SEBA Atlanta Roundball Report

Kelly Scores 26 pts; Douglas County Remains Undefeated

2012-01-11T12:17:00.000-05:00

Richey Kelly (6' 5, Douglas County; 2012)

SEBA's Richard Kelly scored 26 points in Douglas County's 104-95 victory over Kell High School. The extremely athletic wing scored on a variety of drives, jumpers, putbacks, and fast break attempts. The victory improves Douglas County's record to a perfect 14-0. The Tigers are currently ranked #3 in Georgia's Class AAAA Poll.

Kelly is uncommitted and will sign in the Spring. He is certainly one of the top available 2012 Wing Guards in the State. In addition to his on-court talents, Richard is a terrific student in the classroom, where he has a 3.8 GPA.

Look for Douglas County to make a deep playoff run next month. The Tigers, led Head Coach Joby Boydstone, have a deep cast of talented seniors which includes standout Forwards Vantrail Commings and Jaumonee Byrd, Point Guard Devante Orebeau, and Kelly.

Atkins Averaging 25 PPG; Leads Vidalia to # 1 Ranking

2012-01-10T16:54:00.000-05:00

Devin Atkins (2012 - PG; Vidalia High)

Senior Guard Devin Atkins (5' 7, PG, Vidalia, 2012) is having a fantastic senior season for Vidalia High School. Atkins is averaging 25 ppg for the Indians, who are currently 15-1 and ranked as the state's # 1 team in Class AA (according to latest Atlanta Journal Constitution poll). He might very well be the top outside shooter in the Peach State, as is converting an eye popping 50% of shot attempts from three-point land (65 for 130). This is despite seeing double teams almost every game. Atkins is more than an outside threat. He handles the ball well, has the ability to keep the defense honest with penetration, and has an effective floater in the lane.

Head Coach Tommy Dalley is one of the State's Top Coaches and in three years has built the Vidalia program into a genuine AA State Power. In addition to this year's terrific start, the Indians finished with an impressive 24-5 record last season. Atkins has been a major factor in that success. The three year starter, who was named First Team All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State last year as a Junior, has stepped into a featured role this season.

At 5' 7", Atkins is never going to be the tallest player on the floor. But he almost always brings "big" game. Atkins could be a very nice pickup for college coach seeking a PG who can score. Be on the lookout for Vidalia to be a strong contender for the 2A State Crown this March!

Date Announced for the 2012 SEBA Atlanta College Showcase

2012-01-04T19:48:00.000-05:00

The 2012 Atlanta Spring College Showcase, presented by the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA), will be held March 24th on the campus of Oglethorpe University.

This Annual SEBA Event, now in its 7th year, is one of the nation's most highly regarded spring basketball exposure camps for Unsigned Seniors (2012 grads) aspiring to play college basketball. The camp is also open to Juniors from the Class of 2013, and Class of 2014 (Sophomores) who played varsity ball this season, as well as Post Grad Players and JUCO Sophs looking to move on to a Four Year College. Players not invited directly by the SEBA staff should have the recommendation of their school or travel ball coach.

Many of the Top NCAA Division II, III, NAIA, and JUCO College Programs throughout the South will be in attendance to evaluate prospects. Several recruiting publications will also be covering the event. Over 50+ College coaches attended last year's camp, resulting in numerous college opportunities for the players in attendance. The Georgia College Basketball Coaches Association (GABCA) will be holding their annual Spring Meeting and Social in conjunction with this camp.

The event will consist of 5-on5 Full Court Scrimmages (3 Game minimum), skills stations, Senior and Underclassman All-Star Games. All players with also receive a profile in the College Coaches Packet and receive SEBA Reversible Jersey.

Interested Players should visit the SEBA website for registration information

Link: http://www.southeastbasketballacademy.com/

Presley Leads 4th Ranked Hoyas

2011-12-14T11:18:00.000-05:00

Jeremy Presely (Harrison, 2012)

SEBA Standout and Harrison High Senior Jeremy Presley (5' 11, PG, 2012) is off to a terrific start for the Hoyas. The Senior Point Guard has been a major factor in Harrison's early success, leading the team in both scoring and assists. The Hoyas are currently 5-1 and ranked as the #4 team in Georgia's Class AAAAA. Their only loss at this point was to National Powerhouse Oak Hill Academy (VA).

Presley has been hitting all on cylinders the past two weeks. In a rout of Stephenson High, Jeremy scored 21 points, where he shot 5 of 6 from three point range. He followed that performance up with an impressive showing, scoring a game high 18 points in 64-57 victory over Norcross in the Nike Explosion held at Kennesaw State University. Presley capped off the impressive stretch with a good showing over rival McEachern. In an extremely physical game which saw four Harrison players foul out; Jeremy hit two clutch free throws with 6 seconds left which proved to be the game winners.

Jeremy has the potential to be a very good lead guard for a school at the next level. Simply put, he knows how to play the game. He has a high skill set and a high basketball IQ. He can shoot the lights out and has extremely deep range. He creates well off the dribble and has a smooth but quick shot release. He is battle tested, and seems to play his best against toughest competition (ie: he averaged 15 ppg and 4 assists per game at 17U AAU Division I Nationals this past July). Off the court, Jeremy is a high achiever with a 3.8 GPA and above average test scores.

Look for Jeremy to continue his strong play and position the Hoyas for a strong Region and State Tournament playoff run!

Jenkins Named GSAC Player of Week

2011-12-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

SEBA Alum Jessie Jenkins honored by GSAC

SEBA Alum and Piedmont College Freshman Jessie Jenkins was named the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) Player of the Week. The 6' 3 Freshman Guard out Locust Grove High (GA) is Piedmont's team leader in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. But during Piedmont's last pair of non-conference games, he performed beyond his average performance.

In Piedmont's recent loss on the road at Oglethorpe University, Jenkins recorded a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Three days later, he put on a show in Cave Arena in a blowout win over Free Will Baptist College, dropping 32 points and making it a double-double with another 10 boards.

Jenkins was efficient on his way to 32 points, making the most of every shot opportunity. He made nine of his 10 shots from the field, including draining his only three-point attempt. He also took advantage of his freebies, converting on 13 of 14 shots from the line. All of this comes in just 28 minutes of playing time.

Jenkins' 19.4 points per game and 7.6 boards per game anchor a team that leads the conference in scoring at nearly 83 points per contest.

Congrats Jesse and keep putting in work!!

Pack Twins Sign Scholarships with North Greenville

2011-11-16T08:49:00.000-05:00

Michael Pack (5' 10, PG, Centennial; 2012)

Centennial High School's 2012 Guards and twin bothers Michael Pack and Charles Pack have signed early with North Greenville University. North Greenville is a NCAA Division II program in Tigersville, South Carolina. The Crusaders play in the Carolinas Conference, which is one of the toughest D2 Leagues in the nation.

Both Michael and Charles are extremely quick, strong and athletic lead guards whose physical capabilities will translate very well to the college game. Both Pack brothers had an excellent AAU season this past Spring and Summer while playing for the FCI Warriors.

Michael began the 2011-12 High School season in strong fashion last night as as he was the game high scorer with 21 points in 73-65 Overtime Loss to #5 ranked Shiloh High School. Shiloh was led by Top 25 Talent and Georgia Tech signee Robert Carter who had 18 points.

Congrats Michael and Charles and we look forward to seeing you both have a terrific senior season!!

Charles Pack (5' 10, PG, Centennial; 2012)

Douglas County outlasts Walton in SEBA Fall League Championship Game

2011-10-17T13:32:00.000-04:00

Fall Leagues can be an excellent tool for teams to develop team chemistry and help teams prepare for the start of the regular high school season. The Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) Atlanta Fall League did just that for all of the participating teams over the course of the past two months. The SEBA League concluded this past weekend with its end of season playoff tournament, where Walton High School and Douglas County did battle in the Championship Game. Douglas County cruised past Pope 62-40 in the first Semi-Final; while Walton held off an athletic North Cobb squad 60-55 in the other Semi-final game.

Vantrail Commings (6' 4, Wing; Douglas County; 2012)

The Championship Game itself was a hard fought contest played with much intensity. The majority of the first half saw both teams going back and forth and exchanging leads. It wasn't until the three minute mark of the 2nd quarter when the uptempo Douglas County squad took a double digit advantage behind the all around standout play of Vantrail Commings (6' 4, Wing, 2012) and strong inside production of Jaumonee Byrd (6' 6, Forward; 2012).

Rico Overall (6' 1; PG, Walton; 2013)

The Tigers extended the lead throughout the third quarter and the first two minutes of the fourth. However, Walton was not ready to surrender. Behind the tremendous play of Junior Point Guard Rico Overall (6' 1, PG, 2013), the Raiders staged a ferocious comeback. Overall was all over the floor; converting drives, hitting pull ups, dishing out assists, and picking off steals. Walton pulled to within two points inside the final two minutes; however, Douglas County stepped up and made some big defensive stops as well as knocking down some crucial free throws down the stretch. The final score was Douglas County 78 and Walton 73.

Douglas County was led by Commings 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. They also received strong play Richard Kelly (6' 5, Wing, 2012) who had 15 points, Byrd (15 points), Matt Melms (12 points), and
Devante Orebeau (10 points and 4 assists).

Walton was led by Rico Overall's 27 points and 5 assists. Powerfully built strong forward senior Sean Morgan (6'6, Forward, 2012) scored 16 points and pulled down 8 rebounds to cap off a very good Fall Season. John Gibson (6' 7, Forward, 2012) added 10 points and 6 rebounds.

SEBA Fall League Champs Douglas County

Additional Notes / Observations:

Douglas County has a chance to be strong contender in Georgia's Class AAAA this year. The Tigers have excellent athleticism, size and seasoned players. Head Coach Joby Boydstone returns all five starters from a year ago, including Vantrail Commings and Richard Kelly who were All-Region as Juniors.
Walton does not have the High profile Major D1 player they had the past few years; however look for Coach Joe Goydish's to remain in the mix as one of the better squads in AAAAA. This year's squad has a dominating forward in Sean Morgan and a high quality playmaker in Rico Overall to go along with good overall team chemistry. Emerging 6' 7" forward John Gibson might be the x-factor.
Douglas County's Vantrail Commings (pictured above) has received significant football recruiting interest from Major Division I schools. However, basketball is his passion and he may prefer to play hoops at the next level. Commings is a beast on the floor on the hardwood. Is 6' 4, but plays much bigger and with a tremendous motor.

2011 SEBA Atlanta Shootout (Event Review - Part II)

2011-10-14T09:33:00.002-04:00

Here is the second part of the Camp review from the 2011 Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) Atlanta All-Star Shootout held on September 24th at Oglethorpe University.

Link: Click here for Part I of the camp review

Additional Camp Standouts

(Listed in no particular order)

Ethan Gillis (6’ 7, Forward, Rabun Gap, 2013) – Long and wiry forward with good future. Uses his size well to be an impact player; plays “big” in the paint. Blocks shots and pulls down rebounds. With continued development of skills and added strength, could very well blossom into attractive target at Division I level.

Reed Dungan (6’ 1, PG, Hiram, 2013) – Possibly the biggest surprise player of the camp, Dungan had a very good offensive showing. Well rounded skill set; effective with penetration and knocked down outside jumper on consistent basis. Sees the floor well and is very good passer. Plays with a lot of confidence and energy. Definite player to watch in Class of 2013.

Christian Browder (6’ 0, CG, Paulding County, 2012)- Athletic Lefty who was one of the top scorers in the camp. Creates for himself very well and is a top notch penetrator/finisher. Averaged 18 ppg and was named Paulding County Player of Year last season as a Junior. Prospect to watch.

Robert “Mitchell” Parker (6’ 8, Forward, North Florida Christian, 2012) – Long post player who demonstrated potential on both ends of the floor. Has ability to knock down jumper when facing up. Good rebounder and length allowed for him to alter many shots on the day. Improved physical strength will help his low post game. Averaged double-double as a Junior last year. Elite academic achiever with 4.4 gpa and 29 ACT score

Jaumonee Byrd (6’ 6, Forward, Douglas County, 2012) – Long and active forward who plays with high energy and hustle. Has a knack for rebounding and defending. Adequate scorer inside the paint extending out to wing.

Matt Catanzano (6’ 4, SG, Armuchee, 2012) – Dead eye outside shooter with good size. Uses screens well to set up his shot. Understands the game and has high basketball IQ. Has ability to post up smaller defenders. Set school record for three pointers in 2010-11. Named All-Region and Northwest Georgia Tip-Off Club Player of Year as a Junior.

Devin Atkins (5’ 6, PG, Vidalia, 2012) – Small statured and compact lead guard that can flat out shoot the rock. Made 112 three pointers last year as a Junior while shooting 46% beyond the arc and averaging 17PPG. Has effective floater in the lane and can keep defense honest with penetration. Was All-Region last season and named to GACA All-Star Game.

Connor Smith (6’ 2, CG, St. Francis, 2012) – Intriguing talent with definite upside potential. Was previously home schooled, will play his first season of high school ball in 2011-12. Long and slim combo guard with deceptive athleticism and high offensive skill level. Can handle ball well and create his shot off the dribble. Excellent three point stroke. Overall game is improving at rapid rate; best ball is ahead of him.

Nick Graf (6’ 6, Forward, South Forsyth, 2012) – Promising forward with well-rounded game. Has good touch on jump shot. Did majority of his scoring on conversion of 15-18 foot jumpers. Solid footwork and uses ball fakes well around the rim. Has good work ethic. Named All-Region as both a Soph and Junior. Strong student with 3.7 gpa.

Dusan Kovacevic (6’ 9, Forward, Rabun Gap, 2015) – Exchange student from Serbia has outstanding size for 15 year old. Plays on Serbian Junior National team. Has a solid level of skill and polish for his age, but as can be expected, has significant room for growth. With normal development will be a D1 prospect.

Ben Blythe (6’ 6, Forward, Pope, 2012) – Blue Collar and physical forward with well-rounded skill set. Above average post defender. Crafty on lower block with good footwork. Can extend defense out to the arc, where he has three point range. Plays with alot of hustle and intensity. Strong leadership qualities. Elite academic student with 3.8 Gpa.

Trevon Shaw (6’ 1, CG, Mill Creek, 2013) – Powerful and athletic guard with multiple offensive weapons. Is very good in transition, but also has shooting skill to stretch defense in half court set. Puts good defensive pressure on ball handler.

Jamal Lancaster (6’2, PG, Jacksonville Fletcher – FL, 2012) – Quick and athletic guard with good size for point guard position. Very active on both ends of floor, is comfortable taking leadership role. Best when driving to the hoop, but has solid looking jumper as well.

Greg Murphy (6’ 4, Wing,Woodland – Bartow, 2013) – Athletic inside-out threat with slashing scoring ability. Had an impressive tip dunk which displayed good leaping ability. Further development of perimeter skills will allow for transition to wing at next level and full realization of potential.

Keith Colquitt Jr. (6’ 2, SG, Eagles Landing, 2012) – Smooth and athletic guard who is very good in transition. Demonstrated good outside looking stroke in half court set. Plays under control. Above average defender with long arms. Starter on Eagles Landing AAA Final Four team last season.

Daniel Peace (6’ 0, PG, Jonesboro, 2013) – Impressive Point Guard with good quickness and court instincts; one of the camp’s top assist men. Excels on the break and makes good decisions with ball. Played significant role as sophomore last season on on Jonesboro’s State Final Four team.

Ryan Lowery (6’ 4, Forward, Gilmer, 2012) – Uses good motor and offensive technique to offset lack of height for position. Very aggressive while attacking basket. Uses angles and body well. Has good handsand “knack” for the ball. Averaged 19 PPG and was named 1st team All-Region as Junior.

John Gibson (6’ 7, Forward, Walton, 2012) – Athletic forward who is starting to come into his own as a player. Strong finisher who had several impressive dunks while attacking basket. Good rebounder with knack for put backs.Has good upside but needs to strive for more consistency.

Brian Egejuru (5’ 10, PG, Central Gwinnett, 2013) – One of the Top 2013 players in attendance. Egejuru is a natural Point Guard who impressed with playmaking ability and poise. Good handle and distributor. Makes players around him better. Very strong on ball defender.

Austin Card (6’ 4, Wing, Pope, 2012) – Wing prospect with extremely long wing span. Has excellent leaping ability and ability to finish well above the rim. Has the physical tools to be a force on both ends of the floor. Super shot blocker for his size. Very good student athlete with 3.6 gpa and 26 ACT score.

Kurt Barger (6’ 2, SG, Crawford Mosley High – FL, 2012) – Active shooter- scorer with strong 190 lbs. frame. Consistently knocked down outside shot from different areas on the floor. Finishes well and is not afraid to power through contact on way to rim. 4.6 GPA attractive to elite academic schools.

Ryan Wilkins (6’ 2, CG, Effingham County, 2013) – Impressed with his offensive skill set and ability to break down defense. Above average athleticism; Aggressive but under control. Quality defender. Will team up with Senior Guard T.J. Rines and fellow 2013 prospect Jay Wright to form a good looking backcourt for Effingham County.

Riley Criswell (6’ 6, Wing/Forward, Carrollton, 2013) – Emerging wing forward who had good camp. More of a perimeter orientated player at this point in his development. Shot the ball very well from mid-range and beyond the arc. Plays hard. Promising future.

Nate Bucher (6’ 1, PG, Providence Christian, 2012) – Playmaker who gets others involved and distributes well. Has strong frame and good ball handling skills. Above average jumper. Quarterback on the floor.

Clayton Roessler (6’ 5, Forward, Lecanto – FL, 2012)–Strong forward with good low block post moves; has good footwork and understands positioning; finishes around the rim. Sees floor well and good passer from the post. Academic standout with 4.6 GPA in classroom.

Ify Imachukwu (6’ 2, SG/SF, Duluth, 2013) – Another 2013 talent that was a pleasant surprise. Very athletic and bouncy prospect who gets to the rim easily and then finishes above it. Not afraid to drive the paint and challenge bigger defenders. Excellent fast break player. Has to avoid tendency to take plays off on defensive end. Overall impressive prospect with bright future.

Honorable Mention Players

Class of 2012: Johnnie McGhee (6’ 3, SG, Memphis Briarcrest Christian, TN); Kolin Zimmer (6’ 0, SG, Jackson County); Donte Moss (6’ 6, Wing, Buckhorn – AL); Chris Boyd (6’ 6, Forward, Cherokee); TJ Rines (5’ 8 PG, Effingham County); Joseph Sciberras (6’ 2, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian); Petar Milivojevic (6’ 2, PG, Crenshaw Christian, AL); Devante Orebeau (5’ 9, PG, Douglas County); Trent Burton (6’ 6, Forward, Winder Barrow); Jamal Davis (5’ 8, PG, Riverwood); Cole Morgan (6’ 4, Wing, Chestatee); Lekeigh McQuillia (5’ 9, PG, Jacksonville Fletcher – FL); Raheem Newton (5’ 11, PG, Augusta Laney); Jalen Bracey (6’ 0, PG, Mill Creek); Colin McKay (5’ 10, PG, St. Pius Catholic); Brian Ginty (6’ 3, SG, Mt. Pisgah); JeVaughn Sanchez (6’ 1, SG, Stone Mountain); Daniel Howell (6’ 3, Forward, Prince Avenue Christian); Damone Williams (6’ 6, Forward, St. Francis); Reid Olson (6’ 3, SG, Woodstock); Migel Ethridge (6’ 1, Gadsden City – AL); Austin Franklin (6’ 1, PG, St. Johns Country Day – FL) ; Keonte King (6’3, Wing, Woodland – Henry); Torrey Johnson (6’ 0 SG, Carrollton); Michael Barney (6’ 4, Wing East Paulding); Colin Perzella (6’ 4, Wing, Lambert); Austin Pearson (5’ 11, CG, Lakeview Academy); Ryan King (6’ 7, Forward, Allatoona);

Classes of 2013: Raekwon Reed (6’ 2, SG, Vidalia); Jay Wright (5’ 11, PG, Effingham County) ; Patrick Petty (5’ 11, SG, Jonesboro,); Greyson Arnold (6’ 4, SG, Calhoun); Amir Arabnia (6’ 2, SG, North Oconee) ; Elijah Blackmon (5’ 11, CG, Pensacola, FL);Beau Blackwell (5’ 10, CG, Creekview); AJ Lasante (6’ 6, Wing, Kolbe);Daniel Brooks (5’ 11, PG, Gordon Lee); DeAngelo Anthony (6’ 1, CG, Lovejoy); Brandon Cerezola (6’ 0, SG, McIntosh); Joe Chapman (5’ 6, PG, Northside Christian – FL); James Powell (6’ 3, SG, Harrison);

Classes of 2014: Avery Patterson (5’ 10, PG, Tri-Cities); Nick Masterson (6’ 5, SG, River Ridge); Ja’Davin Keith (6’ 0, PG, Cherokee);Roger Rickman (6’ 1, PG, Fellowship Christian); JB Charles (6’ 4, SG, Gilmer); Corey Tobin (6’ 4, SG, Woodland-Bartow); Samuel Harris (5’ 9, PG, Tampa Catholic – FL); Jack Shaghnessy (6’ 0, PG, Etowah); Ramel Thompkins (6’ 5, Forward, Vidalia)

2011 SEBA Atlanta Shootout (Event Review - Part I)

2011-10-13T17:30:00.003-04:00

The 2011 Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) Atlanta Shootout was held on September 24th at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. The SEBA event was a tremendous day of instruction and exposure for the 180 young men in attendance.

