GEORGIA PREP REPORT

by Linzy Davis, Georgia Editor of the HOOP SCOOP and Director of the Georgia Elite Club Team Program
Published February 15, 2004

Editor's Note:  Davis' list of the top 93 seniors, 52 juniors, 57 sophomores, 45 freshmen, 13 8th graders, nine 7th graders, 10 6th graders, 11 5th graders, 11 4th Graders, and two 3rd Graders can be found by clicking below on Davis Ranks Em:  The Top Players in Georgia

GEORGIA IS LOADED WITH TALENT!!!

by Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher of the HOOP SCOOP

                    Remember where you heard it first!  6'11 Dwight Howard from Atlanta (Southwest Atlanta Christian) GA is not only the best amateur player in the world today, but he's also one of the three best high school high school players in the last 10 years, along with Kevin Garnett and LeBron James.  Howard has no weaknesses in his game, as his offensive post moves make him almost impossible to stop when he gets the ball in the low post, is an incredible rebounder, terrific shot blocker, great passer, tremendous competitor, great kid, and good student.  In other words, Howard not only will make some NBA General Manager very happy when he's the #1 pick in the NBA Draft in June, but, just like LeBron James, he also has the drive, determination, and competitiveness necessary to achieve greatness.  But just in case Howard does decide to go to college for a year or two, Georgia Tech and North Carolina are continuing to recruit him.  Howard was our choice for MVP at the NBA Players Association Camp in Richmond, VA and the adidas ABCD Camp in Teaneck, NJ and led the Atlanta Celtics to the championship at the adidas Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas, NV, but his finest hour might have come when he led  Southwest Atlanta Christian to the championship at Slam Dunk to the Beach, where he averaged 24.7 ppg, 22.0 rpg, and 7.0 bpg.  And he did that without his two teammates from the Atlanta Celtics - 6'9 Josh Smith from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA, who is ranked #2 nationally in the senior class by the HOOP SCOOP, and 7'0 Randolph Morris from Fairburn (Landmark Christian) GA, who is ranked #17 nationally in the senior class by the HOOP SCOOP.  If you will recall, Howard, Smith, and Morris formed what many    believe was the best front line in the history of club team and AAU-like basketball last summer.
                    And, if you count Smith, who played his first three years of high school basketball at Mableton (Whitefield) GA and Powder Springs (McEachern) GA, prior to transferring to Oak Hill Academy for his senior year, one might be able to make the arguement that no state in the history of high school basketball has produced three players any better in a single year.  Remember, Smith, who signed last fall with Indiana University, also is expected to by-pass college and enter his name into the NBA Draft this spring.  We're talking about one of the best athletes I've ever seen at his size and, as a result, when he gets the ball in transition or is on the receiving end of a alley-oop pass, it's usually highlight film time.  Smith was #1-ranked player by the HOOP SCOOP when he was a junior at the adidas ABCD Camp; was named as the co-MVP, along with 6'6 Shaun Livingston from Peoria (Central) IL, in the all-star this past summer at the adidas ABCD Camp; was arguably the best player for the Atlanta Celtics last summer when they won the championship at the adidas Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas, NV, and is the best player on the #1-ranked team in the nation (Oak Hill Academy), which has yet to lose a game this year.  However, what convinced us that Smith is the #2-ranked senior in the nation was his incredible performance at Rick Barrett's 2003 Gym Rat Midnight Madness in Voorhees, NJ when he scored 53 points, nailed seven 3-pointers, and shattered the event's all-time scoring record, which was previously held by Kobe Bryant.  But what keeps Smith, who projects as a wing forward in the NBA, due to his ability to shoot the three and to play out on the perimeter, from being as good as Howard is the fact that Smith is not as skilled nor as consistent as Howard.  Still, to be projected as a one of the top five picks in the NBA Draft and to have the potential to be a 10-year NBA All-Star and make several hundred million dollars playing the game and in endorsements, isn't a bad consolation prize. 
