East Paulding Fall League Midseason Report

East Paulding Fall League Midseason Report

SCHEDULE
STANDINGS
RECAPS
BOYS STATS

GIRLS STATS

MVP Frontrunners

2023 5-11 PG Javonne Williams – Paulding County
(17.8 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.8 bpg)
Scored 27 points vs. Osborne. Ranks second in scoring and tied for fifth in assists. Has Paulding County undefeated.

2023 6-3 F Eric Garcia – Union Grove Black
(16.8 ppg, 13.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2 spg, 1.3 bpg)
One of three players to average a double-double. Ranks third in scoring and first in rebounding.

2024 6-4 SG Jaiden Mann – Marietta
(15.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1 apg, 1.7 spg, 1 bpg)
Fifth in the League in scoring.

2023 6-5 W Justin McCarter – Osborne
(15 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.3 bpg)
Osborne is 2-1 in games he’s played in. Leads Cardinals in scoring, rebounding and assists.

2024 6-4 W Nile King – Union Grove Black
(14.3 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2 spg, 2.7 bpg)
Double-double average. Top 10 in scoring, ranks third in rebounding and leads the League in blocks.

2024 6-2 PG O’Brien Watkins – Carrollton
(14 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2 apg)
Leads undefeated Carrollton in scoring and assists and ranks second in rebounding.

MVP Dark Horses

2025 6-6 W Ethan Carter – Arlington Christian
(19 ppg, 9 rpg, 2 apg, 1.5 spg, 2 bpg)
Has only appeared in two games, but leads the League in scoring, is fifth in rebounding and third in blocks.

2025 5-9 PG Isaac Plavich – Christian Heritage
(15.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1 spg)
Leads the League in three-pointers made (13), ranks fourth in scoring and Top 10 in assists.

2023 6-3 W Cole Smith – Allatoona
(15.5 ppg, 8 rpg, 2.5 spg)
Second in three-pointers made (10). Places sixth in scoring and ninth in rebounding.

2023 6-2 CG Jeremiah Taylor – South Paulding
(11.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.3 spg)
Leads unbeaten Spartans in points, rebounds and steals. Ranks second in assists.

2023 6-3 F Carter Pengelly – East Paulding
(10.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1 apg, 2 bpg)
Leads undefeated Raiders in scoring, rebounding and blocks.

Team to Beat

Entering Labor Day break, four teams remain unbeaten. Carrollton (4-0) is riding high, coming off a win over Union Grove Black (3-1). The Trojans rely on their electric backcourt of O’Brien Watkins (14 ppg), Eli Pippins (11.8 ppg) and Keshaun Pace (10 ppg) to overwhelm opponents. Paulding County (4-0) has seen Javonne Williams emerge as a MVP frontrunner after he dropped 27 points in a 54-51 win over defending League champ Osborne (2-2). Williams has raised his average to 17.8 points per game, second-best in the League. South Paulding (4-0) has used a balanced attack with four players averaging over 8 points per game. Jeremiah Taylor leads the Spartans at 11.8. East Paulding has relied on defense to win their games, allowing just 38.3 points per game. Carter Pengelly has been a double-double threat when healthy while Ja’Bryan Smith has developed into a consistent perimeter threat averaging 9.8 points per game. Union Grove Black has a chance to win out and end the season with a big showdown against East Paulding. The Wolverines have the most dominant interior game in the League between double-double machines Eric Garcia and Nile King who combine to average 31.1 points and 24.6 rebounds per game. Though they are two games back in the standings, Osborne still has a chance to contend for the League title. They close the season against current unbeatens South Paulding and Carrollton. In their lone loss to Union Grove Black in Week 2, Justin McCarter did not play and Keshawn McPherson hasn’t suited up since Week 1 when he scored 26 points in 39-point blowout.


MVP Frontrunners

2023 5-7 PG Mataya Gayle – River Ridge
(12.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1 spg)
Third in scoring, first in assists. Second in rebounding for undefeated Knights.

2023 5-5 PG Eghosa Obasuyi – Carrollton
(12.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.3 spg)
Ranks second in scoring and Top 10 in steals.

2023 5-7 G Abby Hohl – Allatoona
(15.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2 apg, 2.5 spg)
Leads the League in scoring. Tied for fifth in steals.

2023 5-8 G Amiya Frazier – Villa Rica
(10.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2 apg, 1 spg)
Places fourth in the League in scoring and rebounds.

MVP Dark Horses

2026 5-4 G Isabella Italiano – Alexander
(6.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.5 spg)
Third in rebounding and second in assists.

2025 6-0 F Kayla Cleaveland – River Ridge
(9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Second on team in scoring and first in rebounding.

2023 5-11 W Kalisha Phillips – Hiram
(5.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 3.8 spg, 0.8 bpg)
Ranks fifth in rebounding, first in steals and tied second in blocks. Midseason Defensive Player of the Year.

2024 5-8 G Marina Sippola – North Paulding
(8.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.8 spg)
Leads North Paulding in scoring and steals.

2023 5-9 F Caylie Long – Hillgrove
(7.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2 spg, 1 bpg)
Ranks second in scoring and first in rebounding, steals and blocks for Hillgrove.

Team to Beat

Defending League Champion River Ridge (4-0) is the team to beat after knocking off Hillgrove (3-1) in a nail-biter before the break. Reigning League MVP Mataya Gayle is the front runner to win the award again. Hillgrove’s depth and talented young backcourt has already knocked off Carrollton (3-1) at the buzzer in Week 2, 39-38 and pushed River Ridge to the brink in a narrow 38-32 defeat. Five players average over 5 points per game for the Hawks. London VanArsdale is tied for second-most made threes with seven. Carrollton has a chance to win the League if they win out and beat River Ridge in Week 7. Georgia State-commit Eghosa Obasuyi is averaging 12.8 points per game while sophomore Laura Mitchell has emerged as one of the best rebounders in the League averaging 9.3 per game. North Paulding (3-1) will have a chance to shake up the standings this week as they battle River Ridge. The length of the Wolfpack has caused opponents issues and held East Paulding (1-3) to 13 points in their last game. Hiram and Villa Rica are two dangerous 2-2 teams. Hiram has an aggressive defense anchored by Kalisha Phillips and Taylor Crawford while Villa Rica has offensive firepower between Amiya Frazier (10.3 ppg), Gracie Byford (8.8 ppg) and Kiyah Swint (8.5 ppg). Byford leads the League with nine made threes.

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