The Final Four's are set in the Georgia state playoffs, and we have some big time matchups to look forward to this weekend. However, first we take a look back at the Elite 8 round and the takeaways and notes from our staff from a really good third round.
· Kaleb Banks (Pictured) has been posting impressive stat lines all season long and has carried Fayette County into the Final 4 in the 4-A bracket of the GHSA state tournament. He was really good once again on Tuesday afternoon against Dougherty County. The 6-foot-8 forward hit a pair of three-pointers and had a couple impressive dunks on his way to a 15-point first half and 19 for the game. It’s not hard to see why schools like Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State and Xavier have offered given his versatility and size.
· Kell’s roster doesn’t feature the same type of size in the front line that many of the other teams remaining have, but their backcourt is as tough and feisty as any of them. Junior guard Scoot Henderson, a consensus five-star prospect and of the top point guards in the country, carried the Longhorns over Westlake with his 25 points. His explosiveness and playmaking ability separate him from his peers. Unsigned senior guard Jaylen Harris was really good both ends too and finished with 21 points.
· Westlake took a tough loss to end the season, but it wasn’t from a lack of production out of junior small forward Jalal McKie. The 6-foot-5 wing pumped in 31 points and scored it at all three levels. He has a smooth jumper and a knack for making the right play. He’s a very instinctive defender and gets a lot of deflections, rebounds and even had a couple blocks. He’s receiving interest from Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia State and VCU early on.
· McEachern is back in the Final 4 of the 7-A bracket behind huge performances from Georgia signee Cam McDowell and Arkansas signee Chance Moore. McDowell dominated the first half with some teammates in foul trouble and finished with 27 points. His explosiveness attacking the basket and his ability to finish himself or make the right pass makes him tough to stop. Moore is one of the more natural scorers we have in the Peach State and finished with 20 points in the win. Unsigned senior Bobby Moore also chipped in with 14 points for the Indians.
· Our staff really liked the improved skill level of Windsor Forest junior forward D’Ante Bass. We all know the type of athleticism that he holds, and that is still very obvious. However, he did some things that really showed he has been working to improve his overall skillset. He’s really good in the face-up game from the mid-post and has extended his range to knock down the perimeter shots. As he continues to improve, he could really become an even more highly recruited player in Georgia’s 2022 class.
· Lee County senior guard MJ Taylor has provided some electric plays throughout this tournament so far. He’s hit some huge shots in the biggest moments and his prolific scoring has been highly responsible for Lee County’s run so far. He recently earned offers from Fort Valley State and East Georgia, but look for more programs to get involved in his recruitment.
· Chapel Hill is the only four-seed left in any classification. However, the Panthers have a very well-rounded and talented group of players that are capable of going even further. Senior guard KJ Doucet has been very good in the postseason so far and is one of the best unsigned seniors that we have left in Georgia. He and fellow senior guard Micah Bell will match up with a really good Eagles Landing backcourt in the semifinals.