Class of 2008 commitments

Al-Farouq Aminu, PF/SF, Norcross (Wake Forest)

Justin Brownlee, SF, Covenant Christian (City College of San Francisco JC for 2007 class)

Steven Fowlkes, PF, Banneker (Tennessee – football)
P.J. Meyers, PG, T.W. Josey (Campbell)

Reggie Middleton, PG, Glenn Hills (Winthrop)

Tony Mitchell, SF, Swainsboro (Alabama)

Chris Reynolds, SG, Glenn Hills (Campbell)

Matt Sundberg, SG, Harrison (College of Charleston)

Howard Thompkins, PF, Wesleyan (Georgia)

Dustin Ware, PG, North Cobb Christian (Georgia)

Tony Woods, C, Rome (Wake Forest)

Cashmere Wright, PG, Urban Christian (Cincinnati)

Andre Young, PG, Deerfield-Windsor (Clemson)

And they are off

Let the games begin! The college football season kicks off this weekend and odds are, the majority of the Peach State will be planted on the couch or at stadiums to see the games.

So are the prospects. Here is a rundown of this weekend's visitors:

Tanner Smith, a 2008 prospect from Norcross's Wesleyan High School, and Toby Veal, of Savannah Johnson High School, are both officially visiting Auburn. Both are ranked amongst the top 11 players in the senior class in the Peach State by Georgia Hoops.

The University of Georgia is pulling out all of the stops this weekend. Class of 2008 commitments Howard "Trey" Thompkins of Wesleyan and Dustin Ware of North Cobb Christian are making their official visits to Athens for the Oklahoma State game. The commits will be joined by Serbian big man Drazen Zlovaric.

Thompkins is the third rated player in the state by Georgia Hoops and Ware is the second best point guard in the Peach State, according to Georgia Hoops.

Miami is hosting Wheeler's Dequan Jones. The trip marks the first official visit for one of the most explosive athletes. Jones is a top 10 prospect in the state's loaded senior class.

And if you are any kind of football fan, here is the greatest gift of the weekend: Rivals.com's Viewer's Guide to College Football

If you know of any unofficial visitors that we forgot, please email Justin Young with your questions or comments, at jyoung@rivals.com.

Georgia Hoops Supports Online Radio

From Savenetradio.org: "Congress and SoundExchange have heard loud and clear the amazing outpouring of support for Internet radio from webcasters, listeners and the thousands of artists they support. A commitment has been made to negotiate reasonable royalties, recognizing the industry’s long-term value and its still-developing revenue potential.

During negotiations SoundExchange committed temporarily not to enforce the new royalty rates so webcasters can stay online as new rates are agreed upon.

This development is due in great part to the millions of people who have let their Congressional representatives know about their support of Internet radio. Over 125 representatives have cosponsored the bill to this point.

We urge listeners to continue calling their Senators and Representative to ask them to co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act. Thank you."

Georgia Hoops supports our favorite radio station, Radio Paradise.

Peach State reaches 40 committments in 2007

Need proof that Georgia is a hot bed for college talent? Take a look at the up-to-date list of committed players in the state. The number sits at 40 and quite a few players are still undecided.

Off the board

Martavius Adams, Wilkinson County – Oklahoma State
Chris Allen, Meadowcreek – Michigan State
Kevin Anderson, Peachtree Ridge – Richmond
Bryson Barnes, Westlake – Furman
Chris Barnes, Riverdale – Georgia
Terrell Bell, Stone Mountain – Virginia Tech
Terrance Birdette, Buford – Elon
Phillip Brown, Eagle’s Landing Christian – Air Force
Isaac Butts, Georgia Military – Appalachian State
Matt Clark, Evans – The Citadel
Jordan DeMercy, Norcross – Florida State
Adam Demuyakor, North Gwinnett – Harvard
B.J. Frazier, Stepheson – Western Kentucky
Trevor Gaskins, Chattahoochee – Ole Miss
Richie Gordon, Lakeside-Dekalb – Western Carolina
Andrew Goudelock, Stone Mountain – College of Charleston
Zach Graham, Peachtree Ridge – Ole Miss
Ladaris Hall, Thomasville – South Alabama
Dante Harvey, Columbia – Toledo
Taylor Harps – Lander College
Cameron Heyward – Ohio State (football)
J.J. Hickson, Wheeler - NC State
Senario Hillman, Wilkinson County – Alabama
Bassy Inameti, Peachtree Ridge – Tennessee Tech
Lyndon Jordan, Winder-Barrow – Fairfield
Trey Lang, Wheeler - UMass
Gani Lawal, Norcross – Georgia Tech
Brian Mills, Chapel Hill – Mercer
Jamar Moore, Thomasville – South Alabama
Tony Neysmith, Norcross – Oklahoma
Connor Nolte, Milton – Furman
Jon Pack, East Paulding – College of Charleston
Jeremy Price, Columbia – Georgia
Steven Sargent, Whitewater – VMI
Lance Storrs, Columbia – Georgia Tech
Zac Swansey, Dunwoody – Georgia
Dontrell Taylor, Wilkinson County – Tennessee State
Mark Veazy, Meadowcreek – Navy
Trevor Welcher, Richmond Academy – Delaware State

If we have missed a committment, please let us know at jyoung@rivals.com.

See the Norcross-Wheeler instant classic

If you were one of the rare people that did not see the classic Norcross-Wheeler game, here is your chance to get inside and witness one of the best games in Georgia state playoff history.

Georgia Hoops is proud to present DigitalHoops.com's coverage from the game. Witnessss history inside this link:

DigitalHoops.com

Click on link below for my Rivals.com story on the game:

Instant Classic

Our picks in 3A

Our entire 3A bracket prediction

Winners of the first round: Dougherty, Jordan, Central Macon, Northside-Columbus, Druid Hills, Gainesville, Hart County, Carrollton, Glen Hills, Monroe, Carver-Columbus, Perry, East Hall, South Atlanta, Carterville, Dunwoody

Winners of the second round: Dougherty, Central Macon, Gainesville, Hart County, Glen Hills, Carver-Columbus, East Hall, Dunwoody

Winners of the third round: Central Macon, Hart County, Carver-Columbus, East Hall

Winners of the fourth round: Central Macon, East Hall

3A champion: East Hall

Breaking down the bracket: 4A

Move over 5A, there might be a new big dog classification in Georgia this year. The 4A state championship bracket is filled with potential champions and they are all racing to knock off Columbia, the defending state champs and pre-tournament favorite this season.

