RENARDO SIDNEY, GENESIS ONE, AND SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS YEAR'S SENIOR CLASS ARE THE HOT TOPICS IN MISSISSIPPI
by Lavel Johnson, Mississippi Editor of the HOOP SCOOP, & Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher of the HOOP SCOOP

                    There are three big stories in the Magnolia State. 
                    The first one involves the emergence of 6'9 Frosh Renardo Sidney from Piney Woods (H.S.) MS into the best freshman in the America.  If you will recall, Sidney, who is a world class athlete and is multi-dimensional enough to play just about any position on the court, established his national reputation in April at the Houston Kingwood Classic and became one of the top players in the nation regardless of class at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions a month later, as he averaged 18.5 ppg and finished ranked #6 on our list of the top players in the tournament based on performance.  While we're not ready to start making LeBron James-comparisons just yet, Sidney is an incredible athlete, great passer, good ball handler, terrific rebounder, excellent 3-point shooter, and unstoppable when he goes to the hole.  So it should come as no surprise that people are already talking about Sidney being the best high school player that the state has ever produced.  And that's a very strong statement when one remembers that the state has produced a lot of great high school players, including Chris Jackson, Pervis Short, Othello Harrington, James Robinson, Al Jefferson, Monta Ellis, Clarence Witherspoon, Antonio McDyess, Jared Ward, Jonathan Bender, Darius Rice, Maurice Williams, and Ronnie Henderson over the years. 
                    The second big story involves Mendenhall (Genesis) I, which has quickly emerged into one of the top prep school programs in the nation with a talented cast of players that includes 6'10 Michael Washington, 6'8 Gary Flowers, 6'3 Verice Cloyd, 6'5 Saiquon Stone, 6'8 Brandon Crooks, 6'7 Eric McKinney, 6'4 Giovanni Sims, 6'9 Michael Thurogood, 5'11 Mark Hill, and 6'0 Jermonte Bush, all of whom are good enough to get recruited at the Division I level and are ranked on our six all-state teams, which includes the top 30 players in the state regardless of class and position. 
                    The third big story involves the fact that the senior class appears to have something for everybody, as it features some quality inside players, some good Division I prospects at the wing spots, depth at point guard, and, if you also include the 5th Year Players, a number of players who can play at the mid-to-high major level.  Washington, who is already verbally committed to Arkansas, and Flowers, who is back on the board after signing with Texas A&M last spring, are the two big names, but Cloyd is also worth mentioning, because he is the best kept secret in the state.   Not only does he have big time athleticism, but Cloyd can score on you in a variety of ways, as he can shoot the three, get to the basket, and beat you with his mid-range game. 
                    Cloyd also has good enough passing and ball handling skills for a number of big time schools, including Alabama, Tennessee, and LSU, to be recruiting him as a point guard.  And, if you include him in our ranking of the top seniors (it the editorial policy of the HOOP SCOOP to rank 5th Year Players separately), then four of the top six, seven of the top 20, and 11 of the top 30 players in the state are point guards.  6'3 Al Graham from Jackson (Lanier) MS, 6'0 Chad Akins from Madison (Central) MS, and 6'2 Terrance Calvin from Clarksdale (Coahoma County) MS check in at #3, #4, and #5 on our list and all three are true point guards who can run an offense and distribute the ball.  However, each one also has a separate quality to bring to the table.  Graham is a broad-shouldered, lock down defender with deceptive speed and quickness.  Atkins is a deadly 3-point shooter who knows when to shoot and Calvin is stocky penetrator who knows how to get to the rack and finish while withstanding the contact that comes with it.  And providing the depth at this position are 6'2 Shay Hodge from Morton (H.S.) MS, 5'11 Clevin Hannah from Holly Springs (H.S.) MS, 5'9 Kevin Sims from Jackson (Forest Hill) MS, 6'2 Corey Breland from New Augusta (Perry Central) MS, 5'10 Otis Williams from Jackson (Provine) MS, and 6'2 LaKeathric James from Starkville (H.S.) MS. 
                    The 2-guard/wing forward prospects, which include 6'3 Brandon Ayers from Holly Springs (H.S.) MS, 6'6 Devin Butler from Biloxi (H.S.) MS, 6'4 Chris Hyche from Pascagoula (H.S.) MS, 6'6 Lakendrick Longmire from Jackson (Provine) MS, aren't anywhere as deep as the point guard prospects, unless you include 6'5 Saiquon Stone from Mendenhall (Genesis One) MS, 6'8 Brandon Crooks from Mendenhall (Genesis One) MS, 6'7 Eric McKinney from Mendenhall (Genesis One) MS, and 6'4 Giovanni Sims from Mendenhall (Genesis One) MS, all of whom are on our 5th Year List.  The most interesting prospect in this group is Hyche, who was reclassified over the summer from the junior to the senior class.  An athletic high-riser who can really stroke the jumper from deep, Hyche, who only has played only one year of organized basketball, has a chance to demand major college attention if he keeps improving this year. 
                    The front court is not as deep with Division I players, but it does have quality at the top starting with our #2-ranked senior in 6'7 JaJuan Brown from Biloxi (H.S.) MS and followed by 6'8 Andre Stevens from Heidelberg (H.S.) MS and 6'8 George Fotso from Piney Woods (H.S.) MS.  Brown, who has already verbally committed to Vanderbilt, is a versatile athletic combo forward who can can score both inside and outside, face-up, rebound, and block shots.  Stephens is an athletic four-man who runs the floor for easy baskets and attacks the glass.  Fotso is the fastest rising player in the senior class as he has made significant strides since last season.  We're talking about a strong bodies post presence who takes up space eats glass and lives to defend, and is showing ever improving offensive skills.  Other inside seniors/5th year Players who should get Division I interest include 6'7 Lamont Winters from Mendenhall (Genesis One) MS, 6'7 David Booker from Moss Point (H.S.) MS, 6'5 David Howard from Waynesboro (Wayne County) MS, 6'7 Santez Johnson from Tupelo (H.S.) MS, and 6'8 Derrick Bails from Ripley (H.S.) MS.