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January 2007
Who are the state’s top coaches?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
During the fall, AJC High opened and we picked from a pool of the 10 best football coaches to bring us immediate success. Well, it’s basketball season and we need boys and girls titles to go with that football championship.
We have combed the state, asking athletic directors, coaches and other sportswriters for their suggestions on two coaching hires. We came up with what we believe is a solid list of the best coaches out there. We list them in alphabetical order.
AJC Take Ten has made its list, but who do you think are the top coaches?
Girls
Jan Azar, Wesleyan: With three straight state titles on her resume, Azar has built a powerhouse program at the Gwinnett County school. She seems to get the most out of the talent she has and does a good job of developing that talent.
Garrett Black, Greenbrier: Described as the consummate coach, he is the son of a long-time Augusta area coach. He also has a softball title on his resume. Black has built the Wolfpack into a contender with pressure defense and transition scoring. Plus, his team wins with 5-foot-9 players in the post.
Alvin Copeland, Northeast-Macon: He is sort of an icon in the middle Georgia area. He’s won five state championships. Each year, his teams seem to be somewhere in the mix come playoff time.
Johnny Farmer, Fannin Co.: He has a couple state titles at a school that seems to get overlooked. With a miminum talent base, Farmer always seems to have his teams in contention. Farmer’s teams always seem to play a team-oriented style with good offensive execution.
Sheryl Fowler, Hillgrove: It should come as no surprise that the first-year Cobb County school has experienced a great deal of success. Fowler built a respected program at McEachern that reached the state playoffs the last nine seasons. She made some good hires for assistant coaches and helped staff the lower programs that will ensure continued success.
Dave LaBarrie, Heritage: He is credited with building Stone Mountain into a state contender during his 14 years at the school. LaBarrie left with a state title and as DeKalb County’s all-time winningest girls’ coach. He is starting to build the foundation for a dormant Hertitage program that has only one state playoff appearance in its history.
Wendell Lofton, Hephzibah: Lofton’s crowning moment came when his 2005 team went unbeaten and won the Class AAA title. Prior to that, Lofton had several finals appearance in AAAA. Each year, he graduates some good players, but his team is back in the playoff mix.
Ashley Phillips, Mill Creek: Talk about building from scratch, Phillips started the program at the Gwinnett County school. Mill Creek is a serious contender in Class AAAA. They are the only program in the state this season to give top-ranked Collins Hill a serious challenge.
Dennis Watkins, Stephenson: Each year the Jaguars graduate a talented senior class, but seem to have more talent waiting in the wings. Stephenson plays an unselfish style of ball and aggressive pressure defense. Watkins has built a respected program at the Stone Mountain school. He is also one of the best-dressed coaches in the state.
Jim Waller, Landmark Christian: Success has seemed to follow him at ever stop. He won three titles at Woodward while coaching a national player of the year. He built a solid foundation at Sandy Creek and won the region championship last season in his first year at Landmark Christian, which is the top-ranked team in Class A this season.
Boys
Courtney Brooks, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy: Some would argue that he has had two McDonald’s All-Americans to help win a pair of state titles. Dwight Howard and Javaris Crittenton will be the first to tell you that Brooks is a big reason for their success on and off the court. He gets credit for player development and putting the team in a position to be successful.
Scott Bracco, Dunwoody: Since taking over at the school, the Wildcats have been a consistent playoff contender. He jelled the talents of several players and they bought into his system. Bracco does a good job of preparation, which is a big reason the Wildcats have two consecutive state titles.
Russell Ellington, Beach: A living legend in the state. This marks the 40th anniversary of leading the Savannah school to its only GHSA title. He has coached on all levels and been successful. Ellington was the first African-American coach in the state to win a GHSA title in any sport.
Aaron Geter, Wilkinson County: He is another one of those coaches who knows what to do with talent. The Warriors are a consistent playoff contender. Geter, a pretty solid college player at Mercer, has a few state titles on his resume.
Doug Lipscomb, Wheeler: You can’t argue with success, and he has been super successful at the Cobb County school. Wheeler players buy into Lipscomb’s system. Wheeler travels around the country and has a lot of success against some of the top programs in the nation. Wheeler has four state titles under Lipscomb.
Eddie Martin, Norcross: He had some respectable teams during his tenure at Brookwood. Despite a lack of abundant talent, the Broncos were playoff contenders with one final four appearance. Martin has adjusted his coaching style to fit the talent at Norcross, which won state last year and was a finalist in 2005.
Milt Travis, Buford: Each year the Wolves graduate a solid team, but when you look up, the school is back in the final four. Buford usually gets a late start on the season because of the football success, but sticks around pretty deep in the basketball season.
Ray Tucker, Armuchee: Tucker had a good run at Calhoun before moving on to Armuchee. He has over 500 wins and numerous state titles.
Sharman White, Miller Grove: He is one of the young and promising coaches in the state. He rebuilt the program at Atlanta’s Carver High and led them to a finals appearance three years ago. He is starting to build a state-contender program at this DeKalb County school.
Carter Wilson, Decatur: There might not be a better bench coach in the state. He has not yet won a state title, but has lead Tucker and Decatur into the finals. He has served as mentor to several young coaches in the state.
Permalink | Comments (66) | Post your comment | Categories: Take Ten
Be responsible - it can mean life or death
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is about all teenagers as much as it is about high school athletes. This is about responsibility. This is about life and death.
Too often we read about young athletes with apparently bright futures who are killed in car accidents. The most recent tragedy on January 20 — Jackson wide receiver John Keye, who was going to sign with Kentucky — sounds the alarm again for the need for parents and coaches, teachers and administrators to stress to our kids the significance of doing what is right behind the wheel.
In Keye’s sad case, he and his girlfriend apparently were eating while driving — and not wearing their seatbelts. They ended up in a one-car accident in which they were thrown from the vehicle.
Over the Christmas break, former W.D. Muhammad star swimmer Luqman El-Amin died in a one-car accident after attending a game with his alma mater and Decatur High. And on and on.
Yearly, there are these stories that tug the heart, each of them almost always are the result of speeding, talking on cellphones, horsing around or some other act that can be described as irresponsible.
Obviously, more kids than not get to and fro with no problem. Most show they understand how dangerous driving can be.
But with a 15-year-old daughter, I know already my position will be to every day without fail remind, implore, beg her to be responsible behind the wheel.
Kids believe they are invincible, even as they mourn the loss of a classmate. They do not believe it could happen to them.
Well, it can, and not only is it critical that the adults hammer home the notion of defensive driving and responsibility at the helm of a car — it’s life and death.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Take 10: Ten who need to relax
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GHSA: Please relax and quietly dispose of the rule allowing state championship football games to end in a tie. You say it’s a sportsmanship issue, but why does beating someone in overtime make you a poor sport? It’s time to relax the rule. Pretty please.
The infatuation with recruiting: How many times and different ways can you report Cameron Heyward hasn’t decided where he’s going to college?
Cameron Heyward: The pressure of being the state’s biggest uncommitted recruit may be starting to get to the big fellow. He became sick over the weekend and had to cut his visit to Georgia short. No word on whether it was something he ate in Athens or a glimpse of the Vanderbilt game film that made him ill.
Irrational Parent: “My son’s the best back-up holder in the county. I just don’t understand why he’s not getting looked at. And how come he hasn’t got any coverage?”
Parents of Minnesota high school wrestlers: They can take a sigh of relief now that the state has suspended competition until Feb. 6, after an outbreak of herpes infected 24 wrestlers on 10 teams.
The Bears fans who held up a sign that read, “Bears finishing what Katrina started” during the NFC Championship Game: Why don’t you guys go relax in Baghdad? Go Colts.
Over-dramatic home-team announcer: “Pitch goes back to Brown. He heads left, cuts up the field. FINDS A CREASE … HE COULD … OH. Two yards.”
Maya Moore: Relax … take it easy on the girls, Maya. We’d like to have some kind of drama at the state tournament. Luckily, Gwinnett County’s leader in points, rebounds and steals is worth the price of admission on her own.
Irate golf guy: You can spot him by simply listening for a rant about the bad break he got on the shank he hit out of bounds or by looking up in the air for flying clubs, after a missed putt ruins his sparkling round of 116.
10, O.J. Mayo: Why would the nation’s No. 1 basketball recruit, who has been called “the best guard since LeBron James, engage in a trash-talking session that got him kicked out the game? Mayo received two technical fouls and made contact with a referee, sending the official to the floor. On fuzzy video, the ref’s fall appears exaggerated. But, young Mayo, you’re headed to L.A. next year and will instantly become the biggest star at USC. Just relax.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: David Purdum, Take Ten: GWX
Favors has upward trajectory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At 6 feet 7-1/2, with arms as long as skis and footwork like a tap dancer, Derrick Favors received many an underhanded offer to transfer from South Atlanta. He refused, which says a lot about the character of this 15-year-old basketball meteor.
Instead of even considering the overtures, Favors held firm to his convictions.
“I wanted to stay in my community,” he said. “And with my friends.”
It’s OK to applaud such devotion.
While you’re doing that, cheer his immense talent and potential, too. In his first game after missing two because of an elbow infection, Favors did not have to show too much in the Hornets’ pedestrian 78-69 victory at Towers on Tuesday night.
But he displayed enough to confirm why he is considered among the top two or three sophomores in the nation.
He scored on deft moves in the post over much smaller opponents and showed keen timing in rejecting a handful of shots. Truthfully, it was not an inspired effort, but it was enough to help South Atlanta raise its record to 17-4.
Favors is favored to be the AJC player of year come 2009. In between now and then, he’s going to dazzle with inside maneuvers, sweet 15-foot jump shots and power dunks.
Ask him if he patterns his game after the NBA’s Tim Duncan, whose footwork is at the heart of his low-post dominance, Favors offered a polite, “No. Amare Stoudemire.”
Fair enough. But, truth be told, Favors — who is being recruited by Georgia Tech, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Clemson, et al. — has to get stronger and become more aggressive to ascend to Stoudemire’s level, which surely he has the potential to do.
Michael Reddick is perhaps the only coach who can look Favors eye-to-eye, and he would put his player up man-for-man against anyone around. “Senior, junior, whatever,” Reddick said. “He’s just a great kid with great character. A good student and a great player. He’s been working out with me since the eighth grade, so I’ve seen the development.”
The development of South’s program could have been stunted this year, but Reddick and his staff have held it together. Their school is being renovated, so the team has been displaced all the way to Perry Boulevard in northwest Atlanta — 20 miles from home.
They are forced to catch MARTA for an hour-plus journey home after practice. “It’s not easy,” Favors said, “but we do it.”
Reddick has found the inconvenience to be a vehicle for his team uniting. “Because they catch the bus home so late together, they have bonded so closely,” he said. “We’d rather it be a normal situation, but I think it will help us in the long run.”
As long as Favors is healthy, it stands to reason South Atlanta will make a long run in the state tournament. Reddick, who lost four players with the move away from the original school, can rely on guard Deron Durham, who increased his scoring average by 11 points from last year to 14.
There’s also Michael Nance, the point guard and floor leader, Robert Jones, who averages nine rebounds after barely playing on JV last year, and Bernard Kelly, a 6-3 “pure athlete” whose energy ignites the team.
“It’s not just me; we have a good team,” Favors said. “I think we can — as long was we stay focused. That’s why I’m here. To win it for my community.”
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Metro Atlanta dominating on the court
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Almost yearly, there is a great debate that expands the entire state: which part of Georgia plays the best football?
The folks from middle and south Georgia make compelling arguments for their regions. Metro Atlanta does likewise. In the end, there hardly is a confirmed answer.
But there is a definitive answer on the same question about basketball. It’s the Atlanta area by a landslide.
Of the 10 combined classifications between boys and girls, a team from these parts holds the No. 1 spot in seven. And in the three polls a team from Atlanta does not hold the top position, there are three in the top 10.
Of course, this is not to say there are not talented players and teams all over Georgia. That’s the beauty of prep hoops; a team like Beach can come up here in the state tournament and show itself to be full of talented athletes led by good coaches.
Remember the recent run Randolph-Clay had of a mind-boggling state-record 90 straight wins before Javaris Crittenton and Southwest Atlanta Christian stopped it in the state semifinals last year?
So, the talent is spread throughout Georgia. But unlike football, there is no debate about where the strength of the sport lies — in metro Atlanta.
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Girls - Fab Frosh
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s my all-freshman team for Gwinnett:
Caroline Adams, F, Providence: Could break Becca Lightfoot’s records
Lauren Coleman, F, Parkview: Excellent rebounder
Briana Jordan, G, Greater Atlanta Christian: Extremely quick, has star potential
Aysia McKenzie, G, Wesleyan: Good distributor sees floor well
Chaney Means, G, Greater Atlanta Christian: Strong athlete with nice pullup jumper
What do you think of my choices? Who did I leave out?
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GSWA Basketball Poll: Jan. 30
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Only 13 more days left until the region tournaments begin and several teams are beginning to make their presence known. Marietta is no longer flying under the radar. A 17-point win over Wheeler was what the Blue Devils needed to bolt to No. 8 in this week’s Class AAAAA poll. The Blue Devils will get a big test tonight (Tuesday) when they take on a surging Harrison squad that has already beaten Marietta once this season. Another hot team is Centennial, which enters the rankings at No. 9 after wins over ranked teams Milton and Chattahoochee. On the girls’ side, Westlake rides an eight-game winning streak to the No. 8 ranking in AAAA. North Cobb’s girls are also on a hot streak with wins over ranked McEachern and Marietta.
Who’s hot, who’s not - you tell us. Submit your comments below.
Georgia Sportswriters Association Basketball Poll
(Number in parenthesis is first place votes)
Girls
Class AAAAA
1: Collins Hill (9)
2: Stephenson
3: South Gwinnett
4: Mill Creek
5: McEachern
6: Campbell
7: Marietta
8: Berkmar
9: North Cobb
10: Warner Robins
Others receiving votes: Etowah, Camden County, Morrow, Beach, Sprayberry..
Class AAAA
1: St. Pius (6)
2: Greenbrier (2)
3: Northside-Warner Robins (1)
4: Mays
5: Marist
6: Clarke Central
7: Dalton
8: Westlake
9: Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe
10: Cherokee
Others receiving votes: Westside-Macon, North Clayton, Sequoyah, Jonesboro, Jones County.
Class AAA
1: Southwest-Macon (7)
2: Carrollton (2)
3: Kendrick
4: East Hall
5: Hephzibah
6: Hardaway
7: Worth Co.
8: Towers
9: Franklin Co.
10: Sandy Creek
Others receiving votes: Northeast-Macon, Liberty Co., Dougherty, West Laurens.
Class AA
1: Greater Atlanta Christian (8)
2: Avondale
3: Randolph-Clay (1)
4: Wesleyan
5: McIntosh County Academy
6: Laney
7: Rutland
8: Screven Co.