Getting to Gwinnett

Columbia’s path to the Gwinnett Arena isn’t easy as potential match-ups include pairings against Cherokee, featuring one of the top juniors in the nation Chris Singleton, and then Rome in the third round. Rome boasts Tony Woods, a potentially fantastic high-major center prospect.

But no one in the state can boast a line-up of players quite like Columbia does. Led by Georgia-bound big man Jeremy Price and Georgia Tech-bound Lance Storrs, both seniors, Columbia has a pair of bookends that played a big role in the team’s state championship run last year back for more this year. Juniors Travis Leslie, one of the rising stars in the state, and Darius Morrow, the next good Columbia big man, are tremendous options to have.

Senior forward Dante Harvey, who signed with Toledo, will have his moments as will senior guard Jordan Lemons and senior Anthony Isoms.

Of all of the divisions in Georgia, however, 4A has more weapons in the brackets to knock out the big dog. Will it be region foes Stone Mountain or Tucker? Or can Cedar Shoals and Lithia Springs continue the hot streak? Will Cherokee get over the hump? Or will Griffin continue to roll forward? Can a sophomore-led Fayette County team do it? So many questions, so few rounds to play. The answers will soon be uncovered.

First round games of note

The real treats don’t start until the second round where the potential of several big time match-ups could happen but in order to get there, the first round games must be played. Here are a few of the best games in round one.

The best game of the first round has to be Wayne County at Westlake. Both teams are coming off of big region tournaments and both teams have balance and depth. Wayne County (21-7) will look to the dynamic scoring of senior guard Daviel Clements and versatility of senior forward Rory Miller. Westlake will certainly rely on Furman bound Bryson Barnes, junior wing Gideon Gamble and junior guard Khamori Watts. Both teams have playoff experience and winning at Westlake isn’t easy but don’t be surprised to see Wayne County walk away with the victory.

Mays may be playing teeter-totter with a .500 record but don’t sell the former back-to-back state champs short. Floyd Mack has his team playing good basketball and more importantly, good defensive basketball. Mays has a tall order against Rome and 6-10 junior center Tony Woods. Keep an eye on Mays’s freshman point guard Aloys Cabel. Rome is young and Mays has seen the best (facing Westlake, Tucker, Columbia, Tri-Cities, Stone Mountain and Riverdale). Don’t be surprised to see Mays win this game. Woods needs to be the difference.

Lithia Springs won the Region 5 tournament with great play on the defensive end and with balance in the backcourt. The team has only lost two games all year, with one coming by one point, but they haven’t faced a team that has a true power big man like Dacula does inside in sophomore Brian Cole. If Dacula can slow the pace down and make the game move at their speed, then they could very well move on and knock out a No. 1 seed.

Looking at the No. 1 seeds

Lee County (13-13)
Region 1 tournament champs
Key wins: Bainbridge, Thomas County Central
Key losses: Numerous
Notes: Senior DeVauhgn Thomas is one of the most difficult players in the state to defend because of his size, strength and sheer hustle. He’s amongst the state’s leaders in scoring and rebounding even as a 6-3 post player. Lee Co. is 11-4 since Jan. 2.

Fayette County (23-5)
Region 2 tournament champs
Key wins: Westlake, Statesboro, Southside, Whitewater
Key losses: North Clayton, Westlake, Parkview, Creekside
Notes: Sophomore Noel Johnson is quickly emerging as one of the top players in the state. At 6-7, he brings a skill set to the table that can be infused at all five positions. Even thought he is amongst the top 10 players in the 2009 class, he’s still under the radar within the Georgia high school ranks. This is his platform to open some eyes.

Richmond Academy (19-9)
Region 3 tournament champs
Key wins: Centennial, Statesboro
Key losses: Statesboro, Glenn Hills, Druid Hills
Notes: One of the top teams from the Augusta area can get out and run and relies on future Delaware State guard Trevor Welcher. They could surprise people in a wide open quadrant of the 4A bracket.

Griffin (15-10)
Region 4 tournament champs
Key wins: Jonesboro, Riverdale, North Clayton
Key losses: Savannah, Riverdale, Statesboro
Notes: The Bears are a completely different team with senior forward Charles Corbin in the lineup. The 6-7 post has helped Griffin overcome a 1-9 start without him and has put the team on his back en route to a 14-1 record with him in the starting lineup.

Lithia Springs (26-2)
Region 5 tournament champs:
Key wins: Cherokee, Pebblebrook, Villa Rica, Redan, Newnan
Key losses: Carrollton, Parkview
Notes: Six wins have come by a matter of two points and one of the defeats (Carrollton by one) was also a nail-biter. These guys are used to tight, intense situation. Head coach Jason Slate has his team playing great defense and un-intimidated against teams.

Columbia (27-1)
Region 6 tournament champs
Key wins: Wheeler, LeFlore (Ala.), Tucker, Stone Mountain, Miller Grove
Key losses: LaSalle (Ohio)
Notes: Clearly the best team in the state, Columbia has weapons inside, out and on the sidelines. Columbia boasts the biggest frontline in the state and their potential games at Marietta could see a pair of teams with key players that stand over 6-9. The frontline will be tested early. Moreover, Columbia won the toughest region in the state both in standings in the tournament.

Rome (21-6)
Region 7 tournament champs
Key wins: Cartersville, Ridgeland, Dalton
Key losses: Dunwoody, Coosa, Cartersville, Ridgeland
Notes: There isn’t a better time for junior center Tony Woods to put his mark on his standing in the state as one of the to players in Georgia than now in the playoffs. In previous big stage games, he struggled. This is redemption time for the 6-10 center.

Cedar Shoals (24-1)
Region 8 tournament champs
Key wins: Loganville, Shiloh, Newnan, Winder-Barrow, Alcovy
Key losses: Clarke Central
Notes: Senior guard Chris Kupets is one of the best scorers in the state and his improvement as an all-around player has helped Cedar Shoals to a terrific record and a number one seed in the tournament.

