A whole lot of talent and plenty of top-notch teams will come to define the 2008-09 high school basketball season in Georgia. We are already a month into the current campaign, so let’s take a look at the top teams in the state this year.
Starting in Class 5A, new head coach Jesse McMillan inherited a deep Norcross team that has won the past three state titles. Al-Farouq Aminu has taken his game to Wake Forest, but a high-energy and experienced backcourt led by Taariq Muhammad has the Blue Devils 6-0 on the season thus far. The team Norcross beat for the title last season, Wheeler, has been up and down out of the gate, losing to Centennial and Mississippi’s Callaway, but beating California powerhouse Dominguez. Post player Richard Howell comes up big for the Wildcats night in and night out, while Ari Stewart is an excellent shooter. The Wildcats return four starters.
If Milton makes a championship run this season, it might be the start of something special, as the Eagles’ three most talented players are sophomores. Julian Royal, Dai-Jon Parker and Shannon Scott are used to playing with each other on the AAU level and are quickly becoming a force for the Eagles. Head coach David Boyd’s team is currently 7-0. McEachern is another team that just might have all the pieces for a breakthrough season. Trae Golden is a dominating scorer in the backcourt, while big men Kadeem Batts and Colin and Charlie Reddick do the dirty work. The formula has helped new head coach Mike Thompson’s Indians get off to an 8-0 start.
Centennial has a win over Wheeler under its belt and a dynamic backcourt at its disposal in the form of DeVonta White and Lorenzo Brown. Head coach Allen Whitehart’s Knights are looking to duplicate a 2006-07 season in which they were one made basket away from a state title.
It might be Westlake’s first year in Class 5A, but the Lions certainly have enough firepower to compete. Head coach Darron Rogers has 6-6 forward Jevoris Bryant as his senior leader, but juniors Jelan Kendrick and Marcus Thornton give Westlake more size, athleticism and scoring.
Walton put fear into teams last season in large part because of the outside shooting of Glen Rice. This season, however, junior point guard and N.C. State bound Ryan Harrow has joined the Raiders, giving them another 3-point marksman and a chance to make some noise in the state’s toughest classification. South Georgia’s Savannah will also continue to be formidable. A year ago, the Blue Jackets went 29-3 and made it to the state semifinals before being thrashed by Norcross.
THE REST OF THE CLASSES
With Columbia moving down to Class 3A, Miller Grove becomes the team to beat in Class 4A. However, the Wolverines will have to win without the architect of their program: head coach Sharman White, who is suspended for the season. In replacing White, Eddie Johnson has guard Mfon Udofia, forward Stephen Hill and a sizeable frontcourt at his disposal. Fayette County was runner-up to Columbia in Class 4A a year ago and returns USC-bound, sharpshooting forward Noel Johnson. To get back to the title game, the Tigers must overcome the graduation of point guard Brandon Boykin. Other challengers in Class AAAA are Tucker, behind scorer Manny Atkins, and Hillgrove.
Columbia moves down to Class 3A after playing in the last three Class 4A championship games, winning two. Once again, head coach Phil McCrary has to replace college-level talent, but he has players to turn to. JerShon Cobb looks to give the Eagles scoring on the wing and freshman Jordan Price, the younger brother of former Columbia and current Georgia Bulldog player Jeremy Price, may also play a prominent role.
Class 3A South Atlanta finished with a 27-3 record last year, including wins against a couple of high-profile national wins. This year Auburn signee and sharpshooting guard Andre Malone joins the Hornets to complement the inside game of Derrick Favors. So far, South Atlanta is 6-0 with a 15-point win over Centennial in hand. Franklin County, behind scoring guard DeMario Mayfield, is another 3A team to watch.
Moving to the state’s lowest two classifications, Dublin looks to be the top team in Class 2A thanks to players like Sherrard Brantley and Rashard Smith. Since upsetting Randolph-Clay in the quarterfinals last year, the 6-0 Fighting Irish have grown in confidence. Hancock Central is the defending Class A champion and, with explosive inside force Kammeon Holsey returning, the Bulldogs are looking for two in a row. Wilkinson County has its best team since winning the Class A championship in 2007 and looks to challeng Region 4-B rival Hancock.
TOP PLAYERS
Now that we’ve covered the state’s top teams, let’s take a look at its top players, starting with Derrick Favors. Many consider Favors to be the best player in the country. The 6-9 South Atlanta senior forward/center is a constant triple-double threat, as he is an expert shot blocker in addition to being a tremendous rebounder and inside scorer as well. Staying in the paint, 6-9 Redan senior Kenny Hall is quick and agile. A force offensively and defensively, he is the state’s second-best big man behind Favors and will play collegiately at Tennessee.
Among backcourt players, Mfon Udofia is a tough, hard-nosed lead guard who can score, distribute and defend. The Georgia Tech signee is the heart and soul of an outstanding Miller Grove team. Fellow Yellow Jacket signee, Walton’s Glen Rice, might be even better than his reputation would indicate. Fundamentally sound and possessing a great shot, Rice finds ways to put points on the board. The silky smooth Lorenzo Brown (Centennial) is also ACC bound. He is a facilitator who can be a dominating scorer when the Knights need him to be. His 6-4 size enhances his skill set. Brown will play collegiately at N.C. State.
As always, there are also talented underclassmen in Georgia. Westlake’s Jelan Kendrick is regarded as one of the country’s top players in the 2010 class. The 6-6 guard is in the mold of a Lorenzo Brown, as his size and ball-handling ability make for a deadly combination. Another Class of 2010 product, Liberty County’s Jordan McRae, might just be Georgia’s top dunker. The 6-5 wing player turns in acrobatic slams and cleans the glass for rebounds. He is already committed to Tennessee.
Even on a team with high-profile seniors, junior Phil Taylor stirs the drink for Wheeler. The 5-9 point guard gets everyone involved in the offense and does not shy away from taking clutch shots. As for the sophomores, Julian Royal leads the way for Milton’s talented triumvirate of 10th graders. At 6-7, he can provide inside scoring and hit the mid-range jump shot. A natural, Royal dominated at times as a freshman for the Eagles last season.
With so many top teams and players in action around the state, there will undoubtedly be plenty of exciting games throughout the year.
Butler can be reached at jbutler@scoreatl.com.
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