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Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Peachtree Ridge Summer League Analysis

I stopped by Peachtree Ridge High School on Saturday to check out Day 2 of their two day summer league. In attendance were: Peachtree Ridge, Statesboro, East Hall, Dacula, Mill Creek, Strom Thurmond (SC), Grayson and Buford. I caught four games on the day and was able to come away with some solid feedback.

Peachtree Ridge 52, Statesboro 47

Peachtree Ridge led for much of the game and was able to close out Statesboro after a late Blue Devil run put a scare into the Lions. Peachtree Ridge finished 19-11 last season and made a trip to the Class AAAAAA Sweet 16 where they fell to semifinalist Newton 63-61. The Lions lose Milz Tatum and Markel McCollum, but return juniors Devin Vassell and Fred Payton. Vassell, a wiry 6-foot-5 wing, netted a game-high 20 points and collected five rebounds in the win. Vassell’s length allows him to play the passing lanes on the perimeter and rebound the ball inside. He will need to add weight to consistently finish inside (which he had no problem doing on Saturday) to get buckets against the state’s more physical teams.

Devin Vassell was in attack mode for Peachtree Ridge
Devin Vassell was in attack mode for Peachtree Ridge

Fred Payton is the quarterback on the football team and a 6-foot-3 scorer on the basketball team. Payton knocked down three three-pointers and finished with 14 points. He is an exceptional athlete that will help on defense and stretch the floor on offense. Another big time football recruit, Connor Heyward, took to the hardwood. Heyward won’t wow you with his scoring, but the 6-foot-2 guard is a physical player that likes to mix it up on defense and on the glass. His strength allows him to body up taller players inside which gives him great value on the defensive side of the ball. On offense, he is a willing passer.

Caleb Holifield, a transfer from Pace Academy, didn’t have a great game but will bring a scoring knack from the outside. He is a good shooter and has experience playing with and against top level competition.

For Statesboro, a 22-9 team from a year ago that fell to quarterfinalist Riverwood 48-47 in the Class AAAAA Sweet 16, senior guard Marcus Kirkland powered the offense.  Kirkland dropped 15 points and collected two blocks. The 6-foot-2 guard hit three of the Blue Devils’ seven threes. Kirkland has a strong build on him. He can get to the basket consistently and should be the leader for Coach Lee Hill’s team. Junior guard Tyler Goodman added eight points and is a scrappy 5-foot-9 guard.

Mill Creek 51, Strom Thurmond (SC) 35

Mill Creek has always been known for its balanced offensive attack. The Hawks snuck into the postseason last year and finished the season 14-15 after a 70-62 loss to Lambert. Key contributors Charles Botchway, Miles Riley and Evan Richardson graduate, leaving the offense to run through rising senior Christian Mancillas. Mancillas is excellent in the classroom (4.0 GPA) and steady on the court as a 6-foot-3 forward. He can affect the game in many ways as proved by his stat line: seven points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Sophomore point guard Jayden Marshall saw varsity minutes as a freshman and will be counted on to orchestrate the offense. He scored nine points in Saturday’s win. Sophomore Brandon Fletcher, a 6-foot-3 forward, led the Hawks with 12 points. Fletcher played on the ninth grade team last season but could help out the varsity due to their lack of size. Junior Noah Kenney made the most of his varsity stint this past weekend, netting 11 points with nine coming via the long ball.

Strom Thurmond was led by 6-foot-1 guard Onesis Brown. The senior scored a game-high 18 points and added five blocks.

Dacula 46, Grayson 44

Dacula has had one of the best summers from the teams I have seen play so far this offseason, consistently racking up wins. Playing a depleted Grayson team without center Kenyon Jackson and other important pieces, Dacula jumped out to a 25-12 halftime lead. Grayson ramped up its defense with great communication out of a 2-3 zone in the second half. The Rams’ intensity ignited a 19-2 run to take a 31-27 lead with 9:33 left. In the end, poor free throw shooting was the difference maker as the Rams ran out of gas.

