The March to Macon concluded this past weekend but left us with some memorable performances. Here is how I would rank the top five individual efforts from championship weekend.
1. Jordan Harris – Seminole County – 41 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals
This was an easy one. The junior who has committed to play college ball at UGA was electrifying. Harris soared above all others for thunderous dunks and spectacular rebounds. He didn’t just dominate the game with his athleticism like most top high schoolers do, he also showed that he has a lethal jumper. Harris splashed in four 3-pointers to help the Indians bring home their first state title since 1998 over Crawford County and its raucous fan base, 76-71. Harris closed the game by scoring 11 of the team’s final 13 points.
2. Derek Ogbeide – Pebblebrook – 14 points, 22 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks
Another player heading to UGA stole the show in his respective game. Though the Falcons lost on a controversial call on which Ogbeide was whistled on, the big man thoroughly dominated the interior. Wheeler had no answer inside as Ogbeide cleaned up the boards and did not allow anything easy inside for the Wildcats. The big fella got the majority of his points off putbacks. Imagine if the Falcons fed him the ball in the post.
3. Kobi Simmons – St. Francis – 27 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists
Simmons showed why he is ranked a five-star prospect heading into his senior season. The junior flew in for dunks and slashed into the lane and made life nightmarish for the Greenforest Eagles. Simmons lived at the line and connected, going 13-15. The Knights captured their second straight state title in convincing fashion, 96-81.
4. Malik Beasley – St. Francis – 23 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
It’s tough to beat a team when they have two of the best players in the state. The Florida State-signee teamed up with Simmons and Xavier-signee Kaiser Gates to pour in 73 points combined. As Kobi Simmons did, Beasley lived at the line going 13-14. He nearly brought the house down as he just missed a dunk over 7-foot-1 Ikey Obiagu.
5. Jaylen Brown – Wheeler – 22 points, 9 rebounds
The No. 2 ranked player in the nation sank a pair of must-have free throws with 0.5 seconds left to give Wheeler a 59-58 victory over Pebblebrook. It wasn’t Brown’s most scintillating game as he logged just 24 minutes while battling foul trouble throughout the final three quarters, but his elite athleticism and ability to attack the rim made it nearly impossible for Pebblebrook to keep him out of the lane. Brown went a perfect 12-of-12 from the line to lift the Wildcats, including 6-6 the final minute and a half. It was a fitting way to end one of Georgia’s most celebrated prep players in years as his game winning free throws were the final two points of the GHSA season and put an exclamation point on an exceptional career.
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