                    Morris isn't ready for the NBA just yet, because he needs to physically get bigger and stronger and mentally get meaner and tougher.  However, he may say no to Georgia Tech and Kentucky and attempt to make the jump straight to "The League" anyway.   Remember, every player (i.e. Dion Glover, Jumaine Jones, and Donnell Harvey) who has played for the Atlanta Celtics and has had an opportunity to enter his name into the NBA Draft has done so at the earliest opportunity.   Not only does Morris have terrific offensive skills, a knack for dominating on the boards, and always seems to get the better of Dwight Howard in their head-to-head match-ups, but he also is an outstanding student and excellent person.  All Morris needs is a little more time to continue to develop and the sky could be the limit. 
                    And the future also looks extremely bright for the Atlanta Celtics, because they also have our #2-ranked junior in the state in 6'4 Jr Michael Mercer from Snellville (South Gwinnett) GA; two of our top four-ranked sophomores in the state in 6'5 Javaris Crittenton from Atlanta (Southwest Atlanta Christian) GA and 6'5 An'Juan Wilderness from Dunwoody (H.S.) GA, both of whom gained valuable experience while playing for the 17-Under team last summer in a reserve capacity; and a terrific group of 9th Graders, which includes 6'2 Frosh Senario Hillman from Irwinton (Wilkinson County) SC, 6'8 Frosh Montavious Adams from Milledgeville (Baldwin) GA, 6'5 Frosh Alex Moorman from Savannah (Memorial) GA, 5'10 Frosh Adam Calloway from Austell (South Cobb) GA, and 6'6 Frosh Evontez Craig from Irwinton (Wilkinson County) GA. 
                    The Georgia Stars also have an incredible amount of great young talent and right at the top of the list is somebody who likely will follow in the footsteps of Howard, Smith, and Morris in 6'2 Jr Louis Williams from Snellville (South Gwinnett) GA, who is ranked #3 nationally in the junior class by the HOOP SCOOP.  No, we're not predicting that Williams will say no to the University of Georgia, where he recently verbally committed, and enter his name into the NBA Draft a year from now.  But we do think he has the talent, athleticism, and deep outside shooting range to develop into a star at the highest level when that time comes.  The Georgia Stars also have 6'8 Jr Rashad Chase from Atlanta (Mays) GA, 5'9 Jr Sharaud Curry from Marietta (Wheeler) GA, 6'5 Jr Paul Johnson from Atlanta (Gonzaga) GA, and 6'3 Jr Andre Douglas from Lawrenceville (Collin Hill) GA on a team that took home 3rd Place in the 16-Under National AAU Tournanment, won the 16-Under Division of the Kingwood Classic in Houston, TX, and finished second in the 16-Under Division of the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in Chapel Hill, NC.   Also joining this team that advanced to the final four of the at the Super Showcase in Orlando, FL in late July were 6'5 Jr Jay Brown from Griffin (H.S.) GA, 6'4 Soph Jodie Meeks from Roswell (H.S.) GA, and 6'7 Soph Landon Milbourne from Roswell (St. Francis) GA.  They also have 6'7 Soph Avery Jukes from Snellville (South Gwinnett) GA in the program, plus they have added 6'7 Jr Octavious Spann from College Park (Banneker) GA, which means the Georgia Stars should be one of th premier club teams in the nation when the move up to the 17-Under level age this summer. 
                    Also loaded with great young talent is that basketball factory that our Georgia Editor Linzy Davis is building at Stockbridge (Community Christian) GA.  Currently Davis is building the program from the ground up with 6'5 Soph Solomon Tat, who is the #1-ranked sophomore in Georgia and already is one of the top 10 players in the state regardless of class and position; 6'7 8th Grader Olu Ashaolu from Stockbridge (Community Christian) GA, who is ranked #4 nationally on our list of the top 8th Grader; and 5'9 Frosh Tyrone Bramble, who reminds everybody who see him of Oklahoma's freshman point guard Andrew Lavender.  And, with these three players starting and playing most of the  game all season, Community Christian is currently 19-2 and in November beat Laurinburg (Institute) NC, which later won in the Peach State Classic in Atlanta, GA after Christmas.  However, we'll really find out just how good Community Christian is this week, because they play Birmingham (Central Park Christian) AL on Tuesday, February 17th, and Durham (Mt. Zion Christian) NC on Saturday, February 21st.