9: Paideia
10: Armuchee
Others receiving votes: Model, Dodge Co., Lafayette.
Class A
1: Landmark Christian (9)
2: Southwest Atlanta Christian
3: Calhoun Co.
4: Calvary Day
5: Bowdon
6: Hancock Central
7: Truetlen
8: Hebron Christian
9: Savannah Country Day
10: Hawkinsville
Others receiving votes: St. Francis, Greenville, Towns Co., Gordon Lee, Jefferson, Lincoln Co., Echols Co., Portal.
Boys
Class AAAAA
1: Norcross (9)
2: Meadowcreek
3: Beach
4: Peachtree Ridge
5: Wheeler
6: McEachern
7: Tri-Cities
8: Marietta
9: Centennial
10: Camden Co.
Others receiving votes: Johnson-Savannah, Chattahoochee.
Class AAAA
1: Columbia (10)
2: Cedar Shoals
3: Tucker
4: Cherokee
5: Lithia Springs
6: Stone Mountain
7: Riverdale
8: Fayette Co.
9: North Clayton
10: Stockbridge
Others receiving votes: Westlake, Jonesboro, Greenbrier, Ware Co., Pebblebrook, Miller Grove.
Class AAA
1: Dunwoody (9)
2: East Hall
3: Southside
4: Carver-Columbus
5: Hart Co.
6: Jordan
7: Northside-Columbus
8: Glenn Hills and South Atlanta (tie)
10: Washington Co. and Westover (tie)
Others receiving votes: Northeast-Macon, Monroe-Albany, Franklin Co., Burke Co.
Class AA
1: Thomasville (9)
2: Buford
3: Swainsboro
4: Randolph-Clay
5: Decatur
6: Wesleyan
7: Coosa
8: Dodge Co.
9: Darlington
10: Manchester
Others receiving votes: Dawson Co., Appling Co., Tattnall Co., Josey, Union Co.
Class A
1: Wilkinson Co. (9)
2: Calvary Day
3: Whitefield Academy
4: Turner Co.
5: Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy
6: Wilcox Co.
7: Providence Christian
8: Taylor Co.
9: Jefferson
10: St. Francis
Others receiving votes: Bremen, Hancock Central, Trion, Chattahoochee Co., Portal, Aquinas, Hawkinsville.
Note: This list compiled by Derrick Mahone each week from GSWA voting results
With many of the ranked teams meeting this week, there is bound to be a big shakeup in next week’s rankings. What’s your take on this week’s poll? Who is being overlooked? Who shouldn’t be here at all? Who’s got game? Who’s got lame? Hoops talk starts now.
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Who’s No. 1? Let the debate begin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He blogs about statewide preps, whether you like it or not.
It’ll never happen, but wouldn’t it be something to have an all-classification champion in basketball?
Depth plays such a critical role in football, where teams with deeper rosters can use them to wear down thinner teams with several players working both sides of the ball. But there’s much less disparity between the deepest rosters and the thinnest in basketball.
One star player makes a huge difference. Two working in tandem can put a program on par with the state’s best.
That’s why a few years ago, Southwest Atlanta Christian — a powerhouse among the smallest schools in the state — could hold its own with anybody from Class AAAAA on down. It had one future NBA star, Dwight Howard, and another who appears well on the way in Javaris Crittenton.
That’s why there’s a spirited debate among who the state’s best is right now. Is it Class AAAAA’s top dog, Norcross, with Gani Lawal and Al-Farouq Aminu? Or is it Class AAAA’s runaway No. 1, Columbia, with Lance Storrs and Jeremy Price?
Could Wheeler, a stunning 71-54 loser to Marietta over the weekend, still be a part of the argument, given its three AAAAA championships over the past five years? And what of Dunwoody (AAA), Thomasville (AA) and Wilkinson County (A), consensus No. 1s in the smallest three classes?
If you can have separate championships in wrestling - first for duals, then for traditional - it would seem a small thing to tack on an extra weekend for an all-classification basketball throwdown. But don’t hold your breath waiting for it.
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Recruiting: How much is too much?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Johnny Notalent just received a phone call from a friend who is on the team at Tech State Junior College. He said that he told his coach about Johnny and thinks T.S.J.C. is going to ask him to walk-on. Alert the press.
AJC.com’s recruiting blog just got 10,000 more hits.
People eat recruiting stuff up, and I’m not sure why.
As head of the Bob Stoops fan club, of course, I’m interested in who’s going to be the next Adrian Peterson. And I also enjoy knowing where the local high school athletes are headed. But talk about overkill.
Recruiting web sites have become big business, and they’re scary good at getting kids to call them first. A couple writers at this week’s Senior Bowl suggested dot.com’s are too good at breaking the news, insinuating that gifts and or “donations” might be exchanging hands.
Personally, I think the recruiting sites are just outworking everyone and aren’t ashamed to bother a teenager every day all day. But I wouldn’t put it past an overzealous reporter to do whatever it takes to make sure Johnny Notalent calls them first with his decision to de-commit from T.S.J.C. Miss too many big stories like that one and your job could be at risk.
So who’s at fault, if anyone? As long as there is a massive interest in recruiting, the media will attempt to provide the information. But how much is too much? Is there anything wrong with the interest or coverage of recruiting?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: David Purdum
Norcross-Columbia? Let’s make it happen
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are only two weeks left in the regular season, and then the fun begins. The playoffs will be unfolding across the state, finishing with the crowning of 10 state champions.
If you are a true basketball fan, you love to see the best teams battle. It is a shame that the state’s two premier teams will not meet this season.
As Norcross enters as the heavy favorite to win the AAAAA title, Columbia will be going for the big trophy in AAAA. Twice they’ve played in the same showcases on national television — once at Georgia Tech, and again at Norcross in the PrimeTime Shootout.
Under the same roof. On the same court. But unfortunately, not in the same game.
Since the schools can’t add a game to their schedule this late, a better suggestion would be to ditch one of their remaining contests to make room for the ultimate throwdown.
Norcross has three regular season games left against North Forsyth (Tuesday), Mill Creek (Friday) and Duluth (Feb. 9). The nationally ranked Blue Devils have outscored those teams 248-108 in earlier matchups.
Columbia’s remaining schedule is Washington (Friday), St. Pius (Feb. 6) and Marist (Feb. 9). The nationally ranked Eagles beat Washington 56-31 earlier and have yet to play St. Pius and Marist.
Friday seems like a good date for both. Let Mill Creek, which lost 84-51 to Norcross earlier, play Washington in the opener of a doubleheader featuring Norcross and Columbia. The four teams should get together quickly, settle on a location and get it on.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Fastbreak
‘Good guys reap rewards’ with Wilson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
His team is 17-3, but Carter Wilson refuses to get giddy. The Decatur boys basketball coach has been around long enough to know that his players adopt his disposition, so he remains as determined as ever in the hope that his team continues to build on a pretty special season.
Decatur surprised many last season by advancing to the state tournament quarterfinals. And once again, the Bulldogs have produced a team that has the ability to make a strong postseason run. This is a surprise to Wilson.
A reshuffling put Decatur in a region with Wesleyan, Buford and Greater Atlanta Christian, among others, forcing Wilson to expect a difficult season for the Bulldogs. Instead, Wilson has gotten his team to mesh and perform at a level that makes it a viable title contender.
“It’s very rewarding for two reasons,” Wilson said. “One, because of the record. But two, because this team has the best chemistry of any team I’ve coached. So to see them get the payoff is great. It’s good to see the good guys reap the rewards.”
There are more rewards to be had, which is why Wilson remains steadfast in the prodding of his team.
“Really, I tell my team all the time we have not scratched the surface of what we can become,” he said. “We’re winning, but we haven’t reached our potential. And that’s what keeps me going — keeps us going.”
Wilson and his staff mixed in five newcomers with eight returning players in a way that has been seamless. The new players came up from junior varsity, having practiced with the varsity much of last season.
“We’ve mixed and matched in a way that makes sense to us and to the kids,” Wilson said.
Now, Decatur can function under the duress of close games. Last year, the Bulldogs had difficulties winning in the final moments.
This season, in the crucial, tight moments, Decatur has been tougher.
“I don’t know if it’s maturity or not,” Wilson said. “But we have closed games much better. We’ve made plays that we just didn’t make last year.”
And a team that functions well in the waning moments stands a good chance of being formidable come tournament time, especially when it has the senior leadership. Decatur has Jerron Stone.
Stone was Decatur’s most dynamic player last season, according to Wilson, but he came off the bench because he had trouble with consistency. Now, Stone is rock solid.
“He’s matured a lot on the court,” Wilson said. “He believes he can score, and he’s going out and making the plays. And the way we play, he’s got to score.”
Stone, Sam Shew, Danny Cortase, Josh Collington and David Hooten are the Bulldogs’ seniors who will play tonight on the program’s “Senior Night.” And they should do so with their chests expanded, for they represent a Decatur program that has blossomed during their time.
“They have done the program proud and can feel good about being a part of a great Decatur basketball legacy,” the coach said. “They can reflect on the program and feel like they were a part of something special.”
Just how special will be determined soon.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Gimme Five: Best-ever hoopsters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t look now, but Gwinnett County, once known exclusively as a football hotbed, has become a must-stop for major Division I basketball programs as well.
The county is enjoying a Golden Age in the sport, currently rivaling it on some levels with such fabled places as New York City, Detroit, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., as breeding grounds for outstanding basketball talents.
Defending Class AAAAA state champion and nationally ranked Norcross is currently at the top of the pecking order, but Peachtree Ridge and Meadowcreek stand as some of the state’s best as well.
Great players abound all over, as more people flock to the county and the quality of coaching remains on the rise. Norcross’ Al-Farouq Aminu and Central Gwinnett’s Richard Howell are among the next crop of future Division I stars.
The county has produced some of the state’s top players in recent years, most of whom can be found playing on TV on any given night.
No disrespect intended for some of the older players who may have come through years ago, but here’s my take on the five best players to ever hail from Gwinnett County. Tell me what you guys think.
1: Louis Williams - Yeah, he’s not doing a whole lot these days with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, but the former South Gwinnett star is the ONLY Gwinnett player to have reached the league. The explosive shooting guard was virtually unstoppable as a senior at South, earning All-American honors and leading the Comets to the 2004 state title. He was always a highlight waiting to happen. Skipped college altogether before being selected by the Sixers in the second round (45th overall) of the 2005 draft.
2: Jodie Meeks - The state’s 2006 Player of the Year is now starring as a key freshman reserve at Kentucky. The 6-5 guard displayed a great feel for the game in helping lift the Blue Devils to the school’s first state crown last spring. A team player first and foremost, Meeks could play either guard spot and defend virtually any position on the floor.
3: Mike Mercer - Much like Scottie Pippen never received the kind of love he deserved while playing Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman, Mercer was never really appreciated by the public as much as he should have been. A rangy 6-4 point guard with great athleticism and court vision, he could dominate games on either end. Offensively, he was a tough guard for smaller point guards and able to get to the rim whenever he felt like it. He was a one-man wrecking crew defensively, able to wreak havoc on opposing offenses with his quickness and long arms. Now starring at Georgia.
4: Chris Allen - Meadowcreek’s smooth 6-4 shooting guard and Michigan State signee just might be the best shooter in the nation and would be a very welcome addition to the Spartans right now. Nobody boasts more range and the physically-gifted Allen comes with a nasty cross-over as well. Has only helped his stock by showcasing his ability to play point guard as well this winter. Allen made the prestigious Team USA U-18 team last summer that won the gold medal in the U-18 Men’s Tournament in San Antonio. The NBA beckons.
5: Tony Akins - The left-handed former Berkmar star was a shooter in a point guard body, but few did it better than this 6-foot dynamo. Akins had few rivals while starring for the Patriots and went on to enjoy a brilliant career at Georgia Tech, earning All-ACC honors as senior. Has made a variety of stops playing professional basketball overseas the last few years.
Give us five: List your top five best-ever Gwinnett basketballers. Or give Hollis five reasons why you nixed his picks.
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Lady Trojans undeniably dominant
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Carrollton girls are making a case for being the most dominating team in the state. The Lady Trojans, ranked No. 2 in Class AAA, who score 66 points per game, are 20-0 and their average margin of victory is 36 points. Despite missing leading scorer Velicia Bell the past six games, they haven’t missed a beat. Last week in a blowout win over East Coweta, Carrollton got 25 points from Karisma Boykin, 23 from Brittany Wiley and 17 from Janyce Ealey.
GIRLS UNBEATEN SOUTHWEST: After falling in the state quarterfinals in 2006, the Southwest-Macon girls are pushing for a championship. With all but one player back from last year, the No. 1-ranked Lady Patriots are 18-0 and have four players averaging in double figures. The key has been the emergence of Angelia Hill, a sophomore who averages 12 points per game and eases pressure on Southwest’s big three, Parrisha Simmons (who’s averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds), Myeisha Sims (12 points, 8 assists) and Takisha Williams (13 ppg) …
MILESTONE IN REACH: Allison Tennant enters the weekend with 970 career points after scoring 24 in Pickens’ 91-63 win over Flowery Branch. The 91 points were the most scored by the Pickens girls (16-4, 4-0) in Donnie Byrom’s four years as coach at the Jasper school. Teammate Meagan Stephens, who scored 21 points and had 13 assists in that win, is on a pace to set a school record by averaging 7.8 assists per contest, according to Byrom …
MAKING UP GROUND: Armuchee started 3-2 and has won 10 of its last 11 games, including a win over Model Tuesday night, snapping the Lady Blue Devils’ seven-game win streak. The Lady Indians (13-4) are getting 13 points from sophomore Keri O’Neal, and Charlsie Broome, a junior, and Jenny Link, a senior, are both scoring double figures …
TICKLING THE TWINE: Model’s Kendall Davis, a 5-9 senior who has signed with Berry, is making 71 percent of her shots from the field while averaging 15.1 points ., while teammate Sarah Alford earlier this year became the Rome school’s all-time lead in 3-point field goals made …
LAST-SECOND HEROICS: Warner Robins’ Victoria Rushing hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left and Symone Wilkerson got a steal and layup at the buzzer as the Lady Demons (14-3, 4-1) took a key Region 1-AAAAA win Tuesday …
LONG-RANGE BOMBER: Kym Stamps has averaged 15 points while making 55 percent of her 3-point shots the past three games for Kendrick, ranked No. 3 in AAA …
LOCAL RULERS: Behind seniors Janay Wilson and Brittany Holder, Northside-Warner Robins has beaten every school in Houston countty …
CONQUERERS: Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe got 51 points and nine assists from Kayla Weaver in road wins over ranked opponents Rome and Dalton last week, stretching the Lady Warriors’ win streak to 13. Against Rome, Weaver had 31 points, four assists and six rebounds …
BOYS BEST FOR LAST: Greenbrier’s Andy Gray blocked a shot on the last play of the game to preserve the Wolf Pack win. Greenbrier (18-3) is off to the best start in school history behind 18 points per game from Anthony Williams and 16 per game from Bryan Andrews, who each has scored as many as 28 points in a game …
STREAKING EAGLES: Corey Edmonson and Bobby Lee Smith are both averaging nearly 20 points per game for Coosa, which is 6-0 since Christmas and 15-3 overall …
SMELLS LIKE CEDAR: Luvonte Rhines (32 points) and Chris Kupets (30) combined for 62 points in Cedar Shoals’ victory over Salem Tuesday, pushing the Jaguars to 17-1 …
NOTCHING EVERY COLUMN: Point guard Reggie Middleton of Glenn Hills scored 15 points, had five rebounds, recorded seven assists and four steals while committing just one turnover in the Spartans’ 76-67 win over Thomson in a key Region 3-AAA Division B game ..