Don’t forget about us

While the eight number one teams positioned themselves to play a more favorable schedule in the first round, there are a handful of teams that aren’t region tournaments winners that can advance to Gwinnett Arena on March 9.

Tucker is no stranger to the Final Four. For two straight years, the Tigers have made it there and this year could make it three. James Hartry has a team certainly talented enough to get there. Led by seniors Marshon Brooks and Jeremy Simmons and sophomore Manny Atkins, Tucker has the players in line to win big games. Brooks is one of the best scorers in 4A and will be looked to early and often.

The same can be said for Stone Mountain. The Pirates have star power in Andrew Goudeolock and Terrell Bell. The two Division I bound seniors are as good as you get for 1-2 punches in the state. Senior Raylin Brown is an important third option. Stone Mountain could very easily be playing in the state championship game.

Cherokee didn’t close the season out quite like they wanted but anytime you have a team that executes, shoots it very well and has an athletic and versatile 6-9 junior that can play inside and out, you can’t count them out. Chris Singleton, an all-state 4A performer, will need to rebound from a so-so region tournament.

Don’t sleep on Jonesboro either. With a backcourt that can take on a lot of teams, the Cardinals will be a fun, and balanced, team to play in the tournament.

Our entire 5A bracket prediction

Winners of the first round: North Clayton, Wayne County, Griffin, Whitewater, Lithia Springs, Tucker, Cedar Shoals, Stone Mountain, Richmond Academy, Jonesboro, Fayette County, Riverdale, Rome, Pebblebrook, Columbia, Cherokee
Winners of the second round: Wayne County, Griffin, Tucker, Stone Mountain, Jonesboro, Fayette County, Rome, Columbia
Winners of the third round: Griffin, Tucker, Fayette County, Columbia
Winners of the fourth round: Tucker, Columbia
4A champion: Columbia

Breaking down the bracket: 5A

It is do or do time in Georgia as the high school basketball playoffs tip off on Saturday and everyone is gunning for the crown in the 5A bracket. Can Norcross win it? Or will Wheeler pick up a needed win and advance to the Gwinnett Center? Or will someone else step up? It’s time to dance.

Getting to Gwinnett

It is a question that has been asked since Eddie Martin and his Norcross Blue Devils won the 2006 5A state championship – can anyone knock them out in tournament play?

Starting on Saturday, the question will tried to be answered by a number of teams. And it begs the question, can some one else step up in 2007 to claim the coveted state championship?

There are plenty of candidates in 5A this season and several potential champs are all on the same side of one quadrant of the bracket. Norcross and Wheeler play the biggest first round game in recent memory. Meadowcreek could very well surprise teams with a big win over the winner of the prime time match-up. Marietta and Chattahoochee have coaches that know how to get the most out of their respective teams.

Peachtree Ridge, winners of region 7, and Centennial have the talent to get to the Gwinnett Center on March 8.

On the other side of the bracket is Savannah power Beach High School, last year’s surprise team of the tournament. They have a tough test right out of the gate. M.L. King and Tri-Cities aren’t easy wins.

Camden County has knocked out the Savannah powers this season and could be this year’s surprise team from the coastal region. Mundy’s Mill is tapping into its potential. Stephenson is peaking at the right time.

Anything can happen in 5A. Buckle up. It’s time to get on the road.

Must see game

With 16 games being played in each bracket on Saturday, picking just one game to see will be difficult, right? Only if you’ve lived under a rock for the last two years.

The dream match-up of Norcross and Wheeler will finally happen, pairing last year’s 5A state champions and Wheeler, winners of three state titles since 2000. However, no one saw this game happening on Feb. 24 and in the first round.

The game features in Norcross’s Gani Lawal and Wheeler’s J.J. Hickson, the top two players in the state and the only McDonald’s All-Americans in Georgia.

Norcross boasts a lineup of Lawal, who is headed to Georgia Tech, Tony Neysmith, who is headed to Oklahoma, Jordan DeMercy, who is headed to Florida State, Al-Farouq Aminu, one of the top 10 juniors in the nation, and Taariq Muhammad, one of the top point guards in the class of 2009.

Wheeler boasts a line up of Hickson, who is headed to NC State, Trey Lang, a recent UMass pledge, Adrian Williams, a Brown commitment, Dequan Jones, one of the top 150 juniors in the nation, Ari Stewart, one of the most impressive sophomore prospects in the state, and Phil Taylor, one of the best freshmen in the state.

Star power? You have it in this game. It doesn’t get any richer than this for college basketball prospects.

Our prediction? Norcross 79, Wheeler 72

Other first round games of note

Peacthree Ridge knocked off Norcross for the Region 7 championship and as huge of a win that was for the Lions, the team will need to re-focus quickly for Milton, a team that beat them in the Deep South Classic by a point.

Milton has not closed the season out quite the way they have probably wanted but there is a confidence that has to hold over from the early season win. Don’t be surprised to see Milton, especially Furman bound forward Connor Nolte, match Peachtree Ridge for three quarters.

Expect a close in the Chattahoochee-North Gwinnett match-up and a good back and forth battle between Tift County and Mundy’s Mill.

Looking at the No. 1 seeds

Warner-Robins (16-7)
Region 1 tournament champs
Quality wins: Perry, Tift County, Houston County
Key losses: Perry, Colquitt County

M.L. King (18-7)
Region 2 tournament champs
Quality wins: Stephenson, Newton, Lithonia
Key losses: North Clayton, Lithonia, Meadowcreek, Stephenson
Key players: Senior shooting guard Jihad Ali, junior wing Demetrius Bates
Notes: Only one loss to a non-playoff team (Redan). Very balanced team with good athletes and a favorable bracket to advance to Elite 8.

Beach (22-2)
Region 3 tournament champs
Quality wins: Meadowcreek, Camden County, Savannah Johnson, Statesboro
Key losses: Meadowcreek, Camden County
Key players: Senior post Ladaris Green, senior forward Markeith Cummings, junior guard James Fields
Notes: Last year’s state runner-up returns nearly everyone from the team that lost to Norcross. This year’s team might actually be better. Just how good are they away from Savannah? That is the question that will be answered in the post season.