Dacula’s balanced backcourt did the damage. Junior Arusha Hunter scored 12 points to pace the Falcons while senior Gary Bishop added 10 and five rebounds. Junior 6-foot-4 post Shayne Buckingham ended with eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Super sophomore Mekhail Bethea was quiet in the first half with just one basket, but scored six points in the second half including clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Grayson’s young backcourt consisted of sophomore Justin Fleming and freshman Deivon Smith, who hope to become as productive as Alphonso Willis and Austin Dukes were over their careers at Grayson. Fleming scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds and collected two steals, but missed a huge 1-&-1 free throw with 35 seconds left down 42-39. On the day, Fleming was 0-for-4 from the line with a majority of the free throws counting as two-for-one’s due to summer league rules.

Smith is a tiny guard around 5-foot-7 that has the ability to sneak past defenders and draw open looks for teammates. He finished with four points, three rebounds and four assists. Senior Joey Chavez scored a team-high 12 points and added five rebounds and a block from his forward position. He’s a willing three-point shooter that will have a chance to see important varsity minutes this year. Senior Kyle Butts rebounded the ball well. The 6-foot-4 forward totaled six points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Buford 62, Strom Thurmond (SC) 41

Coach Eddie Martin has not rested on his laurels at Buford. The veteran head coach still teaches non-stop on the sidelines and has the Buford program in good shape heading into Year 2. He has a coach’s dream in rising junior point guard Alex Jones. Jones was named Sandy’s Spiel Class AAAA Best Passer and for good reason. He pitched in 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists in their romp of Strom Thurmond. Diminutive in size, Jones has some of the best court vision in the state. Big men Sahil Patel and David Viti carved up the Rebels inside. Patel, a 6-foot-8 senior, and Viti, a 6-foot-5 junior forward from Lambert, should pair nicely this season. Patel went for 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks while Viti added 11 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Senior forward Austin Panks is an athletic energy swingman. He tallied eight points and six rebounds and should be a nice piece whether coming off the bench or earning some starts. Sophomore Ashton Young looked good with the varsity, leading the way with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists. Veteran guard Dawson Wehunt rounded out the attack with seven points.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Etowah Summer Shootout Showcase Analysis

On Wednesday, Etowah held its Summer Shootout Showcase, featuring Johnson-Gainesville, Harrison, Campbell, Johns Creek, Etowah, Whitefield Academy, East Hall and Milton. Each team played two games with the event tipping at 4 PM and concluding after the 7 PM time slot. I was able to catch two games: Johnson vs. Johns Creek and East Hall vs. Whitefield Academy.

Johns Creek 55, Johnson-Gainesville 41

A school-best 24-5 record last season wasn’t enough to save Pete Goggin’s job, meaning Keenan Temple takes over the reins at Johns Creek. Temple has learned under the tutelage of Eddie Martin while at Norcross and most recently Scott Bracco at Lambert with a head coaching stop for three years at Parkview sandwiched in between. Coach Temple inherits a team that loses its top five scorers and looks to be in-line for a down year, but not so fast.

The Gladiators jumped out to a 10-0 run and never looked back. A big reason why Johns Creek cruised to victory?  Rising sophomore guard Neil Ilenrey. The 6-foot-2 guard got his feet wet at the varsity level last year, making a few short appearances. In Year 2, he looks ready to take control of the team. Ilenrey poured in a game-high 16 points to go along with his four rebounds and four assists. He knocked down three deep balls and got in the lane when he needed to.  Ilenrey looked like the real deal and should explode onto teams’ radar this season with the major increase in role and playing time.

Senior Andre Taylor provided 12 points off the bench from an off-guard position. He scored in bunches and provided a nice lift whenever Ilenrey caught a breather on the sidelines. Inside, seniors Alex Ruoff and Topher Sullivan hurt the smaller Knights. Ruoff posted eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks while Sullivan chipped in eight points.

Johnson-Gainesville’s guard play failed them at times, struggling to find open baskets for teammates and allowing Johns Creek’s full-court press to take them out of their rhythm. Dwayne Wilson and Will Richter were the only two players to score more than four points. Wilson, a 6-foot-5 senior, netted 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks. When he touched the ball on offense close to the paint, good things usually happened for the Knights.

Richter, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, will bring shooting to the Johnson backcourt. He hit two three-pointers and finished with 12 points and two assists. On a team that is streaky from beyond the arc, Richter will be heavily relied upon to stretch defenses and allow Kylan Curry and Marcus Jones space to drive and kick while also giving Wilson room to score inside.

5-foot-10 senior Issac Hernandez came off the bench and sparked Johnson-Gainesville with his energy. The cross country standout finished with four points, two assists and two steals. Though he won’t keep scorekeepers busy with his scoring, if Hernandez can bring the same intensity he brought off the bench on Wednesday all season long for Coach Tim Slater, he could play a valuable role this year.