This high quality event, now in its 9th year, was once again directed by SEBA Director Billy LoPresti and his stellar staff. This year's camp featured an excellent group of talented 2012, 2013, and 2014 prospects from throughout Georgia and the entire Southeastern Region. A large number of college coaches from throughout the nation were in attendance to recruit and evaluate players for their respective programs.

Here is a breakdown of the top performers from the event:

Derrico Peck (6’ 6, SG, Etowah, 2012)
Athletic and versatile guard prospect with tremendous potential. Has great length and footwork; can guardall 5 positions at the high school level. Has ability to be high impact player on both ends of the floor. Can handle the ball well for his size and is exceptional finisher, often punctuating drives with emphatic dunks. Mid range Jumper is solid; three point is inconsistent but improving. Good student with 3.7 gpa and above average test scores. Receiving heavy interest and/or holding offers from several Mid Major Division 1 programs.

Adonai Rogers (6’ 2, CG, Berkmar, 2012)
Explosive and wiry combo guard who impressed with his athleticism and scoring ability. Had stretches during camp where he took over the game and scored in bunches. As a scorer, has balanced approach as he is effective from all three scoring zones. Finishes very well in transition and above the rim. Has good body control. Will need to add some weight to slender frame for next level. All-Gwinnett County as a Junior; has transferred to Berkmar for senior season.

Richard Kelly (6’ 5, SG/SF, Douglas County, 2012)
Highly athletic wing prospect who showed out as one of the camp’s top overall prospects. Great leaper who plays above the rim. Consistently scored from all three levels throughout the day. Very good rebounder from wing spot. Needs to continue to focus on staying under control and not forcing action. Great attitude and plays with passion for the game. Averaged 16 ppg and 7 boards per game as Junior. Honor student with 3.8 GPA. Diamond in the rough; has a high ceiling with his best basketball certainly ahead of him.

Dee Washington (6’ 3, SG, Rabun Gap, 2012)
Very Athletic Guard with good strength and leaping ability. Demonstrated a well rounded offensive ability throughout the day; scoring off penetration, from outside, and in transition. Averaged 18 PPG and 6 rebounds as a Junior while being named All-Conference and All-State in North Carolina. Currently has Division I offers/heavy interest from a number of SoCon and Atlantic Sun programs.

Fineto “Andy” Lunguana (6’ 2, SG, Centennial, 2012)
Extremely athletic guard prospect with excellent upside. Has tremendous speed in open court which makes him very good in transition. Can shoot the outside jumper and attack the rim with equal effectiveness. Very good on ball defender and plays passing lanes well. All-Region in tough Region 6-AAAAA last season as a Junior. Has transferred to Centennial for Senior season.

Chukwudubem Okeke (6’ 8, Forward, Jonesboro, 2013)
Emerging big man with tremendous upside potential, he impressed many of the coaches in attendance with his combination of athleticism and length. Excellent finisher in and around the rim, throwing down several power dunks per game. Very good shot blocker, negating manydrive attempts from opponents. Current offensive skill set is limited; however, has only played organized ball for two years and has much room for growth. With continued development, could very well evolve into a highly sought after target at the Division I level.

Daniel Loudermilk (6’ 6, Forward, Mill Creek, 2012)
Long and Athletic Forward prospect who had a strong camp. Finishes well and plays above the rim. Had several impressive finishes in traffic. Exhibited pretty good mid-range jump shot and runs the floor well. Looks comfortable playing on wing and inside.

Derick Pope II (6’ 5, Wing, Grayson, 2012)
Slashing athlete who is very effective around the rim. Had one of the camp’s top dunks in traffic. Top notch rebounder, especially on the offensive end where he has knack for keeping ball active. Has athleticism to rebound, outlet, and run lane on break. Has long arms and is capable of guarding players 2-3 inches taller. Very good help side defender with shot blocking ability. Has solid mid-range jumper. Good work ethic. Elite Academic student with 3.5 gpa and 28 ACT score.

Tristen Harrell (6’ 1, PG, Dalton High, 2012)
Exciting Guard prospect with electric playmaking ability. Excellent leader on fast break; Sees the floor very well and was one of the best passers in camp; often delivering perfect assists to teammates for easy scores. Has very good ball handling ability. As a scorer, has well rounded game with above average outside shot and quickness to score in the paint. Has strong frame and size for point guard position. 1st Team All-Region and All-North Georgia as a Junior.

Nigel Jackson (6’ 7, Forward, St. Francis, 2012)
Developing big man prospect with excellent frame. Has solid perimeter skill set but will be more sought after as an forward operating in the paint. Is at his best operating from high post, where he is a threat to score or draw double team. Sees floor well and hit teammates cutting to basket on multiple occasions. Good rebounder and interior defender. Coachable and attentive to detail.

Brandon Grant (5’ 11, PG, Fayette County, 2012)
Good looking Point Guard with excellent quickness who can both distribute and score.Has strong midrange game and good ability to shoot the ball off the dribble. Leads the break well and has good floor leadership skills. Has long wingspan. Exhibits the confidence desired in a true PG.

Adam Dowell (6’ 3, SG, Lassiter, 2012)
Well rounded Shooting Guard with good size, frame, and fundamentals. Had an excellent day shooting the ball where he seemingly did not miss a three point attempt over the course of several games. Has quick release and can keep defense off balance by putting the ball on the floor. Plays with much intelligence and hustle. Top Notch student with 4.1 GPA and above average test scores. Good looking prospect for higher end academic programs .

Michael Pack (5’ 11, PG, Centennial, 2012)
Lightning quick, strong, and explosive, He has all of the physical tools desired in a prototypical Point Guard. Blew by defenders with his quick first step throughout the day, and knocked down the long jumper when given space. Initiates the fast break well and made good decisions with minimal turnovers. Will share backcourt at Centennial this season with his Identical twin brother Charles (see below).

Charles Pack (5’ 11, PG, Centennial, 2012)
The other half of the “Pack Twins”, Charles is an extremely quick, athletic, and physical playmaker. Very good penetrator and ball handler who routinely draws defense and dishes off for easy buckets. Equally skilled at finishing drives to the rim; has excellent body control and balance. Top notch on ball defender. Natural leader.

Abdulkareem Adekunle (6’ 5, Wing, Providence Christian, 2012)
Exceptional athlete who plays with a good motor; finishes very well and through contact. Cleaned the boards throughout the day and posted a double-double in each of his games. Very good running the lane on fast break, finishing with dunks and strong layups. Overall Offensive skill set is still developing; but he has all the necessary physical tools. Can be excellent defender at next level.Very coachable.

Jeremy Presley (5’ 11, PG, Harrison, 2012)
Crafty Point Guard with scorers mentality and exceptional three point shooting ability. Can shoot the lights out from deep range.Gets excellent separation from defender on pull up jumper and has quick release. Brings good poise as floor leader and understands “draw and kick” principles. Uses change of pace moves to his advantage. Had strong summer on AAU circuit, including 15 ppgand 4 apgat 17u AAU Nationals. Good student with 3.7 GPA that includes several AP classes

Link: Click Here for Part II of the Camp Review

Richard Kelly (6'5 Wing; 2012 Prospect)

2011-04-20T12:18:00.003-04:00

Richard Kelly (6' 5", Wing, 2012)

Richard Kelly (6' 5, Wing, Douglas County High; 2012) had a terrific showing this past weekend as he helped the FCI Warriors claim the Championship of the 17U Big Shots Atlanta Tournament. Kelly is a highly athletic wing with strong upside potential. He averged 18 ppg and 7 rebounds on the weekend and brought the house down on multiple occasions with highlight reel dunks. He also showed the capacity to step up in the clutch, as his free throws in the closing seconds clinched FCI's exciting Saturday evening victory over the Carolina Hornets (NC). Kelly, who is a native of Brooklyn - NY, is a very coachable and determined player who is improving at a rapid pace. Look for Kelly to be an attractive prospect in the Peach State's crop of 2012 prospects.

2011 SEBA College Showcase (Review - Part II)

2011-04-19T12:03:00.001-04:00

Here is the second part of the Camp review from the 2011 Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) College Showcase held on March 26th in Atlanta, Ga.

Link: Click here for Part I of the camp review

Additional Camp Standouts

(Listed in no particular order)

Clayton Williams (6’0, PG, North Gwinnett, 2011) – Skilled player who exhibited a well-rounded game. Really seems to understand the point guard position and making those around him better. All-Gwinnett County and All-Region selection.

Richard Kelly (6’ 5, Wing, Douglas County; 2012) - Long and bouncy wing player with tremendous upside potential. Does very well in transition game; has great vertical leap allowing him to finishes well above the rim with dunks. Needs to continue to improve offensive skills in half court set. With continued development and added upper body strength, he could very well evolve into an attractive target for Division I programs

Cy Cole (6’ 4, SG, Tabb – Virginia; 2011) - Complete player with good grasp of fundamentals; handles ball well and uses screens effectively. Good shooting touch and can finish in the paint. Has ability to successfully post up smaller defenders.

Myles Whitehurst (6’ 4, Wing, Montgomery Catholic – Alabama; 2011) – Long and athletic wing with good upside potential. Finishes very well at the rim. Good rebounder. Player whose current overall game is somewhat raw, but whose best ball is certainly ahead of him.

Michael Brooks (5’ 6, PG, Cedar Grove, 2011) – The smallest player in the camp but certainly one of the fastest. Is a blur with the ball and was able to penetrate at will throughout the day, dishing for assists or converting his own drives over much taller opponents. Plays with good poise and intensity.

Aquavius Young (5’ 10, PG, Cedar Grove, 2012) – The other part of Cedar Grove’s lightning quick backcourt, Young is a pure scoring threat who creates extremely well off the dribble. Has a vast array of dribble moves, combined with above average quickness. Creates good separation on pull up jumper. Averaged 19 PPG as a Junior.

Jordan Kinney (6’ 7, Forward, Harrison; 2011) – Late blooming forward who had a strong showing at camp. Played on strong H.S. team with much talent and depth; looked to embrace opportunity to be “go to” post option for camp team. Shot a high percentage throughout the day on a variety of post moves. For his size, he has above average shooting touch from 15-18 feet. Crashed offensive boards hard and showed ability to run floor. Stellar student with 4.0 gpa and 1180 SAT.

Jessie Jenkins (6’ 2, SF, Locust Grove, 2011) - Tough player who plays with a quiet but strong intensity. Brings many intangibles to table; the type of “glue guy” successful teams tend to have. Rebounds very well for his size. Has excellent leaping ability that sneaks up on opponents; can slash through lane and unexpectedly threw down power dunks in traffic. Top notch student with 3.7 GPA.

Randall Smith (5’ 10, PG, Archer, 2013) – Despite being one of the camp’s youngest players, Smith stepped up to the occasion with excellent all-around guard play. Has playmaking ability and court awareness above his years. Has ability to be a top notch guard in Georgia’s Class of 2013.

Labron Glover (6’ 0, PG, Claxton, 2012) – Good looking 2012 guard prospect. Excellent penetrator and setup man. Finishes well at the rim and on the break. True competitor who brings intensity each possession. Named Region “Player of Year” as a Junior.

Jeffrey Nobles (6’ 4, Wing, Centennial, 2011) – Prospect who played well and raised stock throughout the day. Has good length and wingspan. Has inside-out capabilities; displays versatility to score around rim all the way out to beyond the arc. Defensively played very well, blocking a number of shots and deflecting passes. Added upper body strength will allow him to take his game to a higher level and reach full potential.

Ryann Green (6’ 2, PG, Bannekar, 2011) – Versatile and all around successful guard with good size and length. Does a variety of things well and is the type of player who can fill up stat sheet in many categories. Sees the floor very well. Above average student in classroom.

Austin Biggs (6’ 7, Forward, Johns Creek, 2011) – Versatile forward with good size who had a good camp performance. Demonstrated good footwork in skills stations and back to the basket moves. Is comfortable in “pick and pop” situation and has range extending out to three point land. Impressed with willingness to battle underneath, as well as fight for loose balls, take charges, etc.

Jeremy Presley (5’ 10, PG, Harrison, 2012) – Lead guard with potential to put up points in bunches. Very good three-point shooter who can create shot off the dribble. Did good job of drawing defense off drive and kicking out to open teammate. Good intangibles and plays to win.

Simeon Dennis (6’ 3, CG, Central Gwinnett; 2012) – Combo guard with good size who can score in a variety of different ways. Strong mid- range capabilities. Had a strong junior campaign averaging 18 PPG.

Larry Thomas (6’ 1, SG, Langston Hughes; 2011) – Good outside shooter and scorer who can fill up the scorebook. Strong pull up jump shot off one dribble. Has effective floater uses when driving the lane. Named All-Metro and All-State Honoree this past season.

Rodrick Robinson (6’ 6, Forward, Bartow – Florida; 2011) – Aggressive and hard-nosed power forward with good athleticism. Battles on board and competes in the trenches. Can get out on break, run the floor, and finish with dunk on other end.

Alex Anderson (6’ 1, CG, McIntosh, 2011) – Strong guard with above average athleticism, who excels on both ends of floor. Has well rounded offensive skill set. Gets good dribble separation when creating shot. Good defender both on the ball and in passing lanes. Has type of game that should transition well to the next level. Very coachable and team orientated. First Team All-Region and All-County Selection this past season.

Ben Blythe (6’5, Forward, Pope, 2012) – Strong and active forward who defends the post very well. Has good arsenal of post moves with back to basket while also being effective facing the rim on wing. Has three point range. Plays hard and with good intensity. Elite level academic credentials with 3. 8 GPA and 1280 SAT.

Taylor Birchett (6’ 4, SG, Roswell, 2012) - Excellent shooter with good size and fundamentals. Has the ability to light it up from beyond the arc. Uses screens very well to get open and get off quick shot. Has effective floater when slicing through the paint, as well as pull back jumper allowing him to shoot over defenders.

Jerry Coleman (6’ 2, Wing/Forward Central Gwinnett, 2011) – Tough and athletic forward who plays 3 or 4 inches bigger than his height. Has good physical strength and leaping ability. Excellent rebounder. First Team All-County Selection for Gwinnett County.

Aaron Fisher (6’ 8, Forward, Savannah Jenkins, 2011) – Forward prospect who could be a player to evaluate for programs looking to sign a forward this spring. As can often be the case in camp settings, big men need to pull down offensive rebounds and run the floor to get significant touches. Fisher did this well as well as providing solid interior defense in the paint (blocking and altering shots). Also showed pretty decent shooting touch.

Joey Courseault (5’ 7, PG, Tucker, 2012) – Spark plug lead guard who was one of the top assist leaders in camp. Has excellent quickness and pure point guard mentality. Demonstrated ability and desire to pick up his man full court and play excellent pressure defense. Strong academic credentials in classroom.

Vantrail Commings (6’ 3, Wing, Douglas County, 2012) – Well rounded and very physical- strong player. Plays game with tremendous intensity and Warrior mentality. Excellent rebounder from wing position. Sees floor and passing opportunities extremely well. Averaged an impressive 17 PPG and 12 rebounds per game for Douglas County this past season as a Junior.

A’Darius Porter (6’ 6, Forward, Woodland, 2011) - Strong and powerfully built forward. Good rebounder on both ends. Finishes strong and has nice touch around the rim. Overall game has improved significantly in past year, especially in his ability to shoot the mid-range jumper consistently. Has ability to pull rebound and initiate the fast break off dribble. Had good senior campaign while averaging 15 ppg.

Anthony Pronin (6’ 4, SG, Lake Ginninderra – Australia; 2011) – Australian player with aspirations of playing college ball here in the States. Exhibited a balanced and fundamental game at the shooting guard position. Physically strong; allows him to body up and finish well around the rim. Shoots the ball well from beyond the arc. Competes at the highest level of Amateur National play in Australia. Full NCAA qualifier with 22 ACT.

Honorable Mention Players

(Listed in no particular order)

Class of 2011: Garrison Webb (6’ 1, SG, Druid Hills); Avonte Hall (6’ 2, Wing, Duluth); Kameron Russell (6’ 5, Forward, Parkview); Jaihlen Teague (6’ 1, CG, Middletown – Ohio); Jordan Shaw (6’ 3, PG, Pickens); Rashod Lovett (6’ 1, CG, Claxton); Earl Farnum (6’ 4, Wing, Langston Hughes); Cole Arrington (6’ 6, Forward, St. Francis); Jamal Watson (5’ 11, PG, Harrison); Joseph Neiner (6’ 3, SG, Pinecrest Academy); Peter Hage (6’ 1, SG, Providence Christian); Riley Sparks (6’ 4, Wing, Heritage – Catoosa); Darius Frazier (6’ 1, CG, Conway – South Carolina); Larry Williams (5’ 9, PG, Wolfson – FL); Kevin Haynes (6’ 0, PG, South Gwinnett); Jamarques McDowell (6’ 3, SF, Central Gwinnett); Justin Green (6’ 5, Forward, Lovejoy); Cameron Rodriguez (5’ 11, CG, Effingham County); Sean Overstreet (6’ 3, SG, Jacksonville Episcopal – FL); Babila Lima II (6’ 1, CG, South Forsyth); Avery Patterson (6’ 1, SG, Alexander); Dominique Lindsey (5’ 10, PG, Sandy Creek); Valiant Taqi (6’ 8, Forward, Johns Creek); Rashad Greene (5’ 9, PG, Tri-Cities); Andres Chaparro (6’ 0, PG, Soutland Academy); Jose Hernandez (6’ 3, Wing, Southland Academy); Isaiah Wise (6’ 4, Wing, Paulding County); Coby Moore (6’ 3, Wing, Sandy Creek); Bruce McClain (5’ 11, PG, Sandalwood – FL); Titus Lamb (6’ 6, Wing, Westlake); Damiane Falconer (6’ 2, SG, Dunnellon – FL); Josh Johnson (6’ 0, PG, Mt. Paran); Cedric Strickland (6’ 2, SF, Bowdon); Shaquille Carlyle (5’ 8, PG, North Paulding); Ricky Gibbs (6’ 2, PG, East Jackson); Jamier Hughes (6’ 2, SG, Cross Keys)

Classes of 2012 & 2013: Justin Gonyea (6’ 2, PG, Hayesville – NC, 2012); Subby Adetujoye (6’ 4, Wing, Harrison, 2012); Max Eaton (6’ 7, Forward, Admiral Farragut – FL, 2012); Michael Pack (5’ 10, PG, Centennial, 2012); Charles Pack (5’ 10, PG, Centennial, 2012); Evan Jacks (6’ 1, SG, Northview, 2012); Sam Heery (6’0, PG, Frederica Academy, 2012); J.B. Stephens (6’ 4, Wing, Bowdon, 2012); Lekeigh McQuillan (5’ 9, PG, Fletcher – FL); Shaquille Davis (6’ 3, Wing, Paulding County, 2012); John DePalma (6’ 6, Forward, Pinecrest Academy, 2012); Brandon Goodson (6’ 0, SG, Dacula; 2013); Nick Graff (6’ 6, Forward, South Forsyth, 2012); Jeremy Mogged (6’ 2, SG, East Lake- FL, 2012)

Post Grad: Matt Porter (6’ 7, Forward, Pope); Chris Bellamy (6’ 2, Forward, Claxton); Te’Quiero Copeland (6’ 6, Forward, Mt. Zion); David Wagner (6’ 7, Wing, East Paulding)

2011 SEBA College Showcase (Review - Part I)

2011-04-19T11:55:00.002-04:00

The Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) held their 2011 Atlanta College Showcase on March 26th at Oglethorpe University. The Annual Event, now in its 6th year, has established itself as one of the nation's largest exposure camps for unsigned seniors and post grads looking to receive college scholarships and playing opportunities at the next level. This year's camp featured a bevy of talented and available prospects from Georgia and nine other states. The opportunity for exposure was certainly there for the players, as the Oglethorpe facility was packed with NCAA Division II, III, NAIA, and Junior college coaches throughout the day.