Mundy’s Mill (18-8)
Region 4 tournament champs
Quality wins: Tri-Cities, Miller Grove, Morrow
Key losses: Peachtree Ridge, Jonesboro, Riverdale, Newnan, Tucker
Key players: Senior guard Daniel Brown, senior wing David Brown, senior forward Rod Williams, junior forward Dennis Harris, junior point guard Todd Salter
Notes: All eight of Mundy’s Mill’s losses have come against good tournament teams. They won’t be star struck this time of year. The starting five has size and skill at each position.

Marietta (21-4)
Region 5 tournament champs
Quality wins: Wheeler, McEachern, North Cobb
Key losses: North Cobb, Harrison, South Cobb
Key players: Sophomore point guard Chris Tanzy, junior forward J.C. Ward, senior forward Stephon Woods, junior wing Deandre Cannon, senior forward Tyrese Mumford
Notes: It took a while for metro Atlanta to fully realize just how good the Blue Devils are but when they beat Wheeler, everyone noticed. Charlie Hood has his best team since Ezra Williams wore a MHS jersey.

Meadowcreek (25-2)
Region 6 tournament champs
Quality wins: Beach, Archbishop Mitty (Calif.), M.L. King, Whitewater, Shiloh, Central Gwinnett (three times), Parkview
Key losses: Beach, Dunwoody
Key players: Senior guard Chris Allen (Michigan State), junior guard Teondre Williams, senior center Mark Veazy (Navy), senior Antoine Bolden
Notes: There isn’t a more dynamic scoring guard in the state than Allen and when the lights are shining bright, he’s even better. Getting the rest of the team to play well is the key. On the national stage, they did for two games before bowing out to Dunwoody at the Chick-Fil-A Classic. They could potentially knock out either Norcross or Wheeler just because Allen can expose both programs and he’s dying to do just that.

Peachtree Ridge (23-3)
Region 7 tournament champs
Quality wins: Norcross, Mundy’s Mill, North Gwinnett, Whitewater
Key losses: Norcross, Milton
Key players: Senior wing Zach Graham (Ole Miss), senior point guard Kevin Anderson (Richmond), senior forward Cameron Heyward (Ohio State-football), senior forward Bassy Inameti (Tennessee Tech), senior wing Sidney Haynes (UCF-football)
Notes: Riding high off of the emotion of beating Norcross, Peachtree Ridge put itself into position to have an easier road to Gwinnett County. Maintaining focus and staying in team mode will be the answer for the Lions in the post-season. Can they pull off a Florida and win both football (sort of) and basketball? We’ll know in five games. Ties don’t exist in basketball like they do on Georgia’s gridiron.

Centennial (22-4)
Region 8 tournament champs
Quality wins: Chattahoochee (three times), Milton, Druid Hills
Key losses: Wheeler, Richmond Academy, Milton (all three tournament teams)
Key players: Sophomore guard Lorenzo Brown, senior guard Alex Richey, senior post Leonard Carr
Notes: The Knights are riding a 15-game winning streak and are 13-0 since Lorenzo Brown returned to the lineup after missing the first semester because he was academically ineligible. When Richey gets his shot working, watch out. He’s deadly.

Marching to Macon

Every year there are a handful of teams that surprise the state with big wins and deep runs through the bracket. Who will those teams be this year? Two teams, in fact, are not only poised to surprise but could very well finish the season in the Final Four or even the championship.

Don’t sleep on Stephenson (22-6). Led by the dynamic 1-2 punch of B.J. Frazier, a Western Kentucky signee, and Adrien Coleman, one of the bright rising stars in the state’s loaded sophomore class, the Jaguars have a team and a favorable bracket to advance to Gwinnett.

Same goes for Tri-Cities. Omari Forts, one of the best young coaches in the state, has his club playing good basketball despite a tough loss to Mundy’s Mill in the Region 4 championship. Justin Inman, Rashard Wise and Chris Cromartie make for a very good backcourt and can challenge Beach’s size and athleticism in a potential second round game. Defensively, Tri-Cities can lock down a lot of teams on the perimeter as well.

North Cobb may not have a star on its roster like so many other 5A teams but they play as a well-oiled machine and don’t let a lot get to them. They are well-coached and could simply X and O you to a defeat.

Our entire 5A bracket prediction

Winners of the first round: Warner-Robins, Stephenson, Mundy’s Mill, Camden County, Marietta, Chattahoochee, Meadowcreek, Norcross, Beach, Tri-Cities, M.L. King, Newnan, Peachtree Ridge, Parkview, Centennial, North Cobb
Winners of the second round: Stephenson, Mundy’s Mill, Marietta, Norcross, Tri-Cities, M.L. King, Peachtree Ridge, Centennial
Winners of the third round: Stephenson, Norcross, Tri-Cities, Centennial
Winners of the fourth round: Norcross, Tri-Cities
5A champion: Norcross

Holiday Hoops time

The holiday season is upon us and that means it is tournament time. We take a broad stroke look at the tournaments in the state and the trips that teams are making out of the state. If you notice an event is missing or have a website address for one of the listed events, please email Justin Young at jyoung@rivals.com.

Chick-Fil-A Classic, Columbia, S.C. Dec. 19-22
Georgia teams involved: Dunwoody, Meadowcreek
Website: http://www.chick-fil-aclassic.com/index.shtml
(GEORGIAHOOPS will be in attendance)

Atlanta Public Schools Holiday Classic, Various schools (finals at Southside), Dec. 16-23
Teams involved: Therrell, Washington, South Atlanta, Southside, Mays, Douglass, Grady

Peach State Holiday Classic, Atlanta (Morehouse College) Dec. 27-30
Georgia teams involved: Banneker, Bradwell Institute, Creekside, Douglass, Griffin, Lithonia, Lovejoy, Mays, Miller Grove, Morrow, Mundy’s Mill, North Clayton, Riverdale, South Atlanta, Southwest Dekalb, Tri-Cities, Tucker
Website: http://www.peachstateholidaybasketballclassic.com/ (not updated)
(GEORGIAHOOPS will be in attendance)