Whitefield Academy 40, East Hall 34

East Hall came into Etowah boasting the youngest roster at the Showcase hands down. Coach Joe Dix loaded his roster with a majority of freshmen with a few sophomores sprinkled in. Imre Earls, a highly touted eighth grader, even saw some playing time. Dix didn’t have much of a choice but to throw his boys into the fire as junior sharp-shooter Luke Cooper broke his ankle during the first day of practice.

Even though they were shorthanded and lacking in experience, the Vikings played hard till the final horn, losing to Milton and Whitefield Academy in competitive games. Luke Holtzclaw was a bright spot in their low-scoring loss to the Wolfpack. The sophomore stroked three threes and finished with a team-leading nine points to go with his three steals.

Senior Mahki Brown collected four points and nine rebounds. The 6-foot-4 post was a double-double threat a year ago and will be asked to anchor the paint and give the Vikings some more offense now that Tylor Brown has graduated and Markese Jackson has decided to forgo his senior season on the hardwood and focus solely on becoming a D-I football receiver.

Whitefield Academy’s Isaiah Hart was East Hall’s main target defensively. The senior guard that averaged 20.1 points per game in 2015-16, was held to six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, which helped the Vikings stay within striking distance. Sophomore guard Noah Dryden seems poised for a strong season in the backcourt along with Hart. Missing was 6-foot-7 Tyson Jackson who was not in attendance.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Cobb SSA Summer Team Camp Analysis

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Day 2 of All Tournament Players Park (aka Cobb SSA)’s, Summer Team Camp took place on Tuesday. From 6/13-16, the 10-team field will take the court, playing two games a night. The participants include: Woodstock, Westminster I & II, Kell, Osborne, Lovett, Cumberland Christian, King’s Academy, Active Elite (AAU) and AC Georgia (AAU).

Lovett

Coming off of a Class AA Elite Eight appearance, the Lions lose eight seniors. Luckily for second-year head coach Ryan Koudele, sophomore point guard Ryan Greer, sophomore post Nick Jackson and junior shooting guard Crawford Schwieger all return with plenty of experience under their belts. Lovett lost to Active Elite 57-53 and Westminster 53-50, but the Lion backcourt was dynamic.

Greer finished with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals against Active Elite and followed up with 17 points and seven rebounds vs. Westminster. Greer attacked defenses all night, using a hesitation dribble to square his broad shoulders and finish in the lane. Once the defense was keen to Greer getting to the rack, he would stop on a dime and make a pocket pass to an open teammate. Greer plays beyond his years. His maturity level measures up with top seniors across the state.

Crawford Schwieger commanded constant defensive attention
Crawford Schwieger commanded constant defensive attention

Running mate Crawford Schwieger tickled the twine all night as he was the best shooter in the building. He canned six threes en route to a 20-point performance in Game 1, and knocked down three more on his way to 15 points in Game 2. Schwieger is a floor stretcher extraordinaire that commands attention as soon as he crosses over mid-court.

For an undersized post, Nick Jackson played tough inside and corralled 10 boards against Active Elite who featured big-man Chris Agbo.

Westminster

A 22-3 season ended on a sour note last year as the Wildcats were stunned in the Region 4-AAA tournament and were denied a postseason bid after ranking in the Top 10 for much of the season. Will Benson, a 6-foot-5 workhorse forward, has graduated and was selected by the Cleveland Indians 14th overall in the MLB Draft last week.

The Wildcats scored a 53-50 win over Lovett thanks to the play of senior Mikael Sampson. Sampson, 6-foot-6, was anchored on the block last year. Now that Benson is out of the picture, the offense will run through Sampson. He looked much more confident against Lovett and Coach Tray Malloy put the ball in his hands, taking over the role Benson held. When Sampson put the ball on the floor, he was a freight train.

Mikael Sampson can now score inside and out
Mikael Sampson can now score inside and out

He finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks. Sampson has extended his game to the three-point line even, knocking down a straightaway three. Being able to play on the perimeter will greatly help his stock instead of solely being viewed as a back-to-the-basket energy big man. Sampson will have all the opportunity in the world to stuff the stat sheet his senior season as the offense will run through him.