OH, POOH: Hart County’s Pooh Craft scored 11 poings, had 10 steals and eight assists against Lumpkin County Jan. 20, a win that pushed the Bulldogs’ record to 17-2 …
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: State Hoops Report
Build the Perfect Player
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So it’s not exactly as easy as putting together your old Mr. Potato Head. But building the perfect basketballer is just as much fun. AJC hoops writer Derrick Mahone has his ideas about which players’ qualities - combined - would create a model of elite hoops excellence.
Which Georgia hardcourt heroes - girls, boys or a mix of both - make up your Perfect Player? And why?
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Ga. college wrestling rides new wave
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There aren’t a whole lot of in-state opportunities for high school wrestlers to continue pursuing the sport at the college level. All Georgia colleges and universities that offered varsity wrestling have dropped the sport for various reasons. However, the NCWA (National Collegiate Wrestling Association) provides opportunities at eight schools — Augusta State, Darton College, East Georgia College, Georgia Tech, Gordon College, Kennesaw State, Mercer and the University of Georgia — and more than 60 Georgia high schools currently have wrestlers in the NCWA. We talked with Eagle’s Landing coach Mike Hutchings, who has four former wrestlers on NCWA teams, to shed some light on the new wave of collegiate wrestling in Georgia.
Q: What happened to collegiate wrestling in Georgia?
A: “The big thing was Title IX; it was a dagger. With football having so many scholarships, the minor sports were the ones that were on the chopping block. Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia both had programs in the 1970s and ’80s and they were dropped. Georgia State did as well in the early- to mid-’90s and their program was dropped shortly afterwards.”
Q: What needs to happen for a college or university to have an NCAA wrestling program?
A: “The big thing is, you have to have backing from the school. I don’t know if it’s something the school administration is going to take on, or if a private donor is going to have to come in to hire a head coach. For example, Gordon College was offering $4,000 (for a head coaching position), so for someone to do that, they would have to have another job. They would need to find someone where (coaching wrestling) is there job.”
Q: Do you think the lack of wrestling programs has something to do with Georgia being regarded as a second-tier state when it comes to wrestling? And that, in turn, affects the recruiting situation?
A: “[Georgia’s] just not a hot spot for wrestling, but it’s growing year by year. A lot of the kids aren’t recruited in Georgia because we’re a southern state and a lot of the recruiting goes on in the Midwest and the north and some in the west. There’s not a lot of respect for Georgia wrestling throughout the country. But it’s picking up steam. Kids who wrestle, a lot of them are just hungry to wrestle, they don’t really care if its club or anything.”
Q: What do you think are some of the advantages of having NCWA teams in Georgia?
A: It’s like [former Eagle’s Landing wrestlers Derrick and Brandon] Arrington, [Emmanuel] Osho and [Herlon] Fayard — they could have wrestled somewhere else but the money wasn’t there. Instead of a $20,000 private school, you can go to a smaller school in Georgia for $10,000. The Arringtons didn’t have much ambition to wrestle in college, but the team started at Gordon College and here we are.
Time for you to tackle this subject. Speak your mind. Got a wrestling-related issue for Kurt to take down? Send an e-mail.
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Macon duals drama-rich
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The AJC’s Kurt Aschermann Jr. talks H.S. wrestling each Thursday. Feel free to talk back.
Wow. What an exhilarating two days at the state duals in Macon. A 64-team field whittled down to 10 by nightfall Saturday. And of the five finals, three — Class AAAA, AAA and AA — were all-out battles. But some things stood out more than others. Here’s a sampling.
• The Cass-West Laurens quarterfinal match in Class AAA was a classic. Some of the highlights:
West Laurens’ 215-pounder Dondricus Anderson, hobbling around with a leg injury and facing obvious fatigue from a match that looked like it would never end, still managed to stick Cass’ Nick Cordell in 5:29. Plus, Anderson’s determination, and eventual claim of six points, kept the Raiders in the match (they trailed 12-0 coming in). If Cordell gets the pin, it’s a completely different story.
During the pivotal 112-to-130 stretch, Cass got lightning-quick pins from two-time defending state champion Justin Martin at 119 pounds and Damon Cadle at 130 pounds. West Laurens’ duo of Blaine Harvey (112) and Michael Slaughter (125) could only muster a tech fall and a major decision, respectively, and Cass led 27-21 with three weight classes left.
With West Laurens up 29-27, the dual came down to the 145-pound match between Michael Gordon of Cass and the Raiders’ Germany Coleman. Each wrestler was put on their back once late in the second period, then Gordon dropped Coleman again, completing the pin in 4:36 and clinching the dual for Cass. Amazing.
• In the first round of the Class AAAA bracket, Stockbridge manhandled Northside-Warner Robins, 82-0. The only Tiger not to collect a pin was 145-pound Corey Harper, who won a 14-0 major decision.
• Look out for T.J. Mitchell, Wesleyan’s 103-pounder. He’s tormented opponents all season, including a pin that clinched the AA title and Wolves coach Jeff Bedard called Mitchell the best wrestler in the state regardless of classification. That’s high praise from one of the sharper minds of the sport.
• Hats off to Jefferson, which won its seventh consecutive Class A duals title. Taking nothing away from the talented, well-coached Dragons, but it might be time to combine Class AA and A. Imagine a bracket with Jefferson, Lafayette, Wesleyan, Dublin and Lovett.
Wrestling writer Kurt Aschermann Jr. ranks the top wrestling teams in the state, regardless of class: Week of Jan. 25 (last week’s ranking in parenthesis)
1: McEachern (3)
2: Parkview (1)
3: Collins Hill (2)
4: Stockbridge (10)
5: Walton (4)
6: Gilmer (9)
7: Jefferson (11)
8: Cass (NR)
9: West Laurens (5)
10: Eastside (6)
11: Lafayette (7)
12: Harrison (12) / Union Grove (8) — tie
On the cusp: Wesleyan, Whitewater, Henry County, Columbus, Northwest Whitfield, Hardaway, Lovett, Cherokee
Pin it down and rank the rankings: Let us know who your Top 12 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Pound For Pound
Take Ten: Best HS point guards
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here at Take Ten, we have a special appreciation for the little guy. Or the big guy who can handle the rock like a little guy. Scanning the NBA and WNBA, there’s a place in our hearts for floor generals Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Jameer Nelson and Steve Nash. We look for the same in the high school ranks. We like those who can play tough perimeter defense, set the tempo offensively, can knock down jump shots and are precise distributors of the ball. So here they are: Ten of the state’s best male and female point guards, in alphabetical order of course. Read ‘em, and get at us.
BOYS
Kevin Anderson, Peachtree Ridge: Proving that classifications don’t mean a whole lot in basketball, the senior transferred from Class A Whitefield Academy where he led the Wolfpack to the state finals last season. His play is key to the Lions’ title hopes.
Adam Callaway, South Cobb: Steady, solid, he was the most underrated player on the Eagles’ Final Four squad last season. Tenacious defender and smart ballhandler.
Junard Hartley, Whitefield Academy: Considered by many to be the top point guard in Cobb County, the 6-foot-3 senior averages 15 points, six assists and six rebounds a game.
Andre Hicks, Lovett: The 5-foot-9 junior is a quick, strong athlete who is the catalyst for the Lions’ basketball and football teams. The hoop squad started out 1-7 while Hicks was playing basketball. It is 9-2 since he joined the fight.
Chris Kupets, Cedar Shoals: Floor leader is also one of the top scorers for the 16-1 Jaguars, ranked third in Class AAA. A frequent visitor of the 20 (points) and 10 (assists) Club.
Brandon Nolley, Hancock Central: A big-time football recruit, the senior made a name for himself last season by playing well against former SACA standout and current Georgia Tech starter, Javaris Crittenton. Sees the floor well and runs the team extremely well.
Lance Storrs, Columbia: Three-year starter who has committed to Georgia Tech is the consummate point guard. Good shooter, solid ball handler and decision maker. Doesn’t commit turnovers.
Zac Swansey, Dunwoody: One of the top scorers all time for the Wildcats, the senior Georgia signee is one of the state’s deadliest perimeter shooters. He is also a deft ball handler and decision maker.
Mfon Udofia, Miller Grove: Just a sophomore, the 6-foot-2 floor leader is a big reason the three-year old Wolverine program is already holding its own with Columbia, Stone Mountain and Tucker in Region 6AAAA.
Dustin Ware, North Cobb Christian (in the Georgia Independent Schools Association): A GISA player makes the list? The junior is obviously good enough to Dennis Felton (he has committed to Georgia already), so he’s good enough for Top 10.
GIRLS
Anne Marie Armstrong, Wesleyan: The 6-foot sophomore is a big reason why the Wolves are in the hunt to defend their Class A state title.
Kendra Berry, Westover: The 5-foot-10 senior is one of the state’s best all-around backcourt players.
Ashlie Billingslea, Stephenson: Keeping everybody happy on a team as talented as the undefeated Jaguars can’t be easy. The South Carolina signee has accomplished this and managed to shine on her own as well.
Christian Hunnicutt, Landmark Christian: The Mundy’s Mill transfer is the cornerstone of the War Eagles’ team, ranked No. 1 in Class A.
Morgan Jennings, Douglass: The Astros have stormed to respectability over the past two seasons. An infusion of young, talented players like Jennings, a junior, is a big reason for the program’s rebirth.
Tammy Lanier, Westlake: The senior is the clear leader of a Lion team that is 17-2 and streaking toward a Region 4-AAAA crown and a state playoff berth.
Angelica Mealing, Avondale: Steady floor general led the Blue Devils to the Class AAA championship last season. The senior has battled injuries all year this season but should be ready for the title run.
Aamira Terry, W.D. Mohammed: Hofstra signee is a fiery competitor, leading a team of underclassmen. She has signed with Hofstra University.
Morgan Toles, St. Pius: Someone has to figure out a way to get the ball inside to 6-foot-6 All-American center Kelley Cain. Toles, just a sophomore, and a foot shorter than Cain, keeps doing it.
Alex Winchell, South Gwinnett: Knocking off Collins Hill or Stephenson to win a Class AAAAA state title won’t be easy. The 5-foot-7 senior will try to get it done.
Worthy of mention:
Pierre Jordan, Dunwoody: The 6-foot junior is already a shade taller than his older brother, Kierre, who led the Wildcats to the Class AAA state title last season. Pierre shares the reigns of this year’s team with Swansey.
Kiara Weems, North Clayton: At 5-foot-10, he’s not the tallest point guard in the state, but he’s one of the most complete. He does it all and has the Eagles in the hunt for a region title and state playoff berth.
Go on. Take Ten. Check Seth’s list and tell us if these guards’ game is MVP like Steve Nash. Then rip us for shamelessly quoting a Nelly Furtado lyric to get Take Ten Nation (that’s you) sending in comments.
Take Gwin: Listmania goes Gwinnett. See what Take Gwin is up to each week.
Permalink | Comments (50) | Categories: Take Ten
Take Ten: Greatest Gwinnett athletes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Editor’s note: Gwinnett Is Great. It’s not just a motto; it’s fact. So when we here at Take Ten saw the potential for opening a field office in Gwinnett, we knew we had to find the right guy to head up our new Take Gwin division. That man is David Purdum, who dutifully sent us this week’s list of his picks for the ten greatest-ever Gwinnett athletes before hightailing it out of town. We knew he was a wise man.
The 10 Greatest Gwinnett Athletes
10: Maya Moore (Collins Hill): UConn-bound, she’ll be making news for years to come.
9: Louis Williams (South Gwinnett): Immense talent hasn’t been able to overcome size limitations in the NBA. But, man, was he great at South.
8: Jason Elam (Brookwood): Only NFL player to score at least 100 points in 14 consecutive seasons.
7: Amanda Weir (Brookwood): Competed in Athens Olympics and set national record in 100-meter freestyle.
6: David Greene (South Gwinnett): College football’s all-time winningest quarterback was third-round pick by the Seahawks.
5: Josh Wolff (Parkview): One of the fastest members of the U.S. National soccer team.
4: Brian McCann (Duluth): Always seems to take a backseat to Francoeur, but he made the All-Star game first.
3: David Pollack (Shiloh): A dominant force at Georgia, the Bengals snatched him up in the first round.
2: Jeff Francoeur (Parkview): From Parkview to the cover of Sports Illustrated, Frenchy’s meteoric rise has been amazing.
1: George Rogers (Duluth): Heisman trophy winner at South Carolina struggled with off-the-field problems.
Go on. Take Ten, Gwin. Who’s missing from this list? Who’s on it and shouldn’t be? Have at it, y’all.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: David Purdum, Take Ten: GWX
Girls — Best of Gwinnett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As of today, here are my top 5 Gwinnett girls basketball teams. Agree or disagree?
Collins Hill (19-0), Class AAAAA: Tops in the nation, Eagles must be No. 1 in Gwinnett.
South Gwinnett (16-2), AAAAA: Comets have won 16 straight, including victories over Mill Creek, GAC and Berkmar.
Mill Creek (17-3), AAAAA: Hawks could have, probably should have, beaten Collins Hill 2 1/2 weeks ago.
Greater Atlanta Christian (17-1), Class AA: Spartans’ only blemish is a tight loss to South Gwinnett.
Wesleyan (15-4), AA: Wolves get nod over Berkmar (16-2) because of championship pedigree. Also, Berkmar got blown out by South Gwinnett on Saturday.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Gwinnett Hoops
GSWA Basketball Poll: Jan. 22
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Decatur left little doubt last week that it was one of the top teams in Class AA with its win over then-No. 2 Buford. The Bulldogs have won eight straight heading into tonight’s home matchup with Wesleyan. Speaking of Wesleyan, very few thought the Wolves would be challenging for a top spot without talented junior Howard Thompkins, who decided to attend Oak Hill Academy this school year. Don’t look now, but Griffin appears to ready to retake its place in the Top 10 rankings with all its pieces finally coming together.
Who’s hot, who’s not - you tell us. Submit your comments below.
