2021 6-6 W Travis Harper – Team GA Magic – St. Anne-Pacelli
Wow. Travis “Deuce” Harper won game MVP at the Sandy’s Spiel Showcase this January with a 15-point performance, but to be honest, he was quiet in the second half as the Vikings nearly saw the game slip away. Fast forward six months and Harper left everyone speechless. Continue reading LakePoint Live Showcase I: Standouts
Tag Archives: Omarion Smith
HoopHustlers Tip-Off Classic/Battle For Georgia Qualifier notes
16U Hype Hawks
2021 6-5 PF Devin McGlockton (South Forsyth): Playing alongside stars Matt Cleveland, Logan Turner and Sutton Smith, Devin McGlockton had a chance to show what he could do with Cole Middleton injured. The physical post presence rebounded and scored the ball inside. He provides a stability on the block with his ability to score with his back to the basket, but most impressive was his rim protecting. McGlockton finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks in a 72-60 loss to AOT.
16U Game Elite
2021 6-0 PG Broc Bidwell (West Forsyth): Broc Bidwell shined in Game Elite’s 71-61 win over the Atlanta Celtics and continued to rise his stock as one of the best point guards in Georgia’s 2021 class. Slick with the ball, Bidwell can make all the passes and position his teammates for success. Bidwell is more than just a pass-first floor general – he can call his own number and deliver. He drilled four threes and finished with 14 points and 5 assists. Bidwell looks like a legitimate D-I prospect.
2021 6-4 PF Omarion Smith (Douglas County): Game Elite’s one-two post punch of Robbie Armbrester and Omarion Smith is one of the most enjoyable frontcourts in Georgia. Armbrester is a household name and Smith should be one as well if he’s not already. Smith’s lack of size and go-to moves may limit his ceiling, but he is the state’s best pound-for-pound shot blocker and an energetic rebounder. He had a stretch in the second half when he took over inside and helped put Game Elite ahead for good, finishing with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block.
16U Atlanta Celtics
2022 6-1 G Chase Cormier (St. Pius X): Playing up a grade, Chase Cormier looked like the best player on the floor for the 16U Atlanta Celtics. Cormier scorched the nets with five threes, finishing with a game-high 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists against Game Elite. The lefty has a quick trigger with range but his ball handling was equally impressive, battling aggressive on-ball defense to free himself to run the offense. He sliced into the lane to hit a pair of floaters to complement his outside stroke. Cormier should be one of Georgia’s most highly sought-after targets for D-I schools over the next few years.
2021 6-6 F Jusaun Holt (St. Francis): Following his breakout performance in the Class A-Private state championship, Jusaun Holt’s value was on display in tough 71-61 loss to Game Elite. Holt provided the Atlanta Celtics with 9 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks. Holt is able to guard multiple positions with his length and quickness. Offensively, he can attack from all three levels. As his confidence grows, as will his game. Holt is trending in the right direction.
17U Hype Hawks
2020 6-6 F AJ Hopkins (Whitefield Academy): AJ Hopkins left a good first impression with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a 63-61 loss to Infinite Skillz. Hopkins is a long combo-forward that has a nice motor and a willingness to compete on the glass. He turned in a Class A-Private All-State Honorable Mention campaign this season after increasing his scoring output by 10 points to average 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds. Hopkins is worth tracking his senior season.
17U Infinite Skillz
2020 5-9 PG DJ Wright (Greene County): The All-State guard has a flair for the dramatic. DJ Wright drilled a three with seconds left to complete a comeback from down 16 points to stun the Hype Hawks 63-61. Wright turned it on, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the second half. Wright lets the game come to him. During the varsity season he could probably stand to be a little more aggressive but especially on the travel circuit, Wright is content with getting his shots in the flow of the offense. He hit three three-pointers in the win and also scored from the mid-range and in. For him to succeed at the next level as an undersized guard, Wright will have to have a bulldog mentality – something that he has shown he already possesses.
