Monday, December 22, 2008

2008 SEBA Atlanta Hoop Festival Recap

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.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

2008 Holiday Tournaments

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)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Weekend Game Preview

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

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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

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.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Poll : Which County is Tops?

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

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Weekly Notebook : December 1 - 7, 2008


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.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Featured Game: Hillgrove remains Unbeaten

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.