Georgia Sportswriters Association Basketball Poll
(Number in parenthesis is first place votes)
Girls
Class AAAAA
1: Collins Hill (10)
2: Stephenson
3: South Gwinnett
4: Mill Creek
5: Campbell
6: Berkmar
7: McEachern
8: Warner Robins
9: Etowah
10: Marietta
Others receiving votes: Houston Co., Beach, Sprayberry, Redan Camden Co..
Class AAAA
1: St. Pius (9)
2: Greenbrier (1)
3: Northside-Warner Robins
4: Mays
5: Marist
6: Clarke Central
7: Dalton
8: Westside-Macon
9: Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe
10: North Clayton and Cherokee (tie)
Others receiving votes: Salem, Jonesboro, Southwest DeKalb, Jones Co., Westlake, Sequoyah.
Class AAA
1: Southwest-Macon (7)
2: Carrollton (2)
3: Kendrick
4: East Hall
5: Hephzibah (1)
6: Hardaway
7: Franklin Co.
8: Worth Co.
9: Towers
10: Sandy Creek
Others receiving votes: Northeast-Macon, Liberty Co., Pickens Co., Dougherty, West Laurens.
Class AA
1: Avondale (6)
2: Greater Atlanta Christian (1)
3: Randolph-Clay (3)
4: Wesleyan
5: McIntosh Co. Academy
6: Laney
7: Rutland
8: Model
9: Screven Co.
10: Paideia
Others receiving votes: Dodge Co., Swainsboro, Armuchee, Lafayette.
Class A
1: Landmark Christian (10)
2: Southwest Atlanta Christian
3: Calhoun Co.
4: Calvary Day
5: Bowdon
6: Hancock Central
7: Savannah Country Day
8: Hebron Christian
9: Treutlen
10: Towns Co.
Others receiving votes: Hawkinsville, Gordon Lee, Echols Co., Jefferson, Trion, St. Francis.
Boys
Class AAAAA
1: Norcross (10)
2: Peachtree Ridge
3: Meadowcreek
4: Wheeler
5: Beach
6: McEachern
7: Tri-Cities
8: Camden Co. and Milton (tie)
10: Chattahoochee
Others receiving votes: Johnson-Savannah, Centennial, Coffee,
Class AAAA
1: Columbia (10)
2: Cherokee
3: Cedar Shoals
4: Tucker
5: Stone Mountain
6: Riverdale
7: Lithia Springs
8: Stockbridge
9: North Clayton
10: Pebblebrook
Others receiving votes: Westlake, Jonesboro, Greenbrier, Ware Co..
Class AAA
1: Dunwoody (10)
2: East Hall
3: Carver-Columbus
4: Jordan
5: South Atlanta
6: Hart Co.
7: Southside
8: Glenn Hills
9: Westover-Albany
10: Northside-Columbus
Others receiving votes: Washington Co., Northeast-Macon, Burke Co., Monroe-Albany, Franklin Co., Central-Macon, Perry.
Class AA
1: Thomasville (10)
2: Decatur
3: Buford
4: Randolph-Clay
5: Darlington
6: Swainsboro
7: Dodge Co.
8: Coosa
9: Manchester
10: Wesleyan
Others receiving votes: Josey, Bleckley Co., Tattnall Co., Appling Co., Union Co., Dawson Co..
Class A
1: Wilkinson Co. (10)
2: Turner Co.
3: Southwest Atlanta Christian
4: Calvary Day
5: Whitefield Academy
6: Taylor Co.
7: Wilcox Co.
8: Providence Christian
9: Hancock Central
10: Jefferson
Others receiving votes: W.D. Mohammed, Bremen, St. Francis, Portal, Hawkinsville. Trion.
Note: This list compiled by Derrick Mahone each week from GSWA voting results
With many of the ranked teams meeting this week, there is bound to be a big shakeup in next week’s rankings. What’s your take on this week’s poll? Who is being overlooked? Who shouldn’t be here at all? Who’s got game? Who’s got lame? Hoops talk starts now.
Permalink | Comments (51) | Categories: Basketball rankings
No. 1 Norcross to rout No. 2 Peachtree Ridge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On paper, No. 2 Peachtree Ridge has the athletes to match up with No. 1 Norcross in tonight’s Region 7 showdown at the Blue Devils’ gym. Burn that paper — Blue Devils are going to roll.
Norcross was impressive in Saturday’s TV performance, running past and jumping over undermanned Arlington Country Day of Jacksonville, 88-69.
Certainly, Peachtree Ridge will put up a better fight, but will it be enough? Not if Gani Lawal uses his quickness to get Ridge big man Cameron Heyward in foul trouble. Not if Al-Faouq Aminu has another monster game like he did against Country Day (23 points, 21 rebounds). And not if Norcross continues to shoot the ball well from beyond the 3-point arch. Sophomore Tarriq Mohammad hit eight 3’s against Duluth last week.
The Lions’ best chance appears to be sitting back in a zone and hoping the Blue Devils’ recent hot shooting subsides. The zone also should help prevent Heyward from getting in foul trouble.
Prediction: Norcross 91, Peachtree Ridge 73
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: David Purdum
Hoops ready to trump football?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Next month, football will again take center stage with National Signing Day Feb. 7. The state will be in the spotlight as tons of seniors will accept their scholarship offers from colleges across the country.
But for now, basketball is king in the state. Saturday at Norcross, three teams from the state put the nation on notice that its basketball is just as good as its gridiron reputation.
Nationally-ranked Norcross and Columbia defeated highly-regarded teams from Florida and Alabama. Dunwoody, the two-time Class AAA defending champion, defeated Florida’s Pine Crest Academy. Wheeler, a perennial power in Georgia, was the only local school from Saturday’s PrimeTime Shootout tournament not to win.
The success continued a trend this season that may have begun with the Collins Hill girls team. Ranked No. 1 in the country, Collins Hill and standout Maya Moore, who is headed to Connecticut, won the prestigious Tournament of Champions in Phoenix.
Atlanta trails only Los Angeles and New York City according to rivals.com in top prospects this season.
With three nationally ranked teams in Norcross and Columbia boys and Collins Hills girls, and a few television appearances, is basketball in this state ready to trump football as the marquee sport?
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Fastbreak
Golden’s urge to shoot kept under control
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sometimes, the name goes with the game so nicely, as if the parents had a vision. For a basketball player with a sweet jump shot and a bright future, Trae Golden fits the McEachern ninth-grade sensation perfectly.
The 6-foot guard shoots the 3-pointer in a beautifully controlled stroke. His overall game is polished as if with wax, a smooth customer on the court who belies his youth.
For all his talent, Golden had not played in a game with the local significance of Friday’s matchup with fellow Cobb County mainstay South Cobb. You might expect a young gun to use that platform to show off his considerable skill set or to shrink under the anticipation.
But here’s what was so impressive about Golden: He did not feed into the emotion of the occasion. And he did not crack.
Instead, he bided his time as a crusty old senior might, never once forcing the action. For a 15-year-old to be that controlled was remarkable enough.
But there’s much more to this wunderkind. South Cobb assigned its energetic senior Austin Kelly to defend Golden, which fazed the youngster none the least. Resisting the urge to go it on his own, he passed to teammates in the post or perimeter when no one would have complained if he had made a move to the basket.
He took just three shots in the first half and made two — a follow layup and a 3-point jumper. After the break, he was equally at ease allowing senior DeAndre Washington (20 points) to dominate the ball. Hobbling on knees that have pained him for too long now — “Doctors say it’s growing pain,” the freshman said — Golden scored on a beautiful reverse layup and another trey from the baseline in the second half that hit nothing but twine.
He also showed that he is an uncanny passer whose quick first step gets him into the lane at will. He did more of that than shoot in McEachern’s 60-52 victory.
“When you’re in a rush, it seems that you lose focus,” said Golden, who came in averaging 17 and scored 10. “So, I just go out there under control. I get my patience from my dad. He’s pretty laid back, lackadaisical.”
Golden’s patience can at once be a virtue and an issue. It’s admirable that he has no compulsion to hoist shots every time down the floor. At the same time, there are moments when the best player has to assert himself for the good of the team.
“Sometimes it can be a problem, but it’s a team game,” he said. “I rely on my teammates and they rely on me.”
Gotta love that perspective from any player, but especially one so young. He’s unimpressed with himself and not pressured to impress anyone.
“I’ve always had confidence in myself,” he said. “I thought I could do what I’m doing. But I’m just having fun. It’s like I’m playing with my homeboys.”
His homeboys probably could score on him, defensive energy needs that much upgrading. But there is no doubt that the kid with the name that fits him perfectly will become a name that everyone knows before he’s done at McEachern.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Griffin boys out of hibernation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Each Friday, the AJC’s Jay Stone takes you outside the arc in the State Hoops Report. Check what’s happening around Georgia and shoot us your comments below.
The Griffin boys have been a state power for a long time, so few developments around the state were as shocking as the Bears’ 1-9 start.
It was all a function of absent players, though, and with the return of forwards Charles Corbin, Frank Craven, Curdarius Curtis and Akeem McKinney, Griffin is at full strength and making up for lost time.
Corbin, Craven and Curtis all regained eligibility with the beginning of the second semester, and McKinney was slowed early in the season while recovering from injuries he sustained during football.
“We were missing those guys, and we weren’t playing real well on top of that,” said Griffin coach Ferris Qualls. “When you add turnovers to it … it was real disappointing.”
Bobby Rainey, the star running back from the school’s football team, missed seven games while taking recruiting visits, and the resolution of the recruiting cycle will essentially give the Bears another player back.
Griffin, which lost four of those games by five points or less, beat Jonesboro 61-54 Tuesday for their fifth straight victory, a streak that coincided with those players’ return. Senior Sidney Harris may be the biggest beneficiary.
Harris leads the team in scoring a 19 points per game, and the inside presence of the 6-foot-7 Corbin should create more open shots for him. Corbin averaged 14 points and eight rebounds in his first five games back.
Turner trio: Ternell Davis, Lennie Richardson and Demetris Ewing have Turner County riding an eight-game winning streak. Davis scores 16 points and averages five rebounds and five steals a game for the Rebels (15-1), who have benefitted from the emergence of Ewing (12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks) in the current streak.
Keeping pace: Behind leading scorer Ricky Eades (17 ppg), Hart County (15-2, 6-1) is one game back of Franklin County in Region 8-AAA.
Win, win, win: Cedar Shoals has won 125 games over the past five seasons and is 14-1 so far this season after rallying from a 15-point deficit to beat Rockdale Tuesday. Chris Kupets scored 30 points and had 11 assists.
Girls persevering: Carrollton has maintained its unbeaten record despite losing leading scorer Velicia Bell (17 ppg, 6.5 assists, 5.5 steals) to a knee injury two weeks ago. Sophomore guard Karisma Boykin, who was averaging 16 points before Bell went down, has averaged 22 points and seven assists since then The Lady Trojans enter the weekend at 17-0, 7-0 in Region 6-AAA.
Dealin’ Demons: Warner Robins’ Kittery Maine had a double-double by halftime against Valdosta last Friday and finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Lady Demons (12-3).
Ram tough: Since losing their season opener to Colquitt County, Worth County has won 15 straight, thanks to Tia Lewis (15 points, 16 rebounds per game), Shonterria Walker and Logan Youngblood (13 points per game each). The Lady Rams are holding their opponents to 40 points on average.
State hoops talk starts here. Got something you think Jay should know about? E-mail him.
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League helps coach fulfill obligation to educate
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Say your son gets cut from his high school team. Now, because of the newly developed Metro Atlanta Basketball Alliance, it does not have to mean he cannot play basketball in an organized environment.
Lindsey McDaniel, a structural designer at Home Depot’s corporate office, was first a basketball dreamer who had to fall back on an alternative plan when he realized he would not make a living playing basketball.
His Plan B has served him well, and it hit him one day that it was his obligation to help steer youths to understanding the value of preparing for life. And he’s using basketball as the vehicle.
So, the MABA goes into its second weekend of existence, 60 players spread over five teams from Henry, DeKalb, Fulton and Clayton counties playing each Sunday at North Clayton Middle School in a competitive environment.
It is not high school ball. There are no cheerleaders and very few fans. But the kids are competing. Coaches are volunteers or former recreation league coaches who have bought into the idea of serving as mentors as much as teaching basketball.
“I look at this as a developmental league for kids who want to play ball and get better and come back to try out for their school the next year,” McDaniel said. “We will work with the kids on basketball, their skills, the effort needed, etc. But, mostly, I look at it as a way of helping kids learn about life. That’s what the MABA is about.”
To that end, McDaniel merges his league with another program of his: GOALS, which is Giving Out Adolescents Life Skills. With GOALS, McDaniel plans to have speakers address the players weekly on a variety of skills needed to flourish: communication, decision-making, time-management, interviewing skills, perseverance and separation (conquering peer pressure).
“Those are a group of lessons that are very valuable to teenagers,” McDaniel said. “It’s just important that we give our youths the materials to succeed in life. Basketball is a great vehicle for getting kids’ attention.”
McDaniel formerly coached in AAU and rec leagues and soured on the emphasis on basketball only. So he moved on his idea.
To get the program under way, McDaniel contacted about 40 coaches from different counties, informing them of the MABA and its ideals. Coaches referred players who did not make their teams to the league. The MABA teams will play a 10-game schedule, a postseason and hold an awards ceremony. Certified referees call the games, which are played on Sunday afternoons. The cost is $50 per participant.
“The response was good, and we expect that we’ll get more and more kids each year,” he said.
Right now, it is a boys-only league, but that could change in the future.
For sure, those participating will get far more than exercise. Players are required to maintain a 2.3 grade-point average.
“It’s all about education,” McDaniel said. “We emphasize the ‘student’ first in student/athlete. … This is a league that we expect will help a lot of kids next year. There are so many boys who try out for teams, but schools can only keep 15 on their roster. So this alternative gives them a chance to play basketball, get better and learn life lessons.”
For more information on the MABA, call 404-643-9430 or e-mail maba1@bellsouth.net.
Permalink | | Categories: Curtis Bunn
State duals future in limbo
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the state duals heading to the Macon Coliseum this weekend, questions have been raised on whether the meet will stay in Macon or if each classification will hold the duals at area high schools. State duals director, Pete Fritts Jr., said the reports of the state duals leaving Macon are just rumors and that a decision on the future of the state duals won’t be made until May. We sat down with Henry County coach Marty Hutsell to get his thoughts on the matter.
Q: So you think this might be the last year for the state duals in Macon?
A: That’s the rumor. I think this is the last year in Macon. It’s too expensive to rent the arena. What they’re doing is great, I think you have to put it in an arena.
Q: Why do you think the duals need to be in an arena?
A: If you had it in high schools, it would take away from it because some of the kids aren’t going to go to traditional state. That’s why I like the state duals, because some kids will not be able to qualify top-four in traditional area to wrestle in the traditional state tournament in Gwinnett Arena. Like last year, we won the state duals and finished second at traditional. We had a couple kids that did not qualify for traditional state, yet they still got to wrestle in a state championship and wrestle for a state championship team. Plus, I like to see it all under one roof because you can watch every team.