Woodstock

After waiting 20 years for their first state playoff appearance, the Wolverines will look to build on their success behind a talented backcourt. The Wolverines thumped Cumberland Christian 90-48 and then trounced King’s Academy 71-44.

St. Francis transfer Dylin Hardeman powered Woodstock in the second half. The sophomore hit a three at the buzzer to extend their lead to 34-28 going into the break before he exploded for 12 of his game-high 19 in the final 20 minutes. Hardeman provides good size at the off-guard position standing 6-foot-3, and brings a confident swagger after having a great summer circuit with 16U Team Atlanta.

Senior holdover Tyreke Johnson has garnered the most interest from next level coaches. Johnson played well at the Kennesaw State Elite Camp on Sunday and continued where he left off last season, posting 17 points and five rebounds. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 17.6 points per game last year and shouldn’t have as much pressure on him to score the ball now that Hardeman is in the fold.

Late blooming stretch forward Cameron Crowe had a big game against King’s Academy with 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Crowe stands close to 6-foot-6 and brings with him some nice athleticism inside that will pair well with bruiser Brant Hurter. Crowe rebounded with two hands and showed a nice touch off the glass in the paint.

Rising junior Will Allen played sparingly last season but played exceptionally well off the bench on Tuesday. A long 6-foot-4, Allen drained three three-pointers and tallied 15 points, five rebounds and one block off the bench. He looked confident and wasn’t afraid to let it fly. Allen should be a very nice rotational piece in the mold of graduating forward Zack Wallace but with more aggression.

Once all of Coach Kingston Clark’s pieces are together, including Hurter and Noah Frith, Woodstock has to be an early favorite out of Region 4-AAAAAAA.

Chris Agbo

Senior center Chris Agbo suited up for Active Elite after playing with the Southern Stampede this summer. Agbo by far is the biggest, strongest player I have seen in the high school game since covering it this past year. At 6-foot-8, 250 pounds of all muscle, the Covenant Christian super hero is imposing to say the least.

Active Elite earned a 57-53 win over Lovett and Agbo was a big reason why. Early in the game, Agbo was laboring getting up and down the court, seemingly disinterested. Once he was subbed out, he was grimacing and holding his shoulder. He decided to change shoes and shook out his arms and looked fine the rest of the game. He wrecked the Lions frontline for 15 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks.

Agbo understands how to throw his body into defenders to square up his shoulders, but sometimes over does it when he doesn’t need to, drawing a few silly offensive fouls. He could still use some refining on the low block as far as post moves and counter moves go as he still can get away with overpowering opponents with brute force. Agbo tipped a lot of balls to himself on rebounds and got away with it because of his size. Against bigger opponents however, he will need to grab them with two hands consistently.

Overall, Agbo dominated the paint when he wanted to and came away with a monster stat line. The Nigerian native will warrant college looks from his size alone. If he can rev his motor up and play hard every possession, his recruitment will soar his senior season.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Georgia State Team Camp Session I Analysis

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Georgia State held its Ron Hunter Team Camp on Friday and Saturday. The single elimination tournament saw North Clayton come away victorious with a win over Dacula in the championship game. Tournament games lasted only 20 minutes while non-tournament games played the full 40.

Monticello 58, Houston County 45

Coming off of a Final Four appearance in Class AA, the Hurricanes got out of the gates quick against Houston County. Monticello relies on its speedy guards to initiate offense. Junior Ashton Bonner netted a team-high 17 points and added three assists while senior CJ Adams tacked on 11 points and four assists. As a team, the Hurricanes drilled eight threes, three via Adams. The duo of Jakeir Stone and Malik Crawford did damage inside and out. Stone, a 6-foot-3 senior, knocked down two threes and collected six rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Crawford, a rising sophomore that stands 6-foot-5, posted eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. A lot will be asked of Crawford after the graduation of De’miria Glover, who averaged a team-leading 13.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.0 block per game inside.

A slow start did in Houston County, but the Bears outscored Monticello 27-26 in the second half. Keep an eye on senior guard Ma’Kel Wallace. Wallace transferred over from Veterans last season but was ruled ineligible and had to play junior varsity. The 6-foot guard pumped in 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals for Coach Stephen Walls. He scored at all three levels, hitting three three-pointers, collecting four points from the foul line and got to the basket for his other hoops. Wallace was a vocal leader as well, communicating well with his teammates. The Bears feature important pieces from the football team and weren’t fully 100% at camp. They should be a competitive bunch once all their pieces come together.