All of the players in attendance participated in skill stations for the first part of the camp. They then progressed to to the scrimmage portion of the camp, where each team played three games throughout the day. The Camp concluded with a Top 30 All-Star Game, as chosen by the scouts and coaches in attendance.

Here is a breakdown of the top performers from the event:

Camp’s Elite Performers (Super 15)

(Note: Players Listed in random order)

Thomas Higginbotham (5’ 10, PG, Brookwood; 2011)
Impressive Point guard with good quickness, tight handle, and the ability to score himself or set the stage for others. Exhibited a very consistent pull up jumper off the dribble. Sees floor well and delivers passes right on the mark. On ball defense is above average. Seems to possess all the qualities which will allow him to competently step up and play the lead guard position at the college level. One of the top guards in talent rich Gwinnett County the past two seasons.

Trevor Berkeley (6’ 6, Wing, Tucker; 2011)
Good looking prospect with ability to score both inside and on the perimeter. Has good three point range and was consistent with jumper throughout the day. Showed ability to clean the boards, especially on offensive end. Legit double-double player on most nights. Strong leadership skills.

Rob Greer (5’ 10, Point Guard, Marietta; 2011)
Quick lead guard with great first step; that and strong build allows him to repeatedly get into the lane off penetration. Was a tough matchup for defenders throughout camp as three point shot was “on” throughout the day. Tough competitor who looks to enjoy being floor general and making big plays for his team when necessary.

Jordan Enadaghe (6’ 3, Shooting Guard, Jonesboro; 2011)
One of the more intriguing prospects in attendance; he has the ability to contribute as an excellent defender and offensive slasher at the next level. Drives baseline really well and gets to the rim quick. Not afraid to attack defensive with athletic drives to the rim. Converted the three pointers he attempted. Has the physical makings to be a lock down defender. Key player in Jonesboro High’s advancement to Georgia AAAA Final Four.

Stantavious Maxwell (6’ 3, Wing, Madison County; 2011)
Very athletic and physically strong wing player who creates his own offense well. Excellent rebounder from the wing position; has very good reactions and quick jump, relentless on offensive glass. Solid mid-range game. Can be terrific defender at college level. Averaged 19 ppg and 13 boards this past season at Madison County.

Arkaylus Thomas (6’ 0, PG, Pearl-Cohn, Tennessee; 2011)
One of the camp’s top overall prospects. Complete Guard with high scoring-playmaking ability. Has athleticism to get to the rack with the ability to also score often from the outside. Has excellent body control and smoothness to his game; plays under control. 1000 point career scorer at Nashville’s Pearl-Cohn High.

Larrentis Thomas (6’4, Wing, Henry County; 2011)
Well rounded and versatile player who had strong senior season (averaged 20 ppg and 10 rpg). Can score in a variety of ways; is most effective around the rim but has pretty good mid-range jumper. Needs to continue to improve range out to three-point area. Runs floor well. Has ability to attack defense and finish with authority. Very active inside and is excellent rebounder for his size.

Daniel Salomon (6’ 8, Forward, Admiral Farragut, Florida; 2011)
Developing Post player with good size and length. Looked comfortable on the low block and facing the basket. Has fairly good agility for his size and touch around the hoop. Blocked a few shots and altered several more while we were observing. Demonstrated good instincts. Will need to put on some weight/strength for next level. Could make for a worthy target for programs looking to sign a big man with upside this spring (especially for higher end academic schools as he has a 3.5 and good test scores).

Fineto "Andy" Lunguana (6’ 2, CG, West Forsyth; 2012)
High potential combo guard, one of the best 2012 players in attendance. Very active and explosive player who gets to rim and utilizes his athleticism and strength to finish consistently. Exhibited good looking shooting stroke from three point range. Can finish above the rim. Very coachable young player with great future.

Zac Hale (6’ 4, SG, Coosa; 2011)
Intriguing prospect at the two guard spot. Jumps very well as evidenced by several emphatic dunks throughout the day (including impressive two hander in traffic on opening play of Top 30 All-Star game). Has nice touch on jumper and knocked down three point shot throughout the day. Looks to be a player who will continue to develop and has much upside.

Larry “LJ” Erves (6’ 4, Wing, Fayette County; 2011)
Athletic and powerful wing that plays with a good motor. Attacks the basket very aggressively on penetration and finishes well. Has the strength to play thru contact and convert shot. Excellent defender with versatility to guard every position at the high school level. Is good at running the lane on the break as well pushing the ball up himself. Further development of jumper will make him into a difficult matchup for opposing defenses.

Dante Campbell (6’ 4, Forward, Stockbridge; 2011)
Wing player with inside-out capability that had a terrific senior season (averaged 23 ppg, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game) on way to numerous honors/awards, including First Team All-State in Georgia’s Class AAA. Campbell is a very effective scorer inside 15 feet and has significantly improved his range out to three point land. Hard nosed defender inside who uses excellent physical strength to control paint. Playing ability combined with Top notch academic credentials (3.8 GPA and 26 ACT score) should make him an attractive target prior to spring signing period.

Cyrus Lavant (6’ 1, CG, North Gwinnett; 2011)
Explosive combo guard with tremendous athleticism. Has scorer’s mentality and prefers to use quick step to drive in the paint and create. Excellent finisher who has the ability to finish way above the rim. Has good court vision. Solid midrange and three point shot. Has all the physical attributes to be a very good guard at the next level. Needs to continue to learn finer points of the lead guard position as well as improve movement without the ball. High upside potential.

Jordan Nelson (6’ 3, Wing, Union Grove; 2011)
Athletic wing prospect that has significantly improved his skillset and consistently added to his offensive repertoire over the past 18 months. Was previously reliant on natural athleticism to produce on the offensive end. However, has developed a good looking pull up jumper to compliment ever improving ball handling skills. Very effective attacking the rim and either converting shot or drawing foul. Will be able to defend a variety of positions and players at the next level. Excellent rebounder from guard spot. Very coachable; 3.4 GPA and 23 ACT score.

Corbyn Moye (6’ 2 Winchendon Prep, Massachusetts; 2011)
Guard prospect with college ready game and body; has used year of Prep School to fine tune his game and has improved significantly. Showed out as one of the top overall guards in attendance, he is a solid all-around guard with good handle, excellent passing skills, and ability to put points on the board. Very good mid-range shooter. Demonstrated quarterback mentality and floor leadership. Plays with intensity and enthusiasm for the game.

Additional Camp Standouts posted in 2nd Report

Belin Leads St. Peter's to MAAC Title and Big Dance

2011-03-08T15:02:00.000-05:00

SEBA Alum Jeron Belin scored 17 points as St. Peter's defeated Iona 62-57 to win the MAAC championship Monday, and in turn, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. This is the first NCAA birth for St. Peter's in the past 16 years (since 1995). Belin was named the Tournament MVP for his tremendous performance.

Congrats Jeron and we'll be looking forward to seeing you in the Big Dance!

SEBA Players Shine in Region 5-AAAAA Semi-Final Matchup

2011-02-19T15:19:00.001-05:00

Last night's 5-AAAAA Region Semi-Final game saw Wheeler and Lassiter do battle for the right to advance to the Region Championship Game. Two SEBA Players led the charge for each respective team as Chris Longoria led Wheeler with 21 points and Adam Dowell paced Lassiter with 19 points. Longoria (6' 3, SG, 2011) is a versatile and skilled guard who has a well rounded offensive arsenal. Dowell (6' 2, SG, 2012) is a very good outside shooter with toughness and a smart basketball IQ.

Check out the article below for a recap of the game:

Link: Wheeler pulls away in Fourth

Date Set for 2011 SEBA Atlanta Spring College Showcase

2011-02-16T15:10:00.000-05:00

The 2011 Atlanta Spring College Showcase, presented by the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA), will be held March 26th on the campus of Oglethorpe University.

This Annual SEBA Event, now in its 6th year, is one of the nation's most highly regarded spring basketball exposure camps for Unsigned Seniors (2011 grads) aspiring to play college basketball. The camp is also open to Juniors from the Class of 2012, and Class of 2013 (Sophomores) who played varsity ball this season, as well as Post Grad Players and JUCO Sophs looking to move on to a Four Year College. Players not invited directly by the SEBA staff should have the recommendation of their school or travel ball coach.

Many of the Top NCAA Division II, III, NAIA, and JUCO College Programs throughout the South will be in attendance to evaluate prospects. Several recruiting publications will also be covering the event. Over 50+ College coaches attended last year's camp, resulting in numerous college opportunities for the players in attendance. The Georgia College Basketball Coaches Association (GABCA) will be holding their annual Spring Meeting and Social in conjunction with this camp.

The event will consist 5-on5 Full Court Scrimmages (3 Game minimum), skills stations, Senior and Underclassman All-Star Games. All players with also receive a profile in the College Coaches Packet and receive SEBA Reversible Jersey.
Interested Players should visit the SEBA website for registration information

Link: http://www.southeastbasketballacademy.com/

Jordan Nelson (2011; SG; Union Grove H.S.).

2011-01-18T00:43:00.000-05:00

Jordan Nelson (2011; 6' 3"; SG; Union Grove) is having a strong senior season for Union Grove High School. The wiry and highly athletic wing guard is a player with excellent upside potential whose best basketball is definitely ahead of him. Nelson arrived on the radar of several college programs this past summer while playing for the F.C.I. Warriors at the AAU Super Showcase in Orlando. He also enjoyed a good showing on the Fall Camp Circuit.

Here is some highlight footage of Jordan:

Alex Anderson hits game winner; scores 26 in Deep South victory

2010-12-29T12:37:00.000-05:00

Alex Anderson (Class of 2011)

McIntosh High's Alex Anderson capped his game-high 26-point night with a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining to lift the Chiefs to a 68-66 victory Tuesday afternoon in the Deep South Classic played at Brookwood High.

Anderson (6' 2, CG, 2011) has had a very good senior season thus far, where he is averaging close to 20 PPG. Prior to Christmas, he has named to the All-Tournament team at the Kell Longhorn Classic. The 6' 2 senior would be a good pickup for a college program looking for a physically strong guard who can knock down the outside jumper as well as play excellent agressive on ball defense.

Fayette's Larry Erves Off to Strong Start

2010-12-09T13:35:00.001-05:00

Fayette County High School Senior Larry Erves (6' 5, SG, 2011) has gotten off to a hot start for the Tigers. He is averaging 19 points on 51 percent shooting and an 82-percent mark at the foul line thus far, helping the Fifth-ranked Tigers to a 5-1 start. Erves is a high flying and aggressive player who loves to attack the rim with intensity.

Player Of Week Link

Dixon Leads KSU upset of Georgia Tech

2010-11-16T00:51:00.000-05:00

Kennesaw State University pulled off a huge upset this evening; defeating the Georgia Tech YellowJackets 80-63 at the KSU Convocation Center. Kennesaw State never trailed in the game. SEBA Alum and Kennesaw Mountain High School graduate Spencer Dixon (pictured) had a terrific game, scoring 27 points and dishing ot 6 assists. Congrats Spencer on a bigtime performance and win.

Spencer Dixon celebrates the victory (picture courtesy of AJC)

Atlanta Journal Constitution Article link:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/kennesaw-state-upends-georgia-742790.html

Jeron Belin Sets Connecticut Pro-Am Abalze

2010-10-26T00:40:00.002-04:00

Jeron Belin has big summer

Senior Jeron Belin of St. Peter's College (NJ) enjoyed a terrific summer season, where he led the Hartford Pro-Am in scoring. Belin attended three years of high school in the Atlanta Area (North Springs and Tallulah Falls) and is an alumni of the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) and FCI/Georgia Warrior AAU program. The Hartford Pro-Am is one of the Northeast's Top Summer Leagues featuring a number of current Pro Players as well as many Division I players from colleges in the New England area.

Here is a link to article on Jeron's play: http://www.myrecordjournal.com/sports/article_dc224d12-9f49-11df-ba67-001cc4c002e0.html

Douglas County Captures Fall League Title

2010-10-18T12:04:00.001-04:00

The Atlanta Roundball Report was on site Saturday at Pope High School in Marietta as the finals were played in the 2010 SEBA Metro Atlanta Fall League. The Championship Game matched up the Douglas County Tigers versus the Etowah Eagles. The game was well played and both teams brought an energy and high level intensity not often found in Fall games. After going back and forth, Douglas County prevailed by the score of 78-74. The Tigers received excellent all around play from 6' 4 Vantrail Commings, who scored 19 points, pulled 7 boards, and dished out 5 assists. Commings shot a perfect 12 for 12 from the charity stripe. Also playing well for the Tigers was Point Guard Devante Orebeau (14 points, 5 assists, 4 steals), 6' 3 Wing Richard Kelly (13 points), and 6' 5 Jaumonee Byrd (12 Points, 6 rebounds).

Etowah received excellent performance from Austin Miramonti (6' 1, PG, 2011) in a terrific effort that fell just short. The standout Eagle senior guard scored 31 points in the game, including seven (7) made 3-point field goals. 2012 Guard Derrico Peck (6' 5, SG, 2012) also played very well for Etowah, scoring 17 points and exhibiting several outstanding blocked shots and athletic plays around the rim.

The Championship game capped off the successful Fall League organized by the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA). Be on the look out for Etowah and Douglas County to be strong contenders in each of their respective regions this coming winter.

Watson named Pre-Season All-American by Sporting News Magazine

2010-10-13T13:43:00.000-04:00

Maryville College standout Eryk Watson, a SEBA alum and a graduate of Kennesaw Mountain High School in Cobb County, has been named a Pre-Season All-American by The Sporting News Magazine in their September 2010 issue.

During 81 games in his Maryville career, the 6’3” guard has deposited 1,316 career points averaging 16.8 points per game. Watson has been named to the All-Great South Athletic Conference team on three occasions after earning GSAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2007-08. Eryk was named Pre-Season All-American by D3hoops.com prior to his junior campaign where he finished the season throwing down 17.1 points a game and shooting 82% from the free-throw line. Watson has helped the Scots achieve a 67-15 record over the past three seasons while earning three consecutive trips to the NCAA post-season.

SEBA Atlanta All-Star Shootout (Camp Review)

2010-09-28T12:37:00.001-04:00

The 8th Annual SEBA Atlanta All-Star Shootout took place last Saturday on the campus of Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. The event, presented by the Southeast Basketball Academy, was loaded with talent as a full capacity roster of 160 players from the Classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013 competed. The roster was comprised of college prospects from throughout Georgia as well as from the states of Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and Virginia. The Camp once again provided excellent exposure for the participants, as over Fifty (50) College Coaches from thirty-one different college programs were in attendance. Several regional and national scouting publications also were on hand to cover the event and evaluate the talent.

Here is a Breakdown of the Camp's Top Performers:
(Listed in no particular order)

James Sinclair (6’ 4, SG, Savannah High, 2011)
Good looking wing prospect with good length and athleticism. Very active on both sides off the floor. Finishes very well at and above the rim. Thrives in transition and gets to the basket quickly. Demonstrated an accurate and effective outside shot which really compliments his driving abilities well. Expect him to attract Mid Major D1 interest this Fall and Winter.

Dante Campbell (6’ 4, Wing, Stockbridge, 2011)
Physically Strong and athletic small forward with inside-out capability. Finishes well and with authority. Excellent rebounder from the wing position. Primed for a big senior season after being named to All-Metro Atlanta team as a junior. Excellent student with 3.8 GPA.

Tavarus Johnson (6’ 7, Forward, Vidalia, 2011)
Big man with promising potential. Excelled on defensive end of floor, where he blocked numerous shots and routinely altered shot attempts. Can finish inside with authority and power dunks. Has some decent post moves right now, but has good footwork, which should allow for him to expand his repertoire. Runs the floor very well for his size.

Yonel Brown (5’ 10, PG, Berkmar, 2012)
Lightning quick Point Guard with excellent handle and ability to penetrate the lane. Creates very well off the dribble, and has ability to set up teammates for score or finish on his own at the rim. Has good upper body strength which allows him to finish through contact and over taller defenders. Demonstrates floor leadership qualities desired in a lead guard. Has Mid D1 potential.

Torrion Brummitt (6’ 7, Forward, Columbus Shaw, 2012)
Emerging young prospect with good length, frame, and strength. Very good shot blocker with good timing and instincts. Averaged 3-4 blocks per camp and altered a significant number of another attempts. Offensive game right now is somewhat limited; gets a lot of stick-backs and finishes around hoop. However, he possesses physical tools to really improve offensive arsenal. Is starting to receive strong Division I recruiting interest. Excellent potential.

Nate Bucher (6’ 1, PG, Providence Christian, 2012)
True Point guard who understands the responsibility of the position. Looks very comfortable leading a team and running the show. Is more than capable of taking over as a scorer when the situation arises. Excellent ball handler who sees floor. While he does not posses elite natural athleticism, He has adequate quickness and uses tempo and body control very well. Has the potential to make for a very effective floor general at the college level.

Larrentis Thomas (6’ 4, Wing, Henry Co., 2011)
Well rounded and versatile player who is expected to be one of the top players in Georgia’s Class AAA this coming season. Can score in a variety of ways; very effective around the rim and has good mid range jumper. Needs to improve shooting range out to three-point area. Runs floor well. Created a buzz with one of the camp’s top dunks in traffic. Rebounds very well for his size.

Tyler Fields (5’ 8, PG, Sandy Creek, 2011)
Despite being one of the very smallest players in attendance, Fields had a big showing. Quite possibly the fastest player in the camp, he was a blur all day long as he blew by defenders and made plays. Has very good pull up jumper off the dribble. Plays with non stop motor and defends very well on ball; harassing defenders with an in-your-face intensity. Good student with 25 ACT score. Sleeper in Georgia’s Class of 2011.

Larry “LJ” Erves (6’ 5, Wing, Fayette County, 2011)
One of the camp’s top overall performers, Erves is a high flying and aggressive player who loves to attack the rim with intensity. Had several impressive dunks finishing through contact. Crashes boards hard and has a knack for keeping ball alive on offensive glass. Knocked down mid range with consistency. With continued development of ball handling skills, will make for a strong wing prospect at the next level.

Jeremey Meyer (6’ 2, SG, South Cobb, 2011)
Pure scorer who has the ability to put up points in bunches. Has advanced offensive skill set off the dribble and creates good spacing. Strong 200 lbs. physical frame allows for him to power through contact and finish well. Should be one of the top players in basketball hotbed of Cobb County this coming season.

Erik Edwards (6’ 1, PG, Kennesaw Mountain, 2011)
Heady and skilled lead guard with excellent ball handling skills and court vision. Good decision maker who understands draw and dish concept. Excellent when leading the fast break. Demonstrated good looking outside stroke and ability to create his own shot off the dribble. Strong student with 3.9 GPA in classroom.

Jordan Nelson (6’ 3, SG, Union Grove, 2011)
Long and athletic wing guard whose skill set has shown marked improvement over past year. Has developed consistent outside shot to compliment his strong ability to attack the basket off the dribble. Good Leaping ability, Can finish above the rim. Will make for a very versatile defender at college level. Best ball is certainly ahead of him. Very coachable and above average student in classroom.

Simeon Dennis (6’ 3, SG, Central Gwinnett, 2012)
Combo guard with good size that is very good at creating offense off the dribble. Exhibits good one on one scoring ability and dribble moves. Plays with intensity and has strong desire to compete. Bright future as a prospect.

Tyler Kordonbrock (6’ 8, Forward, Mandarin- Florida, 2011)
Intriguing prospect that, at this stage in development, is more of wing orientated player than low post presence. Demonstrated good looking mid range game and jumper. An above average leaper for his size. Had several drives punctuated with impressive dunks. Needs to improve strength and continue development of low post game.