Q: Why is the Macon Coliseum such a good venue?
A: I think it’s a great venue. I’m all for staying there. What gets me is, they find the Macon Coliseum for basketball, and finally we’ve got it with wrestling, we fought for it to be in a big venue, and then it’s too expensive. I know it’s expensive but it’s for the kids. Let’s figure out a way to keep it there.
Q: So, where do you think the duals will take place?
A:It’s going to go back to the high schools, but, again, I think it takes away from it — from the excitement of having it Macon, in the big arena. I think that’s one of the reasons we did it in the first place. At least they’re going to keep the traditional (state tournament) in Gwinnett. The best thing they did was move the traditional out of the high schools into Gwinnett Arena; and to my knowledge it’s the largest high school tournament in the country. What I like best about it is that we’re one of the only states that has a dual and traditional state tournament.
Well represented:
With the state duals only a day away, we broke down the 64 duals teams by county. Here are the counties sending the most teams to Macon:
4 teams:
Fulton (Centennial, Westminster, Blessed Trinity, Lovett)
Gwinnett (Collins Hill, Brookwood, Parkview, Wesleyan)
Henry (Union Grove, Stockbridge, Henry County, Eagle’s Landing Christian)
3 teams:
Cobb (McEachern, Walton, Harrison)
DeKalb (Redan, Southwest DeKalb, Tucker)
Jackson (Jackson County, Jefferson, Commerce)
2 teams:
Bartow (Woodland, Cass)
Chatham (Groves, Benedictine)
Carroll (Carrollton, Bowdon)
Effingham (Effingham County, South Effingham)
Fayette (Starr’s Mill, Whitewater)
Laurens (West Laurens, Dublin)
Lowndes (Lowndes, Valdosta)
Muscogee (Columbus, Hardaway)
Paulding (Hiram, Paulding County)
Walker (Lafayette, Gordon Lee)
Best of the rest:
1 - Camden (Camden County); Forsyth (Forsyth Central); Lee (Lee County); Jones (Jones County); Catoosa (Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe); Glynn (Glynn Academy); Whitfield (Northwest Whitfield); Newton (Eastside); Cherokee (Cherokee); Houston (Northside Warner Robins); Grady (Cairo); Gilmer (Gilmer); Oconee (Oconee County); Dougherty (Westover); Pickens (Pickens); Elbert (Elbert County); Cook (Cook); Gordon (Sonoraville); Ben Hill (Gordon Lee); Toombs (Toombs County); Chattooga (Trion); Haralson (Bremen); Walton (Social Circle).
Time for you to tackle this subject. Speak your mind. Got a wrestling-related issue for Kurt to take down? Send an e-mail.
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Golden future for ‘unknowns’?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The AJC’s Kurt Aschermann Jr. talks H.S. wrestling each Thursday. Feel free to talk back.
Ever heard of Eastside’s David Bender, a 145-pounder who is 25-3 and moving to the head of the pack in a wide-open field in Class AAAA? How about Redan’s Teddy Gardner or Parkview’s Nandor Csonka?
It could be that type of state duals tournament in Macon this weekend: A bunch of teams you’re not so familiar with could emerge with gold.
The folks in DeKalb County know all about Gardner, a heavyweight who’s qualified for state three times. This season Gardner should grab a place on the podium.
And then there’s Csonka. The Panthers have so many big names, it’s fairly easy for Csonka to get lost in the shuffle, but numbers don’t lie: The 215-pounder is 32-4 and hasn’t lost to a Georgia wrestler.
If Eastside and Stockbridge meet in a semifinal, look out for the 160-pound match between the Eagles’ Tim Sloan (17-4 record) and Ben Jones of Stockbridge.
Tigers coach Don Williams calls Jones the team’s most vocal leader and he’s not too shabby on the mats, either, with a 40-8 record heading into the duals.
It almost doesn’t seem fair, but Collins Hill has added another weapon in 103-pound David Carson. He is 10-1 since joining the lineup, including a 3-0 mark at the Area 7-AAAAA Duals.
Wrestling writer Kurt Aschermann Jr. ranks the top wrestling teams in the state, regardless of class: Week of Jan. 11 (last week’s ranking in parenthesis)
1: Parkview (1)
2: Collins Hill (2)
3: McEachern (3)
4: Walton (5)
5: West Laurens (4)
6: Eastside (6)
7: Lafayette (8)
8: Union Grove (7)
9: Gilmer (9)
10: Stockbridge (10)
11: Jefferson (NR)
12: Harrison (NR)
On the cusp: Cass, Woodland, Starr’s Mill, Cherokee, Toombs County, Hardaway, Wesleyan, Dublin, Columbus
Pin it down: Which of the state’s wrestlers do you think could shock the field? And rank the rankings: Let us know who your Top 12 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Pound For Pound
Take Ten: Best HS hoops films
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After we cobbled together our list of the 10 best high school football movies a few months ago, our heads quickly began spinning at the prospect of turning our attention toward basketball. Sure, we caught some flack for sticking a documentary no one has ever heard of [Go Tigers!] at the top, but flack we’re used to. And once January rolled around, we were ready for this list. So what makes a great high school basketball movie? Pretty much the same as a great high school basketball team, minus most of the passing, shooting and defense. Unless it’s another documentary no one’s heard of. Then it might have all three. But the most common question we’ve heard about this list? Same as with football. The answer: Yes, there actually are 10 of them.
10: That Championship Season (1982)
In the first of two Martin Sheen pictures on this list, Sheen plays one of a group of four friends who played together on a high school basketball team several years earlier. They reunite with their coach for a friendly meeting, but it gets interesting as they begin to reveal more about themselves than they at first expected. It’s a bit of a dark comedy with several moments that could make some people uncomfortable, but the writing and acting make this worth seeing.
9: Coach Carter (2005)
If I see one more movie in which a tough but fair teacher steps in to straighten out struggling, combative students at an inner-city school, I’m going to have Hollywood shut down. This movie is essentially a two-hour lecture from Samuel L. Jackson on what it takes to be successful in life, but it at least works relatively well in the end. The finish may be telegraphed, but the film worked better because they didn’t take the easiest way out.
8: Teen Wolf (1985)
What child of the 80s didn’t see this movie — and probably the sequel, TV show, etc., that it spawned. Michael J. Fox had a good couple of months in 1985, releasing this hit movie about six weeks after “Back to the Future” hit theatres. In it, Fox plays a high school student and average basketball player before he begins turning into a wolf. When he does, he becomes popular, gets the girl he wants and becomes a star basketball player. High school students everywhere immediately stopped shaving.
7: Heart of the Game (2006)
This documentary was an entry at the 2006 Atlanta Film Festival, and it follows a Seattle-area high school girls team called the Roosevelt Roughriders, its eccentric coach and one player’s fight to become eligible to play. As a work of fiction, it would have seemed far-fetched. But as a documentary, it works very well, showing an insider’s perspective to this team and what it went through during an improbable season.
6: O (2001)
If nothing else, it has an impressive cast. Martin Sheen, Julia Stiles, Mekhi Phifer and Josh Hartnett make up a nice ensemble. It’s not just a bunch of familiar faces, though. It’s actually a rather disturbing, engrossing film that fashions itself as a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s “Othello.” Phifer and Hartnett’s character’s play on Sheen’s basketball team, but jealousy makes all these characters do crazy things. Stiles gets caught in the middle, and no punches are pulled here.
5: He Got Game (1998)
Everybody knew Spike Lee would eventually do a basketball movie, and this was it. Denzel Washington played an imprisoned man who could reduce his sentence if he could convince his son — the nation’s top-ranked high school basketball player — to accept a scholarship to play at Big State. Washington is an excellent actor when he decides to take a role that’s not a cop, and he’s done some of the best work of his career with Lee. NBA star Ray Allen actually does an impressive job as the son who doesn’t know how to take his father’s interest.
4: Finding Forrester (2000)
Rob Brown was just 16 when he was cast as Jamal Wallace, a very good high school basketball player whose true passion was writing. He doesn’t know what to do with his gift until he finds a mentor in reclusive writer William Forrester (Sean Connery), who agrees to help Jamal with his writing as long as he doesn’t tell anyone about him. The relationship is believable, and Brown is fantastic in his feature-film debut. This was director Gus Van Sant’s first original film since “Good Will Hunting,” and it’s probably his best.
3: The Basketball Diaries (1995)
Not exactly a feel-good movie, Leonardo DiCaprio is 21 but looks about 16 as Jim Carroll, a star basketball player at his boys’ prep school. Along with his friends, Jim dives into a world of drugs, drinking and crime, eventually going through a spiral of addiction. DiCaprio gives a wrenching portrayal of drug-using and withdrawals, along with everything else his character is going through during this film. It’s a hard movie to watch, but it’s worth the effort.
2: Hoop Dreams (1994)
Yes, this is another documentary. Yes, it belongs on the list. Yes, it’s one of the best movies of the 1990s. It follows William Gates and Arthur Agee, both talented high school players living in the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago and trying to earn a basketball scholarship. The filmmakers received extraordinary access to the families and created a poignant portrayal of the players’ experiences in trying to live up to expectations and make a better life for themselves.
1: Hoosiers (1986)
OK, this was a no-brainer. Maybe the best sports movie ever made. You’ve seen it. I don’t need to tell you what happened. Small-school high school basketball team in Indiana makes a miracle run to the state title, based upon a true story. Having Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper didn’t hurt an already well-done film, as they made a movie not so much about basketball as about second chances in life. You don’t have to know a pick and roll from a dinner roll to love this movie.
Go on. Take Ten. Critique our critic’s Top 10 all-time best HS hoops movies. Pick your faves. Or pan ours.
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GAC lays claim to crown
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There were a few smiles, a few emphatic hand slaps, but that was it. Greater Atlanta Christian had exacted a measure of satisfaction Tuesday night, knocking off three-time champion Wesleyan in its sparkling new gym.
But for a team with much higher aspirations, the 64-58 victory amounted to a nice start toward the ultimate destination.
Brilliantly and excitedly coached by Mike Mitchell, the Spartans have more than enough to get where Wesleyan resides. There is a wonderful blend of senior leadership and underclassmen energy. There is a nice mix of outstanding athleticism and commendable fundamentals. And, of course, there is motivation.
GAC fell on March 9 of last year to Wesleyan in the championship game, giving the Wolves their third title in succession and fourth in five years. The Spartans took it hard, but returned this season more resolute than ever.
And it showed Tuesday. There was a desperation in their effort, yet a calm, too. They led by one at halftime, eight after three quarters and six with 1:54 to go.
They got there with contributions from myriad players, including senior guard Bria Smith, freshman Briana Jordan (daughter of Braves outfielder Brian Jordan), senior Cree Nix, freshman Chaney Means, junior Mollie Mitchell and seniors D’Nay Daniels, Kiara Swanier and Julio Stephens.
They also got there with Mitchell as equal parts motivator, tactician and disciplinarian. He was fiery in his huddles, keeping his team’s concentration in place. He understood he held an advantage in speed and used it to his team’s advantage with a suffocating full-court press that turned the game.
And he demanded his players function the right way. When Smith blew an opportunity on a fastbreak with an unnecessary behind-the-back pass, Mitchell yanked her from the game. He did the same to Jordan, who tried to force a play when there was nothing there.
On the other side was Wesleyan, the model program. Jan Azar is at the top of her profession, and she has a wealth of youthful talent with which to work. “We teach them when they are young,” Azar said. “Almost all of our girls have grown up in our program.”
She means that literally. Since Wesleyan goes from elementary through high school, Azar has been able to instill the Wesleyan way to players from every grade from fifth on up.
“It helps so much because our younger players want to emulate our older players,” she said. “So, the girls are buying into the system long before they get to varsity.”
This year’s group, while younger than most recent Wesleyan teams, remains a championship threat. Anne Marie Armstrong, a gangly junior who is a smooth scorer and creator, averages 21 a game. Bubbling with talent, Armstrong grew three inches from last year, making her even more of a threat.
Sarah Delk is back, as is feisty Kelly Hall and the efficient Michelle Pope. Also, there is 5-foot-11 Carter Johnson, a junior who missed the last two years because of injury. First a torn ACL in her knee sidelined her, and then a torn ligament in her foot.
Most significantly, Azar has 10 freshmen (four on varsity) who represent “the best to ever come through Wesleyan.”
And so, while GAC earned a confidence-boosting victory, what was we saw Tuesday night very well could be the prelude to another meeting — on the last night of the season.
Permalink | | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Art of shooting is lost
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s a truth: I could step onto a basketball court right now, at 45, and shoot better than most of the players in high school today. Really. And there’s something really wrong with that.
The culture of crossover dribbling and dunking over someone continues to sully a game in which the object is to put the ball into the basket. The pure shooters of the basketball are quite difficult to locate, far more scarce than in the last decade.
There is a Chris Allen of Meadowcreek here and a Lance Storrs of Columbia there, reliable outside shooters. And surely there are others around the state. But not a lot.
The perimeter marksmen have fallen by the wayside, about the same time baggy shorts came in vogue.
Coaches want athletic kids who can get up and down the court and who can finish on the break. Up-tempo ball creates the opportunity for easier baskets, which is great because making an open jump shot seems to get more and more difficult.
Coaches also work on shooting a lot in practice. It’s just that making the crowd scream with a crossover or dunk is far more appealing today than it was in years past.
This mindset is not ruining the game; high school basketball is wonderful. But the obsession with pleasing the crowd is not helping the game, either.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
GSWA Basketball Poll: Jan. 15
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday night Wilkinson County gave a glance of why it was voted the top team in Class A with a dominating, payback performance against No. 4 Whitefield Academy. The Warriors, with three Div. I signees, looked as if they were ready to take on any team in any class. Speaking of payback, Meadowcreek got some against Beach Saturday in another thriller. Beach thrashed the Mustangs 72-46 last month, but lost 61-58 on its trip to Norcross. Wesleyan was expected to struggle, but new coach Skip Matherly has the Wolves in contention for the Region 6-AA title.
Who’s hot, who’s not - you tell us. Submit your comments below.
Georgia Sportswriters Association Basketball Poll
Number in parenthesis is first place votes
Girls
Class AAAAA
1: Collins Hill (9)
2: Stephenson
3: South Gwinnett
4: Campbell
5: Mill Creek
6: Berkmar
7: Warner Robins
8: Etowah
9: Marietta
10: Redan
Others receiving votes: McEachern, Douglass, Beach, Camden County, Brookwood.
Class AAAA
1: St. Pius (7)
2: Greenbrier (1)
3: Marist (1)
4: Northside-Warner Robins
5: Westside-Macon
6: Clarke Central
7: Mays
8: Jones County
9: Dalton
10: Cherokee
Others receiving votes: Westlake, Jonesboro, North Clayton, Southwest DeKalb, Salem and Glynn Academy.