2019 6-4 W Dakota Leffew (Jonesboro): The unsigned senior stepped up for Jonesboro and emerged as the Cardinals’ leading scorer, averaging 14.1 points per game after averaging 4 points as a junior. Leffew is a smooth lanky wing that resembles Belmont-signee Ben Sheppard. Leffew is a slasher on offense. He finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds and most impressively, 3 blocks. Coming from Jonesboro, its easy to see the importance of defense that was instilled in him over the course of his high school career. He should be a valued addition for the right program.
17U Georgia Knights
2020 6-4 SG Chris Youngblood (East Coweta): Chris Youngblood did it again. The sturdy wide-chested two-guard continued to cement his status as a D-I prospect, dumping in 26 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 block in a 68-61 OT win over Stackhouse Elite United. Youngblood played bully ball against Stackhouse’s less physically gifted guards and barreled his way to the basket, finishing 9-of-11 from the foul line and hitting just one three in his outburst. Youngblood gets the job done night in and night out on both ends of the floor. His defense and ability to cover multiple positions all over the floor makes him a complete player. Mid Majors across the country should familiarize themselves with Youngblood.
2020 6-6 W Brandon Stroud (East Coweta): The second head of the dynamic East Coweta duo had a scoreless first half before exploding for 20 in the second half/overtime to power the Knights past Stackhouse Elite. Stroud collected 12 rebounds, 2 steals and a block as well. Stroud took a couple bad jump shots during his first half struggles but found his groove in the second when he started to attack the rim and work his way closer to the paint. Even when his shot was off, he still battled on the offensive glass and won his team second chance opportunities.
2020 6-3 G Kirshon Thrash (Eagle’s Landing): One of the state’s best stat sheet stuffers, Kirshon Thrash did it again with 8 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. Thrash’s uniqueness has been well-documented. He affects the game in every facet imaginable. He is a player that D-2 schools should start pursuing.
17U Stackhouse Elite United
2020 6-6 F Quincy Canty (Cedar Shoals): One of Georgia’s best bigs, Quincy Canty was sharp against the Georgia Knights with 14 points and 7 rebounds. Canty has a strong physical frame that can punish smaller defenders on the block, but he also has one of the best mid-range jumpers in the state from the forward position. Canty has extended that range to beyond the three-point line, knocking down three threes in the loss.
17U Warner Robins All-Stars
2019 6-5 PF Shamar Rouse (Warner Robins): The unsinged senior had a monster game in the Battle For Georgia Qualifier Championship, posting 22 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 blocks. Rouse played above the rim with his sneakily explosive bounce. He used that athleticism to clean the glass, rock the rim and protect the paint. Rouse showed some rough and tumble inside to score in traffic and win loose balls. It was a great performance for the big man looking for a late home.
2020 6-1 CG Keshun Houser (Warner Robins): A poor man’s Jacolbey Owens, Houser has all the physical tools that former state champ and All-State performer Owens had back in 2018. Houser is an elite athlete that makes highlight plays when attacking the cup. He will need to further enhance his point guard skills and get reps in running an offense. Add in a three-point shot and you have a dynamic sleeper coming out of middle Georgia. He had 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
17U God’s Property
2020 6-5 F Josh Spencer (Alpharetta): Josh Spencer had an excellent first half and carried God’s Property. The strong combo-forward finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds while drilling three threes. Spencer had a handful of early injuries and setbacks during the high school season before rounding into shape. Spencer should be a featured option with Alpharetta this season which will help his development. He has improved with putting the ball on the floor and creating his own shot. With increased confidence and experience, Spencer should be in a good position to have a college destination this time next year.
Carrollton summer camp notes
Carrollton
South Paulding: 66-53 (W)
Coming off of a 15-11 season with an 8-8 record in Region 7-AAAAA, there is great reason for optimism for a young Carrollton program that loses just two seniors. In their 13-point win over South Paulding, two rising juniors proved to be the best players on the floor.
2020 6-4 SG Marcellious Lockett is a household name in West Georgia for good reason. Lockett should see his name seep deeper into Metro Atlanta and statewide as one of the tougher covers in the junior class. Lockett poured in 24 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. He exploded for 15 points in the second half, part of a stretch of three three-pointers in succession. Lockett can slash to the basket and even showed a nice baseline spin out of the post.