Rufus Brown (6’ 3, Wing, Drew High, 2012)
One of the athletically gifted players in the camp; has explosive leaping ability and can play above the rim. Quick first step allows him to get into lane easy and set up teammates or himself for scoring opportunity. Has good motor and is very active on defensive end. Needs to improve shooting range.

Additional Camp Standouts:

Abdulkareem Adekunle (6’ 5, Wing, Providence Christian, 2012) - Highly athletic player with raw potential. Runs the floor very well and is active around the hoop. With continuing development of perimeter skills; could be a very promising prospect.

Daniel Paccione (6’ 8, Forward, Kell, 2011) - Post player with good size and shooting touch. Has pretty decent post moves with back to basket and can pass well out of double team. Has the ability to knock down three point shots.

Jalen Clark (5’ 11, PG, North Cobb, 2011) - Athletic and compact lead guard; very first quick step, has the ability to blow past defender and the leaping ability to finish strong. Needs more consistency; when his game is hitting on all cylinders, he is a very tough player to defend.

Brandon Grant (5’ 9, PG, Fayette County, 2012) – One of the surprise players of the camp. Exhibited an impressive all around offensive game. Has excellent crossover move. Gets good separation from defender on pull up jumper which he drained throughout the day.

VaRyan Moody (6’ 5, Wing Forward, Smiths Station High – Alabama, 2012) - Highly athletic combo wing/forward with solid build. Runs lane well on fast break opportunities and knows had to finish with authority. Good on offensive glass; keeps ball alive for second and third chance opportunities. Promising future as offensive skill set continues to improve.

Kadeem Dale (6’ 1, SG, Grayson, 2011) - Very athletic wing player with wingspan of player 3-4 inches taller. Impressed with ability to defend very well throughout the day. Very capable scorer. Good upside potential.

Jalen Simmons (6’ 4, Wing Guard, St. Francis, 2011) – Developing guard with good size and speed. Exhibited well rounded game on offensive end. Can defend four positions at the high school level. Has shown marked improvement over the past year and playing with new confidence.

Derrick Norman (6’ 0, PG, South Cobb, 2011) - Hard nosed player who plays with outstanding hustle. Strong defensive player. Has good court vision and dished off several really nice assists for easy buckets. Good looking three point stroke.

Darius Beresford (6’2, SG. Lovejoy, 2011) – One of the most athletic players in attendance; is long, quick, and attacks rim hard. Showed willingness and court vision to get others involved in offense.

Jake Thayer (6’ 3, SG, Central Forsyth, 2011) - Well rounded guard with good outside stroke and fundamental skill set. Named First Team All-Region in tough 6-AAAA last season as a Junior. 3.5 GPA in classroom.

Devaris Finch (5’ 10, CG, Johnson, Post Grad) – Extremely quick and athletic sparkplug guard who aggressively attacked opposing defenses throughout the day. Has very good slashing/penetrating capabilities; converts on tough drives. Very well conditioned player who can run all day. Is in need of good Juco fit.

A’Darius Porter (6’ 6, Forward, Woodland, 2011) – Strong and powerfully built forward that has agility not usually found in players his size. Good rebounder on both ends. Finishes strong and has nice touch around the rim. Overall game has improved significantly in past year. Has ability to pull rebound and initiate the fast break.

Austin Miramonti (6’ 1, CG, Etowah, 2011) - Combo guard with ability and skill set to play both positions effectively. Very good, albeit streaky, shooter with capability to be very dangerous from three-point land. Deceptive quickness allows for adequate penetration and keeps defense honest. Plays with excellent intensity and intangibles. 3. 6 GPA in classroom.

Chris Longoria (6’ 3, SG, McIntosh, 2011) – Guard prospect with strong frame and above average athleticism; can create well off the dribble and has good looking mid range game. Strong rebounder from guard spot. Has versatility to play multiple positions on floor. Terrific student with 4.0 GPA.

Jordan Bagwell (6’8, Forward, Kell, 2011) – The other half of Kell High’s “Twin Towers”; Bagwell has a soft touch inside and pretty decent footwork. Looks comfortable shooting the mid range jumper. Needs to become more assertive and aggressive. Has good potential.

Armand Jackson (6’ 5, Forward, Hillgrove, 2011) – Physical Forward who plays a power game. Strong finisher at the rim. Quick leaper. Converts through contact. Controls the boards on defensive end. Has to battle tendency to take plays off. When fully focused, he is an extremely effective interior player and prospect to watch for.

Corey Cooper (6’ 3, SG, Woodside – Virginia, 2011) – Powerfully built and physical guard who excels at taking the ball to the rack. Gets to the free throw line with high frequency. Very vocal and shows good floor leadership. Can knock down the jumper, but more consistency will really open up his game.

Jordan Kinney (6’ 7, Forward, Harrison, 2011) – Rapidly improving prospect with low post presence. Has several effective post moves with back to basket. Can knock down the elbow jumper with consistency. High achieving academic student with 4.0 GPA.

Alex Anderson (6’ 2, CG, McIntosh, 2011) - Combo guard with balanced game. Has ability to get hot from beyond arc. Has physical tools to be a lock down defender. Demonstrates strong work ethic and very coachable.

Jesse Jenkins (6’ 3, Wing, Locust Grove, 2011) – Tough player who plays with a quiet but strong intensity. Brings many intangibles to table; the type of “glue guy” successful teams tend to have. Rebounds very well for his size. Has excellent leaping ability that sneaks up on opponents; slashed through lane and unexpectedly threw down really nice dunk in traffic. Top notch student with 3.7 GPA.

Robert “Mitchell” Parker (6’ 6, Forward, North Florida Christian, 2012) – 2012 prospect who impressed with his solid and balanced production throughout the camp. Demonstrated ability to score facing up or with back to basket. Has solid defensive precense in paint.

Austin Card (6’ 4, Wing, Pope, 2012) – Long wing guard who makes plays off his athleticism. Finishes well. Showed good on-ball defensive play and instincts to play passing lanes, averaged multiple steals per game. Good potential.

Ryann Austin Green (6’ 2, PG, Bannekar, 2011) - Playmaker with good court vision and who makes those around him better. Very coachable and hungry to develop. Was named 1st team All Region as a junior in very competitive 5-AAAA League.

Jeffrey Nobles (6’ 4, Wing, Centennial, 2011) – Player with inside-out capabilities; displays versatility to score around rim all the way out to beyond the arc. Has good length and wingspan. Can fill up stat sheet in variety of categories. Added upper body strength will allow him to take his game to a higher level and reach full potential.

SEBA College Showcase (Camp Review - Part II)

2010-04-20T18:02:00.003-04:00

Here is the second part of the Camp review from the 2010 Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) College Showcase held on March 27th in Atlanta, Ga.

Link: Click here for Part I of the camp review

Additional Camp Standouts
(Note: Players Listed in random order)

Corbyn Moye (6’ 1, Combo Guard, Shiloh , 2010) - Active Offensive scorer with nose for the ball and the ability to score in a variety of different ways. Plays with much enthusiasm and energy.

Jalen Clark (6’ 1, CG, North Cobb, 2011) – Good looking 2011 guard with quick first step and ability to blow past defender. Good finisher with strength and leaping ability to convert in the lane against taller players. More consistency on jumper will balance his game.

Devyn Morse (6’ 5, Wing Forward, South Cobb, 2010) – Combo forward who has good scoring and rebounding capability. Aggressively attacks the rim and has the ability to finish in traffic with dunks. Needs to become improve his handle and jumper to play the wing at the next level.

Elliott Davis II (5’ 11, CG, Woodland, 2010) – Quick, sparkplug guard who had a good camp. Has ability to put up a lot of points in a short period of time. Good at creating offense off the dribble. Streak shooter who can become very dangerous from beyond the arc when hot.

Austin Miramonti (6’0, CG, Etowah, 2011) - Heady guard with good midrange and three point jumper. Can create space for jumper off the dribble. Is deceptively quick; plays with excellent intensity and intangibles. Strong student in classroom.

Jason Gordon (6’ 4, Forward, Sprayberry, 2010) – Smooth forward with good instincts. Has a knack for being in the great offensive rebounding position. Has double-double potential (points & rebounds) on any given night. Very coachable. Will need Juco.

Roderick Perkins (6’ 4, Wing, Campbell, 2011) – Long wing with good athleticism; converts very well around the basket. Exhibited good looking mid range jumper. Player with strong upside ability.

Deon Lockhart (6’ 1, CG, Uplift Community High, 2010) - Combo guard from Chicago showed well rounded offensive capability. Good spot up shooter as well ability to drive to hoop for bucket or drop off pass to teammate for easy score.

Byron Dickerson (6’ 2, CG, Druid Hills, 2010) – Athletic and physical lefty who is also a standout on the football gridiron. Looking to play basketball at the college level. Attacks the basket hard and finishes well while utilizing his strength. Rebounds well from the guard position.

Labron Glover (6’ 0, PG, Claxton, 2012) – Despite being one of the youngest players in attendance, Glover played the point with confidence and skill, certainly holding his own against the older competition. Has the skill set and qualities desired in a point guard and with continued development, should be a definite player to watch in the 2012 class.

Jordan Nelson (6’ 3, Wing, Union Grove, 2011) – Long and Athletic wing with very good upside potential on both ends of floor. Attacks the basket and finishes well. Continued improvement of ball handling and shooting range will help him reach potential.

Charles Shedrick (6’ 3, Wing, Post Grad, 2009 Graduate of Potomac High, VA) – Very long and athletic wing who gets to the rack and finishes well. Excellent rebounder from his position. Showed ability to knock down the three point shot.

Patrick Dugger (6’ 5, Guard/Forward, Whitewater, 2010) – Intriguing player with inside - out game. Has potential to play multiple positions and create mismatches on offense. Is equally comfortable banging down low in paint or bringing the ball up the court. Strong rebounder.

Ira Hughley III (6’ 2, PG, Union Grove, 2010) – Active Guard with good length; plays with good motor. Runs the floor well, whether with ball or running the lanes on break. Good finisher. Above average defender.

Deleon Gist (6’ 4, Forward, McEachern, 2010) – Physically strong player who plays with excellent enthusiasm and intensity. While not among the most skilled players in the camp, he is mobile and very physical. Plays very good defense and motor is always running. Is a warrior on the offensive and defense boards. Type of player that teammates enjoy playing with.

Alex Vital (6’ 1, CG, Riverwood, 2010) – Strong guard with good strength and frame. Versatile player who can a dribble, shoot, and create. Played alot of shooting guard on high school team; but has the necessary skills to play the point at the next level. Led Riverwood to Elite 8 Round in State Tournament.

David Wagner (6’ 7, Wing, East Paulding, 2010) – Player with good potential, Has a good 15-19 foot jumper, good court vision and basketball IQ. His strengths are probably not best demonstrated in showcase camp style games; could be nice pickup for a program looking for a good sized wing with solid fundamentals and versatility.

Vernon Jackson (6’ 3, Wing , Richmond Hill, 2011) – One of top junior 2011 performers in attendance. Utilizes athleticism well to attack basket and finish. Runs the floor well and is a load to handle on the offensive glass.

Erik Edwards (6’ 1, PG, Kennesaw Mountain, 2011) – Excellent ball handler who sees floor very well. Excels when setting up teammates, but is more than capable of putting up points himself. Very good mid-range pull up. Elite Academic student with 3.9 GPA.

Aaron Drake (6’ 3, SG, Douglas County, 2010) – Athletic scorer who can hurt defense with penetration or outside jumper. Exhibited good decision making and patience with ball.

Richard Murvin (6’ 2, CG, Bartow, 2010) – Another key component of Bartow team that advanced to Florida AAAAA State Championship game, Richard is a top notch and versatile defender capable of guarding the 1 through the 4 positions at the high school level. Solid offensive contributor. Type of “glue” player whose total impact on game is not measurable in boxscore.

Torian Singleton (6’ 5, Wing Forward, Kennesaw Mountain, 2010) – Versatile wing who had good showing. Can play the 2, 3, or 4. Consistent scorer throughout the camp. Length allows him to put good defensive pressure on opposing wings. Provides good help side defense and shot blocking capability.

Marcus Brown (6’ 3, SG, Hiram, 2010) – Perimeter player with excellent leaping ability. Has pretty good first step to set up his penetration. Excels in up-tempo game. Puts good defensive pressure on ballhandlers and in passing lanes. With continued development of outside jumper; could become a very nice wing guard at college level.

Jordan Grant (6’ 5, SG/SF, Peachtree Ridge, 2010) – One of top outside shooters in attendance; he showed excellent marksmanship from beyond the three. Has good size and length for his position, allowing him to shoot over smaller defenders. Added upper body strength will help his game blossom.

Kyle Davidson (6’ 5, Forward, Riverwood, 2010) – Has above average athleticism and length. Really has a nose for the ball, especially on the offensive boards. Runs the lanes hard on the break and can finish. Can finish through bumps and contact.

Honorable Mention Players

Class of 2010: Brannon Hopkins (5’ 8, PG, Northgate); DJ Butler (5’ 11, CG, Winder Barrow); Charles West (6’ 3, SG, Morrow); Julian Johnson (6’ 4, Forward, Riverwood); Alphonzo Reid (6’ 0, CG, Dutchtown); Joseph Smith (6’ 2, SG, Jackson County); Joe Walton (5’ 10, PG, Lake Weir – FL); Donovan Fleming (6’ 0, CG, South Paulding); Christian Hawkins (6’ 4, Wing, St. Francis); Lamar Brooks (5’ 10, SG, Chestatee); Deandre Duren (6’ 2, SG, Bradwell Institute); Matt O’Donnell (6’ 2, SG, Clearwater – FL); Christian Lewis (5’ 11, PG, Walton); Sean Rowe (5’ 10, PG, Sandy Creek); Jeremy Mosely (6’ 2, SG, Henry County); Joey Nungester (6’ 3, SG, Clearwater – FL); Terrell Johnson (6’ 3, CG, Princeton – OH); James Appelt (6’ 0, PG, Calvary Christian); Jesse Gardner (6’ 0, PG, Jonesboro); Te’Quiero Copeland (6’ 6, Forward, Mt. Zion – Jonesboro); Alex Watkins (6’ 3, Wing, Holy Innocents); Cameron Smith (6’ 3, Wing, Brookwood); Kwabena Frimpong (6’ 3, SF, Central Gwinnett); Jermaine Blount (6’ 0, CG, Alexander); DeShawn Willis (6’ 5, Forward, Langston Hughes); Daniel Olvera (6’ 2, CG, Lakeview Academy); Nick Grant (6’ 4 , Wing, St. Francis)

Classes of 2011 & 2012: Ryan Green (6’ 2, CG, Banneker, 2011); Alex Reid (6’ 5, Wing, Calvary Day; 2011); Russell McCray (5’ 11, PG, Spring Valley – SC, 2011); Taylor Birchett (6’ 3, SG, Roswell, 2012); LeRoy Broner II (6’ 2, CG, Glynn Academy); Jordan Shaw (6’ 3, PG, Pickens, 2011); Jeffrey Nobles (6’ 4, Wing, Centennial, 2011); Larry Thomas (6’ 0, PG, Langston Hughes, 2011); A’Darius Porter (6’ 5, Forward, Woodland, 2011); Tyler Fields (5’ 7, PG, Sandy Creek, 2011); Blake Piedrahita (6’ 7, Forward, Mt. Pisgah, 2011) ; Jamel Gist (5’ 10, PG, Newsome – FL, 2011); Wayne Brown (5’ 10, PG, North Cobb, 2011); Ben Blythe (6’ 5, Wing, Pope, 2012); Nyjel McCollum (6’ 3, SG, Southwest Macon, 2011); Avonte Hall (6’ 2, SF, Duluth, 2011); Josh Brown (6’ 10, Forward, Clearwater – FL, 2011); Cullen Roberts (6’ 4, Wing, Sequoyah, 2012); Jalen Simmons (6’ 4, Wing, St. Francis, 2011); Jelani Archer (6’ 2, SG, Heritage, 2011); Jeremy Meyer (6’ 2, Wing, South Cobb, 2011); Alexander Anderson (6’ 2, SG, McIntosh, 2011)

Post Grad - Transfers: Chris Barlow (6’ 1, PG, Northern Virginia CC); Justin Browner (5’ 10, PG, Osborne); Steven Hunter (6’ 1, SG, Marietta / Northeastern Univ); RJ Hall (6’ 0, PG, Suffolk CC - NY); Terrance Bridgeman (6’ 2, SG, Campbell); Stephen Simmons (6’ 0, CG, Wharton – FL); Robert Hawthorne II (6’ 3, SG, Shannon Forest Christian); Bradley Savage (5’ 10, PG, Selma – AL);

SEBA College Showcase (Camp Review - Part I)

2010-04-20T12:25:00.006-04:00

The Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) held their 2010 Atlanta College Showcase on March 27th at Oglethorpe University. The Annual Event, now in its 5th year, has established itself as one of the nation's largest exposure camps for unsigned seniors and post grads looking to receive college scholarships and playing opportunities at the next level. This year's camp featured a bevy of talented and available prospects from Georgia and nine other states. The opportunity for exposure was certainly there for the players, as the Oglethorpe facility was packed with NCAA Division II, III, NAIA, and Junior college coaches throughout the day.

All of the players in attendance participated in skill stations for the first part of the camp. They then progressed to to the scrimmage portion of the camp, where each team played three games throughout the day. The Camp concluded with a Top 30 All-Star Game, as chosen by the scouts and coaches in attendance.

Here is a breakdown of the top performers from the event:

Top 13 Elite Performers:
(Note: Players Listed in random order)

Derrick Brock (6’ 4, SG/Wing, Dutchtown, 2010)
Smooth wing guard who utilizes length and athleticism to finish above the rim on both sides of floor. Demonstrated a solid midrange jumper. Good in transition. Has ability to be versatile defender at the college level. Good academic record and test scores makes him prospect to closely look at for a variety of college programs.

Keenan Peterson (6’ 8, Forward, Banneker, 2010)
Rapidly improving big man with strong potential. Legit Post who looks comfortable posting up with back to basket. His footwork and interior moves have improved considerably since his appearance at the SEBA Shootout last Fall. Runs floor well. At this current stage; He is a prospective Division I player. With continued development, he has strong potential. Is the type of player that might greatly benefit from a post grad year; which could catapult him into a high priority target for a host of mid- major programs.

Weedlens Beauvill (6’ 0, PG, Bartow High, FL , 2010)
Guard prospect with well rounded guard skill set. Was a four year starter and led Bartow High to the Florida Class AAAAA Championship game this past season. Demonstrates strong on court leadership as his camp team rolled over opponents. Has good looking and consistent jumper extending well beyond three point range. Strong defensive player. Attractive target for college program looking for a proven winner and competitor.

Warren Staples II (6’ 3, Shooting Guard, Eagles Landing, 2010)
Athletic guard with good size and feel for the game. Can get to the basket off the drive and knock down the jumper fairly consistently. Can handle the ball well and create opportunities for himself off the bounce. Excellent communicator who was a vocal leader on the floor for his camp squad. Good looking prospect.

Alex Garay (6’ 5, Forward, Etowah, 2010)
Late blooming forward who had strong showing at camp. Best asset is his rebounding ability. Scored inside paint throughout the day and seemed to have a tracking radar for offensive rebounds and putbacks. Is relatively new to organized basketball and will only continue to improve as he reaches next level.

Zachary Harmon (6’ 7, Forward, Pebblebrook , 2010)
Has excellent shoulders and frame to play “power” game inside the paint. Snatched every rebound that came his way on the defensive glass and converted many offensive stickbacks. Unlike many bigs at the high school level; he isn’t afraid to bang and get physical. Demonstrated some strong post moves with back to basket. Has a bright future as he continues to develop footwork and short face up jumper.

Cory Carden (5’ 9, PG, Clearwater High, FL, 2010)
Pure Point Guard who is a true quarterback on the floor and makes those around him better. Prototypical “Coach’s son” who understands the game and has high court IQ. Had camp team playing as cohesive unit despite having never played together previously. Good outside stroke; Can stretch the defense with his three point shot. Has good handle.