Class AAA
1: Kendrick (8)
2: Southwest-Macon (1)
3: Carrollton
4: Hephzibah
5: East Hall
6: Worth County
7: Hardaway
8: Franklin County
9: West Laurens
10: Westminster
Others receiving votes: Sandy Creek, Northeast-Macon, Southside, Monroe Area, Mary Persons, Pickens County, Liberty County.
Class AA
1: Avondale (6)
2: Greater Atlanta Christian (2)
3: Randolph-Clay (1)
4: Wesleyan
5: Laney
6: McIntosh County Academy
7: Screven County
8: Model
9: Paideia
10: Rutland
Others receiving votes: Dodge County, Armuchee, Early County
Class A
1: Landmark Christian (9)
2: Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy
3: Hancock Central
4: Calhoun County
5: Calvary Day
6: Bowdon
7: Hebron Christian
8: Hawkinsville
9: Savannah Country Day
10: Towns County
Others receiving votes: St. Francis, Gordon Lee, Telfair County, Seminole County, Jefferson, Trion.
Boys
Class AAAAA
1: Norcross (9)
2: Peachtree Ridge
3: Beach and Wheeler (tie)
5: Meadowcreek
6: McEachern
7: Milton
8: Tri-Cities
9: Chattahoochee
10: Johnson-Savannah
Others receiving votes: Camden County, South Cobb, Marietta, South Forsyth, Centennial, Coffee.
Class AAAA
1: Columbia (7)
2: Tucker (2)
3: Cherokee
4: Cedar Shoals
5: Stone Mountain
6: Stockbridge
7: Riverdale and Lithia Springs (tie)
9: North Clayton
10: Pebblebrook
Others receiving votes: Westlake, Ware County, Jonesboro.
Class AAA
1: Dunwoody (8)
2: East Hall (1)
3: Carver-Columbus
4: Jordan
5: Northside-Columbus
6: South Atlanta
7: Monroe-Albany and Hart County (tie)
9: Southside
10: Central-Macon
Others receiving votes: Washington County, Franklin County, Shaw, Burke County, Washington County, Gainesville, Westover, Perry.
Class AA
1: Thomasville (9)
2: Buford
3: Decatur
4: Darlington
5: Randolph-Clay
6: Coosa
7: Manchester
8: Tattnall County
9: Swainsboro
10: Wesleyan
Others receiving votes: Josey, Dublin, Lovett, Union County, Dodge County.
Class A
1: Wilkinson County (9)
2: Southwest Atlanta Christian
3: Calvary Day
4: Whitefield Academy and Turner County (tie)
6: Wilcox County
7: Hancock Central
8: Providence Christian
9: Taylor County and Jefferson
Others receiving votes: W.D. Mohammed, Tallulah Falls, Trion, Our Lady of Mercy.
Note: This list compiled by Derrick Mahone each week from GSWA voting results
With many of the ranked teams meeting this week, there is bound to be a big shakeup in next week’s rankings. What’s your take on this week’s poll? Who is being overlooked? Who shouldn’t be here at all? Who’s got game? Who’s got lame? Hoops talk starts now.
Permalink | Comments (41) | Categories: Basketball rankings
Pop Quiz: From HS to NBA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There have been 85 former Georgia high school basketball players to play in the NBA. Of those, a surprisingly high number - 30 - were first-round picks. Three were No. 1 overall picks. Test your knowledge of former Georgia high school hoops stars with this quick quiz.
1: Which Georgia high school has the most alumni in the NBA?
a: Cedar Grove
b: Douglass
c: Marietta
d: Southwest Macon
e: Washington
2: Which Georgia high school player was not selected in the first round?
a: Kelvin Cato, Lithonia
b: Alec Kessler, Roswell
c: Brook Steppe, North Springs
d: Sedale Threatt, Therrell
e: Charlie Ward, Central Thomasville
3: Which Georgia high school alumnus has averaged the most points for his career?
a: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Wheeler
b: Dale Ellis, Marietta
c: Walt Frazier, Howard
d: Jeff Malone, Southwest Macon
e: Norm Nixon, Southwest Macon
4: Which of these former Georgia high school players never played in an NBA All-Star Game?
a: Willie Anderson, East Atlanta
b: Dale Davis, Stephens County
c: Mike Mitchell, Price
d: Chris Morris, Douglass
e: Tree Rollins, Crisp County
5: Dwight Howard of SW Atlanta Christian in 2004 and Kwame Brown of Brunswick Academy in 2001 were Georgia high school players who were selected as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. Who is the only other former Georgia high school player to be selected with the first pick in the NBA draft?
a: Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Wheeler
b: Pervis Ellison, Savannah
c: Walt Frazier, Howard
d: Elmore Smith, Ballard-Hudson
e: Al Wood, Jones County
Answers
1: D — Southwest Macon, with six. No other school has more than three. Southwest’s NBA alumni are Jeff Malone, Ivano Newbill, Norm Nixon, Myles Patrick, Chris Robinson and Sharone Wright. Douglass has three (Harold Ellis, Jarvis Hayes and Chris Morris). So does Washington (Lanard Copeland, Jabari Smith and Spencer Elmore).
2: D — Sedale Threatt, Therrell. Threatt played 14 seasons in the NBA after being picked as the last player in the last round (sixth) in 1983. I know, you picked Brook Steppe. Who knew?
3: A — Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Wheeler. The former Hawks center, now with the Warriors, is averaging 19.1 points for his career. Jeff Malone averaged 19.0 points, and Walt Frazier averaged 18.9. Most surprising might be Mays alum Gerald Wilkins’ 13.0. Not bad, little brother.
4: A, D, E — Anderson, Morris and Rollins never played in an All-Star Game. Mike Mitchell did for the Cavaliers in 1981. Dale Davis made it with the Pacers in 2000.
5: B — Pervis Ellison, Savannah. “Never Nervous” went to the Sacramento Kings in 1989. Abdur-Rahim went No. 3, Frazier No. 5, Smith No. 3 and Wood No. 4.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: History Lesson
Still waiting for basketball explosion
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He blogs about statewide preps, whether you like it or not.
“Atlanta is ripe to explode on the national basketball scene,” the promo for the PrimeTime Shootout touts. I’m not exactly sure what that means.
Is that talking about talent? If so, Atlanta isn’t ripe to explode. The explosion has already happened. If you want to see a little of the fallout, the PrimeTime is one place to look on Saturday.
Colleges across the country know about the A-T-L when it comes to basketball. ESPN has discovered it, too. It wasn’t long ago that Southwest Atlanta Christian vs. Landmark Christian, two metro teams, was a game featured on the national network.
It wasn’t long ago that Dwight Howard was tabbed the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, straight out of high school. It was earlier this season that Norcross held its own with national powerhouse Oak Hill Academy before falling short, a game that also played on national TV.
Though the PrimeTime doesn’t feature female players, I defy anybody to find a national stage on which Collins Hill’s Maya Moore or St. Pius’ Kelley Cain can’t hold their own — and maybe some of yours, too.
So, talent-wise, the Atlanta area takes a back seat to nobody. Everything else about the Atlanta and the national basketball scene may have some catching up to do, though.
The Georgia High School Association still is looking for a place to play the Class AAAAA North quarterfinals. That’s a venue problem — and one that would never ever happen if we were talking football.
The PrimeTime Shootout was originally supposed to be at Georgia Tech. It has downgraded to Norcross — the result of a venue problem that flies in the face of that same promo which also mentioned “bright lights, big cities, major stadiums.” Norcross is a major player in the state basketball scene, but it doesn’t play in a major stadium.
To say Atlanta is ripe to explode in the fan sense is wishful thinking in some marketing genius’ mind. This is football territory and, unless there’s an immediate mass migration from Indiana and Kentucky, football territory will it be for a long time to come.
Some blame a lack of media coverage for basketball not being more popular — which is only backward thinking. Media coverage does not build interest in a sport; it responds to the interest already there.
People have been talking about soccer becoming the next great sport here for the last 30 years. If only we could get more media coverage, they say.
To twist a line from “Field of Dreams:” If you build it, it will come. For whatever reasons you choose, basketball isn’t rooted in Southern culture. When it is, only then will that explosion come.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Mad Maxie
Don’t crown AAAAA champs yet
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To borrow from ESPN football analyst Lee Corso: “Not so fast, my friend.” Many are ready to anoint the Collins Hill girls and Norcross boys Class AAAAA champions.
I must admit they both have been impressive and have handled the preseason hype quite well.
Much of that has to do with a group of determined and experienced players; and a lot of credit must go to coaches Tracey Tipton (Collins Hill) and Eddie Martin (Norcross).
While most fans already have Collins Hill’s and Norcross’ names engraved on the championship trophies, there is still a lot of basketball to be played between now and March 9.
Remember, the Wheeler boys were an overwhelming favorite last season, but Beach emerged.
Speaking of both those teams, they also should be considered serious contenders along with Peachtree Ridge and Meadowcreek.
On the girls’ side, Collins Hill has showed a never-say-die attitude, especially during its trip to Washington over the holidays.
Contenders to throw into the mix include a talented Stephenson team and South Gwinnett, which is also a capable opponent. Mill Creek played the Eagles tough last week.
For sure, the AAAAA tournament will be another good one.
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Miller Grove has the White touch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He elevated Carver from a program of little significance to the Class A 2004 championship game. Along the way, he instilled pride in young men who had lost 14 of 17 games the year before Sharman White arrived.
Today, White is performing a similarly commendable job at Miller Grove, a DeKalb County school in only its second year of varsity, but one that already has established itself as a force.
This is so even after perhaps the model program in DeKalb — Columbia — showed its depth, experience and know-how in handling Miller Grove 76-54 on Friday night.
To defeat No. 1 Columbia would have amounted to a significant upset, what with the Eagles’ pedigree. Plus, they had the two best players on the court in Georgia Tech-bound Lance Storrs and Georgia-bound Jeremy Price and a slew of athletic, hard-working players.
Still, it was apparent even in the carnage that White has his team going in the proper direction. They were 11-4 before Friday, with the quartet of defeats coming by a combined 11 points, including a five-point defeat to Columbia earlier.
Considering the age of the program, Miller Grove is ahead of everyone’s schedule but White’s. After elevating Carver, he had lofty expectations moving over to talent-laden DeKalb.
“I’ve coached in Atlanta and now in DeKalb, and it’s not even close which has [more] talent,” White said. “Schools in DeKalb are sometimes two miles apart, but each school has a bunch of talent. It’s crazy.” So, with something to work with, White expected the kind of success they are experiencing.
“Compared to what had to be done at Carver, this is a walk in the park,” he said. “At Carver, I had to take what I was given and mold it into something worthwhile for the kids, the school and the community,” he said. “But we went in there and … won a lot and, best of all, we saw the kids’ self-esteem rise.
“At Miller Grove, I started from scratch, but I didn’t have to change a mind-set of losing. I set a standard from the beginning of hard work and success and, most importantly, the kids bought into it. And here we are.”
Where they would like to be is where Columbia is. Coach Phil McCrary is a motivator, a tactician, a winner. His team is a well-tooled operation. The Eagles spent the second half throwing down dunks to the pleasure of their fans, who raised cards with “10” on them as a way of judgment.
The 6-foot-8 Price also delivered a forceful message when he set a vicious screen at mid-court on Miller Grove’s young phenom, Mfon Udofia. Price flattened the 6-foot-3 guard who already has drawn the interest of Duke, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Florida, UConn, Arizona and on and on.
Udofia, whose parents are from Nigeria, is a left-handed athlete with an uncanny feel for the game. But when he did not make the obvious pass on a 2-on-1 break and missed a difficult layup, White did not hesitate to express his displeasure. Loudly.
So it is with a young team — in age and varsity experience. But with White at the helm and Udofia, senior Anthony Jones and the versatile Bijaun Leak, among others, Miller Grove some day soon could hold as lofty a position in the state as Columbia.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Milton bids to repeat ‘97 Wheeler upset
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every so often, Van Keys gets nostalgic about the most dynamic time of his nine-year run as coach at Milton.
It was Feb. 12, 1997, at Pope High, when his unheralded Eagles knocked off No. 1 Wheeler in the subregion tournament, an upset that reverberated throughout the state.
No one expected Milton to defeat the Wildcats, who were the most dominant team in Class AAAA that season, with D.A. Layne, Antwuan Dixon and others. But Milton pulled it out, on two last-second free throws, and ended Wheeler’s run.
That is of interest now because the two teams meet again at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Milton. It is the Eagles’ best opportunity to defeat Doug Lipscomb’s perennial power in the past 10 years.
Since the 58-57 Milton victory, Lipscomb has built Wheeler into perhaps the state’s most prolific program. The Wildcats have won three state championships and are yearly contenders. Milton, meanwhile, has never had a moment like it did in ‘97.
This weekend offers that opportunity. The Eagles are 11-1 and ranked No. 7 in the state. Wheeler is ranked No. 3.
To defeat Wheeler, much has to fall into place, as it did for Milton 10 years ago.
“Just a great game,” recalled Keys, 46, a physical education teacher and tennis coach at Milton. “It was unexpected that we would upset them. It was the best we played all that year.”
Keys can recall details of the game as if it were a recent happening. “Nip and tuck the whole way,” he said. “We had our moments, but they had some great players in Layne and Dixon. They were great.
“What we did have was a 6-8 kid, Justin Valentine, who played great inside for us.”
Still, Wheeler held a 57-56 lead when a foul was called on Dixon against Greg Rosinski with 1.2 seconds to play. Fans recall seeing the entire Wheeler cheering section run behind the basket and wave their arms to distract Rosinski.
With the noise at ear-splitting level, Rosinski, “nailed them both, like it was nothing,” Keys said. “And that was the game.”
The Milton fans, from shock and glee, rushed the court. “It was an unbelievable celebration,” Keys said.
Rosinski, the son of former Falcons play-by-play announcer Bill Rosinski, was a hero, as was the entire team, which lost the next week to Marietta.
“I got home about 11 that night and received calls of congratulations until after midnight,” Keys said. “Even the Roswell coach called. He was glad. We had gotten Wheeler out of the way for them. And Roswell went on to win the championship.”
Since then, Milton has not beaten Wheeler. Hasn’t come close. In fact, the Eagles lost to the Wildcats twice in 1997 by double-figure margins.
“You win a game like that and it sticks with you,” Keys said. “Now, Milton has a chance to do it again. If it’s anything like the game we played 10 years ago, it’ll be a great game this weekend. … I can’t wait to see it.”
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Darius Walker made good decision at right time
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Darius Walker made plenty of good moves this season, but the Notre Dame running back saved his best for last.
On Thursday, he shocked football fans from Atlanta to South Bend by saying goodbye to Charlie Weis and the Irish and declaring for the NFL Draft. Don’t let all the Darius doubters and draft experts fool you — it was absolutely the right decision.
Popular belief is that the former Buford star might not even be a first-day selection. His lack of breakaway speed is the first thing they point out. But why is staying another season going to make him faster?
