachern has a fairly favorable region and has a realistic chance to run the table. No. 7 Shiloh will be in a battle for the Region 8 title with Newton and Grayson. The Generals will lean on a sturdy defense and an experienced backcourt. In at No. 8 is Berkmar, who has the juice with Indiana-commit Al Durham, NJIT-commit Zach Cooks and Jay Estime to knock off anybody in the state if they get hot. The one question will be interior size when the Patriots get deep into the state playoffs. Always steady No. 9 Collins Hill avoids Norcross being in their region but instead will deal with a slew of competitive teams that have all improved. The No. 10 spot has been in flux leading up to finalization of the polls. No. 10 Tift County gets the nod now that 6-foot-6 post Preston Horne is back healthy. The Blue Devils will be tested right away however, playing Class AA No. 1 Thomasville on the road on Nov. 19.  If the Blue Devils trip up, there is a host of teams vying to crack the rankings headlined by the likes of Milton, Grayson, Parkview and more who are on the fringe of solidifying themselves as top programs in Georgia.

Void of a defending state champion, Class AAAAAA will hopefully sort itself through the year but right now spots 2-10 look close to interchangeable with each team having their own strengths and weaknesses. Jonesboro will sit atop the perch to begin the season large in part that every game they play in, they will have the best player on the floor in five-star senior wing MJ Walker. The defensive minded group headed by Coach Dan Maehlman will likely remain one of the toughest teams to score on in the entire state.  Hall County’s Gainesville slots in at No. 2. The Red Elephants have length with three players standing 6-foot-6, a core of good shooters and an overall wide open offense with Coach Benjie Wood teaching and holding everyone accountable on the sidelines. If each player buys into their own specific role, there is no reason the Red Elephants shouldn’t enjoy a deep postseason run. No. 3 Langston Hughes should be in-line for one of the biggest turnarounds in the state behind D-I commits Khalil Cuffee (SE Missouri State) and Derrick Cook (Northeastern) along with new arrival, 6-foot-6 guard Landers Nolley II. The Panthers will be in a dog fight in Region 5 with No. 4 South Paulding and No. 8 Alexander with Mays, Tri-Cities and more all looming. The Panthers come in at No. 3 above the rest of their region foes due to their upside of being able to score the ball. No. 4 South Paulding returns all of its key pieces except for all-time leading rebounder Anthony Brown, who is replaced by freshman Knowledge Ruben. Kane Williams (Georgia State) and JaCori Wilson carry the load on offense for a team that hangs its hat on defense. A consistent third scorer will be the key to their success. Coach Markus Hood and his staff have made overlooking Allatoona one of the most foolish things a basketball analyst can do, but the Bucs do have a lot of pieces to replace around junior guard Trey Doomes as they open up ranked No. 5. Allatoona will always have a premier defense year in and year out. Tyler Jackson and Mike Johnson will have major responsibilities their senior year in the backcourt and must take some of the scoring burden off Doomes’ shoulders. No. 6 Heritage-Conyers has a chance to really flourish in its new home with the Augusta schools. They will be challenged, but the Patriots are the clear cut favorite to take the No. 1 seed out of Region 3. No. 7 Dacula has the versatile guards to get into the state playoffs and make some noise. They will run neck and neck with Gainesville for a top seed out of Region 8. All of No. 8 Alexander’s top scorers return and the Cougars have built some depth over the summer. They are in tough region yet again but will have every opportunity to rise to the occasion and establish themselves as a Top 10 team. No. 9 Alpharetta is trending in the right direction and has put together a great offseason. Once football players Ellis Merriweather and Carlos Carriere join first-year head coach Jason Dasigner on the hardwood, the Raiders have a chance to take off in a region that is very winnable. No. 10 Brunswick graduates some big pieces, but the biggest, 6-foot-8 College of Charleston-commit Kymani Dunham, is still in the picture. He will need help around him, but if he gets it, the 2014-15 state champions could once again play a factor come March.

The balance of power in Class AAAAA runs through Region 5 with Columbia, Miller Grove and Southwest DeKalb battling each other. In a virtual coin flip, No. 1 Columbia gets the top spot over No. 2 Miller Grove. Miller Grove boasts a plethora of guards and strong depth while Columbia has more length and size 1 through 5. The return of five-time state championship coach Dr. Phil McCrary inches the Eagles over Miller Grove who sees seven-time champion Sharman White head to Georgia State while Rasul Chester steps in as head coach. Expect these two teams to trade blows throughout the season and jockey for the No. 1 ranking. Region 8 gives Region 5 a run for its money with Cedar Shoals and Buford. No. 3 Cedar Shoals quietly enters the season as a team no one wants to face led by 6-foot-5 wing Phlan Fleming (Charleston Southern) and perimeter scorer Snipe Hall. The Jaguars clawed their way out of the toughest region in 5A last year will need to hold off a new look No. 4 Buford who now showcases one of the most talented rosters in the state. Sustained success is in the future for Buford with a powerful sophomore class. Coach Eddie Martin may have the Wolves ahead of schedule and we will know right away as Cedar Shoals is as good a measuring stick as it gets. No. 5 Eagle’s Landing has a chance to atone for their early state playoff dismissal last year. Transfers Brandon Thomas and Mohammed Abubakar have bolstered the Eagles’ outside and inside game in a manageable region. No. 6 Warner Robins relies on a trio of strong junior guards who will need to step into the limelight now that Marquez Callaway is gone. With 6-foot-8 Donovan Brown graduated, the Demons’ one weakness on paper is a lack of true game-changing size. No. 7 New Hampstead has one of the best scorers in the state in 5-foot-7 lefty Oronte Anderson, who poured in 22.1 points per game last year. The Phoenix return their top seven leading scorers. No. 8 Southwest DeKalb will be paced by guards Darius Hogan and Mandarius Dickerson. The Panthers will be battle tested come state playoff time. No. 9 Fayette County will lean on Furman-commit Noah Gurley and senior guards Austin Nesmith and Phillip Young to steer the Tigers back into the state playoffs. No. 10 Riverwood enters life without Kohl Roberts and will become a little more perimeter oriented with capable senior guards Elijah Jenkins (Embry-Riddle) and Charnchai Chantha pacing the attack. Morrow was set to debut in the Top 10, but with Leviticus Glover and Stanley Henderson – two of the Mustangs’ top three leading scorers out for the season with knee injuries – the Stangs took a hit.

No defending state champions reside in Class AAAA, truly making it a wide open, up for grabs type grouping. With that being said, Henry County opens up at No. 1. The Warhawks have two D-I guards in Javon Greene (George Mason) and Damion Rosser (New Orleans) and have versatile experienced athletes around them in Kovi Tate and Seth Brown.  No. 2 Sandy Creek is loaded with young talent. Elder statesman Evan Jester will need to be Coach Anthony McKissic’s leader on and off the court. The Patriots might have the most long term talent in the state in Class AAAA.  No. 3 Upson-Lee has something to prove after a first round exit last season. Junior scoring guard Tye Fagan has burst onto the scene this offseason with teammates Zyrice Scott and Travon Walker with the Middle Georgia Supersonics. Mercer, VMI and Chattanooga have all started asking about Fagan. With a strong system in place with some grueling wars now in the rearview mirror, St. Pius X debuts at No. 4 and finds itself in a much friendlier region than it was in last year. It might take a second for the Golden Lions to replace the leadership and scoring of Kerney Lane and Christian Merrill, but once they do Pius should gain a full head of steam heading into the state playoffs. No. 5 Thomson is stacked with experienced guards that will be interchangeable on the perimeter. The Bulldogs should be one of the Augusta area’s top programs this year. No. 6 North Clayton has a senior class that has won on every level. With Ahsan Asadullah (Lipscomb) anchoring the Eagles inside, North Clayton should be a handful for other opponents who can’t match their athleticism outside and length in the post. Region 4 looks tough with No. 1 Henry County, Eastside, Salem and Woodward Academy in the mix. Region 5 puts three teams into the Top 10 with No. 2 Sandy Creek, No. 7 LaGrange and No. 10 Cartersville. Both the Grangers and Hurricanes will have their standout quarterbacks on the hardwood. Laperion Perry is an experienced scorer and has a pair of 6-foot-6 forwards inside while Cartersville is led by tough guard Jaylon Pugh and footballers Avery Showell and 5-star quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Cartersville will be put to the test in a region which requires plenty of travel and a major step up in competition. No. 8 Westover has lethal guard play between Kris Gardner and Jordan “Snow” Brown. Both can fill it up from the perimeter, Brown especially with his endless range. No. 9 Perry loses Georgia State-signee Chris Clerkley inside as a shot blocking specialist, but the real catalyst of the offense Damion Bagley is back along with steady guard Jake Smith.