2020 6-6 F Melvin Edwards drips with intrigue at the combo forward position. It was eye-opening seeing his touch from the outside as he nailed three trifectas en route to 19 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 3 blocks. Edwards floats around from the post to the wing, doing most of his damage working his way from the outside. He caught two lobs, throwing one down with authority on the fast break. While I wouldn’t call him an elite rim protector, Edwards did use his bounce to swat away three shots. His ability to play inside-out paired with the versatile scoring of Marcellious Lockett makes the Trojans look like a future playoff team.
South Paulding
Carrollton: 66-53 (L)
2019 6-1 G Sha’mi Shields never seems to disappoint with his energy. While others’ legs were tired, Shields was the energizer bunny, crashing the glass despite his average height and winning 50/50 balls for the Spartans. Shields finished with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 block. The offense will never run through Shields and he may not average double-digits his senior season, but instead, he is a willing glue-guy that will do a little bit of everything — not needing to be asked – to make plays that win games.
2019 5-10 PG Shane Gibson performed well in the South Paulding backcourt, serving as one of the Spartans’ most reliable ball handlers against an aggressive trapping Carrollton defense. Gibson calmed down the offense and was able to initiate their sets. The lefty netted a team-high 13 points to go with his 2 assists and 2 steals.
Douglas County
Troup County: 46-44 (W/OT)
Sandy Creek: 61-45 (L)
Graduation and the offseason transfer of Malik Battle has left Douglas County searching for a new go-to guy.
2019 6-5 F Jeremiah Smith was the Tigers’ most consistent player on Thursday, finishing with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist in Game 1 against Troup County before posting 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block in a loss to Sandy Creek. Smith is a tweener forward that likes to play on the wing more than on the block. He has good physical tools, but he seems more valuable as a power forward that drifts out to the wing on occasion instead of a small forward that rarely goes to the post. Either way, Smith is an athlete that will compete on the glass and provide a strong presence that opponents will have to account for.
2021 6-5 C Omarion Smith is the spitting physical image of his older brother Jeremiah, both with an enviable frame complete with broad shoulders and long arms. The Lithia Springs transfer is one of the best rim protectors in his class, blocking over 6 shots per game last year. He blocked 4 shots total on the day and grabbed 7 rebounds against Sandy Creek. Smith still has work to do on offense. He needs to develop a go-to post move in order to become more than just a shot blocker. He has the length and explosion to elevate over and finish through defenders, he just has to put in the time to be able to do so.
Troup County
Douglas County: 46-44 (L/OT)
With seven varsity players out because of football, the young and physically immature Tigers had no business sticking with Douglas County, but the scrappy bunch fought tooth and nail and gained valuable experience for the future. Troup County was outsized at every single position, but that did not stop them from playing great team defense and clogging the lane whenever Douglas County attempted to beat their man off the dribble.
2019 5-10 PG Quevo McFarland provided veteran leadership and quick ball handling. The lefty finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. His speed kept Douglas County off balance and attacked in the right spots.
2019 5-11 PG Brandon Smith didn’t score much, but he controlled the tempo when he had the ball. Smith had the game-tying assist at the end of regulation after racing the ball up the floor. Smith has a sturdy build and uses his physicality well. He had 2 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals against Douglas County.
2020 6-2 SG Gabriel Cofield has to work on his handle and get stronger, but he flashed in a big way for Troup County, netting a game-high 14 points including drilling back-to-back threes to keep the Tigers in the game. Cofield has a confident jumper that could make an impact in spurts on the varsity level. As he grows into his body and gets more reps with the big boys, Cofield could develop into a nice high school player.
Sandy Creek
Douglas County: 61-45 (W)
2019 6-4 SG Julian Alexander looks primed for a breakout senior season similar to that of Jarred Godfrey. Alexander was smooth as silk against Douglas County, getting to the rim with finger rolls while also finding the time to drop in four three-pointers. He collected 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Alexander looks like the No. 2 option behind TJ Bickerstaff heading into the 2019 season. Sandy Creek will have plenty of youngsters play big minutes this upcoming year, but the veteran backcourt of Alexander and Bickerstaff will undoubtedly be the straws that stir the drink.