Walker is listed as having 4.5 speed. (I’ll take the over). Yet, in his impressive performance in the Sugar Bowl, he consistently was fast enough to get away from LSU’s vaunted SEC speed. Actually, he reminds me of a former SEC back that everyone also said was too slow to play in the NFL. Florida’s Emmitt Smith ran a 4.7 in the NFL combine and slipped all the way down to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 17.
Tiki Barber also comes to mind. The recently retired Giants’ back is the same size as Walker (5-10, 200) and has never been considered a burner.
Those comparisons are obviously on the high end of the scale. Who knows whether Walker will even last five years in the pros, let alone become a perennial Pro Bowler? But his draft stock wasn’t going to get any higher by staying another season at Notre Dame.
The Irish lose nine offensive starters and will be breaking in a new quarterback behind an inexperienced line. Not exactly the recipe for a successful ground attack. Plus, there are rumors that Walker and Weis weren’t on the best of terms. Weis didn’t appear at Walker’s press conference to announce his decision. Being in the doghouse next year certainly wasn’t going to help his draft stock.
Walker says he’s planning on finishing school and receiving his degree. “This was not a blind decision for me,” he said. “It’s not something just all of a sudden I woke up one day, ‘Hey, let me got to the NFL and see if I can make it. It’s definitely something that I put time and research in, something that I feel is right now.”
Whether Walker makes it in the NFL or not, he picked the right time to take his shot.
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Where have the point guards gone?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is the traditional point guard becoming a thing of the past? Where are the Bobby Hurley’s of today?
It seems everyone wants to be a 6-7 slasher. Maybe it’s a strategic move to get drafted by the Hawks. Or maybe the game has changed so much over the last decade that the point guard is not a necessity anymore.
“You’re always going need that type of point guard that can orchestrate your offense,” said Central Gwinnett coach David Allen, who points to Peachtree Ridge’s Kevin Anderson as a prime example.
Fundamentally sound and a good decision maker, Anderson is perfect for a Lions’ team with multiple scoring options. But he’s one of the very few traditional point guards in Gwinnett.
Meadowcreek’s Chris Allen has performed well since moving over from shooting guard to the point. But when he heads to Michigan State next year, I’d be surprised if he wasn’t back at the two guard.
The move away from the traditional point guard seemed to begin with the Bulls of the 90s, when Scottie Pippen put the point-forward on the map. The trend has trickled all the way down to the high school level.
At 6-7, Central’s Richard Howell seems more comfortable on the perimeter, although he’s the Knights’ tallest player. His versatility produces severe match-up problems for opposing defenses. But for as few of point guards as there are in the county, there are even less traditional big men. So wouldn’t it make sense to keep Howell around the basket? Not necessarily, says Allen.
“To a degree, some kids like Richard have the skills to do both,” he said. “It just depends on who’s guarding him. If he’s got a size advantage, we’ll move him down low. If they put a bigger guy on him, we’ll move hit outside to use his quickness.”
In college, Howell will certainly play on the perimeter as a small forward. So improving his ball-handling and outside shot seems to be important during his high school career. But for now, is it the best move for the team?
“College coaches and recruiters are smart enough to recognize a player’s abilities whether they’re playing inside or out,” said Allen. “My job is to put him in the best position to help us win games.”
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Pound For Pound: Wrestling rankings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The AJC’s Kurt Aschermann Jr. talks H.S. wrestling each Thursday. Feel free to talk back.
Borrowing a page from its Class AAAAA football brethren, wrestling’s highest classification has its own mess to deal with. Parkview and McEachern have been getting all kinds of love this year and with good reason. Parkview boasts one of the more dominant quartets in the state in Chad Mitchell, Carson Fields, Ryan Galloway and Jesse Miller, who are 110-3. The Panthers have depth as well: Josh Matlack, Connor Dalton, Nandor Csnonka, Charles Sandusky; the list goes on and on.
McEachern, a popular pick for Class AAAAA head honcho when the season began, is fresh off a Cobb County title. The Indians have a stable of potential state placers, led by last year’s 103-pound state champion, Brandon Westerman, who’s showing no signs of letting up in his sophomore campaign.
And then there’s Collins Hill. The Eagles have almost been a forgotten player in Class AAAAA with Parkview and McEachern grabbing most of the headlines. But these Eagles are good. So good, in fact, that their junior varsity team finished fifth at the Alexander Invitational this past weekend.
“I think Parkview is definitely the team to beat and McEachern is probably the ones right on their heels,” Collins Hill coach Cliff Ramos said. “But I think Parkview and McEachern are aware of us.”
Oh, yes, it would be wise to be aware of Walton and its bruising lineup that includes defending state champions Dylan Temple (171) and Andy Olsen (189). How about Union Grove? The Wolverines have five wrestlers, Joey Lazor (119 pounds); Justin Crozier (125); Carrington Banks (145); Jack Roberts (152); and Bradley Banks (160) that no one wants to face.
It should be fun when the dual tournament gets underway next weekend in Macon.
Kurt Aschermann Jr. ranks the top wrestling teams in the state, regardless of class: Week of Jan. 11
1: Parkview
2: Collins Hill
3: McEachern
4: West Laurens
5: Walton
6: Eastside
7: Union Grove
8: Lafayette
9: Gilmer
10: Stockbridge
Pin it down: Who’s your favorite to win it all? Is there a darkhorse, or a clear favorite? You tell us.
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Trimming back weight cutting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In an effort to trim the practice of dangerous weight cutting among Georgia high school wrestlers, the GHSA is adopting a new body fat and hydration test. While most coaches are behind the idea (there hasn’t been one of its kind in GHSA history), there are components of the plan that don’t sit well with those same coaches. Adrian Anderson, president of the Georgia Wrestling Coaches Association and head coach at Northgate, explains the latest news in weight cutting.
Q: How does this compare to the old system?
A: Well, the old system was there was no system. The old system was you had to get a certain amount of weigh-ins under your weight class’ weight. Say you’re a 119-pound wrestler: you had to weigh in under 119 a certain number of times. What that did was make you hold your weight, and by making you hold your weight it would prevent you from cutting too much weight.
Q: How will it work?
A: First they test your urine (and) it can’t be above 1.025 on a specific gravity test. That means compared to water, it can’t be heavier than 1.025. Once you pass that, you go through a body fat analysis. You’ll be tested early in the year — the hydration test, that’s the real pain. Because teenagers walk around over-hydrated anyway.
They’re using something called a tenita scale: you step on the tenita scale and it gives you a body fat analysis. So, you get your weight, you get your body fat analysis, and they give you what your lowest possible weight class would be — which will be your current body composition, reduced to 7 percent body fat. So, in other words, if you come in at 14 percent body fat, you can lose 7 percent of your weight as long as it’s body fat.
Q: What are the advantages?
A: It also gives you a first date you can be at that weight. In other words, if you come in at 127 pounds and your body fat is 10 percent, that would mean you’re carrying around 12.7 pounds of body fat. Now at your lowest weight if you’re 127, if you lose down to 7 percent body fat, you can lose 3.81 pounds, so at 127 pounds you can lose 3.8 pounds and your lowest allowable weight would be 123.
Q: What are some of the problems you foresee with this system?
A: 1: It’s an incredible amount of paperwork that’s going into this. One of the coaches said it was close to 40 hours, so you’re basically spending an extra work week. It’s extremely time-consuming.
2: I think this system may punish a kid for getting in shape. This system might make a kid have to wrestle up a weight class. It gives a certain kid an advantage.
I think weight cutting is one of those things I’d like to see out of the sport, but at the same time, don’t punish a kid for getting in shape and working hard. Kids don’t need to starve and dehydrate to cut weight. But it’s a step in the right direction and it’s better than nothing.
Q: Ultimate solution?
A: If they really wanted to do it right, they need to put a scale by the mat and weigh you in each time you wrestle.
Time for you to tackle this issue. Speak your mind. Got a wrestling-related issue for Kurt to take down? Send an e-mail.
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Wednesday showdown: Larry Hartstein vs. David Purdum
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This week’s challenge between staff writers Larry H. and David P. will determine who is the best general manager. We each drafted an eight-person team (four girls, four boys). Each team must play at least two girls on the floor at all times.
Cast your vote on which team would win.
The Draft
Larry — Maya Moore, F, Collins Hill
David P. — Gani Lawal, F, Norcross
Larry — Chris Allen, G, Meadowcreek
David P. — Al-Farouq Aminu, F, Norcross
Larry— Cameron Heyward, F, Peachtree Ridge
David P. — Alex Winchell, G, South Gwinnett
Larry — Zach Graham, F, Peachtree Ridge
David P. — Jordan Jones, G, Collins Hill
Larry — Richard Howell, F, Central Gwinnett
David P. — Shelbie Pool, G, Mill Creek
Larry — Antionette Howard, F, South Gwinnett
David P. — Kiara Evans, G, Berkmar
Larry — Anne Marie Armstrong, G, Wesleyan
David P. — Sam Goodman, G, Central Gwinnett
Larry — D’Nay Daniels, F, GAC
David P. — Teondre Williams, F, Meadowcreek
Larry’s Legends Roster
Starting Lineup
Maya Moore
Chris Allen
Cameron Heyward
Antionette Howard
Zach Graham
Bench
Richard Howell
Anne Marie Armstrong
D’Nay Daniels
David P.’s Legend Killers Roster
Starting Lineup
Gani Lawal
Al-Farouq Amin
Sam Goodman
Alex Winchell
Shelbie Pool
Bench
Jordan Jones
Kiara Evans
Teondre Williams
David P’s Game Plan: We expect to dominate the glass, creating multiple opportunities for our shooters, Jones, Pool and Evans. We’ll slow the tempo with a sagging 1-3-1 zone, utilizing Goodman’s athleticism to chase the ball at the top. If Allen gets hot, we feel comfortable putting the bigger Al-Farouq on him and forcing him to drive into the teeth of our defense, where Lawal awaits.
Larry’s Game Plan: They are bigger, so we will trap them mercilessly (they’re short on ballhandlers). We will get out and run, and we’ll drain lots of threes. When Allen and Graham draw the defense, everyone else will get easy looks. Mark it down: 98-86, Larry’s Legends.
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Take Ten: Why hoops top pigskin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Admit it. You are a high school athletics fan, but you hate bone-chilling nights in December and you can’t remember the last time you actually went to a baseball or soccer game when you didn’t have a relative playing. Football may be king in the South, but basketball has eclipsed football at the high school level in the state of Georgia.
It’s more fan-friendly, the gymnasiums are nice and heated, and usually it isn’t more than a two-minute trip to the bathroom. Here are 10 reasons why basketball is WAY better than football at the high school level.
10: Three times a week, baby! You want to watch three high school football games in a week, then you better head to Savannah or Macon where they don’t have enough football stadiums and you have to play football on Thursday. In basketball, you can see six games in three days, catching boys and girls doubleheaders. Heck if you get there early enough, you can watch nine games or more with some junior varsity action.
9: It’s a global game: A 6-foot-10 kid from the Ukraine comes to America as a foreign exchange student and plays basketball, and he is the next recruit for the University of Florida. That same kid goes out for the football team and he might end up as the state’s tallest trainer. Football doesn’t translate well.
8: Region tournaments: Lose half of your games in a football season, and the odds are that you aren’t going to make the playoffs unless you live in Tom Murphy’s district (forgive me Lord for speaking ill of the deceased former Speaker of the House). But lose half your games at the right time, and you can still win a state title. In 1994, Dodge County was the fourth seed from its subregion (SUBregion!) and won the state championship with a team that got hot at the right time.
7: Dapper dressers: In football, the head coach is differentiated from his assistant coaches by wearing a white sweater vest while the assistants wear a blue sweater vest. In basketball, head coaches are a who’s who of designer suits and expensive names. East Laurens coach Jimmy Williams would wait until midseason to assess his team before heading to Atlanta for some new suits if he thought his team was playoff material. The shiny gold suit he donned for the Class AA state title game in 2000 should be enshrined at the Macon Centreplex.
6: Pickup games: You might get a little two-hand touch going in the back yard with one guy as the “all-time quarterback” but go to any park in the state and you can get a real basketball game going.
5: Squeaking shoes and bouncing balls: Some of these big football stadiums, a football game has no real feel in the middle of September. Go to Hallford Stadium for a 5:30 September game and you could be fooled into forgetting there’s even a game going on. But no matter the basketball game, there’s always the squeaking shoes. And you can hear the basketball hitting the floor. Tell me what the sound is of cleats hitting turf. That’s right, you can’t.
4: Small schools can compete: Get a couple of big-time players, surround them with some role players for a solid starting five, and there’s no reason a Class A team can’t play right with a AAAAA team on any given night. Southwest Atlanta Christian had a loaded team a few years ago with Dwight Howard and Javaris Crittenton, and this season Class A Wilkinson County has three Division I signees, including Senario Hillman who has signed with Alabama. In football, a lack of depth kills you. In basketball, a good starting five can carry you to the title.
3: ESPN comes to town: It’s pretty cool to have ESPN hanging out in the ATL, showing a little high school ball, as was the case when Norcross played under the lights against Oak Hill Academy this season. The next time they put Georgia high school football on national TV will be the first.
2: Fans get close to the action: In football, the fans are separated from the field by the sidelines, a fence, the track, a wall at the front of the stands, some police, cheerleaders, team hangers-on, and a wide, shark-infested moat. In basketball, fans can reach out and intercept a pass if they want. You’ve got to get your feet out of the way just so they can inbound the ball. In most gyms, if you wear a basketball jersey, they’ll make you an honorary player. That’s what they mean by Sixth Man.
1: Basketball state title games don’t end in a tie: ‘Nuff said.
Go on. Take Ten. Tell us why hoops rules and football drools. Or why that’s just CRAZY talk. Because we’re down with the “no ties” thing but… um… squeaking shoes? Oooo-kaaay…
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Take Ten
Fluid Allen best of Georgia’s crop
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To watch Chris Allen play basketball is to witness the fluidity of flowing water. So effortlessly and gracefully does he move about the court that you might not notice he’s lighting up yet another awed opponent — if not for the oohs and ahhs from the crowd.
The Meadowcreek senior star is somewhat of a paradox. He goes about his business with uncanny calm, yet inflicts damage in ways that might seem cruel by the time he’s done. A scoring paragon capable of 40 points a night, Allen showed the fullness of his game Tuesday night at Brookwood.
Playing mostly point guard, Allen served the role of facilitator deftly, directing the Mustangs’ attack that produced an 83-47 victory.
Allen had eight assists to go with 17 points in an effort that was beautiful in its efficiency.
“You got to go to church regularly,” said Craig Witmer, the Brookwood coach who does one of the best jobs that too few people seem to notice. “That’s about all you can do when you go against Chris. Pray.”