As wide open Class AAAA is with no perennial powers in the field, Class AAA is the exact opposite. Three reigning state champions will try to defend their titles against a deep pack of proud programs. No. 1 Pace Academy, the defending Class AA champs, open at No. 1 behind Wendell Carter Jr. and Isaiah Kelly. Those two alone make the Knights as scary as nearly anyone in the state. Championships however are usually won with guard play. Pace will need seniors Barrett Baker and Mark Sommerville to hold their own against some tough competition. No. 2 Westside-Macon gets the advantage over No. 3 Liberty County, the defending AAAA champs. Trey Foster could be an X-factor alongside Khavon Moore and Kentrevious Jones. Liberty County slips to No. 3 with the loss of Richard LeCounte, who is said to be forgoing his senior season to enroll early at Georgia for football. The loss of a freak athlete that averaged 20 points and 5 rebounds is a big deal in a tightly contested Class. Auburn-commit Davion Mitchell and Will Richardson will need to find a consistent third option. No. 4 Jenkins brings toughness from Savannah and still has Trevion Lamar and Zion Williams, two winners, in the fold. Defending Class AAA champion Morgan County comes in at No. 5. Alec Woodard and Tyrin Lawrence will need to grow on their strong freshmen campaigns. No. 6 Cedar Groves has a nice core still in place, but if Oklahoma State football commit Jelani Woods decides not to play his final year, the Saints will be without a commanding 6-foot-8 presence. If he does play, he composes of a nice inside-out duo with sophomore guard Devon Barnes. Looking on paper, No. 7 Greater Atlanta Christian is the runaway favorite to run the table in Region 7, but Dawson County, North Hall and East Hall shouldn’t be counted out as potential landmines. Travel could be an issue, but if the Spartans remain focused they have a nice cohesive group to gain momentum heading into the state playoffs. No. 8 Lovett is in Region 5 with No. 1 Pace and No. 6 Cedar Grove; not an easy task. The Lions will scrap and claw for a top three seed but have to maintain separation from the likes of Westminster and Redan who have talent to shake things up a little. No. 9 Islands could play spoiler in Region 3 vs. Jenkins. All-time leading scorer Justin Cave is back for his senior season along with a very experienced backcourt headlined by sophomore Trae Broadnax. No impactful size may be a deterrent for the dark horse Sharks. No. 10 Crisp County sneaks into the final spot. The Cougars are in a manageable five-team region and return their top three scorers including senior Quentavious Dean who averaged 18.3 points per game.

The stranglehold over Class AA by private schools is finally defunct thanks to the new shuffling around of the classifications. The spotlight turns to South Georgia as No. 1 Thomasville is now the heavy favorite to win it all after dominating last year before running into Pace Academy. 6-foot-8 Reggie Perry is only a junior but has committed to Arkansas. Sophomore Titus Wright is a massive 6-foot-9. The Bulldogs lose a host of experienced guards, but if Coach Benjamin Tillman can plug in some competent ball handlers and shooters, Thomasville will be in great shape. No stranger to slaying the dragon however, No. 2 South Atlanta finds itself in a wildly friendly Region 6 after a great year in Region 4-AAA. The Hornets were the only team in Georgia to defeat Greenforest last year and won’t be afraid if they ever run into Thomasville’s front line. Speed, shooting, length, athleticism: Coach Michael Reddick has it all once again. Unlike the Thomasvilles and South Atlantas of the world, No. 3 Dublin doesn’t have great size and instead relies on its jitterbug guards to initiate the offense, the state’s best last year. Juniors Kameron Pauldo and Torian Holder are the engines. No. 4 Monticello took a deep run last year and has a lot of their pieces back including the Purple Hurricanes’ top two guards. 6-foot-5 Malik Crawford has a chance to shine this year in place of De’Miria Glover. No. 5 Vidalia has become a powerhouse but still is in search of their first state title. Junior guard Tahj Jones powers the Indians into the Top 5 to open the season. Braylon Sanders is a potent scoring guard at No. 6 Callaway. The Cavaliers are in a nice position now that they have dropped from Class AAA. No. 7 Butler relies on Head Coach Cervantes Boddy to put each piece in the right place. The Bulldogs don’t have huge size, but they do have very athletic forwards in DeAndre Barton and Will Lambert that can help on the boards. Butler has grown a deep and dependable backcourt as well. No. 8 Banks County sits in an interesting Region 8 with No. 4 Monticello. The Leopards have experience at the AAA ranks and bring down with them two physical presences in the paint in Kahmal Wiley and Dylan Orr, two blossoming double-double threats. Creeping into the Top 10 are No. 9 Swainsboro and No. 10 Chattooga. Swainsboro will add fuel to the fire with their burgeoning rivalry with new region foe No. 5 Vidalia while Chattooga remains the team to beat in Region 7 behind Isaac and Isaiah Foster.

The best team in the entire state last year was Class A-Private No. 1 Greenforest and they will be the heavy favorite to repeat as state champs. The addition of Mo Merritt to the North Cobb Christian frontline gives them enough length to be a force as the No. 2 team in the state. Merritt brings a toughness to pair with high scoring wing Demiere Brown. Florida-commit DeAndre Ballard has plenty of firepower around him for No. 3 Southwest Atlanta Christian to make some waves across the state. A potent bucket getter like Ballard makes SACA a dangerous team when clicking on all cylinders. Sliding in at No. 4 is Holy Innocents’. The Golden Bears’ trio of Jules Erving, Cole Smith and Richard Surdykowski should fare well in their new region, even though it consists of No. 1 Greenforest and No. 3 Southwest Atlanta Christian. If the Bears can stay healthy, they could compete for a high seed come state tournament time. It is a reloading year, not a rebuilding year for No. 5 St. Francis. The Knights might go through some growing pains early on in the year, but freshman Dwon Odom has a chance to be a star and thrive in the high school game. Couple him with senior Wallace Tucker and some more young pieces and St. Francis will likely challenge rival No. 2 North Cobb Christian for the Region 6 title. Coming out of Hall County with nearly every single player returning from last year’s record-setting season, No. 6 Lakeview Academy has the cohesion and team chemistry to trouble teams outside of Region 8 and play spoiler come state tournament time. No. 7 Tattnall Square plays in Region 7 with four other ranked schools (Private: No. 8 Aquinas, Public: No. 1 Wilkinson County, No. 6 Hancock Central, No. 9 Lincoln County). All five schools will likely cannibalize each other, leading to modest overall records, but each team is dangerous in their own right, Tattnall leaning on explosive scorer Calvin Slaughter on the wing. No. 8 Aquinas has people talking in Augusta and looks ready to take the rest of the state by storm. Tre Gomillion will be the heart and soul of the Fighting Irish and now he finally has running mates with the same tenacity and talent with Trent Bowdre, Dejuan Hill and Jelani Shakir all ready to make major contributions. No. 9 King’s Ridge can cement itself as a program on the rise behind experience in Sean Flanigan, Kameron Dozier and Hank Blain. Rising sophomore Eric Coleman is 6-foot-6 and can shoot the ball from distance as a matchup problem. On paper, No. 10 Whitefield Academy looks down, but senior guard Isaiah Hart is a fearless leader that will keep the Wolfpack as a tough out. If youngsters like Dylan McLean and Andrew Thomas-Brown can step up, Whitefield should piece together a nice season and float in the Top 10. If not, they could be on the outside looking in at the rankings.