Roundball Classic, Charleston, SC - Dec. 26-30
Georgia teams involved: Dunwoody, East Hall, Savannah Johnson
Website: http://www.roundballclassic.com/

Deep South Classic, Lilburn, Ga. (at Brookwood & South Gwinnett HS) Dec. 27-30
Georgia teams involved: Brookwood, Central Gwinnett, Chattahoochee, Collins Hill, Mill Creek, Milton, North Atlanta, North Cobb, Peachtree Ridge, South Gwinnett, Tallulah Falls, Walton
Website: http://www.deepsouthclassic.com/index.html

Powerade Holiday Classic, Suwannee, Ga. (at North Gwinnett HS) Dec. 27-30
Georgia teams involved: Berkmar, Decatur, Douglas Co., Lakeside-Dekalb, Lithia Springs, North Gwinnett, Parkview, Redan

Campbell Classic, Smyrna, Ga. (at Campbell HS) Dec. 27-30
Georgia teams involved: Campbell, Kennesaw Mountain, Lassiter, Marietta, McNair, Pope, Roswell, Sprayberry

Kingdom of the Sun, Ocala, Fla. (at Vanguard HS) Dec. 27-30
Georgia teams involved: Columbia, Monroe, Whitfield Academy
Website: http://www.kingdomofthesun.net/

Academy National Invitational, Houston, TX - Dec. 28-30
Georgia team involved: Norcross
Website: http://visionsports.com/ANI/2006/ani_home.html
(GEORGIAHOOPS will be in attendance)

Sweet South Classic, Madison, Ga. (at Madison Co. HS) Dec. 28-30
Georgia teams involved: Hillgrove, Loganville, McEachern, Monticello, Morgan Co., Northview, Putnam Co., Rockdale Co., Talifero Co., Winder-Barrow
Website: http://www.thesweetsouthclassic.com/

Les Schwab Invitational, Portland, OR – Dec. 28-30
Georgia team involved: Wheeler
Website: http://www.primetimepdx.com/lsinv/

Jr. Orange Bowl Classic, Miami, FL – Dec. 28-30
Georgia team involved: Cherokee

Playground Classic, Fort Walton, FL – Dec. 28-30
Georgia team involved: Rome

High Point Enterprise Christmas Classic, High Point, NC - Dec. 28-30
Georgia team involved: Grayson

Bojangles High School Classic, Charlotte, NC - Dec. 28-30
Georgia team involved: Southwest Atlanta Christian

Dunwoody, Graham rams Rome

DUNWOODY, GA – With a minute left to play, Dunwoody forward Delwan Graham took a knee during a free throw and looked at his cheering section and said with a sigh, “Man, I’m tired.”

He should be. The 6-foot-7 junior put in a big time effort in Dunwoody’s 81-55 win over Rome.

Graham scored 19 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, blocked four shots, passed out four assists and recorded three steals. Rome simply had no answer for the athletic forward. In the first half, Graham was a monster on the boards and used his high-energy motor to grab nine boards and created opportunties for Dunwoody to score around the cup.

“I probably wake up about 4 o’clock tomorrow afternoon,” Graham said half joking, half serious.

Graham played 30 minutes and made the most of it on every possession. If he wasn’t rebounding, he was scoring on his own offensive rebounds. If he wasn’t blocking or altering shots, he was frustrating Rome’s 6-foot-10 center Tony Woods.

Offensively, Graham wasn’t the only weapon for the Wildcats. Dunwoody relied on sharp shooting of Georgia bound guard Zac Swansey. The 6-foot-3 senior finished with a game high 24 points. No one shoots a better midrange jumper than he does.

Swansey didn’t miss a shot in the second half and looked very comfortable with his dribble drive and pop and shot shooting. The future Bulldog has been Dunwoody’s scoring force from the backcourt this season.

Rome struggled with turnovers, with Woods turning it over eight times himself. Woods, a high-major prospect, finished with eight points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots. Sophomore guard Jamalcolm Griffin led Rome with 17 points.

Dunwoody travels to South Carolina next week for the Chick-Fil-A Classic. Georgia Hoops will also be there.

GEORGIAHOOPS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Delwan Graham, Dunwoody

Week 3 Superlatives

Top player of the week: Lance Storrs, Columbia
Top senior of the week: Lance Storrs, Columbia
Top unsigned senior of the week: Dexter Shaw, Cass
Top junior of the week: Al-Farouq Aminu, Norcross
Top sophomore of the week: Cory Warn, Cass
Top freshman of the week: Phil Taylor, Wheeler
Top sleeper of the week: Dexter Shaw, Cass

Teams watched in Week 3: Covenant Christian, Urban Christian, Shaw, East Paulding, Columbia, Wheeler, Norcross, Oak Hill Academy

Countdown to the Main Event

I’ll admit it. I’m like a kid waiting for Christmas right now. Thursday’s games at Georgia Tech is as good as you are going to get in the state this year. Three of the top teams in the Peach State will be on national television and the nation’s most talked about basketball school is coming to town. Honestly, does it get any better than this?

Here are a couple of storylines that I’m incredibly interested in:

Columbia’s Jeremy Price vs. Wheeler’s J.J. Hickson

Hickson is the top player in the state in our senior rankings but he saw the 5A title slip out of his team’s hands last year to Beach. Price, a Georgia signee, helped Columbia win a 4A title. Both are big time big men. Both are giant in size and both are very solid players in the paint.

Price continues to get better and for whatever reason, he doesn’t have the same kind of respect that other big men in the state get. I am a big fan of his game and look forward to seeing him grind it out with Hickson.

Hickson, on the other hand, has been chomping at the bit to hit the hardwood. This is his first game of the season and with the goal of being a McDonald’s All-American, expect him to come out looking for a big game on national television.

Both big men should be double-double players in this one.

Oak Hill’s Howard Thompkins vs. Norcross’s Al-Farouq Aminu

Honestly, who doesn’t want to see this? The two have known each other since middle school and former Wesleyan teammates are looking forward to the match-up.

Before Thompkins left for Oak Hill this summer, I had Aminu as the top player in the state for a number of reasons. For starters, he looked outstanding against on the national circuit until July came around. Potentially, he could be downright scary. In their one-time meeting on the circuit, Aminu got the best of Thompkins at the Wallace Prather Classic.