Asa Caruthers (6’ 1, PG, Sandy Creek, 2010)
Very active and athletic lead guard who had a good showing throughout the day. Has ability to pentrate gaps well in the half court set as well as push the ball on the break and score in transition. Demonstrated good control and decision making. Good leaper who can finish above rim. Plays passing lanes very well, picking up several steals for baskets on the other end. Will need to improve upper body strength for next level.

Ayo Madamidola (6’ 0, CG, Central Gwinnett, 2010)
Key component of Central Gwinnett team that had tremendous run to the Georgia’s Class AAAAA Final Four. Ayo is a tough, rock solid guard who plays smart and has a very well balanced skill set. He has a good outside shot and has enough quickness to drive by defender on the way to the cup. Handles the ball well and sees floor. Very good on ball defender and in passing lanes. Caught the eye of several college coaches with his impressive play.

Larricus Thomas (6’ 3, Wing Forward, Henry County, 2010)
Very bouncy wing who makes plays off his excellent athleticism. Seems to craves the opportunity to challenge defense while attacking the rim. On more than one occasion the result was an impressive highlight reel dunk in traffic. While his overall perimeter skill set needs to continue to improve; his overall athleticism makes him an intriguing target.

Aaron Robinson (5’ 9, PG, Meadowcreek, 2010)
Super quick, pass first, lead guard with excellent quickness. Had the defense back on their heels throughout the day. Has good handle and distributes ball well. Excels in the open court, where he consistently makes good decisions. Continued improvement on jumper will compliment his penetration ability well and make him an even tougher player for defenses to contain. Has ability to harass opposing ball handlers with full court pressure.

Derondrell “DJ” Jenkins (6’ 4, Wing, Claxton, 2011)
Very athletic wing with good length who thrived in showcase camp setting. Strong finisher who converted dunks throughout the camp. Showed versatility to play multiple positions and looked comfortable handling the ball in traffic. Knocked down the outside jumpers he attempted. Player with significant upside potential.

Rich Brown (5’ 11, Point Guard, Suffolk County CC, NY, Juco Soph)
In a camp containing major depth at the guard position, Rich Brown was possibly the best pure point guard in attendance. The playmaker out of New York was dishing out assists left and right and constantly created good looks for his teammates. He had ten assists in his first game, which was quite impressive considering he played only half the game of a running clock contest. Has excellent court vision and a high basketball IQ. Plays within the flow of the game and does not force the action. Will make for an experienced pickup for a four year program needing a true floor general.

Look for additional prospect profiles in our next update.

Richmond's David Gonzalvez Named ESPN National Player of Week

2010-03-05T00:29:00.004-05:00

Richmond senior guard David Gonzalvez had an outstanding month in February. The Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) Alum and former Wheeler High standout was named the National Player of the Week by ESPN.com for the week of Feb. 7 through 13. Gonzalvez averaged 22 points, shot 60% from the field, 50% from the 3, and 82% from the free throw line in two big Atlantic-10 conference victories for Richmond. Furthermore, he has been a major factor in Richmond being ranked in the National Top 25 poll for the first time since 1986.

The Spiders went 6-1 in the month of February, with their only loss coming in double OT to #24 ranked Xavier. They currently sit in second place in the A-10 Standings, only one game back of Xavier and Temple. Most experts consider Richmond a lock for a bid to the NCAA Tournament later this month.

Gonzalvez has enjoyed a stellar career at Richmond where he will rank as one of the all-time greats to ever play for the Spiders. He is currently number six on the schools all-time scoring list with over 1600 career points. He is also third in all-time made 3-pointers as well as being third in career steals.

SEBA Atlanta Hoop Festival Schedule

2009-12-18T21:01:00.004-05:00

The 2009 Atlanta Hoop Festival will be held this Saturday at the Cobb Civic Center in Marietta. This 3rd Annual Showcase, presented by the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA), will feature 12 boys teams participating in six games throughout the day. The field is highlighted by the current #1 ranked AAAA team in the state, the Hillgrove Hawks out of Cobb County.

Game schedule is as follows:

12:00 p.m. St. Francis vs. Blessed Trinity

1:30 p.m. Stockbridge vs. Sprayberry

3:15 p.m. Chamblee vs. Tri-Cities

4:45 p.m. Kennesaw Mountain vs. Berkmar

6:30 p.m. Lassiter vs. North Cobb

8:00 p.m. Hillgrove vs. Harrison

Complete information on the event can be found at http://www.southeastbasketballacademy.com/atlanta_events.htm

The Atlanta Roundball Report will be in attendance and have coverage of each game and the top performers following the event.

Player Watch - Cameron Solomon

2009-12-12T17:02:00.005-05:00

Cameron Solomon (2010, Lovejoy High)

In recent years , the state of Georgia has produced an impressive number of players who have gone on to have tremendous success at the College level. Many of these players were well known and recognized in national recruiting circles entering college. By the same token, there are a good number of current college standouts from the Peach State that were somewhat overlooked and under recruited as high schoolers. As a result, Georgia (and Metro Atlanta in particular) have become gold mines for college coaches looking for an "diamonds in the rough" that have the talent and skills to shine at the next level. Lovejoy Senior Cameron Solomon (6' 4, SG, 2010) might very well fit that description.

Solomon is a late bloomer who has really blossomed over the past year. He has good length, athleticism and a knack to score. The early part of the 2009-10 season has been impressive for Solomon. He started the campaign with a 39 point outburst against Forest Park that included him hitting 5 of 6 attempts from three point land. He followed that performance up with a 28 point showing versus North Clayton, where he netted 14 points in the game's final four minutes and almost led his team to the come from behind victory.

This past Tuesday, Solomon dropped 36 points and dished out 5 assists in a convincing win over Region opponent East Coweta. Solomon reportedly has been offered by Troy, and is also receiving current interest from Cincinnati, Auburn, and Missouri. Keep an eye out for this young man as his best basketball days are certainly ahead of him.

Williams Leads Central Gwinnett to Tip-Off Title

2009-12-02T00:05:00.004-05:00

Brian Williams (2010, Central Gwinnett)

Central Gwinnett defeated Collins Hill 82-66 to claim the Championship of the Jefferson Tip-Off Tournament this past weekend. Central was led by Brian Williams (6' 2, PG, 2010), who was named Tournament MVP, on his way to scoring 20 points and dropping 5 assists in the victory.

Sophomore Jordan Adams (6' 4, SG, 2012) added 21 points and 8 boards in the Title Game and was named to the All-Tourney Team. Central improved their record to 3-0 on the season.

Attention College Coaches looking for a 2010 Point Guard - Williams is worthy of a very close look. He is very well rounded Point who can score, distribute, and play lock down defense. He has good size for a lead guard and plays with poise and high basketball IQ. Very underrated player has flown somewhat under the radar in talent laden Gwinnett County.

Arrington Perfect From Field in 35 Pt. Performance

2009-12-01T23:09:00.005-05:00

Effingham County High Senior Guard Chase Arrington (5' 11, PG, 2010) scored 35 points in matchup with Screven County High this past weekend. While dropping 35 in a high school game is certainly a worthy accomplishment in of itself, Arrington's performance was all the more impressive considering he only missed one shot on the evening. That's right, Arrington was a perfect 11 for 11 from the field (six of six on three pointers), and seven of eight from the charity stripe.

Arrington's shooting exhibition helped Effingham come back from a 21 point deficit. However, Screven reclaimed the lead in game's final minutes and eventually prevailed by the score of 67-60. The loss was Effingham's County's first on the season after starting off 2-0.

Arrington was a First Team All Region 2AAAA selection last year as a Junior. He is a first rate student in the classroom with a 3.9 gpa and would make an excellent prospect for High Level Academic Colleges to take a close look at.

Chris Davis Explodes for 51 Pts in Opener

2009-11-25T10:18:00.009-05:00

51 points, 8 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks....

That was the impressive stat line for Stockbridge High's Chris Davis (6' 3, CG, 2010) in last evening's opening game versus Luella High. Despite the tremendous performance by Davis, Stockbridge fell to a talented Luella (2-0) squad in by the final score of 99-89.

Although he might not have as much name recongition as some others; make no mistake about it; Davis is one of the Top Tier 2010 prospects in Georgia. He has been receiving strong recruiting interest from a number of Low and Mid-Major D1 programs but has decided to wait until the Spring to sign. Davis would be an absolute steal for any of the programs in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Don't be surprised to see High Major Programs getting in the mix as well over the next few months. Reportedly Coach Fox's staff at the Univ. of Georgia has began to express interest in Davis.

Davis has a very quick first step and is very good at attacking the basket. He has explosive athleticism and a strong build on his 6' 3 frame. While his strength is his ability to pentrate and create off the dribble, he does possess a good, albeit streaky jumper from beyond the arc. (he was certainly "on" last night, as he knocked down 5 three point field goals in the 2nd half alone). Off the court, Davis is an impressive and humble young man, who does well in the classroom and caries himself in a very positive manner. If his performance in the season opener was any indication, Chris is primed to have a huge senior year.

Editor's Side Note: We would like to send our thoughts and prayers out to the family of Stockbridge High Head Coach Duane Kelly, who had to miss last night's game due to the hospitalization of his son.

2009-2010 Season Key Dates

2009-11-24T20:53:00.002-05:00

Key Dates for the 2009-2010 Georgia High School Basketball Season

November

Nov. 14 First date allowed for GHSA Games
Nov. 20-24 John Morgan Classic at Pebblebrook
Nov. 21 Elite Eight Shootout at Georgia State Univ.
Nov. 21-24 Parkview Tip-Off Classic
Nov. 21-28 Mt. Zion Tip-Off Classic
Nov. 21-28 South Forsyth Turkey Shootout

December

Dec. 12 Greater Atlanta Christian Showcase
Dec. 19 SEBA Hoop Festival at Cobb Civic Center
Dec. 21-23 Hiram Christmas Tourney
Dec. 26-30 Century Bank Holiday HoopFest at Cass
Dec. 26-29 Atlanta vs. Memphis Classic at Mt. Zion
Dec. 26-30 St. Pius Christmas Classic
Dec. 26-30 Chatahoochee Holiday Classic at
Dec. 28-30 Deep South Classic
Dec. 28-30 Campbell Holiday Classic

January

Jan. 16 Doc Williams Invitational at Liberty County
Jan. 18 Centennial MLK Classic
Jan. 22-23 Norcross Atlanta National Showcase
Jan. 30 Marriot Invitational at Norcross

February

Feb. 15-20 Region Tournaments
Feb. 26-27 1st Round State Playoffs

March

March 2-3 2nd Round State Playoffs
March 5-6 Quarterfinals State Playoffs
March 10-12 Final Four State Playoffs
March 12-12 State Championship Games

It's Time to Hoop

2009-11-20T12:39:00.004-05:00

After much anticipation; the 2009-2010 High school basketball season has arrived! The weather is starting to chill outside, but the hoops action will be blazing in the gyms across the Metro Area.

The Atlanta Roundball Report looks forward to providing updates and news as we travel to games and events throughout the City. Check back often for updates.

Class of 2009 of Spring Signing Update

2009-05-04T11:46:00.006-04:00

Some recent Class of 2009 signees who signed scholarships over the past two weeks include:

Khalid Mutakabbir (Peachtree Ridge, 6' 4, SG) - Signed with Presbyterian College (NCAA - D1)

Alioune Diouf (McEachern; 6' 5, Wing) - Signed with James Madison University (NCAA - D1)

Adrian Spellman (Appling County, 6' 9, Forward) - Signed with Alabama State (NCAA- D1)

Matt Marseille (Dacula; 6' 6', Wing) - Signed with Centenary College (NCAA- D1)

Brian Wood (St. Francis, 5' 9, PG) - Signed with South Georgia Tech (Juco)

Nikola Lambic (Rabun Gap, 6' 8, Forward) - Signed with Southern Wesleyan (NAIA)

Ryan Legates (Blessed Trinity , 6' 2, PG) - Signed with USC-Upstate (NCAA- D1)

Cameron Baskerville (Whitefield Academy, 6' 7, Forward) - Signed with Georgia Southern (NCAA - D1)

Commentary: New NCAA Rule Hurts Players

2009-04-09T09:38:00.008-04:00

This past winter, the NCAA ruled to eliminate the Spring "Live" Recruiting Period for Division I Coaches, essentially prohibiting D1 coaches from attending April events to evaluate players. The ruling has created a situation where the only time in which coaches will be able to evaluate players (outside of the regular high school season games) is during the two "live" periods in July.

The NCAA has cited "missed class time" as the main objective behind the new rule. They felt as if the National AAU Tournaments held in April were forcing high school players to miss school as a result of traveling to and from tournaments. According to an e-mail from spokesperson Jennifer Kearns, the NCAA hopes to address the "significant amount of class time missed by prospective student athletes ... to accommodate travel to and from events." So, according to that logic, players from Atlanta who say were traveling to the Kingwood Classic in Houston would miss school on Friday while traveling to the Event and then arrive home late on Sunday evening, thus probably missing school on Monday morning as well.

Are players participating in these tournaments missing a day of school here and there? Yes, in all likelihood, they are. However, that is not a major issue if the player takes responsibility to complete assignments in advance, alert teachers of absence, etc. I find it highly hypocritical that the NCAA is passing rulings to prevent one or two days of missed class for high school students when players at NCAA institutions miss over a dozen plus "class days" during a typical basketball season?

The "real", but disguised reasoning behind the new NCAA ruling seems to have more to do with eliminating the influence that aau coaches have with their player's recruitment, and less to do with missed class time. If you read between the lines, the NCAA's logic was that if you cut out the time in which players are competing with their AAU teams in "live" exposure events, you will in turn be reducing the "juice" that aau ball and programs have on a player's recruitment. In the NCAA's logic, this will help clean up some of the negative influences and shady elements surrounding the grassroots scene. While there may or may not be some merit to that thinking (that is a whole different debate for a different day); the bottom line is that the biggest victim in this new ruling are the high school players themselves.

The Blue Chip prospects, such as Derrick Favors or Lorenzo Brown, are not affected with this new ruling. These kids have been sitting on High Major D1 scholarship offers for several years now and already have their tickets punched to the college of their choice this Fall. Rather, the ones who are most severely affected are those Unsigned Senior players, who have Mid-Major D1 aspirations and talent. While the Peach State has received much acclaim for the NBA Caliber hoops talent produced in recent years, the state is also a hotbed for Mid Major Level players. In past years, many of these players would have been able to use the April Period of their senior years to perform in front of of D1 coaches. Hundreds of these college coaches would travel to these events with open scholarships in hand, hoping to spot players who could help their program. Kid plays well, college spots talent, they make an offer, the player accepts, and hopefully goes on to a successful career. A number of Atlanta area kids who have gone that route have gone on to very successful careers at the D1 level over the past few years.

The bottom line is that opportunity is no longer available as a result of the new ruling by the NCAA. The new rules are hurting the kids...not helping them. Now, the only course of action for these players with legit D1 talent is to send out video to schools or to hope that news of a good performance at either an exposure camp or tournament will reach the ears of college coaches. They are heavily reliant upon 3rd parties to recommend them to coaches, while in past years they could get in front of the coaches directly. While D1 college coaches can still travel to a individual prospect's high school to watch a workout, few will do so as a means to initially observe a prospect. The vast majority of coaches are NOT going to travel out of state to watch a kid workout they have never seen play before. This is especially true with the state of our current economy and many colleges cutting budgets. Moreso, coaches would have to travel to hundreds of different high schools to even approach the access they would have available to them at a tournament or camp setting.

The Mid and Low Major D1 schools are also being hurt with this new ruling. Many of these schools relied heavily upon the month of April to identify talent and prospects. They lack the budgets that the traditional Big Conference programs have to recruit and rely heavily upon events where they can see alot of talented players in one location.

In short, this is an NCAA rule that makes no sense. Passing a rule which denies opportunity to kids is wrong and in my opinion, is in conflict with what our great country is about. It is a shame that the NCAA can not legislate in a manner which promotes opportunity for the youth of this country, versus only making decisions to protect their bottom line.

2009 SEBA Atlanta College Showcase (Camp Recap Part # 2)

2009-04-01T13:06:00.003-04:00

Here is the 2nd part of the Camp Recap from the 2009 Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) Atlanta College Showcase held on March 21 at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

Click Here for Link to Part # 1 of Camp Recap

Additional Camp Standouts

Alex Gilmore (2009, 6’ 5, Wing, Lassiter) – Long, athletic player who has a smooth quality to his game. Attacks the hole basket well and is good defensive player. Top notch student, SAT scores.

G’Mitri Rice (2010, 6’ 2, SG, Walton) – Extremely athletic guard who plays much bigger than his height. Had several highlight reel dunks; potential to be a tremendous defender.

Jason Anthony (Juco Soph, 6’ 5, Wing, St. Pete Community College – FL) – Versatile Wing who plays with good intensity. Good rebounder and interior scorer.

Taylor Papion (2009, 5’ 11, PG, Tuerlings Catholic – LA) – Floor leader with excellent court vision and handle. Good quickness and is gets ball to teammates in scoring positions.

Hart Ahumada (2009, 6’ 5 , SG, Creekview) – Good looking 2/3 guard with size. Picks his spot well and plays within himself. Excellent outside stroke.

Tavarus Johnson (2011, 6’ 6, Forward, Vidalia) – Young 2011 talent who caught our attention with with excellent potential. Good shot blocker with length and athleticism. Has chance to be very good with continued development.

William Oscar – (2011, 6’ 2, SG, Vidalia) – Another high potential 2011 prospect from the Vidalia program (by way of Chicago). Very strong and aggressive young guard with raw ability. Gets to the rack well and plays with energy.

Brian Wood (2009, 5’ 9, PG, St. Francis) – Quick lead guard with tight handle and playmaking ability. Excels while pushing ball in open court. Provides good on ball defensive pressure.

Isaiah Massey (2009, 6’ 7, Forward, Union Grove) – Very athletic, has good hands, likes to attack the rim. Has body control of a wing player, and could potentially play that position at college level. Needs to play with more consistent intensity.

Bradley Grayson (2009, 6’1, CG, Sprayberry) – Combo guard with excellent three point shot. Ability to get very hot and put up a lot of points from outside.

Ethan Satterfield (2009, 5’ 11, PG, North Hall) – Point Guard with speed who plays aggressively. Likes to attack basket and is equally capable of creating for himself or others.

Addison Flynn (2009, 6’ 1, CG, Fayette County) – Combo guard with good instincts and desire to play defense. Has good looking midrange game and uses separation dribble well to create shot. Also showed ability to attack basket and convert attempts.

Stefan Frank (2009, 6’ 5, Wing, North Cobb Christian) – Nice looking shot with soft touch. Uses screens well. Vocal leader on floor. Has excellent understanding of the game which more than compensates for average athleticism. Plays with intensity. Foreign exchange student.

Nikola Lambic (2009, 6’ 9, Forward, Rabun Gap) – Native of Serbia has excellent size who showed willingness to mix it up and get physical inside. Has put on some strength since we last saw him at last Fall’s SEBA Camp. Is somewhat of a project on offensive end of floor but is very coachable and hungry to develop. Good target for programs willing to be patient and fine tune his talent.

Moody Norris (College Transfer, 6’ 2, CG, Knoxville College) – Very Physical and strong guard with a year of college experience under his belt. Gets to the rim well and knows has to attack gaps. Uses broad shoulders very well to sustain contact and finish consistently. Natural SG but could be adequate back up PG as well.

Cleanthony Early (2009, 6’ 7, Wing, Pine Bush – NY) – Impressive wing forward with good hands and scoring moves. Difficult matchup for opposing wings. Finishes well. Nice potential.

Kerrick Metoyer (2009, 5’ 8, PG, Tucker) – Tough Floor general who is comfortable leading team and taking charge of the flow of the game. Has good quickness and nice handle. Can knock down the open jumper. At his best when stays under control.

Dylan Fugate (Prep School, 6’ 5, Wing, St. Thomas Moore – CT) - Strong bodied wing with well rounded offensive skill set. Pretty good athlete. Solid mid range jumper. Good in transition and on offensive glass.

Kaleem Edwards (2011, 6’ 4, Wing, Rabun Gap) – Long and athletic wing prospect who demonstrates good potential as a sophomore. Drives baseline extremely well. Can defend the perimeter and in the paint. Runs the floor well.

