Tag Archives: Monroe Area

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

2017-18 Dark Horses

Ten Dark Horse teams that will be battling for statewide recognition and a playoff berth this season.

Etowah

R4-AAAAAAA
(20-10; 4-6)
Sweet 16

The Eagles finished 20-10 with a Sweet 16 appearance but struggled in Region 4, going just 4-6. Much of the continuity returns except at head coach where Jason Dasinger steps in to build on the quick momentum constructed by now Milton head coach Allen Whitehart. Dasinger racked up a 25-4 record at Alpharetta in his only year on the job and now turns to a new cast at Etowah to replicate his success. Tusculum-commit Adrian Cohen and junior Jaxon Etter power the Eagle offense. Cohen has size and versatility as a 6-foot-5 wing while Etter, a burgeoning college prospect, popped onto opposing teams’ radars last year as he surged his way into becoming a First Team All-Region 4 selection. The 6-foot-3 swingman is a crafty scorer and underrated athlete who can takeover games. Inside, Etowah is anchored by agile 6-foot-7 senior Julian Baldwin and 6-foot-5 dirty work rebounder Carter Ingersoll. Nick Nagy provides the outside shooting and rounds out the core of Etowah’s senior class. Playing to their potential and not down to competition will determine whether or not the Eagles can become a dangerous team come February.

Kennesaw Mountain

R3-AAAAAAA
(10-18; 4-6)
First Round State

All the ingredients for a winning recipe are in Coach Jesse Bonner’s kitchen this season. Following a 10-18 season out of Region 3 with a 64-51 road state playoff loss at Colquitt County, the Mustangs now have the experience and extra help ready to push them over the hump to fight for a top two seed. Senior guard Josh Strong really ignited his season after exploding at the Lake City Classic, averaging 22 points per game and dropping in 23 points in a win over state-ranked Riverwood. The Second Team All-Region pick has some homerun hitters to run with in 2017-18. Jalyn McCreary is now eligible after missing all of his sophomore season. The 6-foot-7 junior is a Preseason First Team All-State selection that can go toe-to-toe with any of Georgia’s premier stars. Junior Khalil Shaheed should bring a major boost to the backcourt come January, a transfer from Wheeler that likes to get out and run. Still in the mix are quality guards Jordan Barnes and Christian Ramsey along with forward Jalen Knight.

Douglas County

R5-AAAAAA
(10-15; 8-8)
No Playoffs

The Tigers sunk to 10-15 overall but finished a respectable 8-8 in the difficult Region 5. Douglas County has more than enough guard play to shake up the region and earn a state tournament berth but it won’t be easy. The tandem of junior Malik Battle and senior Rodney Lewis is a formidable one. Lewis at 5-foot-10 has a slight frame, but can drill threes when left open and also does a good job of getting his teammates involved, averaging a Tiger-best 3.8 helpers a game last year. 6-foot-3 senior Rickey Clark shot 44% from three while 6-foot-5 Ernest Randle brings a physical presence heading into his senior season.

Grovetown

R3-AAAAAA
(5-19; 3-7)
No Playoffs

Augusta-brand basketball hasn’t always translated well to the rest of the state in the bigger classifications lately, but in the weak Region 3, there’s no reason why Grovetown can’t grab a state playoff bid and improve from their 5-19 overall mark. The senior trio of Eric Graham II, Emmanuel Bryson III and Nick Tolbert bring experience to the backcourt. Graham is a steady producer that can shoot the ball and make the right decisions. Bryson relies on his defense to convert into offense. 2016 Class A-Private All-State Honorable Mention point guard Jelani Shakir moves in from Aquinas while 6-foot-8 project Jeremiah Smith is a load at 230 pounds that will help from Minnesota. The Warriors have more than enough talent to finish near the top of a region that saw only two teams finish above .500 and had all four teams swept in the first round of the state playoffs.