Thompkins finished the summer strong and is in the best shape he has been in (maybe even before his appendectomy surgery last season). He’s a double-double machine at Oak Hill and is the team’s most versatile big man. I had him penciled in as the state’s second best player in his class prior to his move to Virginia.

In all likelihood, the two will play each other again for the majority of the game. Expect nothing less than a great back and forth battle amongst friends.

Both are amongst the top 12 players in the country in the 2008 class if that gives you any indication of how much of a regard I have for their game, skill set and pure potential.

FYI, here is a good read from the Gwinnett Daily Post on the match-up. Click link to read it.

http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=37&url_article_id=22295&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2

Oak Hill’s guards

If Dunwoody’s guards had their way with Norcross, then can you imagine with Brandon Jennings (the top point guard in the nation in the 2008 class), Nolan Smith (a Duke signee and son of the late Derrick Smith) and Alex Legion (a Michigan signee) will do against the Blue Devils? Tony Neysmith can only defend so much.

Oak Hill’s guards will be the difference maker. It could get ugly if Norcross can’t match with their strength – size, speed and athleticism inside.

Coaching

What a treat to have three of the best coaches in the state on the same floor on the same night. Each one brings a different facet to the game. Columbia’s Phil McCrary will slow the game down and pound it inside. Wheeler’s Doug Lipscomb will pressure you on defense from end to end and push the ball up the floor. Norcross’s Eddie Martin has done a lot with little and doing even more with a lot. This year is the best team he’s ever had. For the youngsters that are in the crowd or watching from home, take note of how the players respond to their coaches. You won’t see any selfish knuckleheads on these teams. Same goes for Steve Smith of Oak Hill. He’s coached at least two dozen pros.

Hi, my name is…

If you haven’t seen Columbia’s Travis Leslie or Wheeler’s Ari Stewart, you are in for a treat. Leslie could potentially crack into SportsCenter’s top 10 plays for the today on Thursday. The kid is a ridiculous athlete. He showed that at the Georgia Hoops Fall Showcase. Stewart, a 6-7 sophomore wing, is a budding star. He’ll pick and choose his moments. When those moments come, he’ll look like one of the top players in the state. Both are waiting to break out on the big stage.

Coming to the ACC shortly

There are six future ACC players in the field.

Gani Lawal (Norcross), Lance Storrs (Norcross) – Georgia Tech
Jordan DeMercy (Norcross), Julian Vaughn (Oak Hill) – Florida State
J.J. Hickson – NC State
Nolan Smith – Duke

The envelope please

Finally, here are my picks for the games on Thursday. Wheeler shakes off the first half dust and comes away with a hard fought win. Oak Hill’s guards prove to be the difference maker. The Warriors win by double digits.

Cass rides Shaw, Warn all the way

CARTERSVILLE, GA - The plan was simple for Cass High School on Tuesday night against East Paulding. Don’t let the big guys on the other team get touches or rebounds. After all, the first time the two teams played, East Paulding used that formula to win.

Not this time.

Cass limited East Paulding’s big men to put backs and few touches in their offensive schemes and picked up a hard fought 83-72 victory. Of course, getting 61 points from their guards never hurts either.

Cass (3-1) head coach Ed Riddle looked to senior Dexter Shaw early and often as the unsigned prospect went off from all spots on the floor.

Shaw looked every bit of a top 20 player in the state. The unsigned senior was outstanding on the offensive side of the floor. Shaw finished with a flawless 32 points (9-16 FG, 13-15 FT, 3-10 from three) in the victory. Shaw, a 6-4 shooting guard, added seven rebounds, six assists and four steals to his attack.

“He plays like you want your seniors to play like,” Riddle said. “Any time you can have a scorer go to the line like he can, he’s going to be automatic for you. We’re going to try to get him to the line as much as we can.

“He can get up on you and then take one step and he’s gone. He’s so quick and real smooth with the ball and with his shot.”

Shaw, who is averaging 28.2 points a game this year, said he wants to go out swinging in his final year at Cass.

“I’m gong to try to the best that I can every time out and leave Cass High School the best I can,” Shaw said. “But I want to motivate some of these younger players for next year and the year after that.”

The young guys are watching and listening. Sophomore Cory Warn was just as spectacular. The 6-3 slasher finished with 29 points (9-16 FG, 6-11 FT, 3-5 from three).

“He’s just a sophomore and he’s realizing that it is all about players wanting it more,” Riddle said. “When we need to score, we’re going to look to him and to Dexter. Tonight, (Warn) was playing good defense the whole game and he was making things happen.”

Warn was a disruptive force on the defensive end and forced a number of East Paulding (2-1) turnovers.

East Paulding had success in the first match-up, particularly inside with 6-10 center Jon Pack. On Tuesday night, the senior big man was limited to five shot attempts. He finished with a season low five points but did coral 10 rebounds. Senior Rodney Johnson scored a team high 20 points and brought down 12 rebounds. Most of his points came on put back scores inside.

GEORGIAHOOPS Player of the Game: Dexter Shaw, Sr. , Shaw

November Player of the Month: Chris Allen, Meadowcreek

November is behind us and the first month of the season is in the books. After looking over our notes and talking with coaches from all levels, we are happy to announce the first player of the month of the season.

Chris Allen, the 6-4 senior guard from Meadowcreek High School, has been named the GEORGIAHOOPS Plyayer of the Month in November. The Michigan State bound guard put on a show at Georgia Tech against Whitefield Academy, one of the best teams in the state, two days after Thanksgiving.

Allen scored 42 points, including an eye-popping 20 of 24 from the foul line. Offensively, Allen is one of the best guards the state has seen over the last 10 years. He and his Meadowcreek club have the players in line to be a contender for the AAAAA state title.

Congratulations to Allen for the first Player of the Month award of the year.

(Photo: Courtesy of Tom McConnell)

Week 2 Superlatives

Top player of the week: Ralph Sampson, III, Northview
Top senior of the week: DeAndre Washington, McEachern
Top unsigned senior of the week: DeAndre Washington, McEachern
Top junior of the week: Ralph Sampson, III, Northview
Top sophomore of the week: None
Top freshman of the week: Trae Golden, McEachern
Top sleeper of the week: Daniel Stryzinski, Northview

Teams watched in week 2: Berkmar, Harrison, McEachern, Northview, Savannah and South Cobb.