You can’t pick against the most dominant Class A-Public program until they are knocked off their perch. That’s why Wilkinson County opens at No. 1 as the Warriors begin their quest for state title No. 9 and fourth in a five year span. Clarence Jackson leads the charge while 6-foot-6 power forward Greg Couson continues to recover from a torn ACL. New to the Class A-Public scene is No. 2 Crawford County. The non-stop motor of 6-foot-6 senior Marcal Knolton will now terrorize a new field of teams. He averaged 20 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.6 blocks per game last season. No. 3 Turner County returns seniors Tamarrion Terry and Jarvis Hall. Terry posted 20.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks per game last year. Terry should carry the Rebels to another region championship this season. No. 4 Calhoun County tries to climb the mountain top again after winning a state title in 2014-15. 6-foot-6 junior Rashun Williams might be the most intriguing prospect in the state in A-Public with his raw athleticism. If he develops a consistent jumper, he could become unstoppable in the lowest classification in the state and power another deep Cougar run. Lyn-J Dixon and John Corbin make up a nice one-two punch for No. 5 Taylor County, who also adds Nuke Lucas into the mix from Northside-Warner Robins. Dixon is an uber-athlete that can overwhelm opponents when slashing into the lane. No. 6 Hancock Central graduates four starters but still has Devojia Tucker in the mix. Players from the freshmen and junior varsity level will determine whether the Bulldogs remain one of the state’s best or not. In at No. 7 is Manchester. The drop to Class A-Public helps but a lot graduates from last year’s Class AA state runner-up. It will be on the shoulders of Jahnile Hill and Jerquavion Mahone to carry the Blue Devils. If 6-foot-8 Deylon Parham suits up, he could be the X-factor. No. 8 Quitman County is a team on the rise. Laqueveus Nelson enters his sophomore season after averaging 24 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, earning Region Player of the Year honors. Junior Shahee Billings averaged 16 points and 10 assists. Senior Ja’Darian Gibbs is the third head, adding 12 points and 6 rebounds per game. The Hornets should have some sting this season. Reigning Class A-Public Player of the Year 6-foot-7 Ahmad Rand paces No. 9 Lincoln County. The triple-double machine helped the Red Devils to one of their best seasons in school history. Maciah Gunby runs the point as a lethal shooter from distance. If both can stay focused, Lincoln County will find itself back in the Elite Eight with a shot to go even further. If not, Rand’s senior season will be a disappointing end to a standout career. No. 10 Hawkinsville is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the state and returns CJ Smith to lead the scoring attack.

For complete analysis of each and every team in the state, visit the class-by-class team preview pages.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

DeKalb County Media Day

DeKalb County has been a stronghold for state champions in basketball. It is now 13 straight years the County has won a state title after the Miller Grove boys and Southwest DeKalb girls continued the winning tradition by claiming the Class AAAAA championships, the Wolverines’ seventh and Panthers’ fifth all-time. On October 25, Tucker High School held Media Day highlighting plenty of storylines to follow in 2016-17.

The Doctor is in

Dr. McCrary has five state titles
Dr. McCrary has five state titles

Dr. Phillip McCrary returns to the sidelines at Columbia after spending 25 seasons (1988-2012) on the bench, compiling a 546-185 (.746%) record and winning five state titles. He joins a difficult Region 5-AAAAA that holds defending state champion Miller Grove, Southwest DeKalb, Lithonia, Arabia Mountain, Chamblee, Clarkston and Cross Keys.

“I enjoy the game and sometimes you just got to go back to what you really love,” explained McCrary on why he decided to return to coaching after serving an administrative role as Assistant Athletic Director for DeKalb County Schools. “I like administration but I love the game of basketball. Once I was able to see that side and weigh the option, basketball outweighed the administration end.”

Being able to view coaching from the opposite end of the spectrum has given McCrary a better understanding and respect for both sides.

“It’s totally different. I see the error on both parts. I can see the errors that the administration was actually trying to do for the game of basketball in DeKalb then when I was on the coaching end, I would see the things that we would complain about what they weren’t doing and they really were doing, so I can see both ends of it.”

On the court, the Doctor has more than enough talent to work with which could equate to some major success in short time for a Columbia program that slipped to 14-13 last season.

“Kenton [Eskridge] is a good kid. He’s a real strong leader. [James] Hartry did a great job with him and showing the kid how to be a leader and how to play the game,” said McCrary about senior guard Kenton Eskridge who led Tucker in scoring as a junior before transferring to Columbia in the offseason. “He brings that tenacity that we need at the top of the offense and defense.

“We have Jalen Cobb who we’ve been starting over the past three years. Jalen has always been a great player. That basketball pedigree runs through that family because I remember coaching against his father when his father was playing at Therrell. And then his older brother JerShon ended up at Northwestern, so basketball runs through that family,” said McCrary on his senior guard who led the Eagles in scoring last year at 11.7 points per game.

A 6-foot-7 potential difference maker is back at Columbia for his senior season after playing at Pius XI in Wisconsin last year.

“We got Reyhan Cobb back. Reyhan brings us back a stretch-four guy that plays inside as well as pops outside.”

McCrary’s junior class boasts a pair of high upside wings that played with the Southern Stampede over the summer, one who the Doctor notes as an X-factor.

“We have Lorenzo McGhee, who is about 6-foot-5 and is a real hardnosed type player that does the dirty work for us and gets rebounds and runs the floor. Then we have (TJ) Terrance Boykin. Lord knows if that kid – when he puts it all together – that’s going to be a sight to see on that floor. Because out of the whole team, that’s the kid with the most talent that can really make that team go. If we get Terrance going, you’re going to see Columbia going a long way.”

 

Panthers looking to get over the hump

SWD has the right balance to go far
SWD has the right balance to go far

Southwest DeKalb has become one of the premier programs in DeKalb County, amassing an all-time 714-548 record including a 25-6 season last year with a trip to the Elite Eight, but the one accomplishment that has eluded the Panthers has been a state title. Southwest DeKalb has seen their rival Miller Grove repeatedly hoist the trophy as the Wolverines have been the ultimate thorn in the Panthers’ side. Housed in the same region yet again, Coach Eugene Brown continues to push his group to finally slay the dragon and hang a banner of their own.

“You just keep grinding. We’ve been working since I got here three years ago, building the program. It takes time to build a program if you’re going to do it the right way,” explained Brown as he has seen growth each season since taking over in 2014, increasing the Panthers’ win total each year from 7 to 18 to 25 last season. “We feel like these guys know our system now and know what’s expected of them and their ready to take it out with them onto the court. We got a lot of leadership, a lot of youth and senior experience so we are ready to go.”

It won’t be easy, but Brown is looking forward to the challenge of Region 5-AAAAA.

