2024 6-4 G Mason Smith – Madison County
Madison County’s 25-2 record is no fluke. The Red Raiders have serious firepower on the perimeter, any given night one of their big three able to take over a game. On Thursday it was Mason Smith who lit the nets on fire. The junior poured in 37 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block in a 64-56 win over Seckinger. Smith was simply unguardable, dissecting the Jaguars from all three levels. He opened up hot, drilling three of his four three-pointers in the opening frame. Mason then got to work downhill, finishing with floaters and scoring through contact. He was everywhere on the glass, scooting in for putbacks and helping spark fastbreaks. While he may not be a true point guard, Smith has combo abilities, able to play both with and without the ball. He’s a solid passer off the dribble. Mason should start popping up on recruiting boards. D-II programs should get in on him.
2025 6-4 SG Grant Smith – Madison County
Younger brother Grant is a legitimate sniper. He has deep range and shoots the ball with speed and rotation. Smith is comfortable working off the ball to get free. He has a quick trigger, locating the rim immediately off the catch. While his three-point shot is his greatest weapon, Grant is also a talented passer when driving, able to attack the middle and whip in assists to teammates on the block. Much like his brother, Grant can be a prolific scorer. He posted 27 points and 7 rebounds against North Oconee earlier in the season in a game I saw. Against Seckinger, Smith netted three threes finishing with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
2024 5-8 PG Jay Carruth – Madison County
The Region Player of the Year is a catalyst. Capable of pouring in points when needed, Carruth is comfortable being the assist man, getting all his weapons involved. Jay’s quick off the dribble as he sneaks past defenders looking to cause them to collapse. He plays well out of dribble handoffs and is good at finding open spots in the mid-range. He’s got wiggle downhill and will play off two feet in traffic. Carruth collected 7 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists.
2025 6-2 W Tony Wells – Seckinger
When you first look at Tony Wells, three-point specialist isn’t exactly what immediately comes to mind. Wells is a bulky, big-bodied strong perimeter player. While he looks like a banger and possibly a slashing glue-guy, Wells is more than just a bowling ball, he’s a legit floor spacer. Wells drilled five three-pointers en route to a team-high 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. He’s calm off the catch and will one-dribble sidestep defenders that fly at him to get clean looks at the basket. With his strength, Wells can also mix it up under the hoop. Only a sophomore, Wells has a bright future and many knockdown jumpers ahead of him.
2024 6-1 G Byrd Carter – North Oconee
Byrd Carter has transformed into North Oconee’s most consistent and most valuable player. He’s so steady across the board, a well-rounded scorer with a reliable floor game. Byrd is a smart player that seemingly understands both offensive and defensive concepts. He’s an effective defender, a sneaky good shot blocker for his size. On offense, Carter has good footwork on his drives and can coax defenders into fouling him. Byrd scores well in traffic and gets the bulk of his points on crafty slashes. Mixing in more shooting range will help his long-term upside. He finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
2025 6-0 PG Marcus Smith – Walnut Grove
I loved what I saw from Marcus Smith vs. North Oconee in a 57-42 upset. Smith was tremendous, making great reads throughout. He’s a true point guard that loves to make things happen. Smith is good at getting to the rim in transition and had an equal amount of success in the halfcourt finishing with both hands. Where Smith really hurt North Oconee was with his drive and kick game. He got into the paint consistently and found open shooters around him. Another aspect I loved was after Alex Cannon blocked a shot, he ran the floor and Marcus rewarded him with an assist that led to a slam. Smith has a great feel and has enjoyed accelerated growth in Year 2. He posted 12 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals.