Peachtree Corners Christmas Classic Top Performers
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Peachtree Corners Christmas Classic Top Performers


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2023 6-9 PF Brigham Rogers – Blessed Trinity
The Belmont big was a bruiser inside for Blessed Trinity. Brigham is one of the most physical big men in the state. Once more of a highly skilled finesse forward, over the years Rogers has kept his polished post game while adding more and more muscle to overpower defenders. He does a good job carving out space on post ups and will dip his shoulder into the defender’s chest to create separation before going up to finish. Rogers loves to catch in the high post and drive to the rim. He’s patient with his footwork and takes the time to properly gather himself. Brigham finishes very well with both hands. He has a nice spin move off the block into the lane where he finishes with a lefty hook. Rogers is everything you could ask for in post presence. He finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists and 6 blocks in a 57-56 loss to North Cobb in the Peachtree Tree Corners Christmas Classic Championship.

2025 6-2 SG Ty Harpring – Blessed Trinity
The Titans were dead in the water for much of the game, entering the fourth quarter trailing North Cobb 47-36 before lightning struck. Harpring exploded for 10-straight points to get Blessed Trinity back in it. Ty would drop 14 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Titans. Harpring excelled at getting to his spots in the mid-range and moving without the ball as he curled off screens for open looks. Ty netted four three-pointers and hit a pair of pull-up jumpers. Harpring has great strength to bump off defenders when losing them around screens. Ty plays with very good balance and gets into his compact stroke quickly. His ability to fill it up from the perimeter in a blink will keep Blessed Trinity in every game until the final buzzer.

2023 6-3 PG Damonte Pellot – North Cobb
Trainer Jason Smithson was right when he said Damonte Pellot had a chance to be special. That work has started to show more and more consistently. At 6-foot-3, Pellot is a big point guard with a well-rounded offensive game. If he has a smaller defender on him, his first instinct is to get into the paint which he did with ease all throughout the game. Pellot finished with both hands scoring on spin moves, floaters and reverse layups. What really impressed me aside from his ability to score downhill in traffic, was Damonte’s shot. He sank four jumpers, scoring off the catch and off the dribble. Where Pellot holds value is his floor game, able to contribute across the board in multiple ways. Damonte finished with 23 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 steals in North Cobb’s thrilling 57-56 championship. NAIA, D-II and D-III schools all be taking a close look.

2024 6-2 G Josh Kavel – Wesleyan
14 of Josh Kavel’s 21 points came in the second half including his game-winning pull-up step-back three with two defenders on him to give Wesleyan a 44-42 win over Stephenson. Kavel came up big down the stretch, using his physicality to get stops and produce points. Josh started to heat up once he was able to get in transition. He gets a head of steam and is a freight train when seeking the rim. Josh isn’t afraid to use his strength, throwing his weight around when getting on the glass. Kavel finished with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals.

2023 6-6 F James McGriff – Wesleyan
With Thomas Chipman still injured, James McGriff stepped up. The forward was able to score both inside and out, hitting a three and attacking on baseline drives all while still finding points on putbacks, post ups and dunks.  James has a strong frame and quality footwork with his back to the basket. He moves well and can help stretch the floor to create mismatches. McGriff tallied 15 points, 9 rebounds and 1 steal vs. Stephenson.

2024 6-1 W Jaelin Joseph – Stephenson
I loved the energy Jaelin Joseph brought for Stephenson. Joseph played within himself and served as a valuable glue-guy that focused on defense and rebounding. Listed at only 6-foot-1, he could have fooled me with how big he played. Jaelin is a wiry defender with major bounce. He posted 6 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals and 2 blocks.

2023 5-11 PG Aaron Johnson – ELCA
Stuck in a tight game, it was Aaron Johnson who came up clutch for ELCA, one of just two active seniors on the roster. The veteran guard took over in the second half, thriving in the Chargers’ full-court 2-2-1 press and up-tempo offense. Johnson scored 16 of his team-high 20 points in the second half to pair with his 1 rebound, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Aaron was a catalyst offensively, getting into the paint at will and finishing with his lefty floater. The svelte southpaw won the game for ELCA, fouled on a three with 0.3 seconds left, sinking two of three to survive a 17-point Oglethorpe County comeback, 69-67.

2024 6-1 G Kameron Warford – ELCA
Kam Warford was the energizer bunny for ELCA. Down 20-13 after one quarter, Warford’s infectious effort and defensive intensity sparked the Chargers. Warford compiled 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks, netting 13 points in the first half leading ELCA to a 21-11 second quarter that put the Chargers in front. Warford was everywhere on defense. He’s a terrific athlete that jumps out of the gym and suffocates opponents in the press with his ability to move his feet and his intimidating leaping which shuts down passing lanes and leads to deflections and steals. Warford’s bouncy legs were impactful in the paint as he was able to gobble up shot attempts serving as ELCA’s rim protector, a team whose tallest player stands 6-foot-3. Kameron wasn’t just a defensive dynamo; he drilled four three-pointers including a step-back off the dribble to open his scoring.  The lefty did so much well on Wednesday. He’s an incredibly fun player to watch based on his hustle alone.

2024 6-5 W Javaun Pittard – Oglethorpe County
For just a junior, Javaun Pittard is a sneaky good player. He scored the ball from all three levels, finishing with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. Pittard has a covetable frame on the wing and uses his strength to finish off drives downhill. He scored four times getting to the rim and showcased a floater. Javaun sank a pair of threes. Pittard could be a sleeper moving forward. It will be imperative for him to play against strong competition during the travel ball circuit. Small schools will want to keep an eye on his development.

2023 6-3 SG Kirkland Ross – Oglethorpe County
Another well-rounded scorer, Ross is a dangerous shooter especially from the corners. He drained three three-pointers and was effective when he decided to attack the paint. At 6-foot-3, Ross used his size to his advantage on the glass and scored on offensive rebounds. Kirkland posted 17 points, 9 rebounds 4 assists and 1 steal.

2025 6-4 W Tre Winters – Adairsville
Winters may have the highest upside in Northwest Georgia. Not quite as long as former teammate TJ Printup (Tusculum), Winters has a similar well-rounded game. He’s a very good athlete with natural defensive advantages, able to use his length and quickness to force turnovers. He scored all his points on Wednesday in the paint, getting to the rim where Greene County had no shot blockers to challenge him. He impressed me in the halfcourt with his vision, making plays off the dribble as a facilitator. Tre finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals in a 56-54 win.