“All [the coaches] are really good friends of mine and I know they work extremely hard. I’m definitely looking forward to the competition. That’s why I came back into DeKalb County, for these types of games with this caliber of talent.”

In order to compete and push for a state title, Brown will lean on a talented and experienced group of upperclassmen.

“Let me tell you, every one of these guys played AAU basketball. Every one of them had a personal trainer. My job is to just bring that all back together and get them on the same page for what we’re trying to do. They’ve all improved their individual games and all have gotten better and closer as a team.”

 

Arabia tries to climb the Mountain

Darius Giles (11)
Darius Giles (11)

Now in Year 8, Arabia Mountain is still in search of its first winning record. The Rams finished 10-16 in Region 6-AAAA last year, the best region in the classification, and now will try their hand in Region 5-AAAAA.

Coach Dedrick Whiting looks for his Rams to get out and run in 2016-17.

“We are probably going to play a little more up-tempo this year. A different style of basketball, more exciting. We are going to shoot the three a little bit more than we did last year. We aren’t going to be as big,” explained Whiting. “We are going to let our guys get out and go. And we are going to step up the pressure a little bit on defense. Our guys are going to be a little bit more of a VCU Rams aggressive type of team.”

Senior guard Darius Giles led the Rams in scoring with over 14 points per game as a junior and will once again key the offense.

“He has been a great leader. He has been in our program for four years. First year he played varsity and he hit some key shots for us and helped us win a few games his freshman year. This is going to be his year to show us how good of a leader he is going to be. We look for him to be a great leader, put himself in a great position to hopefully get a basketball scholarship and just have a great phenomenal senior year at Arabia.”

Giles’ goals are in-line with Whiting.

“As a team I want us to have our best year we’ve ever had at Arabia Mountain. To do that, we have to crack the state playoffs. That’s our goal as a team,” said Giles.

 

Tyonn Stuckey: The Glue to Redan

Tyonn Stuckey: A true Under The Radar Senior
Tyonn Stuckey: A true Under The Radar Senior

At 5-foot-11, senior guard Tyonn Stuckey is looking to boost his collegiate stock heading into his final season. As a junior at Redan, Stuckey earned First Team All-Region honors after averaging 14.6 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 steals. He led Redan to a 16-9 mark in Region 6-AAAA, against state powers Lithonia, Grady and St. Pius.

Things don’t get any easier for Stuckey as Redan now calls Region 5-AAA home along with the likes of defending Class AA state champion Pace Academy, Lovett, Cedar Grove and Westminster, all four teams with over 20 wins last year.

“That’s what high school basketball is about. Putting on a show,” exclaimed Stuckey on facing elite talent night in and night out this upcoming season.

Stuckey plans to put on a show by fitting into Coach Greg Wood’s system.

“Just do what I have to do to help my team win. If that means going down there rebounding or doing everything on and off the court; just better myself as a player and lead my team. Be a team player and make everyone around me better.”

Stuckey butters his bread with a high energy type of play which often wears opponents out come the fourth quarter.

“Speed, quickness, leadership skills; you will not go home disappointed,” stated Stuckey on his exciting style of play.

Right now, Stuckey fits into the mold of an Under the Radar Senior. He lists Point University and Tennessee State among those showing interest, but with his focus, the list is soon to grow.

“There’s a lot of schools showing interest but I’m just worried about the season. I’m really focused on my school right now. I try not to get too caught up in the hype.”

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

GHSA Class AAAAAAA Preview

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Class AAAAAAA

 

Region 1

Tift County (26-3)
Camden County (21-6) 5A
Lowndes (15-14)
Colquitt County (8-15)

Tift County opens as the favorite in Region 1 after falling to Milton in the Sweet 16, 56-54. The graduation of Tyrie Jackson (Virginia Tech) hurts the Blue Devil backcourt after averaging 16.1 points. Luckily Coach Eric Holland returns a healthy Preston Horne after the 6-foot-6 forward tore his ACL mid-way through the season. When healthy, the physical presence in the paint is one of the toughest covers in South Georgia. He averaged a team-best 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds. While Horne was sidelined, Fred Lloyd picked up the slack. The 6-foot-5 senior finished the year averaging 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds. He and Micah Johnson, a 6-foot guard that averaged 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists as a junior, will be asked to help carry the Blue Devils. Johnson committed to Alabama State recently.

Camden County takes the leap from 5A to 7A but will be without the core of their Region 3 championship team. The Wildcats’ top five scorers all graduate leaving guards CJ Sullivan (5.2 ppg) and Brandon Shelton (4.3 ppg) big shoes to fill in their senior seasons. The Wildcats were upset in the first round of the state playoffs, 66-62 by Jones County.

Diminutive point guard Octavius Fudge powers the Lowndes Vikings offense. The 5-foot-7 guard averaged a team-high 13.4 points as a junior and works the backcourt alongside fellow senior Christian Knight, the team’s leading assist man at 3.1 per game. Lowndes clinched a playoff berth last year, but were blown out by McEachern, 87-57.

Colquitt County lost 41-39 in the opening round of the Class AAAAAA state playoffs to North Cobb and returns a young team that boasts a handful of football players who will miss the beginning of the season. When on the hardwood, Coach Andy Harden expects junior point guard Cameron Singletary to be one of the team’s leaders while senior forward DaNas Andrews has emerged as a key piece this summer.

 

Region 2

Westlake (27-4)
Pebblebrook (23-10)
Wheeler (22-6)
Campbell (21-9)
Newnan (11-15)
East Coweta (5-22)

Region 2 is the strongest region the state of Georgia has ever seen in history. Period. Loaded with blue-chippers, Westlake highlights the field as the defending state champions after defeating Pebblebrook in the finals, 68-58 in overtime. The Lions transformed from a 13-15 team to a state champion after landing a slew of transfers. High-Major standouts 6-foot-7 senior Chuma Okeke (Auburn) and 6-foot-3 junior Jamie Lewis pair up with lethal three-point shooter Danny Lewis (UCF). 6-foot-9 senior Michael Durr has transferred away to Oldsmar Christian, FL, leaving 6-foot-9 Kelvin Simeon a major opportunity to burst onto the scene his final season. Entering the fold will be sophomore Chase Hunter, a talented guard who missed time last year due to injury. At 6-foot-3, Hunter is an above-average athlete that is tenacious on defense when guarding the ball.

Pebblebrook has bolstered their lineup surrounding emerging megastar Collin Sexton. Upon transferring to Pebblebrook from Hillgrove last year, Sexton poured in 28.3 points per game to lead Class AAAAAA and parlayed his play into breaking the single-season scoring record in the EYBL with the Southern Stampede by pumping in over 30 points per game. That performance led to making the 17U USA team and winning MVP honors and garnering 5-star recognition. Sexton also averaged 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals during the high school season. High Major recruits 6-foot-6 Elias Harden (Xavier), point guard Drue Drinnon and 6-foot-9 Auburn-commit Jared Jones all join the Falcons this upcoming season. Harden averaged 20.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals at Sandy Creek while Drinnon posted 21.3 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists a night at East Jackson. Uber-athletic high flyer JJ Smith has decommitted from Ole Miss and has transferred back to North Carolina. Still in the mix are young scorer Dwight Murray and bouncy 6-foot-6 forward Mervin James. Sophomore point guard Messiah Thompson moves in from North Atlanta and will provide another crafty passer manning the ball handling duties.