Brian Charif (2009, 6’ 2, CG, University High – FL) – Displayed excellent outside shooting stroke. Smart player who plays within team concept. Brings a lot of intangibles and energy to the floor. Physical defender. Elite student in classroom.

Donovan Gardner (2009, 5’ 11, PG, Union Grove) – Lead guard with excellent athleticism. Could have been, inch by inch, the most athletic player in the camp. Finished several times with thunderous dunks. Has good handle and is unselfish; needs to improve shooting ability.

Honorable Mention Performers:

Class of 2009: Deandre Johnson (6’ 6, Forward, Tri-Cities); Devonte Davis (6’ 2, SG, St. Francis); Josh Montgomery (6’ 4, SG, South Cobb); Daniel Garza (6’ 4, Wing, Lassiter); Aaron Bowyer (5’ 11, PG, Kennesaw Mtn.); Kolby Gilbert (6’ 5, Forward, East Jackson); Deondre McClary (6’ 1, PG, Orangeburg – SC); Chris Fisher (6’ 1, SG, Kennesaw Mtn.); Myles Carroll (5’ 10, CG, Sprayberry); AJ Roberts (5’ 11, PG, Maclay – FL); Cody Dixon (6’ 0, CG, Pigeon Forge – TN); MaRyan Stewart (6’ 2, SG, Union Grove); Justin Browner (5’ 8, PG, Osborne); Ben Hyduke (6’ 1, Cg, Oconee County); Desmond Williams (5’ 11, PG, Mays); Darius Holloway (6’ 0, PG, Dacula); Tyree Pittman (6’ 4, SG, Tri-Cities); Kendall Broughton (6’ 2, SG, Brewbaker Tech –AL); Chris Dixon (6’ 0, PG, Brewbaker Tech – AL); Jarrett Christian (6’ 0, PG, Duluth); Sam Washington (6’ 1, SG, Coffee); Theo Alexander (6’ 4, Wing, Sparkman – AL)

Class of 2010: Broderick Day (6’ 3, Wing, Bayshore Christian – FL); Alex Upshaw (6’ 5, Wing, Sandy Creek); Chase Arrington (5’ 11, PG, Effingham County); Kyle Kinnear (6’ 6, Forward, Palm Harbor H.S.- FL); Tim Mason (6’ 3, Wing, Ola); Nick Grant (6’ 4, SG, South Forsyth); David Brown (6’ 5, Wing, Rabun Gap); David Wagner (6’ 7, Forward, East Paulding); Matt Jergenson (6’ 8, Forward, Lexington – SC); Chase Syfan (6’ 2, SG, North Hall); Alan Johnson (6’ 4, Wing, Stockbridge); Jacob Hagy (5’ 11, PG, Colonial Heights – VA); Myles Johnson (6’ 4, Wing, Southwest Atlanta Christian); Matt O’Donnell (6’ 2, SG, St. Pete Catholic – FL); Jeremy Wright (5’ 10, PG, Jackson Ribault – FL)

Post Grad / Transfers: Darius Lacy (6’ 1, PG, Knoxville College); Joe Chapman (6’ 8, Forward, Knoxville College); Evan Snelling (6’ 3, Wing, North Cobb); Nenad Novakovic (6’ 1, PG, Emmanuel College); Tomasz Paterek (6’ 4, SG, Emmanuel College); Jared Paul (6’ 3, Wing, Lynn Univ)

2009 SEBA Atlanta College Showcase (Camp Recap Part # 1 )

2009-04-01T12:47:00.010-04:00

The 2009 edition of the SEBA Spring College Showcase held this past weekend in Atlanta, Georgia was a complete success. This 5th Annual event, presented by the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA), was held on the campus of Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. The Camp was at full capacity with 140 players from throughout Georgia, as well as from seven other states (FL, TN, SC, LA, AL, VA, and NY). The event was packed with college coaches representing 31 different schools, all of which were on hand to scout and evaluate the many college prospects in attendance. The talent field consisted of Unsigned high school seniors, post grad/prep players, Juco sophs, as well as a nice collection of up and coming Class of 2010 (high school juniors) and 2011 (high school sophomores) talent.

The Showcase featured a full day of basketball action. The event began with all players participating in fundamental drills stations conducted by some of the region's top coaches/instructors. All players then competed in three (3) full court 5-on-5 scrimmage games with their respective teams throughout the afternoon and early evening. The Camp then concluded with a Top 25 All-Star game; capping off an excellent day of basketball.

Below is a breakdown of prospects from the Camp:

Camp’s Elite Performers (Super 13)
(Note: Players Listed in random order)

Darius Baugh (2009, 6’ 2; Combo Guard; Hillgrove)
High scoring athletic guard with complete offensive game. Has good handle and excellent pull up jumper, especially on the break. Quick first step. Had a huge senior season where he was named All-State for one of the top teams in Georgia. Could make for a nice Spring signee for Low to Mid Major D1 program.

Junior Geidi (Juco Soph , 6’0, PG, St. Pete Community College - FL)
Arguably the top point guard in the camp. Extremely quick with ball and has excellent crossover move. Showed ability to score in bunches and dish out numerous assists. Very good at handling defensive pressure in open court. Named 1st Team All Conference in respective Florida Juco League this past season.

Charles Shedrick (2009, 6’ 3, SG, Potomac Seniors High – Virginia)
Very athletic shooting guard who can get to the rack and finish above the rim. Rebounds very well for his position. Excels in the open court and on the break. Showed ability to defend well on ball and good court IQ. Consistently knocked down 3 ball throughout the day. Definitely worthy of Low D1 looks.

Adrian Spellman (2009, 6’ 9, Forward, Appling County)
Big man with excellent frame (250 lbs) and strength. Finishes around the rim and displayed decent footwork on the block. Hit several face up jumpers from mid range. Continuously blocked or altered shots throughout the day. Like many big men his age, needs to be more assertive. Needs polish and more skill work, but has tremendous potential.

Jarrett Smith (2009, 6’ 1, Combo Guard, Creekside)
Under the radar guard prospect who had a terrific showing at camp. He is a very aggressive penetrator who finishes well off dribble. Good handle. Above average pull up jumper. May lack the height of prototypical SG, however he has good length and plays with a lot of “pizzazz”. Good looking prospect.

Antonio Gardner (2009, 6’ 8, Forward, Jonesboro)
Very long forward who offensively is more comfortable on the wing than on the block. Excelled in transition all day long, finishing well with dunks. Good shot blocker and adequate rebounder. Can shoot the three ball well for his size. Needs to put on weight to slender frame. Will need a good Juco program.

Darnell “DJ” Jones II (2009, 6’1, PG, Peachtree Ridge)
Long and athletic point guard prospect who is very quick with the ball. Has a strong handle and excels with penetration. Finishes above the rim. Strong on and off ball defender. Needs to continue to develop shooting stroke and fine tune mid range game. Has very good upside at position.

Kam Belin (2010, 6’ 7, Forward, Centennial)
Excellent looking prospect who keeps improving at an impressive rate. Had a very good camp. Finished around basket very well, but plays more natural on wing. Snatched down rebounds on both ends of floor. Most impressive aspect of his developing game was ability to consistently knock down face up jumper, extending out to three point range. Showed good court vision, dishing out several nice assists. Good looking Mid Major + D1 prospect.

Ariel Jones (2009, 6’ 7, Forward, Norcross)
Athletic and long forward who finished well as evidenced by several impressive dunks throughout camp. Very good at keeping ball alive on glass and converting offensive tips. Has pretty decent handle in transition. Had tendency to drift to the wing too much, where he would play away from his strengths. Strong upside potential and with continued development should make for a good D1 prospect at Mid Major level. Will need Juco or Prep School.

Chris Davis (2010, 6’3, SG, Stockbridge)
One of the best 2010 prospects in attendance at camp who had a very good junior season averaging 22 PPG. Has a scorers mentality and can create his own shot very well. His usually deadly shooting stroke was not falling in the first part of the game we observed; however, he stuck with his shot as good shooters should and peeled off several consecutive jumpers with defender in his face. Comes off screens well to pop the jumper. Coachable and plays hard. Will be one the state’s top guard prospects in 2010 class.

James McRae (2009, 6’ 7, Forward, Brunswick)
Strong bodied forward who is very good rebounder. Has good hands and touch around the basket. Picks his spots very well and plays within himself. Above average athleticism. Could make for an excellent blue collar player at the next level. Reportedly made verbal commitment over the weekend to play for Kennesaw State in Atlantic Sun Conference.

Tray Bryant (Post Grad, 6’ 8, Forward, Hephzibah)
Long and athletic post who can score inside and out. Pretty decent touch on mid-range jumper. Very good shot blocker who contested opponents attempts throughout the day. Finishes well above the rim in traffic. Far from finished product but has very intriguing upside potential.

Millan Rodrigo (2009, 6’ 2, PG, Hillgrove)
Strong lead guard with size and strength. Has deceptive, but very quick, first step off the dribble. Good looking jumper with nice elevation. Excellent defender who can lock down quick point guards or bigger wings. Very good rebounder at guard spot. Had an impressive senior season and played instrumental role in Hillgrove’s high level of success. Would be a steal for good D2 or High NAIA program.

Check back for the 2nd part of the Showcase Camp Recap.

State Playoff Bids at Stake - Region 5-AAAAA Tournament

2009-02-18T22:36:00.007-05:00

The Atlanta Roundball Report was on hand at the Marietta Garden for the Quarterfinal round of the Region 5-AAAAA Tournament this evening. The stakes were huge as the winner of each of the three games would secure a birth in the State Tournament while the losing teams would end their season. McEachern High did not have to play this evening as they automatically advanced to the Semi-Finals (and a State Tourney bid) as a result of their Regular Season Region Title.

All three contests presented intriguing matchups in a "win or go home" scenario. Here is a recap of the action:

Kennesaw Mountain vs. Harrison
These two teams are very big rivals of one another and both teams came out of the gate ready to compete. The refs set the tone in this game by allowing the kids to play and as a result the play was extremely physical throughout. The first half saw numerous lead changes and Harrison went to the locker room at halftime up 30-29. Harrison opened the 3rd quarter with an impressive spurt that turned a very tightly contested game into a double digit Hoya lead. Kennesaw Mountain was never really able to recover from this point and was flustered by Harrison's tough half court defense.

Harrison's Senior Guard Vince Martin (6' 1, CG, 2009) played extremely well. He took over the game in the key 3rd quarter Harrison run with a variety of strong drives to the hoop and mid range pull up jumpers. Fellow Senior Casey Belli (6' 2, SG, 2009) also played a key role for Harrison, as he exhibited his long range shooting prowess from beyond the 3 point line.

Marietta vs. Cherokee
Marietta's legendary Coach Charlie Hood announced last week that he would be retiring at the end of this season. With the season on the line for the Blue Devils, a loss would have meant the last game of Coach Hood's illustrious 37 year career. The stage was set for a dramatic evening. Marietta would come into the game riding a five game win streak and have the advantage of playing on their home floor. Cherokee was the region's #2 seed, as Coach Roger Kvam's squad compiled a very impressive 16-2 record in region play.

Right from the tip it was very evident that Marietta was going to do all they could to pull the upset and get Coach Hood in the State playoffs for his final season. The Blue Devils forced several turnovers and used their quickness advantage to take an early lead in the game's opening 2 minutes. This would pretty much be the story throughout the entire evening as Marietta cruised to a surprising double digit victory that was never really in question. Marietta played with tremendous passion and intensity on the defensive end, forcing turnover after turnover. Cherokee had no answer for Blue Devil Point Guard Chris Tanzy (5' 10, PG, 2009). Tanzy put on an absolute show as he sliced and diced Cherokee's defense with 20 points and 6 assists. He had numerous highlight reel dribble moves in transition, where he then finished with a bucket or dished off a pretty assist. 6' 9 Forward Chad Lang (6' 9, F, 2010) had one of his most impressive performances of the season, as he scored inside and did an excellent job in neutralizing Cherokee's Shawn Kemp Jr. (Alabama Signee). Kemp had a quiet 14 points, with the majority of them coming off offensive stickbacks. Marietta Senior guards Steven Hunter (6' 2, SG, 2009) and Kenny Sprague (6' 2, 2009) were also big contributors. Hunter played excellent defense on Cherokee's standout Junior guard Michael Kvam (6' 3, SG, 2010), limiting his touches as well as forcing numerous turnovers within the overall team defensive scheme. Sprague scored 12 points, including two big three-point field goals early on.

Marietta advances to play Harrison this Friday evening at 5:30 p.m.

Additional Observations / Notes:

North Cobb pulled out a hard fought 61-47 victory over South Cobb in the early game of the evening. Terry Gorsuch's squad utlized a very well played second half to secure the win and the state tournament birth. Markel Gregoire (6' 1, PG, 2009) was the big performer this evening as he led the Warriors with 22 points. Senior Wing Colin Murray (Murray State signee) chipped in with 11 points. North Cobb will play #1 seeded McEachern Friday night at 8:30 p.m.
Harrison has a very good (and underated) backcourt in Seniors Vince Martin and Basey Belli. Martin is without doubt one of the best Unsigned Senior guards in the state. Belli is one of the city's top outside shooters.
Harrison's Robert Churchwell has done a very impressive job during his first year as head coach at Harrison. The former Georgetown University star led the Hoyas into the State tournament during what most people thought would be a rebuilding year. The future is bright for Harrison with Churchwell at the helm and some good young talent in the pipeline.
Chris Tanzy is going to play football at the college level. However, he also would have made an excellent pickup for a D1college basketball hoops program. Tanzy electrified the Marietta Garden crowd with his play this evening.
This evening may have been the coming out party for Marietta's 6' 9 Chad Lang. He finished inside, blocked and contested numerous shots, snatched rebounds, and on a whole matched up well with Shawn Kemp Jr.
North Cobb's Markell Gregiore is an Unsigned Senior deserving of attention. The explosive guard really played well in the North Cobb victory.
Friday's evenings Region 5-AAAAA semifinal games will also be held at the Marietta Garden.

2009 SEBA Atlanta College Showcase Date Set

2009-01-31T14:24:00.002-05:00

The 2009 Atlanta Spring College Showcase, presented by the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA), will be held March 21st on the campus of Oglethorpe University.

This Annual Event, now in its 5th year, is one of the South's most highly regarded spring basketball exposure camps for Unsigned Seniors (2009) aspiring to play college basketball. The camp is also open to Juniors from the Class of 2010, and Class of 2011 (Sophomores) who played varsity ball this season. Players not invited directly by the SEBA staff should have the recommendation of their high school or travel ball coach.

The Top NCAA Division II, III, NAIA, and JUCO College Programs throughout the South will be in attendance to evaluate prospects. Several recruiting publications will also be covering the event, including the Atlanta Roundball Report. Over 40 College coaches attended last year's camp, resulting in numerous college opportunities for the players in attendance. The Georgia College Basketball Coaches Association (GABCA) will be holding their annual Spring Meeting and Social in conjunction with this camp.

The event will consist 5-on5 Full Court Scrimmages (3 Game minimum), skills stations, Senior and Underclassman All-Star Games. All players with also receive a profile in the College Coaches Packet and receive SEBA Showcase T-Shirt.

Interested Players should visit the SEBA website for registration information

Link: www.SoutheastBasketballAcademy.com

Poll Question: What was the best team from the past Decade?

2009-01-14T13:41:00.005-05:00

The State of Georgia has produced many great teams and players over the past ten years. Each year, the Peach State seems to have at least one or two teams nationally ranked in the Top 25, multiple players ranked among the nation's top prospects, and an overall high quality of play.

Which leads us to our most recent Poll Question. "Who do you think is the top team over the past decade." Is it the 2004 State Champion South Gwinnett team led by Louis Williams? Or the following year's 2005 Wheeler squad which was the definition of "team chemistry" and dethroned South Gwinnett on the way to the Title? Maybe it is Dwight Howard's 2004 Southwest Atlanta Christian team which also had featured fellow NBA player Javaris Crittenton? Or the powerhouse 2007 Norcross team which featured Gani Lawal and Al-Farouq Aminu? Or maybe you feel it is one of the other tremendous state championship squads over the past 10 years?

Photo Credits: Doug Lipscomb (AJC); Dwight Howard (Slam Magazine Online); Louis Williams (NBA.com)

Poll Results:

According to our readers, the top high school team of the past decade was the 2005 Wheeler squad which earned 21% of all votes. A very close second place was the 2004 Southwest Atlanta Christian team featuring Dwight Howard (20% of votes). We had a tie for third place between the 2007 Norcross squad and the 2004 South Gwinnett State Champs (each with 13% of the votes).

Lassiter Earning Respect; Tops #6 Ranked Milton

2009-01-14T10:31:00.007-05:00

Region 6-AAAAA is a beast. It is by far the most competitive region in Georgia High school hoops. When discussing the contenders, most pre-season talk centered around the perennially strong Wheeler program, as well as Centennial, Walton, Milton, and even Campbell. Few people considered the Lassiter Trojans to even be in the upper half of region. Coach Jeremy Morris' squad was content to stay under the radar and let their play on the court speak for them. And their play has spoken loudly thus far. After a big win against a hot Campbell squad this past weekend; the Trojans won another big Region matchup last night over Milton by the score of 64-59. Milton came into the game ranked #6 in State. The victory gave Lassiter a record of 14-3 and 4-1 in the Region.

Tuesday's night's game was one of momentum, as Milton stormed out to an double digit big lead. However, Lassiter responded with a nice run of their own, getting right back in the game behind a 15-1 run right before halftime. As he has done all season long, Senior Blaise White sparked the comeback with his outside shooting and hustling all around play. White knocked down a couple of treys and had several buckets in transition, and played good on ball defense. The 3rd Quarter was hard fought by both teams, trading baskets and the lead exchanging hands multiple times. However, Lassiter's 6' 5 Wing Alex Gilmore stepped up his play to give Lassiter a lead they would never relinquish. Gilmore attacked the rim, finishing with 15 points (13 of those scored in the 2nd half). Junior Guard Hutson Mason also contributed some big jumpers in the stretch on the way to a 13 point night. With Lassiter holding on to a two possesion lead throughout the final minutes of the game, Milton repeatedly put Lassiter on the foul line. The Trojans struggled at the charity stripe, leaving a window open for a Milton comeback. However, Milton failed to capitalize on these opportunities and the Trojans were finally able to close the door and secure the win with two converted free throws by White.
Blaise White was the game's leading scorer with 20 points and dishing out 6 assists. Highly regarded 2011 prospect Julian Royal (6' 8, Forward, 2011) led Milton with 19 points. Fellow 2011 prospect Dai Jon Parker (6' 3, SG, 2011) chipped in with 13 points.

Additional Game Notes:

Lassiter has demonstrated they are worthy of a Top 10 State ranking in Class AAAAA. They will certainly be in the State playoff mix come February.
Milton's 2011 trio of rising stars Julian Royal, Shannon Scott, and Dai Jon Parker are a special group of young players. While this game was not one of the trio's better overall performances, and all three have certain room for growth and development, there is certainly no denying the talent and potential present in all three players. Coach David Boyd has to be very excited about the potential success of his program over the next two seasons.
Blaise White is a baller. He doesn't have great size or overwhelming athleticism, but he is very skilled, has a quick first step, high basketball IQ, and most important to his game, plays with tremendous hustle and scrappiness.
Lassiter's Alex Gilmore struggled in the early season after making transition from the football field. However, he has played well of late and is a unsigned senior wing player with good upside.
With so much depth, Region 6 is producing good matchups almost every game night. An excellent one is on tap Friday evening as the State's #4 ranked team (Walton) will take on the top ranked Centennial Knights.

Metro Atlanta Holiday Tournament Results

2009-01-01T23:31:00.005-05:00

There were a number of Holiday Tournaments being held in the Metro Area this past week. Here is a rundown of the results from some of the events we either attended or had affiliates present at:

Deep South Classic

Outcome: Brookwood beat Peachtree Ridge 54-47 in a all-Gwinnett Championship game matchup of the 8 team Deep South Classic. Brookwood rode the hot hand of Freshman Guard Chris Bolden, who scored 14 4th quarter points to win the title. Peachtree Ridge's Khalid Mutakkabir capped off a terrific tournament scoring 28 points in the losing effort.
All-Tournament Team:
Chris Bolden - Brookwood (MVP)
Khalid Mutakkabir - Peachtree Ridge
Cj Blackwell - Peachtree Ridge
Patrick Kelley - Brookwood
Trent Weideman- GAC
Derek Zittrauer - South Forsyth.