Miller Grove 43, McEachern 42

A great game on paper instead saw a plethora of top players unable to suit up. On the McEachern side, Isaac Okoro, Babatunde Akingbola and Sharife Cooper were all away at Elite Camps while Miller Grove was without defensive specialist Joshua Jackmon, who tore his ACL and MCL. With big names out of the lineup, other players were able to step up in the spotlight. Rob Clemons led McEachern from his point guard position with 11 points and two steals.  Miller Grove was led by senior Tae Hardy, who hit the game winner and finished with 19 points and two steals. Hardy is a Collin Sexton-lite – a pure bucket getter. He will have an opportunity to score the ball a lot this upcoming season. Miller Grove will need production from big men Kevin Paige and Tworn Seals. Paige, a junior, is a meaty 6-foot-7 while Seals, a sophomore, goes 6-foot-6. Both bigs are a bit raw, but have imposing size and can rebound the ball well.

Gainesville 53, Douglas County 34

Without D’Marcus Simonds (GSU) and KJ Buffen (injury), the Red Elephants did not miss a beat. They pummeled the Tigers from the opening tip and never relented. While most of the attention will be locked on the juniors, Buffen, Bailey Minor and Xavier Bledson, senior Michael White had a sensational game. The big guard goes 6-foot-4 and can score in a multitude of ways. He heated up and drilled three threes en route to a game-high 22 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Gainesville is always a very unselfish team on offense and shares the ball extremely well, especially with Bledson at the point. He scored eight points and added three rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Minor did what he usually does, stretch defenses and create mismatches. He finished with 15 points and two blocks while canning three three-pointers.

Douglas County will need to find a go-to guy on offense after the graduation of Brandon Robinson (UNC). They struggled to score and had a hard time slowing down Gainesville’s crisp attack.

Eagle’s Landing 45, Allatoona 44

Sophomore Chris Hood buried a dribble handoff three at the buzzer to knock off Allatoona after the Bucs came storming back to take the lead late. Hood has exceptional size at 6-foot-4 and posed problems for Allatoona, finishing with nine points and two steals. The Eagle that turned my head the most however, was Hamilton Heights (TN) transfer Mohammed Abubakar. The 6-foot-8 senior center was a load inside and had a good idea what he was doing on the low block, using quick spins in the lane to free himself on drop steps. Allatoona didn’t have an answer for him as he posted 16 points and six rebounds.  The addition of a post presence like that could help the Eagles come close to repeating their 24-win campaign.

Allatoona didn’t deploy its best five on the court and used an array of players to mix-and-match and gain experience. When it was time to score, it was junior Trey Doomes that was leaned on. Doomes was confident with his jumper and wasn’t afraid to let it rip, netting a team-high 16 points to go with his five rebounds, one assists, two steals and one block. In order for Allatoona to go far, Doomes will need to carry the bulk of the load offensively. Versatile forward Chima Ogboi was out on vacation and will be an important piece upon his return. The 6-foot-4 forward is an exceptional passer and his lanky build projects him to have upside defensively once he completely grasps Coach Markus Hood’s defensive concepts. Senior guard Mike Johnson will need to shoulder some of the offensive scoring burden while senior Tyler Jackson will be asked to handle the ball. Juniors Rolan Wooden and Tobi Adeyeye need to fill the void left by 6-foot-8 center Randy Legros.

Langston Hughes 37, St. Francis 24

The three-headed monster of a backcourt led by seniors Derrick Cook and Khalil Cuffee along with Curie (IL) transfer junior Landers Nolley II, overpowered the new look Knights. Nolley fit in seamlessly with 11 points and was able to drive and dish, creating opportunities for corner threes. Cuffee netted nine points, five rebounds and two assists while Cook went for eight points and six rebounds. The Panthers have good athletes scattered across the floor. Senior forward Ahmid Bryant is a 6-foot-6 post that rebounds well and can alter shots inside. Sophomore Jaylen McCluney will play a huge role this year after seeing limited playing time as a freshman. I like McCluney’s ability as a springy forward that attacks the glass and plays tough defense. The 6-foot-4 forward could have a bright future ahead of him.