Wheeler was bounced out of the first round of the state playoffs by Grayson, 59-58 and has done some soul searching as they now enter the gauntlet known as Region 2. To keep up with the Joneses, Wheeler has surrounded rising 4-star senior guard and Louisville-commit Darius Perry with 6-foot-5 USC-commit Jordan Usher (Sequoyah), 6-foot-10 Auburn-commit EJ Montgomery (Montverde, FL) and 6-foot-6 budding star Terry Armstrong (Carman-Ainsworth, MI). Montgomery, a junior, is a highly touted 5-star power forward that will fill the role left behind by Romello White (Arizona State). Armstrong is regarded as one of the top prospects in the Class of 2019. He is a high flyer that can handle, rebound, block shots and pour in baskets from all over. He might have the highest ceiling out of anyone on a star-studded roster. Usher racked up 18.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while at Sequoyah. For good measure, the Wildcats went out and nabbed the No. 39 ranked player in the nation, 6-foot-7 Jordan Tucker, who averaged 17.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks at Archbishop Stepinac, NY. Also in are 6-foot-6 junior Brandon Younger, who averaged 11 points per game at Mt. Pisgah and a pair of McEachern move-ins, 6-foot-8 junior Austin Johnson and 6-foot-5 sophomore Isaac Martin, making it seven transfers this offseason. Still in the fold is Stetson-commit Kenny Aninye, who will battle to see the floor his final season as an off guard. Last year point guard play was Wheeler’s achilles heel as the Grayson backcourt got the best of the Wildcats. The new additions should help move Darius Perry back to the lead guard position his senior season and all but erase any glaring weaknesses on Holt Road.

Campbell was as scrappy as they come last year, beating Westlake once and forcing Pebblebrook into overtime before bowing out 104-101. Overall against the two state finals contenders, the Spartans finished 1-4 with their losses coming by a combined 26 points. Campbell marched their way to the Elite Eight, dropping out against Milton 94-83. The Spartans should take a step back however as Laz Walker (20.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Mike Olmert (15.4 ppg, 8.9 apg), Randy McClure (10.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg) and Jovahn Dunham (5.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.3 bpg) all graduate. 5-foot-9 point guard Tyree Crankfield will be asked to carry the load his senior season after posting 11.9 points per game in 2015-16.

Newnan suffers a devastating loss, losing 6-foot-6 twins Jarred and Jarrel Rosser to Gainesville and 6-foot-9 Jannson Williams to the college ranks at Marshall. Khalil McCoy is also gone after averaging team-best 18 points per game at guard. Senior guard Nick Parks returns with plenty of experience.

East Coweta finished 0-14 in the region last year and will be up against it again to score a win this season. Coach Royal Maxwell enters Year 2 of his slow rebuilding process. Team captains Jamir Williams and Mark Mitchell own valuable experience around 6-foot-9 senior center Elafayette Stone who committed to Indiana State on October 21.

 

Region 3

McEachern (26-4)
North Cobb (15-14)
Kennesaw Mountain (15-14)
Marietta (13-12)
Hillgrove (14-15)
North Paulding (8-18)

McEachern rolled its way into the Elite Eight before running into buzz-saw Pebblebrook, 78-71. The Indians boasted the perfect combination of veterans and youth last season, but are now without Bryce Smith, AJ Jones and Darius Jones. Isaac Okoro will be the focal point on offense and defense as a versatile 6-foot-6 forward that contributes in all facets of the game. Sophomore Babatunde Akingbola is now eligible and presents a game-changing defender in the paint at 6-foot-8. The big man has a Georgia Tech offer in hand. Freshman point guard Sharife Cooper is supposed to be an impact player with his passing and scoring ability. The tiny guard is shifty and creative with the ball in his hands, able to find baskets around the rim against bigger defenders. Both Cooper and Okoro earned scholarship offers from Auburn in late August. Isaac Martin is a big loss after the 6-foot-5 rising sophomore guard hit some big shots during his freshman season. He is now at Wheeler. Seniors Tre Peoples, Robert Clemons and Chris Freeman are all reliable pieces for Coach Mike Thompson.

A massive 10-man senior class graduates from North Cobb’s playoff team, leaving the roster prime for opportunities to be seized. Junior point guard Nayari Dampier will be asked to steer the offense. Dampier needs to facilitate and score when asked to keep the Warriors’ offense in motion. Junior Keanu White and sophomore Kevin Hester should anchor the interior. Hester, a physical 6-foot-6, 210-pound big man, is force rebounding the ball.

Kennesaw Mountain was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by Lee County and now need to replace Brian Vonck (GCSU), Marcel Ellis (Brewton-Parker) and Cory Newman. There is youth on the roster however as five underclassmen were listed on last year’s roster. Class of 2019 guard Jalen Knight stands 6-foot-4 and has a nice future. The Mustangs have a star in the making in the form of 6-foot-6 sophomore Jalyn McCreary. As of now, he will not be eligible to play varsity. Whenever the lefty does get the green light, he is a region changer with his ability to shoot the three, rebound and defend. McCreary shined the brightest at the HoopSeen Fall Preview, dropping 23 points and 9 rebounds against consensus top 2019 recruit Terry Armstrong of Wheeler. Couple McCreary with fellow sophomore Christian Ramsey and the Mustangs have a very bright future.

Marietta narrowly missed out on the playoffs last season but return junior 6-foot-4 guard Fionn Brown, who led the team in scoring and 6-foot-6 senior Malik Brown.

The transfer of Collin Sexton zapped Hillgrove of an elite scorer and in the process saw the Hawks plummet from 23-6 to 14-15. The offense runs through rising senior Demeirre Black who carries the team at times. Trey Stevens is another senior that can give teams fits from the perimeter. Stevens is a very active and versatile 6-foot-1 guard that played well at the HoopSeen Elite Preview, pitching in 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals against stiff competition

North Paulding is not void of talent, but they have been of wins as the Wolfpack search for their first state playoff berth since the school opened in 2007. Senior Chad Terrell is a standout in both football and basketball as a 3-star wide receiver and an important presence in the paint. If Terrell chooses to focus solely on football and forgo his final season on the hardwood, it will be a big loss for Coach Ryan Dyer. Terrell led the Pack with 14 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Senior Ethan Reid is a two-way player, known for his defensive prowess. He can score the ball too, averaging 12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. If Terrell returns and Reid can fortify his three-point shot, there’s no reason why North Paulding shouldn’t have a puncher’s chance to clinch a postseason berth.

 

Region 4

Woodstock (14-15)
Etowah (14-14)
Cherokee (12-14)
Roswell (10-16)
Walton (10-16)
Lassiter (3-22)

There is no dominant team in Region 4 as annual contenders Wheeler, Milton and Pope have all dispersed leaving six programs trying to start building consistent winning ways. The presumed favorite will be Woodstock. The Wolverines punched their ticket to the state playoffs for the first time in school history (20 years) after eliminating rival Etowah at Etowah in the region tournament. Returning is one of the best players in school history, Tyreke Johnson. The 6-foot-4 senior guard has taken his lumps throughout the years but has worked hard throughout the process and has seen it come to fruition. Johnson averaged 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals as the go-to guy on offense and lock-down defender. Johnson is a foul magnet, taking 247 free throw attempts; fifth in the state. The scoring burden should be lifted as Dylin Hardeman transfers back into town after spending time at St. Francis. The junior has an alpha dog mentality and can get his own shot off. Georgia Tech baseball-commit Brant Hurter anchors the paint at 6-foot-6 while late bloomer Cameron Crowe, a 6-foot-6 forward, has impressed this summer with his activity around the basket. Crowe stood out at the SEBA Atlanta All-Star Shootout. He is a sneaky good three-point shooter from the corners and scored a 31 on his ACT. Covenant College, Huntingdon University, Methodist University, Grinnell and Oxford of Emory have all checked in. Hurter has a soft left-handed touch and can stretch defenses out to the three-point line when he isn’t bruising away on the low block. Woodstock has developed playable depth with juniors Quentin Doby, Sid Mesumbe, Will Allen, Noah Frith, Nate Garner and Dominic Hewitt all capable high school players. Senior Jacob Laconi doesn’t score much but he is a steady defender at point guard.

