SEBA Atlanta Hoop Festival Schedule

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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 )

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

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

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?

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

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

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.