Paulding County

R7-AAAAA
(11-18; 8-8)
First Round State

The Patriots earned a state playoff bid with an 11-18 record in Region 7 and have a chance to improve on that mark in 2017-18. Second Team All-Region selection Tyron Summerour paces the backcourt along with fellow seniors Vance Anderson and McEachern transfer KJ Shade. Junior Michael Seymour has seen success as a part of a growing stable of guards. The Patriots have some size as well with 6-foot-6 junior Josh Broughton returning and 6-foot-7 Elijah Brown-Kane transferring in from Minnesota for his senior season.  6-foot-3 sophomore Kevin Brown has impressed at forward this fall. Region 7 is up for grabs with Carrollton the slight favorite, but don’t be surprised if Paulding County crashes the party and posts their best win total in years.

Woodland-Stockbridge

R4-AAAAA
(10-13; 7-9)
No Playoffs

It will be a climb to grab a top four seed in the competitively deep Region 4, but the Wolfpack have reason for optimism coming off their 10-13 (7-9) season with junior point guard Jalen Mason taking over the reins. The former Miller Grove Wolverine is an outstanding athlete that has already made an impact on the football field as a wide receiver, but his long-term potential is on the hardwood. The highlight maker will join forces with 6-foot-6, 266-pound offensive lineman Shakeel Shaw who takes up space in the lane.

Dougherty

R1-AAA
(15-7; 3-3)
Not Eligible For Postseason

Quietly, Dougherty was one of South Georgia’s better programs last season but due to multiple infractions under former head coach Ty Randolph’s watch, the Trojans had to forfeit their 2016-17 postseason eligibility. Legendary head coach Rufus McDuffie, a five-time state champion at Mitchell-Baker High School, stepped in and guided the Trojans to impressive wins over state playoff teams Westover, Lee County and Glynn Academy, along with beating all four state tournament teams from Region 1 at least once including region champ and Sweet 16 finalist Crisp County. Dougherty is anchored by Georgia’s biggest blow up prospect from the summer, 6-foot-11 senior Carlos Curry. The mobile center has received offers from Power 5 conferences and will get a chance to prove his worth his senior season. Curry is comfortable taking the outside shot and rebounds well. He will need to finish stronger around the basket. He will team up with 2019 6-foot-5 banger Justin Jackson, another tough player to keep off the glass. As seen at the high school level, you don’t win with big men, so Dougherty’s guards will have to play a major role for the Trojans to have more success. Sophomore Rod Jones and junior Jordan Green, a transfer from Albany, are expected to see major minutes.

Monroe Area

R8-AAA
(15-15; 6-4)
Sweet 16

Only two seniors graduate from a mildly disappointing 2016-17 team that never quite cemented itself as the second-best team in the region behind state runner-up Morgan County. The Hurricanes still earned a postseason victory over Sonoraville before meeting their demise against Westside-Macon. All-Region 8 performers 6-foot-7 Elijah Goodman, Devin Sheets and Isaiah Glasper are set to return with major experience now under their belt. Bolling DuBose will be roaming an unfamiliar sideline after coaching 41 years at Jefferson. A fast start will be imperative for Monroe Area after they stumbled out of the gates to an 0-5 start last year.

Rabun County

R8-AA
(11-15; 5-7)
No Playoffs

They aren’t in a friendly region, but Rabun County returns nearly everybody back from last season’s streaky three-point shooting team. All-Region pick Bailey Fisher is coming off of a 17.3-point-per-game campaign and will be joined by fellow senior Tevan Dixon, who tore his ACL after 11 games. Dixon averaged a team-high 21.7 points while adding 6.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game before going down. A healthy Dixon provides an aggressive scorer that isn’t afraid to shoot from all three levels. Junior guard Chase Buchanan is a three-point specialist that drained 40-of-95 threes (42%) while attempting just 13 shots inside the arc. Rising sophomore Braxton Hicks averaged 9.7 points per game while senior Grayson Lane was the Wildcats best post presence chipping in 8.4 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a night. With Fisher and Hicks on the football field to open the season, Rabun County might take a while to hit their stride.