Etowah will try to spoil the party and steal Woodstock’s thunder as the team to beat in Towne Lake. Head Coach Allen Whitehart arrives with a resume filled with winning games and coaching talented players. The Eagles have deadly shooters in Lewis Simonson and Nick Nagy outside while Julian Baldwin gives Etowah a potential-laced big body inside at 6-foot-6. Adrian Cohen has shown flashes of brilliance over the summer, but the well put together 6-foot-4 junior slasher needs to find consistency.

The third Cherokee County based team, Cherokee, has one of the best coaches in the state roaming the sidelines for yet another year in Roger Kvam. Kvam maximizes each player’s talent and keeps the Warriors in games they should have no business winning, like when they upset eventual Class AAA state champion Morgan County 57-52 in the third game of the year at the Battle at the Rock tournament. Senior Phillip Cirillo has designs on playing at the D-I level as a high-scoring 6-foot-4 guard. With the talent he has, he can’t fall into shootouts with other teams’ best players and must continue to trust his teammates. Cirillo originally committed to Air Force but has since reopened his recruitment. Rising senior Elisha Mayberry is a sleeper with his athleticism and length inside.

Roswell will turn loose tight end prospect Tyneil Hopper. The aggressive forward is a little rough around the edges but will be only a junior and can cause problems attacking the basket and on the glass. Senior RJ Frierson is a long post player that should alter shots inside. The scoring void left by Matt Gonda will need to be filled by committee.

Walton has fallen on hard times and experienced a baptism by fire last year with an extremely young roster. Rising senior Juanye Colon is the Raiders’ top scorer as a high-octane shooter from the outside.

It’s been a long rebuilding process for Lassiter. Senior forward Nolan Moon looks to build upon his All-Region Honorable Mention selection in 2015-16.

 

Region 5

Lambert (27-4)
Milton (23-9)
South Forsyth (14-15)
Forsyth Central (12-15)5A
North Forsyth (9-16)
West Forsyth (7-20)

Milton moves in with the Forsyth County school district and will turn to explosive scorer Alex O’Connell, a Duke-commit, to lead the charge in his final season. The 4-star shooting guard has been described as bouncy and has a fearless swagger to his game. He can score at all three levels and has been a major stock riser over the summer as a highly coveted 6-foot-5 bucket getter. The Eagles will need to reload around O’Connell however as Chris Lewis (Harvard) and Kyrin Galloway (UNC Greensboro) leave massive voids in the frontcourt. Dazzling dribbler Kendrick Summerour returns for his senior season but junior guard Justin Brown has set sail to return home at Northview. Adam Brown enters his senior season after earning some minutes last year as a 6-foot-5 forward. A slew of new faces are expected to join the varsity roster. 6-foot-3 freshman point guard Christian Wright moves in from Holy Spirit Prep and brings with him a very high ceiling. Ulyric Wright is another guard from Texas. Sophomore Brady O’Connell, Alex’s brother, should make his varsity debut as an explosive 6-foot-6 wing. Sophomores Jake Biebess (6-foot-10) and Matthew Bennett (6-foot-8) are also in the picture.

Lambert loses stalwart big men in Connor Mannion (Navy) and Ross Morkem (North Georgia). Tenacious senior point guard Andrew Melms (10 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 7.7 apg) looks to put a capper on a great career while Musa Thompson and Damon Stoudamire attempt to breakthrough. Junior Austin Deckard provides sharp shooting from the outside, but 6-foot-5 forward David Viti has transferred to Buford for his junior season. Lambert will likely play a fast paced game with its abundance of guards, sophomore Mitch Ganote looking to follow in Melms’ footsteps once the veteran graduates.

South Forsyth put a scare into Norcross in the first round of the state playoffs by implementing a snail’s pace before falling 45-37. Evan Cole emerged as one of the state’s top sleepers after averaging 20 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks and cashed in with a multitude of D-I offers filing in before electing to play at UNC Wilmington. At 6-foot-8, the versatile Cole is a matchup nightmare with his ability to knock down open jumpers and crash the boards for put-backs. The deceptive athlete should be a wrecking ball in the low post this season and continue to see his stock soar. 6-foot guard Isaiah Magee enters his junior season and his first year with the War Eagles after transferring in from West Forsyth. Sophomore Jefferson Stepp is another name to keep an eye on.

Forsyth Central jumps from 5A to the highest classification in the state but lose their top two scorers to graduation. Undersized forward Ethan Hester averaged 9.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a 6-foot-4 junior. He can cause some issues for opponents with his ability to step outside and hit the three (28-86; 33%). Senior Patrick Thomas is a nice piece in the paint at 6-foot-5. He is a strong and athletic big man that can rebound and defend the post. Senior guard CJ Smith is a capable shooter that handles a lot of the perimeter duties.

North Forsyth must replace guard Chad Bureau who averaged 16 points and 5 rebounds per game as an All-County First Teamer. He graduates as the school’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, charges taken and games played. A senior class consisting of Caleb Murphy, Connor Stephenson, Bryce Thomas and others must step up. Rising juniors Caelan Thomas and Preston Wiggins bring the most size at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4, respectively.

The rebuild at West Forsyth is underway as former Alpharetta head coach Fredrick Hurt takes over. Hurt captured back-to-back Region 6-AAAAAA titles in 2014-15. Forwards John Peterson and Jay Magee, All-County Honorable Mention performers, graduate. Junior guard Joe Freitas showed great promise last year, highlighted by netting a game-high 27 in a win against Seymour, TN.

 

Region 6

Collins Hill (25-5)
Peachtree Ridge (19-11)
Duluth (16-10)
Mountain View (13-13)
Mill Creek (14-15)
Discovery (11-14)5A
North Gwinnett (6-20)

Collins Hill stunned Norcross last year to win the Region 7-AAAAAA title, but following a first round 62-52 win over Alpharetta, Pebblebrook knocked the Eagles out in the Sweet 16, 65-55. Collins Hill loses a key core in AJ Cheeseman (New Orleans), TeShaun Hightower (Mt. Zion Prep) and Kai Lambert (Truett-McConnell). The Eagles dealt with heavy injury problems but were able to build depth for the future. Their senior backcourt of JD Ozoh and Max Clark is one of the most experienced in the County even though Clark missed a bulk of the season due to injury. Add JaQuan Morris to the mix from Central Gwinnett and the backcourt is rock solid. Morris exploded this offseason with his scoring prowess, soon to make him a priority among LM schools if he can stay on the floor. He could provide the same scoring punch TeShaun Hightower did last season after coming from relative obscurity.  Energy man Kenny Stanciel will see an increased role his senior season after making the most of his playing time in 2016 and scoring the ball well on the summer circuit. Junior Chris Parks must become an impact player inside with his 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame. Rising junior Justin Lee, a 6-foot-6 perimeter player, earned scholarship offers from James Madison and Memphis. He drips with potential due to his size and touch, but will need to improve his shot selection. Lee’s ceiling is very high and he should benefit from Coach Ty Baumgardner’s coaching.