South Cobb gets early postseaon prep in win

AUSTELL, GA – For South Cobb High School, the games played at the start of the season are meant for preparation for the postseason. On Saturday, the Eagles learned a little something about what it will take to advance in the state tournament.

South Cobb picked apart Savannah High School 78-62 at home in a game that was dominated by guard play.

New South Cobb (3-2) head coach Daniel Bowles said the win was big for his Eagles club.

“Anytime you can get a win against a team like Savannah, you have to be happy,” Bowles said. “That was a game with pride on the line for these kids and to beat a team with that kind of rich tradition was good for them.”

Savannah is generally one of the toughest teams in the state and coach Tim Jordan will always have a roster with players that can fill it up in a hurry and challenge teams in the open court.

South Cobb (4-2) is no different. The Eagles relied on the speedy play of point guard
De’Marion Gordon and tough as nails senior Adam Callaway to help lead the charge. Gordon scored nine points and handed out six assists in the victory while Callaway had an effective 14 points.

“De’Marion hit the game winning shot the night before against Kennesaw Mountain and today he was just a player that made plays,” Bowles said. “He’s a special player. He shot some tough shots and made them.”

The Eagles are working senior wing Austin Kelly back into the rotation slowly. The Duke bound wide receiver injured his ankle in the last game of the football season. The 6-3 senior still provided a spark as he came off the bench to grab five rebounds, hand out three assists and block a couple of shots.

Alvin Jones, a 6-3 junior forward, was the junkyard dog for the Eagles as he did the dirty work inside and knocked down a number of midrange jumpers.

Savannah point guard Norris Rumph, a 6-1 junior, was injured on the first possession of the game, falling hard and injuring his back and neck. He sat out the first quarter because of the injury. His loss allowed South Cobb to go on a 18-2 lead to start the game.

Upon returning, Rumph helped close the gap and was the steady force in the backcourt in all phases. He finished with nine points, five rebounds and five assists.

While Rumph was the calm force, Savannah relied on leading scorer Kevin Williams. The 5-11 guard scored a game high 27 points (9-23 FG, 4-12 from deep) in the defeat.

South Cobb plays McEachern, a tough region battle, on Tuesday in Austell.

Northview is tall order for Berkmar

LILBURN, GA – Luckily for Northview High School, games are won by whoever has the most points and not by whoever plays the prettiest. The Titans picked up a 53-37 win against Berkmar High School on Friday night.

Northview (4-0) leaned on the presence of 6-10 big man Ralph Sampson, III inside the paint and played a solid defensive-minded game. The junior lead the way with 18 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots in the victory.

Sampson, who is coming off a MVP performance at the Forsyth Turkey Shootout, was an intimidating force around the basket and helped keep Berkmar from getting into the paint. Northview held the Patriots to 13 points in the middle quarters. Sampson’s presence had a lot to do with that. He blocked a number of shots on consecutive attempts and sent a message on the defensive end.

“At first, they weren’t too intimidated but as the game went along they became a bit shaky on bringing it inside. I feel like we just wore them down,” Sampson said.

Sampson wasn’t alone on the glass. Junior guard Daniel Stryzinski was outstanding on the boards, grabbing a dozen rebounds. The son of former Atlanta Falcon punter of the same name was a spark of energy for the team and helped set the tone on the defensive end.

The 6-3 junior added seven points, three assists and a pair of blocks. He didn’t take a shot in the first half but had a giant contribution in the flow of Northview’s success.

Junior A.J. Hawkins added eight rebonds and 11 points in the victory. The 6-6 post is a nice compliment to Sampson’s size and Stryzinski’s versatility. The trio combine for a strong force down low in region 6-AAAAA.

“Our combination is pretty good,” Sampson said of his frontline mates. “We do get a lot of rebounds and we work hard at cleaning the glass. We know we have to play together and rebound really hard if we want to win.”

That combination was the difference maker.

Berkmar (2-3) was led by junior wing Wesley Witherspoon, who scored 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and swiped seven steals.

GEORGIAHOOPS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Ralph Sampson, III, Northview

Golden effort for McEachern

POWDER SPRINGS, GA -- College basketball’s Feast Week may be over but Cobb County served up a nice rivalry game on Tuesday night at McEachern High School as the Indians hosted cross town opponent Harrison.

It took two and a half quarters to get it rolling but McEachern put it into an extra gear in the third quarter to pick up a 66-52 win over Harrison. The Indians rode the strong play of freshman guard Trae Golden, who scored 24 points in the victory.

Golden shot nine of 14 from the floor and converted six straight free throws in the second half to put Harrison away. The 6-foot-1 guard didn’t play like a kid in his first high school home game against a rival opponent.

“I wanted to come out there and be unselfish and help my team win. I did what I had to do and if that meant scoring the ball, that’s what I did,” Golden said. “I’m just a freshman on the team and I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Coach Nick Chaykowsky, in his first home game at McEachern, came out with a royal blue blazer that would make the bright color-friendly Bruce Pearl proud. He also came out with incredible confidence in his young star.

“Boy, he does a lot for a freshman. He’ll do more than some seniors," Chaykowsky said. "He has an innate ability to score. The things he does, man it’s special. We have a lot of senior leaders that keep him under control and don’t let him settle.”

Golden plays with an old school flair and great body control when attacking the basket. All nine of his made field goals were right at the basket and several buckets were highly contested or converted into three point plays.

Several of Golden’s points came from the sharp passing of senior E.C. Williams and quick outlet passing from forward DeAndre Washington. Williams had a solid nine points and four assists in the game while Washington was a force down low, scoring 10 points and collecting 15 rebounds. Washington’s ability to control the glass was huge in the second half.

“That was the key part for us,” Washington said. “We wanted to get the ball and then push it up the floor and make them guard us. We’re going to have to keep it going and keep working hard.”

Williams, an athletic combo guard, showed no ill affects of a sprained ankle in the off-season and dazzled with the ball in his hands.