Northeast-Macon

R3-AA
(6-21; 3-9)
No Playoffs

It’s time. It’s time for Northeast-Macon to come of age and battle for a playoff spot. Juniors Darius Dunn and Ty’ree Gilbert are both locks to pass the 1,000-point plateau this season. There’s no debating that the slight-of-build guards can fill it up offensively, but now it’s time to rack up the wins. Dunn, 6-foot-1, poured in 20.7 points per game and is coming off of a hot summer while Gilbert dropped in a cool 17.3 as a sophomore. The third-head of the attack is sophomore Cameron Cherry, a 6-foot-3 guard that has all the physical tools to be the best of the bunch when all is said and done, but he has to lock in and not rely on his potential to carry him. The big three will be relied upon to score early and often. With Dunn and Gilbert now upperclassmen, youth should no longer be an issue.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Predictions

2017-18 Sleeper Teams

Out of last year’s three sleeper teams, both Lakeside-Evans and Mountain View had their best seasons in school history, winning their respective regions in the process. Alexander improved it’s win total by four games (17-8), but failed to reach the postseason.

While the transfer news hasn’t come in at a rapid pace just yet – and could most certainly change the landscape of the GHSA – here’s an early look at who could be this upcoming season’s most improved teams.

Kennesaw Mountain
R3-AAAAAAA (10-18, 4-6)

Jalyn McCreary

Jalyn. McCreary. Now eligible after having to sit out a season, the 2019 6-foot-6 forward is the ultimate game changer. With the ability to score inside and out and take over games on both sides of the court, the lanky lefty has All-State written all over him. With Houston and Oklahoma State already having shown interest before ever playing a varsity game, McCreary gives Coach Jesse Bonner a hell of a weapon to deploy against region rival McEachern and Isaac Okoro. McCreary joins a roster that graduates just two players and returns bucket-getter and All-Region Second Team selection, Josh Strong, who averaged 22 points per game at the Lake City Classic last season as a junior guard. Marietta is set to return their second and third-leading scorers while Hillgrove graduates eight players. If things go according to plan, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Kennesaw Mountain battling for a two or three seed come region tournament time.

Coffee
R1-AAAAAA (16-10, 6-3)

The South Georgia region turned heads as they swept the paltry Region 3 in the state tournament. Coffee, who had the best regular season record out of the tiny five-team region, scored the most impressive first round victory, 77-71 in overtime against Heritage-Conyers. The Trojans let a double-digit second half lead slip through their fingers in the Sweet 16, falling 90-82 in overtime to South Paulding. In a region where no one stood out from the pack in 2016-17, that could change this upcoming year with Coffee seeming like the early favorite. With their top five scorers set to return, Coffee has an energizing blend of 2018’s and 2019’s now with postseason experience. They can sometimes play like they are wired on caffeine – frantic and out of control – but when they are clicking, the Trojans’ athleticism and quickness can burn teams. Jayce Moore returns for his junior season after powering the offense with team-highs of 16.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Dalrone Donaldson is a raw 6-foot-3 forward that pounds the glass and averaged 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds as a junior. Twins Jarquavius and Marquavius Jefferson speed up opposing ball handlers. Coffee is a streaky three-point shooting team, but when they are on like they were in the playoffs, they are a handful to stop.

Monroe Area
R8-AAA (15-15, 6-4)

Coming off of a Sweet 16 appearance, the Hurricanes graduate just two players. Three All-Region performers return in Devin Sheats, Isaiah Glasper and intriguing 6-foot-7 wing Elijah Goodman. If Goodman can bring his game to the next level his senior season, Monroe Area should at least be able to grab the second-seed if they don’t overlook plucky teams like Franklin County and Hart County. The Hurricanes have shown glimpses of being able to compete at a high level, pushing Morgan County to overtime on the road before falling 63-59, and other times, they looked like a pretender, getting blown out at home by Morgan County 86-55 three weeks later. Consistency will be key for Monroe Area.

Stratford Academy
R7-A (10-13, 3-7)

Sean Sweeney saw a steep drop off in his first-year as head coach but it wasn’t his fault. While O’Showen Williams and Quintez Cephus graduated in 2016, Sweeney couldn’t have prepared for a plethora of injuries and 6-foot-7 big man Nate Brooks to transfer out in the middle of the season. With that being said, Stratford Academy still made the postseason, winning on the road in overtime at Darlington 68-67 before losing a defensive battle with Aquinas 40-34. All-Region First Teamer Nathan Hunt is set to return for his senior season. Rising junior guard Devin Butts is an interesting looking ball handler at 6-foot-4. The Eagles still won’t be at the level they were at in 2015-16, but they should finish above .500 and punch another ticket to the big dance.