Peachtree Ridge made a trip to the Sweet 16 where they lost to semifinalist Newton 63-61. Milz Tatum and Markel McCollum graduate but Devin Vassell and Fred Payton have impressed over the summer. Vassell is a wiry 6-foot-5 junior wing that should take the reins as one of the Lions’ go-to options. He picked up a North Florida offer over the offseason. Caleb Holifield transfers in from Pace Academy and should bring an outside shooting touch to pair with Payton, both juniors. Dirty work man senior Connor Heyward, a 3-star football athlete, brings his gridiron mentality to the hardwood as an aggressive rebounder and defender. 6-foot-5 senior Kristian Collins is an active forward to keep an eye on.

Duluth turns to former Alcorn State assistant and St. Francis state championship winning coach Cabral Huff after Eddie Hood took the AD position at Central Gwinnett. A feisty backcourt of juniors Lamont Smith and Adam Flagler make the Wildcats a dangerous team even after the graduation of Javis Diaz and shot blocking ace Obinna Ofodile (The Citadel). Brandon Blair transfers away for his senior season, but Daylan Smith moves in from Centennial. Alex Powell, a 6-foot-11 sophomore, holds promise but he must get stronger to become an impact player consistently. 6-foot-5 Jalen Hodges is a physical forward that brings a mean streak to Duluth, always looking to tear rims down. Christian Kelly, a 6-foot-3 junior guard, adds some three-point shooting to the Wildcats backcourt.

Mill Creek won’t wow you with size or athletes even though they are the biggest school in Georgia with nearly 4,000 students. What they will do is play fundamental offense and defense and let other teams beat themselves. Senior forward Christian Mancillas does a little bit of everything and will be the unquestioned leader. Rising sophomores Jayden Marshall, Brandon Fletcher and Matthew McDowell should all be important contributors, especially Marshall who saw quality time at point guard as a freshman. Senior Matty Dobbs brings energy to the backcourt while rising freshman Kendall Latney looks to have a very bright future as a strong combo guard that can score the ball.

The loss of sophomore Donell Nixon II (12.4 ppg, 69-145 3PT; 45%) hurts Mountain View greatly, but the young team full of rising juniors has great cohesion after many of them played together with 17U Heat Check. 6-foot-3 Spencer Rodgers returns as the team’s leading scorer and one of the best shooters in the county. The junior averaged 15.4 points and drilled 79-of-183 threes at a 43% mark. Miles Long and Jalen Hayes round out the backcourt with Kevin Kayongo playing the role of swiss-army knife. Kayongo rebounds, defends and passes at a high level, making him the ultimate glue-guy. KJ Kirby has moved in from GAC to help the guard depth. Senior Uchenna Nwagbara and sophomore Brandon Green must hold their own inside as 6-foot-4 forwards.  Green can play all over the floor and much like Kayongo and can affect games in a multitude of ways.

Playing in the deepest region in Class AAAAA last year, Discovery held its own for a first year program. Jaden Stanley transferred in from Montana last season and has improved his game immensely. The 6-foot-5 forward and score inside and out on his man and is primed for a big year. He averaged 7 points and 5 rebound as a junior but now is transitioning to playing the wing full-time. After a strong summer circuit with AC Georgia Phoenix, Stanley has earned interest from Low-Mid Major programs and currently holds an Air Force offer. Senior guard DJ Young is a reliable scorer that was named All-Region after posting 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.5 steals per game. The strongest asset of Young’s game might be his college-level on-ball defense. Junior Kalu Ezikpe is an intriguing prospect at 6-foot-7 with D-I interest after teaming up with Stanley on AC Phoenix. Senior guard Brian Liles stretches defenses with his three-point shooting (39%) and averaged 7 points a night in 2015-16. Newcomers Tyshawn Chaney, Jaylen Bussey and Joseph Phipps all project to strengthen the Titan backcourt.

North Gwinnett was a young team last year and loses three-point specialist Colby Leifson to graduation. Co-Captain 6-foot-6 guard Ethan Smith should be a top scoring option his final season after averaging 7.5 points, 4 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Seniors 6-foot-7 Co-Captain Brandon Maffei (9.2 ppg, 5 rpg) and 6-foot-5 Michael Joseph (8.7 ppg, 6 rpg) are big bodies that bang inside and can score on the block. The trio returns for Coach Matt Garner as a group of experienced starters.  Sophomores Cameron Rowland, Tyler Goodson and Warren Burrell are all going to see important playing time as athletic guards. Rowland can score in a hurry from behind the arc and should be a very good player at North Gwinnett.

 

Region 7

Norcross (26-4)
Berkmar (20-9)
Brookwood (17-9)
Lakeside-DeKalb (14-10)
Central Gwinnett (13-14)
Parkview (10-16)
Meadowcreek (7-20)

Norcross received a tough draw and lost in the second round of the state tournament to Westlake 61-50, a loss that has provided fuel to the fire coming into the 2016-17 season. The Blue Devils have one of the best frontcourts in the state between 6-foot-9 Lance Thomas (8.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.7 bpg) and 6-foot-8 Rayshaun Hammonds (16.7 ppg, 10 rpg, 2 bpg), both seniors. Both have seen their stocks rise with impressive play on the EYBL circuit. All five starters return including senior Jordan Goldwire, who has seen a major jump in his recruitment as well after averaging 7.9 points and 3.3 assists. JoJo Toppins, a raw 6-foot-6 junior guard from Meadowcreek, presents a potential X-factor. Toppins has picked up offers from UGA and Mississippi State from his production with the Atlanta Celtics. He is an electrifying athlete that should slash in for buckets. Sophomore point guard Kyle Sturdivant will elevate his game in Year 2 after a sensationally steady freshman campaign saw him average 12.1 points and 2.7 assists. Junior Dalvin White pitched in 8.4 points and 3.5 assists as another reliable guard.

Berkmar regained their fearsome form last year behind a deep backcourt. The Patriots got hot down the stretch but were doused by McEachern in the second round, 70-49. Indiana-commit Al Durham (14.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg) leads the charge while Jay Estime (12.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and NJIT-commit Zach Cooks (11.4 ppg) are future D-I players. Ian Hardy is a smooth sophomore guard that can fill it up and get after it defensively. He could be next in line to emerge as a D-I prospect. The Patriots will contend with great guard play. An anchor in the paint is all that’s missing from Berkmar’s talented roster.

Brookwood saw a 10-win increase but was edged out by Grayson in the region tournament and didn’t clinch a playoff berth. Micah Kinsey has graduated, leaving behind his 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 4.2 steals. Donald “Bubba” Parham returns as the leading scorer after posting 14.8 per in 2015-16. Senior Trae Higginbotham is a reliable guard (7.6 ppg) that should see an uptick in his scoring. The loss of developing 6-foot-7 Amari Kelly to Meadowcreek hurts Brookwood’s interior. Senior Markus Smith is being counted on to be a game-changer as a 6-foot-4 forward.

Lakeside-DeKalb crashes the Gwinnett County party after registering their first winning season since 2010. Rising juniors Damon Davis and Martin Haggray will be the focal points now that Sean Atwater has graduated. Davis, a 6-foot-2 guard, has played well over the summer with 16U 3-Point Play while Haggary averaged 6.4 rebounds as a 6-foot-6 post for the Vikings. Point guard Cameron Starkes has transferred in for his senior season after averaging 8.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals at Druid Hill. He can finish at the rim off the bounce and also has a nice pull-up game that helps loosen up the defense.

Central Gwinnett snuck into the postseason last year, breaking Dacula’s heart in the Region 8-AAAAAA tournament. They won’t be sneaking around anymore with Jalen Hillary leading the charge his senior season. Hillary averaged 13.8 points per game, but loses his top scoring mate JaQuan Morris to Collins Hill. Replacing Morris is athletic 6-foot-4 senior wing Jaylen Morgan who moves in from East Jackson. Junior guard Bernard Kasanda is someone who Coach Branden Mayweather is very high on while freshman Skylar Adams projects to be one of the better shooters in the state. Inside Arrhen Fejokwu and Julian Grajales bring a toughness to the paint.