North Gwinett Powerade Festival

Outcome: Host School North Gwinnett capped off a string of 3 upsets wins on their way to a 66-60 Championship Game win over Richmond Academy. Junior Forward Alex Tiller led the way for the Bulldogs with a game high 20 points. Raston Brown scored 20 points for Richmond Academy. Newton County took 3rd place with a 64-56 win over Parkview. Soph Guard Derrick Henry led all scorers with 23 pts. in the game.

Campbell Holiday Classic

Outcome: Campbell defeated M.L. King 73-70 to take home the championship of their own Campbell Holiday Classic. Blake Walker led Campbell in scoring with 23 points and Turk Bridgeman chipped in with 18. Travis Wallace had 14 in Championship game and was named Tournament MVP.

Woodstock Invitational Christmas Tourney

Outcome: Sprayberry defeated Creekview 84-80 in OT to claim the Championship of the Woodstock Invitational Christmas Tournament. Sprayberry's Bradley Grayson led the Jackets in coring with 19 points and 4 assists. Roger Hubbard scored 12 points and dished out 7 assists. Creekview was led by Andy Oliver's 25 points and 10 boards. Woodstock knocked off Pope 59-54 to place 3rd in the event. Kent Emanuel scored 29 points (including 20 in the 1st Quarter) for Woodstock.

2008 SEBA Atlanta Hoop Festival Recap

2008-12-22T23:45:00.010-05:00

The 2008 SEBA Atlanta Hoop Festival was held this past Saturday at the Cobb Civic Center in Marietta. Now in its 2nd year, the event brought together a quality 10 team field to compete in 5 games. The field was highlighted by Hillgrove Hawks (undefeated and ranked #3 in Georgia's latest Class AAAA poll) and the Blessed Trinity Titans (who came into the game ranked #2 in Georgia's Class AA). The Festival was well attended by fans and featured good competitive basketball throughout the day.

2008 SEBA Hoop Festival Game Action

Below is a recap of each game as well as some of the event's prospects who caught our eye:

Game # 1 - Etowah def. Osborne; 61-55
The opening game of the day was a definite contrast in team styles as Osborne likes to run, run, and run some more; while Etowah is more of a deliberate half court offensive team. Osborne's outstanding team speed was effective in getting a significant amount of transition buckets. However, Etowah did a good job of handling Osborne's trapping defensive pressure with poise and as a result were able to convert a large number of high percentage shot attempts. Osborne did put together a 14-4 run in the 4th quarter to even the score at 50 all. However, the rally was not enough, as Etowah countered with 9 unanswered points of their own to take a 9 point lead with under a minute to go. Senior guard Chris Brasher led Etowah with 16 points while Osborne's 6' 6 Freshman Devonte Thorton scored a game high 20. Brasher received the MOP Award for Etowah. Speedy Senior PG Justin Browner received the award for Osborne. Browner scored 15 points and dished out 5 assists on the day.

Etowah's Chris Brasher

Game # 2 - Sprayberry def. Jonesboro; 68-65 OT
This was the certainly the day's most exciting game; keyed by several big time plays in the last minute of regulation and throughout the overtime period. After a first quarter which went back and forth, Jonesboro maintained a slim but steady lead throughout most of the first 3 and 1/2 quarters of play. The teams battled their way into the 4th quarter where they both exchanged blows. Jonesboro looked like it had probably sealed the victory when Junior Guard Jesse Gardner hit two free throws for a 58-55 lead with 5.6 seconds left. Sprayberry inbounded the ball, brought it just over half-court and at the direction of Head Coach Marc Carver, called the time out with 2 seconds left. The strategy was golden as Carver drew up a sideline out-of-bounds play to get the ball into the hands of senior sharpshooter Bradley Grayson. The play worked to perfection. Grayson came off the screen, caught the ball in the deep corner and let a long three point attempt fly. The shot swished through the net as the buzzer sounded, sending the game to OT. The overtime period also saw Grayson be the key difference maker, as he scored six points, including an offensive putback on a missed freethrow which clinched the 68-65 victory. Jesse Gardener won the MOP honors for Jonesboro with a 15 point, 6 assist effort. Bradley Grayson, who finished with 14 points, was named MOP for Sprayberry. 2011 Point Guard Roger Hubbard also scored 14 for the Jackets.

Sprayberry Team hoisting Trophy

Game # 3 - Lassiter def. Blessed Trinity; 57-40
Blessed Trinity came into this game as the clear cut favorite. The Titans were ranked as the #2 in the State in Class AA, and were coming off a tremendous 2007-08 season in which they went 27-4. Lassitter High however proved that they are a team to be taken seriously as they dominated this game from the get- go. The Trojans, who led by 20 points at the half, forced 30+ turnovers on the evening and also forced Blessed Trinity into a very tough shooting performance. Lassiter Senior PG Blaise White (5' 10, PG, 2009) played very well on both ends of the floor. He scored 15 points and dished out 6 assists on his way to receiving Game MOP honors. Junior Wing Joey Parry also showed his shooting range on the way to 15 points. 6' 5 Senior forward Phillip Lutzenkirchen, who is a highly recruited standout on the football gridiron, came off the bench to score 11 points and rip down 7 boards for Lassiter. There were not many bright spots on this evening for Blessed Trinity. The Titan's senior duo of Arris Brundidge and Ryan Legates, who came into the game averaging a combined 35+ points per outing, struggled throughout the evening. The duo combined for only seven total points on the night. A lone bright spot for Coach Brian Marks was the play of 6' 5 Freshman Roch Rucker, who showed glimpses of a bright future with 6 second half points and 4 rebounds.

Blaise White receives MOP Award from SEBA Director Billy LoPresti

Game # 4 Hillgrove def. Harrison, 66-47

Hillgrove's Darius Baugh shoots over Harrison defender

Picture courtesy of Marietta Daily Journal

The Civic Center was heated up for this matchup between the two Cobb County schools which are located only a few miles away from one each other. Hillgrove came into the game undefeated at 9-0 and ranked as the State's #3 ranked Team in Class AAAA. Harrison was primed to pull off the upset, and played Hillgrove very tough through most of the first half. The lead went back forth between the two teams until the 2:30 minute mark of the 2nd quarter, when the Hawks forced several turnovers and scored on three consecutive fast-break opportunities. Hillgrove took a 32-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Hoyas scrapped their way back into the game in the opening minutes of the third quarter behind the hot shooting of Casey Belli (6' 3, SG, 2009). However, Hillgrove's Millan Rodrigo (6' 2, PG, 2009) spearheaded a 10-0 run with two driving layups, a steal, and a block shot that broke open the game. From that point onward, Hillgrove was completely in control and cruised to the nineteen point victory. The Hawks put forth a very impressive team effort, receiving big plays from a number of players. Rodrigo, who was named the Game MOP, scored 13 points and played stellar defense throughout the evening. Darius Baugh (6' 3, CG, 2009) scored 18 points, while Junior Mike Lawrence (6' 3, Wing, 2010) added 16 points for Hillgrove. Hillgrove Big Man Heath Houston (6' 8, F, 2010) chipped in with 8 points and was big on the boards throughout the game. He also added the game's top highlight with a monster alley oop dunk in transition off of a long lob thrown by Rodrigo. Harrison's Casey Belli received MOP honors for the Hoyas with his 17 point performance.

Hillgrove's Millan Rodrigo receives MOP Award

Game # 5 - Marietta def. Southwest Atlanta Christian, 73-58

The final game of the evening paired two prestigious basketball programs with outstanding traditions, state titles, and which have have produced All-American and NBA caliber talent. However, both Marietta and SACA are in rebuilding mode this season and have struggled in the early 08-09 season. The nightcap was a hard fought game in which Marietta's fast break play and sizeable rebounding advantage proved to be too much for the young and inexperienced SACA squad. Marietta took a 21-9 lead at the end of the 1st quarter and never looked back from there. The Blue Devils received solid contributions from their entire roster, putting 12 players in the scoring column. Senior Kenny Sprague (6' 2, SG, 2009) led the way for Marietta with 14 points and earned MOP honors. SACA's Michael Murray (6' 3, SG, 2010) put in a very admirable effort on his way to scoring 26 points in the losing effort.

Notes and Observations:

Hillgrove has an excellent squad and could very well make a strong push for the Class AAAA State Crown. The team is extremely well coached, has excellent guard play, size in the post, and plays with good chemistry. Coach Ed Morris has done a tremendous job with building this program (only in it's 3rd year).
Hillgrove boosts two good looking unsigned senior guards in Darius Baugh and Millan Rodrigo. Both are players that could make good targets at the Low D1 or Mid to High D2 levels.
Hillgrove's 2010 SG prospect Mike Lawrence played his way onto the radar of several of the Low Major D1 Coaches that were in attendance. He is athletic, good in transition, and can create well off the dribble.
Hillgrove's has a pair of 6' 8 juniors with nice potential in Heath Houston and Mike Voso. Houston is a good Low/Mid-Major D1 prospect right now and could very well see his recruitment reach the High Major level as he continues to mold his offensive game and skill. Voso comes off the bench for the Hawks but plays with solid fundamentals, and understanding of the game. He also seems to have pretty decent footwork the two times we have seen him play.
Osborne's Devonte Thornton (6' 6, Forward, 2012) is just a freshman, but the kid has tremendous upside potential. The lanky rookie looked very good on his way to scoring 20 points and making several impressive plays on the defensive end. If he continues to develop and improve, he is a sure fire D1 prospect.
Sprayberry has a nice looking 2011 tandem of Roger Hubbard (5' 11, PG, 2011) and Chevelan Pearson (6' 5, SF, 2011). Hubbard is a pure point guard who plays with good instincts and quickness. He plays with good intensity and can create offense. Pearson is an athletic wing with length that has the potential to be a very impressive prospect.
SACA's young team is struggling, but one of the few bright spots for the Warriors has been the play of Junior SG Michael Murray (6' 3, SG, 2010). Murray is a good ball player. The 6' 3 guard can score in a variety of ways and has put up big numbers all season long despite being double consistently teamed. We were impressed with his non stop effort despite SACA being down double digits throughout the game.
Lassiter PG Blaise White is a prospect that should be closely evaluated by D2 and High D3 programs looking for a smart and skilled lead guard. White has a very good handle, good court vision, and can stick the jumper. He also does very well in the classroom, making him especially attractive to Elite Academic D3 programs.
Jonesboro's "Gardner Brothers" were both impressive, but in different ways. Antonio Gardner (6' 8, Forward, 2009) is a big forward with excellent length and potential. His play was inconsistent and he has definite rawness to his game. With that said, he showed spurts of excellent play and is the type of kid who should fully blossom at the college level. Jesse Gardner (6' 1, PG, 2010) is a nice looking lead guard who distributed very well and showed the ability to score. He also plays with a positive swagger which compliments his skills well.

2008 Holiday Tournaments

2008-12-17T17:56:00.006-05:00

The Christmas and New Years Holidays are upon us and for basketball fans, that means there will be lots of hoops action to cast your eyes upon. Over the next two and a half weeks, the hoops action will be tremendous as there are a large number of high school tournaments being held throughout Georgia and the nation.

Several of the Top ranked teams in Georgia will be travelling out-of-state to test their mettle against the nation's best in some of high school basketball's most prestigious tournaments.
Some of these teams heading out-of-state events include:

Wheeler and Fayette County will both be travelling to the loaded City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, FL to go head to head many of the nation's top squads. Both Columbia and Milton High will also be heading south down to the Sunshine State to compete in the Kingdom of the Sun Tournament in Ocala. This tournament, held at Vanguard High School, is one of the longest running events in the country and is now in its 35th year. South Atlanta, which is top ranked in Class 4A and led by the State's top player, Derrick Favors, will be heading to Indiana's Ball State University to compete in the T-Mobile Invitational. The Hornets will also be participating in the Hoops in Overdrive Event at KSU on Jan. 3 where they will matchup with McEachern, whom is undefeated and currently ranked #1 in Class 5A. North Carolina will be the state of destination for two of the powerhouse teams in Region 6-AAAAA, as both Centennial and Walton are heading to Charlotte to play in the Prep All-Stars Classic at Belmont Abbey College. Centennial will then return back to N.C. after Christmas to play in the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational in Raleigh. Walton will also travel to Collinsville, Illinois to play in the Schnucks Holiday Classic after Christmas. Miller Grove will do battle at the always strong Chick-Fil-A Classic in Columbia, S.C. while Whitefield Academy and SACA will also head to the Palmetto State to play in the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic in Charleston. Cherokee High will competing in the King of the Bluegrass in Fairdale, KY on Dec.19-23. Norcross will close out the 2008 calendar year playing at the Bojangles Shootout in Waxhaw, N.C. on Dec. 29-31.

There are also a number of high quality events being held right here in the Peach State which should present fans with some exciting and competitive basketball. The Atlanta Roundball Report will be on hand at several of the bigger events being held in the Metro Area over the next two weeks and plans on providing coverage updates of the following:

Dec. 20 - SEBA Atlanta Hoop Festival (@ Cobb Civic Center)
Dec. 26-29 Memphis vs. Atlanta Classic (@ Mays High)
Dec. 27-30 Deep South Classic (@ Brookwood High)
Dec. 29-31 Sweet South Classic (@ Morgan County High)

Weekend Game Preview

2008-12-11T20:31:00.006-05:00

The GA State Championships are being played this weekend in football; however, there are some excellent high school matchups on the hardwood as well. Here are two of the bigger matchups that the Atlanta Roundball Report will be keeping tabs on:

Friday Night - Centennial vs. Wheeler (@ Wheeler)

This Region 6-AAAAA matchup has the potential to be an excellent game. Wheeler (2-1) is currently ranked # 2 in the GA AAAAA poll, and ranked #24 in the nation by USA Today. Centennial(1-1) is ranked #8 in the state among AAAAA schools. Both schools are vying for supremecy in the state's toughest basketball region and are looking to set the tone with a win on Friday night. There will be a high level of talent on the floor with both teams. Three of the participants have already signed to play at ACC schools next season (Wheeler's Ari Stewart -Wake Forest, Richard Howell - NC State and Lorenzo Brown- NC State).

Expectations are always high for the dominant Wheeler Program and this year is certainly no different. Wheeler is loaded with exceptional talent and most feel they are a heavy favorite to win the AAAAA State Title. Anything short of that goal will be somewhat disappointing for the Wildcat fans. Wheeler is the GA High School hoops version of the New York Yankees...the Goal is a Championship Ring...each and every season. That is how high the bar has been set for the very successful Cats under legendary coach Doug Lipscomb.

Centennial's senior laden group is good, and they have their own high expectations on the season. The Knights have already suffered an early season setback with a disappointing showing versus South Atlanta 2 weeks ago. They are hungry to prove that do really belong amongst the State's Elite. A strong showing against Wheeler tonight would prove that they do.

Friday Night - GAC vs. Blessed Trinity (@ Blessed Trinity)

This Region 6-AA clash should also be an excellent game. Blessed Trinity stands at 6-0 and is ranked #2 in the State in Class AA. GAC has a record of 5-2 and is ranked # 3 in the State.

After going 27-4 last season, expectations were understandably tempered coming into the season for Blessed Trinity. However, the Titans have hit the road running, reeling off six straight wins to start the season. Coach Brian Marks has been receiving excellent play out of his senior tandem of Arris Brundidge (6' 4, Wing, 2009) and Ryan Legates (6' 3, PG, 2009), both of whom are averaging close to 20 PPG.

Current GAC Head Coach Eddie Martin led Norcross High to the past three consecutive Class 5A State Titles while at Norcross. His coaching ability, along with a nice collection of talent on his current roster, has brought high expectations to the Gwinnett private school. Trent Wiedeman (6' 7, Forward, 2010) has been playing very well thus far and will look to assert his post precense in this contest. Should be an exciting early season game between two schools who both have a legit shot to bring home a State Title in March.

Additional matchups to look for :

Friday - Marietta vs. McEachern

Friday - Harrison vs. Kennesaw Mtn.

Saturday - Dominguez (CA) vs. Wheeler

Saturday - Riverdale vs. Milton

Featured Game: McEachern vs. North Cobb (12/09/2008)

2008-12-10T09:59:00.002-05:00

The Atlanta Roundball Report was at North Cobb High School Tuesday this evening to watch the Warriors take on visiting McEachern High. What looked on paper to be a good Region 5-AAAAA matchup turned sour as North Cobb was forced to sit three starters who were serving suspensions from an incident in previous game. One of the players suspended was standout senior and Murray State signee Colin Slotter (6' 5, Wing, 2009).

With North Cobb's suspended players out of action; McEachern cruised right from the tip-off. The Indians used excellent defensive ball pressure to key a 18-2 run to start the game. This run included 4 dunks. As a result of the suspensions, North Cobb was forced to play a number of underclassman heavy minutes. The bigger, stronger, and faster Indians pretty much had their way with the younger North Cobb crew throughout the evening. McEachern demonstrated good patience on the offense end and was pretty much able to get a high percentage shot on almost every possession. They also did a fine job of attacking the offensive glass for easy second putbacks and forcing turnovers which led to easy transition buckets. North Cobb put together a modest 6-0 run in the 2nd quarter to cut the lead to eleven points with 6 minutes to go before the half. However, that was short lived as Trae Golden (6' 2, PG, 2010) knocked down several tough 3-pointers and Kadeem Batts (6' 9, Forward, 2009) converted three buckets inside to put the game permanently out of reach.

Our observations from the game:

6' 9 Kadeem Batts has improved quite a bit from last season. While his size and athleticism allowed him to be very effective last season; he seems to have been working on both his inside post moves and his stroke from mid-range jumper. The Providence signee has excellent potential and should only get better as he adds to his game.
Trae Golden can score just as well as any player in the state of Georgia. He has established that during his strong freshman and sophomore campaigns. However, the one knock some people had on Golden was that his defensive game was significantly below his offensive prowess. Well that certainly was not true this evening as Golden's defensive play was fantastic. He put excellent pressure on the ball against North Cobb's quick backcourt players and at times dominated defensively with his quickness and upper body strength. His defensive effort certainly fed down to his teammates.
McEachern's Alioune Diouf (6' 6, Wing, 2009) is a first-class athlete. He has the kind of elite athleticism craved by coaches in today's college game. However, he needs to continue to develop his offensive skills and overall understanding of the game. The extent in which he improves in those areas will dictate the amount of success he has at the college level.
McEachern overall talent level is impressive. They have athleticism, size, skilled players, and seem to play with better chemistry than last year's squad. McEachern has a very legitimate shot to challenge for the State Title.
North Cobb does have a very solid collection of younger 2011 players in the rotation for them. While they started off with the "deer in the headlights" look to start the game, they did eventually calm down and played hard throughout the game. North Cobb Head Coach Terry Gorsuch is one of the best coaches in the state and this group should develop nicely under his tutelage.
McEachern (6-0) will take on Marietta this Friday at home while North Cobb (4-2) will face South Cobb.

Poll : Which County is Tops?

2008-12-09T10:52:00.005-05:00

Throughout the past few years; a rivalry of sorts has developed among fans as to which Metro Atlanta County/Area is tops when it comes to High School Hoops.

We wanted to throw this question out there for our Poll question:

What County is strongest for this 2008-09 Season?

For reference, Here is a breakdown of the ranked teams in each County:
(rankings are as per Georgia Sports Coaches Poll)

Cobb County:
Wheeler # 2 in Class 5A
McEachern # 3 in Class 5A
Hillgrove # 4 in Class 4A
Walton # 5 in Class 5A
Whitefield Academy # 5 in Class A

Gwinnett County:
Norcross # 1 in Class 5A
GAC # 3 in Class 2A

Dekalb County:
Miller Grove # 1 in Class 4A
Tucker # 2 in Class 4A
Columbia # 2 in Class 3A
Decatur # 6 in Class 2A
Chamblee # 9 in Class 4A

North Fulton:
Blessed Trinity # 2 in Class 2A
Milton # 6 in Class 5A
Centennial # 8 in Class 5A

South Fulton /City of Atlanta:
South Atlanta # 1 in 3A
Westlake # 4 in Class 5A

Weekly Notebook : December 1 - 7, 2008

2008-12-07T23:32:00.011-05:00

While the Atlanta area has been hit by a cold spell the past week, the high school hoops action is definitely warming up across the Metro area. Here a few highlights and notes from across the Metro Area this past week:

McEachern Off to Hot Start

Coming into the season, McEachern did not receive as much pre-season hype as several of the other top teams in Class 5A (namely Wheeler and Norcross). However, the Indians are proving here in the early season that they are certainly the team to beat in Region 5-AAAAA and a legitimate contender for the Class 5A Title. McEachern has exceptional talent (at least five D1 prospects on roster), experience, athleticism, and size. Coach Mike Thompson's squad is 4-0 on the season and has easily defeated their opponent in 3 of the 4 wins. 2010 Standout guard Trae Golden (pictured above) has played very well thus far. He followed up a strong performance on Tuesday night vs. Kennesaw Mountain with a 28 point showing in Friday night's well earned 70-60 win versus Cherokee. Golden is currently open in his recruitment after backing away from the verbal commitment he had previously made to Ohio State at the beginning of his sophomore year.