A litany of transfers and graduates have zapped St. Francis’ roster, but Coach Drew Catlett is optimistic and loves his young talent moving up through the ranks.  Seniors Wallace Tucker and Drew Smith will be relied upon to shepherd the Knights’ youth and get them ready for the rigors of Class A-Private basketball.

Other Observations

Holy Innocents’ Jules Erving, a senior, looked like he packed on a little muscle. Erving is a superior athlete and used it to his advantage against Eagle’s Landing V2 team. By no means was it the level of competition he will see during the regular season or the rest of the summer, but it was nice to see him impose his will, posting 16 points and eight rebounds in the first half alone. Matt Meadows and Cole Smith also played well throughout the weekend.

In a 24-19 loss to Allatoona, Carrollton senior guard Carson Culverhouse splashed in three deep balls and finished with a game-high 11 points. The 5-foot-11 guard is a sharp-shooter that has the green light to pull from anywhere. Culverhouse is also a deceptive athlete, blocking two shots on the day.

Langston Hughes knocked off Miller Grove in Round 2, 23-21. Derrick Cook hit an And-1 with seconds remaining to give the Panthers the go-ahead hoop. He scored a game-high 12 points and chipped in four rebounds. He has had great summer.

Coming off of a rebuilding 8-17 season, Clarke Central had a nice camp, picking up wins over St. Francis and Heard County before falling to Allatoona in the quarterfinals. Junior Jack Mangel shot the ball very well. He led the Gladiators in scoring at 9.7 points per game last season.

Dacula built off its impressive Georgia Cup Finals showing and made a run to the title game before bowing out against North Clayton’s frontline. Sophomore Mekhail Bethea continued to lead the Falcons flawlessly and went toe-to-toe with every guard put in his way. A win over Langston Hughes in the semifinals was a good barometer as of how good this young Dacula team can be in 2016-17.

Surprise, surprise, North Clayton took home the trophy after edging Dacula. Coming off of a 19-11 season with a Sweet 16 appearance, the Eagles graduated their second, third and fourth leading scorers. Luckily for them, 6-foot-8 senior Ahsan Asadullah is back. The skillful center dominated at Georgia State, one of the latest schools to offer the wide-body big.  After averaging 15.1 points per game last year, Asadullah is in line for another productive season. With enough help around him, the Eagles should be a force in the tough Region 4-AAAA.

Analysis, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Kennesaw State Elite Camp Analysis

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Kennesaw State set the stage for some of the top players across the GHSA and some up-and-coming stars across the country to showcase their skills at Al Skinner Elite Camp. Over 100 kids made the trip to Kennesaw, Ga. with states as far west as Arizona to as far north as New York represented.

After being ushered from the main gym to the team’s off-site practice facility, players began to make a name for themselves in 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 settings. Here are a couple players that stood out.

GHSA


Jaylin Williams  (Brantley County)

Could this be the best kept secret in South Georgia? Jaylin Williams is a 6-foot-6 forward out of Nahunta, Ga.; a population of just over 1,000 people. Only a sophomore, my first glimpse at Williams leaves me wanting more. The long athlete can alter shots on defense and finish inside. His quick bounce allows him to dunk with two hands and rebound anything in his area. In a short 5-on-5 scrimmage where players played roughly five minutes at a time, Williams was able to accumulate six points, three rebounds, one steal and two blocks. A few high major schools are said to already be in the mix and Kennesaw State wasted no time in laying an offer on the table after his performance. He will be an interesting player to track throughout his career.

JD Notae (Newton)

JD Notae was one of the top guards in camp. He had a swagger to his game and a killer instinct, especially in the 3-on-3 setting where his teams were hard to beat. The 6-foot-2 guard can stroke it from the outside and attacked the hole well. He teamed up with Kyle Sturdivant in the backcourt during the 5-on-5 session; a dream tandem for Kennesaw State. Overall he was one of the best performers in camp.

Tre Gomillion (Aquinas)

A lot of people asked me today who was the kid with the frizzy ponytail? That fine mane belongs to Tre Gomillion. It’s hard to believe that the Fightin’ Irish standout is only going to be a junior next season. The 15-year old is built like a fullback and he isn’t afraid to use his body. Gomillion is as sturdy of a guard as they come with good size to him.  He stuffs the stat sheet nightly in Augusta and did the same at Kennesaw. Gomillion is a willing rebounder that can outmuscle most post players. He has two more seasons to heat up his recruitment and I think today was a great first step.