Rivals.com ranked Allen as the 31st-best player in the nation, which would be OK if Gani Lawal (No. 27) of Norcross and J.J. Hickson (No. 15) of Wheeler were not rated higher. No doubt Lawal and Hickson are big-time talents who help make Georgia one of the richest states for high-school basketball.
But they are not better than Allen, a 6-foot-3 guard with a complete game of style and substance. He does not need anyone to set him up, as do the aforementioned big men; Allen can make plays all by himself and from all areas of the court.
Simply, he’s the best we have in Georgia, and just might be the best we’ve had in some time, including former South Gwinnett star Louis Williams.
Witmer has had the challenge of scheming against Williams, now with the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, and Allen, and sees similarities.
“Louis was quicker, probably more athletic,” Witmer said. “But Chris is more skilled and a better shooter than Louis was. Louis was a streaky shooter. Chris is more consistent.
“I thought for a while that I’d never see another great athlete like Louis, but here’s Chris.”
Here is a sampling of Allen on Tuesday night. In the first quarter, on a delayed break, he whipped a no-look pass to center Mark Veazey for a layup that drew an ovation.
In traffic, he eluded a defender with a swift behind-the-back dribble left, crossed over to the right and tossed in a floater in the lane. With a chance to score in the break, Allen instead lofted an alley-oop pass for a layup.
In between all that, he drained two 3-point jumpers with that smooth, picture-perfect stroke.
There was more of the same in the second half, when Allen continued to create for teammates, throwing down a tomahawk alley-oop dunk and delighting in crowd-pleasing slams by teammates Teondré Williams and Efosa Igaugbomnwen.
“A game like this, I just go out and get my teammates involved and work on the areas I need to work on, like passing and defense,” Allen said.
He signed last year with Michigan State, which has made this season so much easier for him. “Last year this time, I was going hard, trying to show my game, hurting my body,” he said. “Now, I can take it easy, have fun and enjoy my teammates.”
Make no mistake, the joy is in watching Chris Allen on the court.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Williams’ star dimming in NBA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Maybe if Louis Williams could do it all over again, he’d be playing at Georgia right now alongside former running mate Mike Mercer and not logging hefty minutes on the Philadelphia 76ers’ bench.
Williams opted to forego college after his outstanding senior season at South Gwinnett High to pursue the payday and limelight of the NBA. It started to seem like a bad decision on NBA Draft night, when he slipped all the way to the second round.
In one-plus seasons as a pro, Williams has scored a grand total of 27 points. He averaged more than that for his career with the Comets.
Surely, playing high school ball seems like a really long time ago for Williams, who — if you know him at all — would never admit to it. His outward confidence seems unshakable. Inside, it has to be eating him up that Allen Iverson was traded and he still cannot earn more than garbage minutes.
Meanwhile, Mercer is the leading scorer at Georgia.
Williams’ experiences as an NBA player can serve him well, if his self-esteem holds up. He’s seeing the country, flying in private jets, collecting a sizeable paycheck.
But he is not playing much basketball. At least not in the games. I operated under the notion that his athleticism and ability to score the ball would be enough in the NBA to get him on the court, where he could learn as he played.
That still might be the case, but the shine he created at South Gwinnett is not so bright anymore. He’s too young and too talented and too determined to deduce that he is in the wrong profession.
His day will come, I believe. But I’m sure, right about now, he’s longing to hear the crowd at a high school gym scream his name one more time.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
GSWA Basketball Poll: Jan. 9
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
*There were few surprises among the the top spots in this week’s Georgia Sportswriter Association Writers poll. Stockbridge, though not No. 1, entered the boys Class AAAA rankings and appears to be the region favorite. Defending girls’ AAAA champion St. Pius has been beaten twice. The next two games will tell a lot about the Golden Lions in their quest for a third title in four years.
With many of the ranked teams meeting this week, there is bound to be a big shakeup in next week’s rankings. What’s your take on this week’s poll? Who is being overlooked? Who shouldn’t be here at all? Who’s hot, who’s not — you tell us. Submit your comments below.*
Georgia Sports Writers Association High School Basketball Polls
(The number in parenthesis represent the number of first place votes.)
GIRLS
Class AAAAA
1: Collins Hill (8)
2: Stephenson
3: South Gwinnett
4: Campbell
5: Etowah
6: Mill Creek
7: Redan
8: Warner Robins
9: Marietta
10: Berkmar
Others receiving votes: Brookwood, Beach, McEachern.
Class AAAA
1: Marist (4) and St. Pius (2) (tie)
3: Greenbrier (1)
4: Jones County (1)
5: Northside-Warner Robins
6: Westside-Macon and Clarke Central (tie)
8: Mays
9: Jonesboro and Southwest DeKalb (tie)
Others receiving votes: Salem, Cherokee, Dalton, Westlake, Ware County.
Class AAA
1: Kendrick (8)
2: Carrollton
3: Southwest-Macon
4: Hephzibah
5: East Hall
6: Worth County
7: Franklin County
8: Hardaway
9: Westminster
10: West Laurens
Others receiving votes: Northeast-Macon, Westover-Albany, Monroe Area, North Hall, Liberty County.
Class AA
1: Avondale
2: Greater Atlanta Christian
3: Wesleyan
4: Screven County
5: Laney
6: McIntosh County Academy
7: Randolph-Clay
8: Paideia and Model (tie)
10: Armuchee
Others receiving votes: Buford, Dodge County, Swainsboro, Early County, Banks County, Dade County.
Class A
1: Landmark Christian
2: Southwest Atlanta Christian
3: Hancock Central
4: Calhoun County
5: Hebron Christian
6: Bowdon
7: Calvary Day
8: Seminole County
9: Hawkinsville and Savannah Country Day (tie)
10: Jefferson
Others receiving votes: St. Francis, Lakeview Academy, Gordon Lee, Whitefield Academy, Telfair County.
BOYS
Class AAAAA
1: Norcross (8)
2: Beach
3: Wheeler and Meadowcreek (tie)
5: Peachtree Ridge
6: McEachern
7: Milton
8: Tri-Cities
9: Chattahoochee and Johnson-Savannah (tie)
10: Northview
Others receiving votes: Northview, South Cobb, M.L. King
Class AAAA
1: Columbia (7)
2: Tucker (1)
3: Cherokee
4: Cedar Shoals
5: Riverdale
6: Stone Mountain and Westlake (tie)
8: Stockbridge
9: Lithia Springs
10: North Clayton
Others receiving votes: Americus-Sumter, Chapel Hill, Miller Grove.
Class AAA
1: Dunwoody (7)
2: Glenn Hills
3: Carver-Columbus (1)
4: East Hall
5: Jordan
6: Hart County
7: South Atlanta and Northside-Columbus (tie)
9 Monroe-Albany
10: Shaw
Others receiving votes: Gilmer, Burke County, Central-Macon, Sandy Creek, Franklin County, Westover-Albany
Class AA
1: Thomasville (8)
2: Buford
3: Decatur
4: Darlington
5: Randolph-Clay
6: Coosa
7: Tattnall County
8: Dodge County
9: Manchester and Wesleyan (tie)
Others receiving votes: Early County, Josey, Lovett, Swainsboro.
Class A
1: Southwest Atlanta Christian (4)
2: Wilkinson County (4)
3: Calvary Day
4: Whitefield Academy
5: Turner County
6: Hancock Central
7: Portal
8: Wilcox County
9: Providence Christian
10: Trion and W.D. Mohammed (tie)
Others receiving votes: Atkinson County, Jefferson, Commerce.
Note: This list compiled by Derrick Mahone each week from GSWA voting results
Who’s got game? Who’s got lame? Hoops talk starts now.
Permalink | Comments (32) | Categories: Basketball rankings
Jamelle Holloway, Brice Butler, Urban Meyer and Cameron Heyward
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Growing up in Oklahoma, the wishbone era of the mid-80s turned me into a passionate college football fan. Jamelle Holloway pitching to Spencer Tillman on option, or back to Keith Jackson on an end around … Ahhhhh, those were the glory days.
While the triple option may be a lost art, I certainly enjoy the creative offenses that teams like Arkansas and Florida are running these days. Seeing teams line up running backs and receivers at quarterback is fun to watch and definitely a potent weapon.
It will be interesting to see how many high school teams begin implementing some of these tricks into their offenses next year. Sure, not everyone has a Derrick McFadden or a Tim Tebow. But every team knows who their top playmaker is. So why not find ways to get the ball in your best player’s hands as often as possible?
A team like Norcross, which will be breaking in a new quarterback, but does return a standout receiver in Brice Butler, would seem to be a prime candidate to play a little Urban-ball. Dacula’s in the same boat: New quarterback with a talented receiver in Blair Frost.
You can bet Peachtree Ridge’s Cameron Heyward had his eyes glued to Monday’s BCS title tilt. The stud defensive tackle has narrowed his choices down to Georgia, LSU, Florida and Ohio State.
A two-sport star at Peachtree Ridge, Heyward has said that he’d like to play both football and basketball in college. But, make no mistake about it, the big fellow’s meal ticket is the pigskin.
At 6-6, 280, he’s a dominant force in the paint against inferior and undersized competition. His skills don’t translate well to the next level, however.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: David Purdum
Mad About… mandated co-champs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He blogs about statewide preps, whether you like it or not.
It has been a few weeks now since the unprecedented occurred — two championship ties in the same Georgia High School Association season. But the pattern remains the same.
First, there are the fans who watch the clock drain away and sit in anticipation for the overtime that never comes. Followed, of course, by the same befuddlement that accompanies a balk call at a major league game. Fans spend all game clamoring for a balk and then when it happens, they say, “What just happened?”
So it is when co-champions are announced to a smattering of boos.
Then, of course, there’s the ceremonial handwringing. The “we’ve-got-to-do-something-about-this” indignation fades into the “well-if-they-couldn’t-settle-it-in-48-minutes” cop out which then fades into some lawmaker thinking, “Hey, here’s an opportunity to score political points,” which ultimately winds up back at the fans’ “When does spring practice begin again?”
And it’s all forgotten until it happens again. What do we need to get real action on this? Five championship ties in the same season?
Why, in what is supposed to be the most important game of the season, in high school sports’ marquee event, is a tie good enough? Five weeks of playoff buildup, including a trip to the Georgia Dome, peters out into let’s-everybody-go-home-happy rhetoric. If everybody going home happy is the goal, why have the playoffs at all? Spread the happiness a little thinner, why don’t we?
The rule dates to 1948, but its use has been so infrequent as to make it seem like it’s stood the test of time for 59 years.
“Just because it was good enough for grandpa in 1948 doesn’t mean it’s good enough for us in 2007,” state Sen. John Douglas told the Rockdale Citizen.
That’s the point. It wasn’t good enough in 1948. Or 1958, when Avondale and Thomasville tied. Or 1978, when Griffin and Valdosta tied.
And it won’t be good enough in 2008, which is when I’m betting the status quo next gets questioned. When does spring practice begin again?
Let the Madness begin! The line for back-and-forth banter with Maxie starts right here. No pushing.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Mad Maxie
Let’s ditch classes and just play, GHSA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Over the recent holiday break, the 1986 movie classic “Hoosiers” was shown several times. The movie was inspired by Milan High, a small-town Indiana team that won the 1954 state title in a non-classification tournament.
It got me to thinking about what-ifs — what if Georgia had a state championship game that would pit, for instance, Dunwoody against Norcross — title winners from different classifications?
Some states have had great success with teams playing open classification in basketball. Basketball in this state is getting to the point where the smaller schools are capable of competing with the larger ones on a regular basis.
Take the 2003-04 Southwest Atlanta Christian team with Dwight Howard and Javaris Crittenton, which beat several large schools in games from coast-to-coast. The Warriors more than proved their worth by playing a national schedule during Howard’s NBA quest.
The 2004 Class A all-state team would have more than held its own with Howard, Randolph Morris and Dwayne Day against any of the other four classes.
Last season, Dunwoody and Westlake, a pair of AAA powers, would have matched up well with anybody.
This season, Wilkinson County, with its three Division I signees, is certainly capable of making a run in any class. SACA proved that it is still a force by finishing runner-up in the Bojangles High School Shootout in North Carolina against some solid competition.
Is it time for the GHSA to strip the classes away in basketball and let them play?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Fastbreak
Fayette star’s skills showed at 17 months
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whether it was a father’s wishful thinking or true prophecy, Lynbert “Cheese” Johnson swears he knew his young son would be an accomplished basketball player.
But here’s the thing: Noel Johnson was 17 months old.
“I know it sounds crazy, but if you could have seen him, it was amazing,” dad said. “It was with a rubber ball, and he was shooting on one of those mini-courts, but it was there.”
Dad’s instinct has been confirmed in a way that has exceeded even his anticipation. While at Lovejoy last season, Noel Johnson was one of the top freshmen in the state. This season at Fayette County, Johnson is among the top sophomores in the country.
At 6 feet 7, Johnson’s multi-dimensional skills have attracted the interest of many of the top college coaches. Although he still has two years of high school left, Johnson said he already has developed a top five list of prospects: Georgia Tech, Memphis, UConn, LSU and Florida.
In many ways, it was almost impossible for Johnson to not become a slice off the block of Cheese. His dad was a star player at Wichita State who played half a season with the Golden State Warriors of the NBA and professionally in Europe.
A New York native with an engaging personality, Cheese Johnson has lots of friends who are accomplished in basketball, and nearly all of them have been a part of “Cheddar” Johnson’s development.
His godfather is Xavier McDaniel, the outstanding former NBA star who played with passion and fearlessness. McDaniel teaches post-up maneuvers. Nate Archibald, the dynamic point guard who once led the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season, works with Johnson on ball-handling and court awareness.
Mike Glenn, the solid shooting former Hawks player, who is as smart and socially conscious as anyone, counsels the kid on marksmanship and citizenship. And Charlie Scott, the first black player to sign an athletic scholarship at North Carolina in 1966, tutors on scoring.
“They have all helped me all around,” Noel Johnson said. “My dad has a lot of NBA friends and they give me tips that I use day-by-day to get better.”
Johnson, a “B” student, transferred to Fayette County when the family moved because of the academic challenge, his dad said. “It’s got to be about preparing him for college,” Cheese Johnson said. Noel got to Fayette County and found that coach Andre Flynn’s up-tempo style suits him beautifully, as his averages of 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals attest.
Johnson plays three positions — point guard, shooting guard and small forward — and has free reign within Flynn’s system to display his vast skills.
“And there’s so much support from the school and community,” Noel Johnson said. “It’s been a good move for me.”
But the next three weeks will not be as good. Johnson severely sprained an ankle this week and could be sidelined for as many as 21 days.
“It’s frustrating because I want to be out there helping my team,” he said.
“It’s eating him up,” his dad said. “He was born here, but he’s a New York kid, in that we always go up there and play ball. He likes playing in the park as much as he likes playing in real games. He just loves basketball.
“I could see that when he was so young. He always enjoyed the game. Now, it’s serving him well.”
Permalink | | Categories: Curtis Bunn
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