New Beginnings

The beginning of this season has seen several programs (both established schools and new schools) getting off to surprisingly successful starts. Grayson High School in Gwinnett County is certainly one of the teams. Grayson has struggled badly on the hardwood the past few years. However, this year's squad is 5-1 and has already surpassed last year's win total for the entire season (3). First Year Head Coach Brian Anderson has done a fine job with his club and has received good production out of Seniors guards Justin Coogler and Ben Loudermilk....High Schools in their first year of existence typically struggle in their first couple of years of athletic competition. However, Allatoona High in Cobb County is looking to be anything but typical and they have seen some good early season success, winning 3 of their first 4 contests. Allatoona's Head Coach Markus Hood, who led Hiram High on a Cinderella run to the Class 5A State Final Four last season, is building a fundamentally sound and aggressive team at the new school. Allatoona swept both of their games played over the weekend. Point Guard Jack Wilson (6' 0, PG, 2010) scored 20 pts. in Friday's win over Paulding County and then had a 41 point explosion versus South Paulding on Saturday.

North Hall End's East Hall's Lanierland Tournament Dominance

North Hall High School pulled off a major upset in the opening round of the Annual Lanierland Tournament, knocking off East Hall 98-84. East Hall had previously dominated the Lanierland Tournament, winning the Championship the past six years and 13 of the last 14 years (yes....that is not a typo...13 of the past 14 years!). North Hall certainly is a team to watch out for this year in Class 3A. The Trojans, coached by Benji Wood, play with strong intensity and energy. North Hall Senior Guard Ethan Satterfield (6' 2, Point Guard, 2009) led the Trojans with 17 points in victory. Satterfield is one of the the state's top "sleeper" guards in the senior class. He is a speedy guard who can get to the rack, knock down the jumper, and distribute effectively. Fellow Senior Chase Syfan is also a player to watch on the North Hall squad. The Trojans will face West Hall in the Tournament Semi-Finals on Saturday night. As for East Hall, they have a young and inexperienced team and have experienced some uncharacteristic let downs in the early season. However, you can bet Joseph Dix, who is one of the best High School Coaches in the State, will have his kids back on track and ready to uphold the East Hall tradition of success very soon.

Other Notes:

Fayette County High School, who advanced to last year's Class 4A State Championship game, travelled to Peoria, Illinois last weekend to compete in the Trusted Choice Tournament of Champions. The Tigers went 1-2 during the event, which featured several Nationally ranked teams. However, Fayette Head Coach Andre Flynn was enthusiastic about the trip and felt it was a great experience for his guys to play such excellent competition and bond as a unit. 6' 7 Senior Noel Johnson (Southern Cal signee) was named to the All-Tournament Team as was promising 2011 prospect Malcom Brogdon. Noel Johnson (6' 7, Wing, 2009), who is one of the State's top overall players regardless of class, is a very talented and versatile player who can hurt opponents inside or out. Brogdon(6' 4, Wing, 2011) has had a terrific start to his sophomore campaign after enjoying a strong Fall on the camp circuit. The 6' 4 wing, who set a Tournament record of 17 rebounds while in Illinois, is establishing himself as one of the Peach State's Top Prospects in the Class of 2011 .....Cherokee High School's Michael Kvam (6' 3, CG, 2010)enjoyed a sterling week. He scored 25 points in Cherokee's exciting OT win over Marietta on Tuesday evening, including all of each of his team's 8 points in overtime. He followed up that performance with a another 25 point effort in a tough loss against McEachern on Friday. Kvam has good size for guard spot, can handle the rock, sees the floor well, and can shoot the ball extremely well from the 3. In other words, he has a very well rounded game and most importantly, is always working to improve. Kvam is a certainly a player to keep an eye on in the Class of 2010.

Featured Game: Hillgrove remains Unbeaten

2008-12-03T01:15:00.010-05:00

The Atlanta Roundball Report traveled to West Cobb County on Tuesday night to watch Hillgrove High battle Lassiter High School in a early out-of-region matchup.

Background Info:
While Hillgrove is a new school (only in it’s 3rd year) and not yet a familiar name to some Atlanta area hoops fans, the Hawks have a talented and experienced club which is quickly establishing itself as one of the top AAAA teams in the state. Coach Ed Morris, who formerly was the Head Coach at neighboring McEachern High, has done a fantastic job with the development of the program. Hillgrove advanced to the State Tournament last year in only the school’s second season, and returned virtually every key player from that team which won 19 games. Lassiter returns all of their key players from last year team which played very well down the stretch. Jeremy Morris‘ Trojans could very well earn a playoff bid this season in the state’s toughest region (6-AAAAA).

Game Outcome:
Hillgrove continued their stellar early season play with a 76-62 win over Lassiter. The Hawks improved to 5-0 on the early season and should consider strong consideration for a Top 10 ranking in the next AAAA Coaches Poll. Five seperate players scored in double figures for Hillgrove, led by Darius Baugh's 23 pts. and Millan Rodrigo's 17 pts. The Hawks quickness and defensive pressure was too much for Lassiter to handle this evening.

Our observations from tonight:

Hillgrove has a nice combination of strong guard play, size, and quickness. The received contributions this evening from a number of players at key points in the game.
The two top contributors were Seniors Darius Baugh (6’ 3, SG, 2009) and Millan Rodrigo (6’ 2, CG, 2009). Baugh is an impressive guard who spark plugged Hillgrove’s 2nd half run that broke open the game. In one critical span, he scored a tough transition layup, knocked down a tightly contested three-pointer, and had two acrobatic drives wher e he hit the bucket and was fouled. We were impressed with his aggressiveness and ability to score in traffic. Rodrigo is a physical combo guard with good size and strength. He utilizes a quick a first step to get to the bucket and his strength to finish. On the defensive side, he played good D on Lassiter’s guards (and also on their forwards on several occasions). Rodrigo is an excellent rebounder from the guard spot. Both Baugh and Rodrigo are available Senior prospects that will should receive close looks from College Coaches over the course of the season.
Hillgrove’s 6’ 7 Heath Houston (Forward, 2010) showed glimpses of excellent potential throughout the game. It is that potential that has a number of D1 programs keeping a close eye on the long and athletic prospect. Houston was a definite presence on the defensive end of the floor, recording four blocked shots on the evening. He was hampered by foul trouble throughout the game and eventually picked up his 5th foul with just over two minutes left in the game. Offensively, Houston is a work in progress. At the high school level, he has the sheer size and length to consistently score inside on putbacks and around the rim. However, as is usually the case with bigger players at the high school level, he will need to continue to develop his footwork and moves both with his back to the basket and facing the basket. With that said, Houston certainly has significant upside potential and should be a hot target in the State’s 2010 class.
Another Hillgrove player who impressed was point Guard Kelton Buchanan (5’ 10, PG, 2009). The senior floor leader is quick and plays with a quarterback’s mentality. Offensively, he used demonstrated good passing, and several nice dribble moves into mid range pull ups. Defensively, he played strong on ball defense and forced Lassiter into several direct turnovers.
Lassiter seemed to suffer from some opening game jitters. We got the feeling that this is a good team that had an off-night.
Senior Point Guard Blaise White (5’ 8, PG, 2009) who was an 2nd team All-Cobb selection last season, demonstrated a very good handle and court vision. He is a heady floor leader who is very adept at creating good shot attempts for his teammates. Unfortunately for Lassiter, not enough of those shots were converted this evening. Hillgrove did do an excellent job defensively on White to limit his penetration and scoring opportunities.
Fellow Senior Alex Gilmore (6’ 5, Wing, 2009) is another talented player for Lassiter who happened to also have an off night. He did have moments that showed his capability, as evidenced with a couple of impressive drives and defensive plays. Gilmore has good length and showed the ability to create for himself on several occasions. He has significant upside and should be expected to have a good season.
Lassiter did receive excellent good shooting from two junior wing players. Joey Parry (14 pts. and four three point field goals) and Hutson Mason (13 pts.) both had respective hot streaks from beyond the arc.

Up Next:

Lassiter (0-1) will play Sprayberry this coming Friday night while Hillgrove (5-0) will look to extend their winning streak as they take on Lithia Springs.

Poll Result: Wheeler Pre-Season Class 5A Favorite

2008-11-25T12:16:00.002-05:00

Our first fan poll is now concluded. We asked readers who their pre-season choice was to win the Class AAAAA State Championship?

Obviousley, pre-season polls have little significance. Victories (and eventually Championships) are decided on the court. However it always fun to gauge who the basketball community feels is the "team to beat".

The results: Wheeler was the clear favorite in the poll, securing 45% of the votes. Finishing in 2nd place was the three-time defending Champs Norcross, with 19% of the votes. Walton and "Any other team" were tied in 3rd place with 13% of the votes each. Westlake got 7%, Milton 6%, and McEachern 5%.

Time shall tell......

Weekly Notebook : Full Game Action Tips Off

2008-11-24T00:47:00.007-05:00

The first official week of the 2008-09 Georgia high school basketball season in in the books. While a number of teams elected to take the extra week of practice and will not play their first games until the coming week (or even December in some cases); a large number of programs got the ball rolling with tournament games and non-region matchups.

Below are some of top performances, notables, and observations from Week 1 Action:

If the first game was any indication of the type of season Malcolm Jackson is going to have in 08-09, then it is going to be a terrific one. The 6’ 1 Senior Guard from Sandy Creek High School dropped 40 points in their opening win over Class AA #1 Greater Atlanta Christian at the Parkview Tip-Off Classic. Jackson shot the lights out , hitting six treys and going 12-14 from the charity stripe. Take into account his effort with that of teammate Emerson Williams’ 23 points and the duo combined for 63 points. That is a heck of a combo scoring wise at the high school level…..Miller Grove and GA Tech signee Mfon Udofia opened up what should be a stellar Senior campaign with 27 points in a 94-56 blowout win over East Coweta …Miller Grove and Sandy Creek will matchup in the Semi’s of the Parkview Tournament on Monday night….Two Gwinnett teams (Berkmar and Wesleyan) who were very strong last season but were expected to struggle somewhat this year both surprised with their play in week 1. Berkmar came out on knocked off a talented Peachtree Ridge team in OT and then turned around beat Kell to start 2-0. Seniors Nick Henry and Aamir Kelliehan stepped up with good play for Berkmar Coach Tommy McWorter. The Wesleyan School, who won the Class AA State Championship last year, only returns a couple of players who logged any significant court time in last season’s title run. However, that didn’t seem to bother the team much as they stepped onto Parkview’s home court and won a thriller 56-55 over the Class AAAAA opponent. 2010 Shooting Guard Griffin Schamp had a real nice game, capping off his 26 point performance by hitting the winning bucket in the game’s final seconds……Loganville is a Team to Watch in Class AAAA. They are strong fundamental squad led by Head Coach Joel Colley, have good depth, and very solid guard play. They pounded Tri-Cities in their opener at the Parkview Tournament. Senior Guard Tyler Gunnett (who led them with 18 pts.) is an intelligent, well rounded player with a good looking stroke….Loganville will face Wesleyan in the other Semi-Final of the Parkview Tourney…..Name to remember - Pebblebrook Freshman Damien Wilson. The Class of 2012 rookie scored 22 points in his first high school game for the Cobb County school (which was a 69-56 victory over Druid Hills)…..Terreco Stephens has gotten off to a very hot start for Therrell H.S.. He scored 42 points versus Cedar Grove in the opener and followed up that with a 28 point performance versus Towers H.S.. Both games were victories for Therrell….Milton H.S. might be young, but they have are very talented and showed a preview of the potential they have with a lopsided win over Brookwood at the Chestatee Tip-off Tournament. Milton Coach David Boyd, who has four State Titles under his belt, must be very excited about this group….. As for the State’s College Basketball action: Major props go out to the Mercer University program. What a week the Atlantic Sun Program had. First they upset SEC teams Alabama and Auburn on the road. Then they a lose a very closely contested OT game to GA Tech (which they had a chance to win in regulation’s final seconds). Mercer’s First Year Head Coach Bob Hoffman seems to really have the Bears on the right track and it should be interesting to see if they can keep up the strong play in A-Sun Conference Play. Former Wheeler standout James Florence stepped up huge for Mercer in the all three games, averaging 25 PPG in the stretch….Shorter College picked up a nice early season 77-61 win over Auburn University-Montgomery on Saturday evening. Auburn-Montgomery came into the game ranked #21 Nationally in NAIA…..After a opening OT win versus cross town rival Emory Univ. earlier in the week , Oglethorpe Univ. went up to Philadelphia, PA this weekend and won the Equinox Tip-off Classic. Phil Ponder's Oglethorpe team is now 3-0 on the young season.

Eddie Martin Gets Win in GAC Opener

2008-11-19T09:58:00.004-05:00

Eddie Martin was coaching a different squad, for a different school last night; but he picked up right where he left off in last year's finale, with a victory. The highly accomplished coach, who led Norcross High to the past three Class AAAAA Georgia State championships is now leading the charge for Greater Atlanta Christian (GAC). GAC opened up their season last night with a hard fought 72-65 victory over a tough Dacula High team.

GAC Junior Trent Wiedeman (2010, 6' 6, Forward) was steadily effective on the offensive end throughout the evening, scoring 22 pts. Wiedman also played a significant role in preventing Dacula big man and UNC-Greensboro Signee Brian Cole (2009, 6' 9, Forward) from having a big evening. The Spartans played excellent team defense on Cole, doubling down on him in the post and then recovering out on the Dacula shooters. This strategy allowed GAC to enjoy comfortable lead pretty much throughout the game, including a 17 point advantage near the end of the 3rd quarter. However, Dacula increased their own defensive pressure to jump start a thunderous 4th quarter rally that cut the GAC lead to three points with just under two minutes to play. Dacula Seniors Matt Marseille (2009, 6' 5, Wing) and Darius Holloway (2009, 6' 0, Guard) played key roles in the rally. Marseille, who is an athletic and versatile 6'5 wing, had 11 points in the 4th quarter and was very active on the defensive end. Holloway contributed 8 fourth quarter points in the rally.

However, GAC settled down and withstood Dacula's charge, knocking down several key free throws in the final 90 seconds to secure the hard fought win. In addition to Wiedman, GAC also got solid production out of Senior Taylor Metzger (2009, 6' 2, Guard) with 13 points, as well as 12 each from Eric Rivers (2011) and Elliot Long (2010).

Dacula was led by Matt Marseille's 21 points. Marseille is an available senior that College Coaches should keep a close eye on. He has alot of upside potential at the wing position. Brian Cole finished with a solid 17 point and 9 rebound evening while Holloway also added 14 points for Dacula.

Florence Lead's Mercer's Upset of Alabama

2008-11-17T17:12:00.006-05:00

For the second consecutive year, Mercer University knocked off a Major Conference Program in an early season game. Last year it was Southern Cal which was led by Super Frosh OJ Mayo. This season, it was the SEC's University of Alabama, with the Bears pulling off a 72-69 win. Several Metro Atlanta products played big roles in this game, but none more than Mercer's James Florence (graduate of Wheeler High) . The 6' 1 Point Guard, who led Mercer with 23 points, dished out the assist for the go ahead basket with 13 seconds left. He then stole the ensuing entry pass and was fouled, where he went to the line and knocked down both free throws. "Flo" did not shoot the ball well from the field, but as is usually the case, he got to the free throw line on good penetration and capitalized on 11 of 14 attempts. Norcross High graduate (and Western Kentucky transfer) Daniel Emerson also had a big day for Mercer, scoring 18 points on 7 of 10 from the field. Mercer will have another shot at a Major Program on Wednesday evening, as they face off against Auburn.

Walton Dominates Sprayberry in Scrimmage

2008-11-13T23:25:00.005-05:00

While the regular season is just right around the corner, many teams are utilizing the one pre-season scrimmage the GHSA allows to tune up for the real deal. This evening, we swung over to Sprayberry High School in Marietta to check out the scrimmage between Walton and Sprayberry.

Walton is considered by many to be one of the top AAAAA teams in the state, and some have even suggested Coach Joe Goydish's team to be a possible candidate to dethrone Wheeler as the King of Region 6. The Raiders certainly lived up to the pre-season hype on Thursday evening. Despite playing without Star Senior and Georgia Tech signee Glen Rice Jr., (who sat out with a minor injury) Walton dominated a young Sprayberry team from the from the jump. Class of 2010 PG Ryan Harrow, who was not eligible to play in 07-08 due to mid season move in from North Carolina, was terrific in his Peach State debut. The ultra quick guard completely dominated with a variety of acrobatic scoring drives, long jumpers, pretty assists, and a sick handle. For all the fans who have not seen this kid play yet, you are in for a real treat.

After a strong Fall on the Camp circuit, 2010 Wing G'Mitri Rice came out looking real good. He had a thunderous dunk right off the bat, and blocked close to 6 shots in the first half alone. The ultra athletic wing plays much bigger than his height, and demonstrated an improved jumper when the defense played off him. The supporting cast for Walton looked really solid and meshed well as a unit. All in all, this Walton team has the potential to be very good this year.

As for Sprayberry, Coach Marc Carver has a very young squad who will improve each game out. Four of their top six players are sophomores (2011 players). The team was without senior guard Bradley Grayson, who had to sit due to an ankle injury. Two of their 2011 players demonstrated good potential this evening. Point Guard Roger Hubbard is a young talent to keep an eye on, as is fellow 6' 6 sophomore forward Chevelan Pearson.

Want To Recommend a Prospect?

2008-11-13T17:36:00.004-05:00

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2008-09 Season Key Dates Calendar

2008-11-13T13:05:00.003-05:00

Key Dates for 2008-09 Georgia High School Basketball

November

Nov. 15 First Date allowed for GHSA Games
Nov. 20-25 Berkmar Tip-Off Classic
Nov. 22-25 Parkview Tip-Off Classic
Nov. 22-29 South Forsyth Turkey Shootout
Nov. 29 Elite Eight Shootout at Georgia State

December

Dec. 13 Wheeler 's Wildcat Shootout
Dec. 19-22 Savannah Holiday Classic
Dec. 20 SEBA Hoop Festival at Cobb Civic Center
Dec. 20 Wilkinson County Classic
Dec. 27- 30 Powerade/North Gwinnett Tournament
Dec. 26-29 Mays High Memphis vs. Atlanta Shootout
Dec. 26-30 Cass/Century Bank Holiday Hoop Fest
Dec. 26-29 Chargers Christmas Hooptacular
Dec. 27-30 Deep South Classic
Dec. 27-30- St. Pius Christmas Classic
Dec. 27-30 Campbell Holiday Classic
Dec. 27-30 Chattahoochee Holiday Tournament
Dec. 29-31 Sweet South Classic at Morgan County H.S.

January
Jan. 3 Hoops in Overdrive at Kennesaw State
Jan. 19 Centennial MLK Classic
Jan. 23-24 Marriott/Norcross Shootout

February

Feb. 16-21 Region Tournaments
Feb. 27-28 1st Round State Playoffs

March

March 3-4 2nd Round State Playoffs
March 6-7 Quarterfinals State Playoffs
March 11-13 Final Four State Playoffs
March 13-14 State Championship Games

Welcome to the Site

2008-11-11T23:45:00.001-05:00

The Atlanta Roundball Report is pleased to announce the launch of our new blog. This site will feature items of interest from the world of Metro Atlanta High School Basketball. Please bookmark this site and visit on a regular basis for player features, team profiles, event reviews, basketball articles, and more.