Mo Merritt  (North Cobb Christian)

Spoiler alert: the former Sprayberry Yellow Jacket is set to attend North Cobb Christian his senior season. Mo Merritt was extremely impressive around the basket, able to play above the rim and clean up misses. Merritt stands 6-foot-7 and lets those around him know. He led all players with five rebounds in his 5-on-5 stint. Merritt is tough to keep off the offensive glass and will provide a much needed inside presence at North Cobb Christian. He reminded me of current KSU big man Jordan Jones – who helped run camp – as an active athlete in the paint.

Greg James (Shiloh)

Wearing a shirt with no number and boasting camo leggings, Greg James tried to go incognito but his play wouldn’t let him. James shot the ball well and had some explosion when attacking the basket. It was an overall good day of work for him.

Trey Doomes (Allatoona)

The biggest question about Trey Doomes’ game heading into his junior season was will he be able to craft a reliable jump shot? While he is still working on it becoming a true weapon of his game, Doomes has shown the confidence in his new found stroke and is beginning to take it more willingly. Doomes will be handed the keys to the car at Allatoona as the team’s go-to guy on offense.  Defensively, Doomes’ long arms and big hands make him always one of the toughest defenders on the court and a few more years in the weight room can only help. The way he has played so far this summer bodes well for a big upcoming two seasons.

Avery Wilson (Forest Park)

Avery Wilson pumped in 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a junior and should do even more for an encore. The 6-foot-1 guard produced when his number was called, showing he can pull the trigger from deep and finish with authority at the rim as one of the best athletes in the gym.

Damion Rosser (Henry County)

Another athletic guard, Damion Rosser, played hard as always. Rosser’s downhill attack at the basket always challenges defenders. He filled up box scores in a hurry at Henry County and should have another strong season coming up after a productive offseason.

Ethan Reid (North Paulding)

Coming from a program that has never seen the postseason, sometimes it can be hard to earn recognition. Ethan Reid however, has bucked the trend of jumping ship from a young program still going through going pains and has stuck it out and will try to lead the Wolfpack to their first ever state berth. Reid actively defended the ball and took on challengers. Offensively, he shined in the 3-on-3 portion, getting his teammates the ball off drives to the hoop.

Kyle Sturdivant (Pace Academy)

It’s tough to ever say Kyle Sturdivant stood out because we are so used to seeing him perform at a high level. Once again, the former Norcross Blue Devil played older than a 15-year old. Not many mistakes and a lot of solid decisions. Sturdivant’s mid-range game and pull-ups in the lane were true today.

Kane Williams (South Paulding)

Kane Williams didn’t have his best day shooting the ball, but his ability to get to the basket and his athleticism did look good. Williams also looked comfortable scoring the ball with both hands. He has a busy upcoming few weeks with team camps to continue his upward trajectory into his senior season.

 

OUT-OF-STATERS

 

Christiaan Jones (Cardinal Newman, SC)

I saw a lot of Christiaan Jones this summer playing with the Carolina Wolves. Jones is a baby-faced assassin from deep. To no surprise, he shot the ball well from beyond the stripe at Kennesaw. Knock-down shooters like Jones are always a hot commodity in this day and age.

Robert Johnson  (Dillard, FL)

Robert Johnson is a big dude with big intrigue surrounding him after today. A physical presence standing upwards of 6-foot-8 with muscle on him, Johnson locked down the paint with his shot blocking. Johnson moved up and down the floor well and showed he could both move his feet on defense and put the ball on the floor in spurts.

Dishon Thomas (AZ)

Among one of the longest players at camp, a legit 6-foot-7, Dishon Thomas did his work as a wing, not a post. That versatility and skill set alone is something college coaches crave.

Darrien James (Page, TN)

Darrien James played with nice pace from his guard position. Listed at 6-foot-4, the Tennessee-native got into the paint well and looked to be a good leader on the floor.

Garrett Covington (Don Bosco Prep, IN)

Remember Garrett Covington? Covington was a Gwinnett Daily Post Super Six selection heading into his senior season at Greater Atlanta Christian. Halfway through the season, he left and returned to Carmel (IN) where he grew up. Covington was a Swiss army knife at GAC and cut up the defense some more in the 5-on-5 portion of camp. He tallied six points, three rebounds and one steal. The 6-foot-4 forward is well-built and can use his body against smaller wings. After prep school, he should resurface at a good college program.