“We had to strap it down and step up and play team ball,” Williams said. “We know each other so well and we know what each of us can do. We just had to remember that.”

Harrison was led by junior Matt Sundberg's 12 points and junior Gerald Smith came off the bench to score eight points and played solid defense.

Valdosta State and Georgia College & State University were both in the house to see the action.

GEORGIAHOOPS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Trae Golden, McEachern

Just a Minute with Justin Young

The first week of basketball is in the books and the season is looking as wide open as ever. Norcross loses to Dunwoody in a scrimmage, who in turn barely beats Milton in overtime. Riverdale beats Columbia in a scrimmage and then loses to Mill Creek.

The lesson learned from the first week of basketball? Anything is possible.

Expect a long, and fun, year on the high school scene. Parity has struck the Georgia prep scene and from the outside looking in, that is what makes this state such a fun place to watch high school hoops. What will happen this year? Buckle up and here we go.

After watching Chris Allen play, I have to wonder, is he the best player in the state? Getting to the line 24 times against a team like Whitefield Academy is impressive. That is a pro quality to his game.

Let’s see what Gani Lawal and J.J. Hickson have to offer this year.

I bumped into Howard Thompkins at the Jump Ball Jam Classic at Georgia Tech. He looked great and looks to be back in 100 percent shape. He has Dec. 7 circled on his calendar, much like the rest of us, as his Oak Hill team comes to Georgia Tech to take on the defending 5A state champions. He’ll line up against his former Wesleyan teammate Al-Farouq Aminu, Georgia Hoops’s No. 1 player in the class of 2008. Thompkins was the No. 2 ranked player in the state’s 2008 before he left for Oak Hill. Needless to say, it is a match-up certainly worth watching.

Whitefield Academy always has talented young players on the roster and this year is no different. I’m a huge Brandon Reed fan. And quickly became a huge Cameron Baskerville fan. He was the best post player that I saw last week. Did I mention he is only 6-6? If he grows to 6-8 (or taller), he’ll be one of the top big men in his class (and maybe even nationally).

Speaking of size, I didn’t recognize Whitefield senior Kelvin McConnell. My goodness, I need to get on that weight program. The sharpshooter dropped over 40 pounds and looks great. He’ll be counted on for the Wolfpack’s run to the Class A title this year.

Cherokee High School ’s staff - Roger Kvam and Bob VanAlstyne - must be commended on a great Jump Ball Jam Classic at Georgia Tech. They put a lot of time and work into the event and the games could not have been more exciting. I’m looking forward to seeing more events like that in the future.

Kudos to the University of Georgia ’s coaching staff. Dennis Felton and assistant coach Desmond Oliver did something that a lot of coaches don’t do. They brought their families out to the event. A lot of coaching staffs preach family atmosphere. Georgia is proving that they live that. FYI…all of the staffs in Georgia are very good family people. We are really blessed with great coaching staffs in this state.

Here’s a commitment that slipped under our nose: Westlake ’s Bryson Barnes is headed to Furman. Good get for the Paladins. He along with Milton ’s Connor Nolte will make for a good duo on the wing. Nolte was outstanding against Dunwoody over the weekend.

I’m off to the Harrison at McEachern game tonight. It should be a good one. McEachern freshman Trae Golden is off to a hot start. The 6-2 rookie is averaging over 20 points a game. The Indians have a good looking team and a new coach that is getting it done in Nick Chaykowski.

The trip marks my first trip to McEachern since Morris Almond and Josh Smith played there. Thinking of that, there fewer players that I respect more in basketball than Almond. I was a huge Almond fan when he suited up for the Indians in 2002-2003. I wrote:

“Morris Almond would be a great addition to any program. He understands the game of basketball. If you need interior rebounding, he'll do it. If you need a big three, he'll hit it. And the beautiful thing about his game, is his demeanor. He isn't a showboater. He just does the job. I love that.

Off of the court, he's about as good of a prospect as you'd want. He's great in the classroom. He comes from a good family. That shows in his character.”

As a freshman at Rice, a school he picked over the likes of Indiana and Notre Dame, Almond played sparingly. As a sophomore, he came off the bench to average 7.2 points per game. As a junior, he earned a starting spot and became a first team All-Conference selection in the Conference USA and led the league in scoring with 21.9 points a game. Now he is a top target for NBA teams.

Almond put in the work, didn’t worry about meaningless things like rankings and is now putting himself in a position to play in the NBA all the while earning a degree from one of the best universities in the nation. There is something to be said about that.

Since I ran my camp, I’ve had a lot of parents asking me what they can do to help their sons in the recruiting process.

My answer is always this: 1. Worry about the education aspect because basketball will take care of itself if you respect the game. 2. Listen to coaching. Colleges want to recruit guys that are coachable, whether or not you or your son thinks the coach knows what he is doing. 3. Stay grounded. Don’t look for an answer at another school or taking an un-needed prep year. 4. Don’t worry about rankings. They have and they never will pay for an education. By the way, Florida was ranked 71 in last year’s preseason poll. They were the National Champions.

I say all of this because Almond was a guy (as was his family) that did things the right way. They worked hard at finding the right fit for a college. Almond remained patient and worked hard for his playing time. He could have transferred to an easier school or a more primetime program. But in the end, it is all about accountability.

So what can you do to help support your son or player? Simple, do just that. Support them. And most of all, enjoy this year.

Week 1 Superlatives

After watching 14 teams last week, Georgia Hoops unviels our Week 1 Superlatives.

Top player of the week: Chris Allen, Meadowcreek (Michigan State)
Top senior of the week: Chris Allen, Meadowcreek (Michigan State)
Top unsigned senior of the week: Jahaziel Howard, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Top junior of the week: Chris Singleton, Cherokee
Top sophomore of the week: Cameron Baskerville, Whitefield Academy
Top freshman of the week: None
Top sleeper of the week: Joel Lamb, Southwest Atlanta Christian

(NOTE: We will only name players that we see in a week's time.)
Teams watched this week: Cherokee, Druid Hills, Dunwoody, Meadowcreek, Mill Creek, Milton, Parkview, Riverdale, Southwest Atlanta Christian, Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Tucker, Wesleyan, Whitefield Academy