Parkview could be one of the most improved teams in the state with its roster chock full of juniors and sophomores. Coach Nick Gast’s top three leading scorers return in juniors Cam Chavers (10.3 ppg) and Jack Lapenta (7.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg) along with sophomore Truitt Spencer (9.8 ppg). Parkview could become something special over the next few years as long as Ahmir Langlais and Toneari Lane continue to improve. Langlais, the rising 6-foot-7 sophomore, has a soft touch inside and has the potential to develop into one of the state’s better big men in due time. Lane will also be added to the mix. The 6-foot-5 wing is a highly touted freshman that originally was thought to be heading to Central Gwinnett. Instead he will attend Parkview with Langlais, who he played on the Atlanta Xpress with this summer. Lane is a long attacker who can get to the basket and also help out greatly on the glass.

Meadowcreek turns to Curtis Gilleyen to revamp the program after Willie Reese jumped ship after one season to take over at Griffin. Gilleyen has turned around programs in the past, having success with Druid Hills and Stephenson before coaching the Columbia girls team last season.  6-foot-4 sophomore guard Jamir Chaplin transfers in from Stephenson where he averaged 8.7 points while adding 5.4 rebounds. He can score in the lane, rebound at a high clip and distribute with the best of them. Chaplin has offers from Tulane and Middle Tennessee State. 6-foot-7 junior Amari Kelly has transferred in from Brookwood along with 6-foot-7 junior Cory Hightower. Kelly averaged 6.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while Hightower saw sparing playing time. The trio of new faces all played with Stackhouse Elite over the summer.

 

Region 8

Newton (26-5)
Shiloh (24-6)
Grayson (22-8)
Rockdale County (16-12)
Archer (10-17)
South Gwinnett (5-20) 

Newton took a trip to the Final Four in Class AAAAAA before running out of gas against eventual champion Westlake, 64-59. The Rams bring back one of the best backcourts in the state led by JD Notae and sophomore point guard Ashton Hagans, who won Freshman of the Year in the state of Georgia. Notae is a scoring wizard, able to score from everywhere on the floor. The 6-foot-2 guard is also an exceptional and willing rebounder. He has seen his recruitment heat up along the LM-MM level. Hagans is a blue-chip point guard that already has offers from SEC schools. Hagans’ court-vision is mature beyond his years and plays at a breakneck tempo when he wants to that leaves opponents in the dust. At 6-foot-3 Hagans is everything you want in a guard, averaging 12 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals per game as a freshman. Senior Josh Tukes came on strong in the paint at 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-5 Dre Butler brings a rebounding and scoring presence inside as he enters his junior season after injuring his leg halfway through last year and missing the Rams’ postseason run. Butler averaged 8 points and 8 rebounds prior to his season ending.  The Rams get a major boost in Eastside transfer Isaiah Miller. The dynamic 6-foot senior guard finished second in Class AAAA in scoring last season at 25.3 points per game to go with his 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 4.3 steals and 1.0 block. Seniors Darvin Jones amd Dante Johnson along with sophomores Colby Rogers and Armani Harris provide depth for a Rams team that went 22-2 over the summer. Rogers is a versatile 6-foot-3 guard that can score from all three levels and also help out on the glass and defensively with his length.

Shiloh moves on from the Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech) era. After D-I transfers Khalil Richard (Siena) and Darnell Rogers (George Washington) lasted just a few weeks before having to transfer back home, the Generals still put together another dominant season powered by their defense. Anchoring the paint still is Middle Tennessee State-commit TJ Massenburg. The 6-foot-8 senior burst onto the scene from Augusta and saw his stock soar after averaging 11.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4 blocks per game. Massenburg has even added a three-point shot that has advanced his evolution as a player. North Florida-commit Brian Coffey Jr. transfers in from Greater Atlanta Christian to run the point along with Duluth transfer Brandon Blair. VMI-commit Greg James provides shooting from the outside and will be asked to take his game to the next level now that 6-foot-6 sophomore wing Elias King has transferred to Huntington Prep, WV. Junior TJ Stargell will have opportunities to run the show as a pass-first point guard.

Grayson made a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight by stunning defending champion Wheeler at Wheeler. The dynamic backcourt of Alphonso Willis (18.8 ppg) and Austin Dukes (18 ppg) has graduated, leaving way for understudies Deivon Smith and Justin Fleming to run the show. Smith, a 5-foot-7 freshman, is pound-for-pound as good a freshman guard in the state with his IQ and all-around floor leadership. By the time Smith is a senior, he may follow in the footsteps of Dukes, who grew to 5-foot-11 and put together a great high school career. Travis Anderson transfers in from East Jackson after flirting with attending Grayson a year ago. Anderson brings legitimacy to the backcourt and will take on the lead-dog role as Smith and Fleming find their footing. Anderson has interest from High Major schools across the country after averaging 18 points per game. Inside, 6-foot-6 sophomore Kenyon Jackson brings a stalwart defensive presence. He averaged 10.1 rebounds and 3.9 blocks but must become more aggressive on offense. Senior Kyle Butts is a tough-nosed rebounder in the paint as a 6-foot-5 senior. Senior forward Joey Chavez presents a streaky shooter after seeing sparing playing time last year. Chavez is a good floor stretcher that can get hot from beyond the arc. He had a good summer with Grayson. 6-foot-3 wing Aaron Rowe transfers in from Parkview for his senior season. He will be a nice piece on the perimeter. Sophomore Reco Hallmon is a talented scorer that will force his way into the rotation sooner rather than later. 6-foot-6 senior Gerald Buncum comes in from Jack Britt High School in North Carolina. Buncum is a bouncy big man that can play above the rim and pair nicely with Jackson as two dangerous shot blockers.

Rockdale’s record might not have shown it, but the Bulldogs were as dangerous a team as there was in Class AAAAAA. Just ask Newton who beat the Dogs 99-94 in overtime before being upset on their Senior Night by Rockdale 52-50. Jalen Jordan was a scoring maven (17.5 ppg), but has graduated. In fact Rockdale’s top five scorers all have graduated. 6-foot-6 senior Cameron Gaines is the team’s returning leading scorer at 4.9 points per game. Keep an eye on rising junior forward Sayvon Traylor. The 6-foot-5 well-built big guy looks more like a banger, but he catches opponents off guard with his soft touch from the outside and his skillset which is closer to a guard’s than a post. Traylor’s versatility helped the Rockdale JV to a 14-1 record. He averaged 14.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Cleveland State has checked in on him. Sophomore guard Torezz Alexander should slide into an important role with the varsity.

Archer graduates Darrion Taylor and his team-best 16.8 points as part of an eight-man senior class. Brenden Tucker is the future. The 6-foot-2 sophomore averaged 9.3 points and 3.2 assists as a freshman and has picked up a Kennesaw State offer after filling in buckets this offseason. Junior guard Shaikim Jenks could see major minutes in the backcourt alongside Tucker.

Ty Anderson steps in to lead South Gwinnett after the Comets sunk to 5-20 overall and 1-16 in Region 8. Junior guard DJ Williams looks ready to lead the attack while 6-foot-5 Brycen Lee provides length and versatility in the paint. Senior D’onte Torrence was among the Comets’ leading scorers last year along with junior Gimal Evans. Senior guard Angelo Taylor stands 6-foot-2 with some untapped potential. Nahiem Alleyne, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, represents a bright future for South Gwinnett, a team that will defend and compete every possession.

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