The final day of the Jared Cook Classic featured four really good games, with the finale being an early candidate for game of the year in a fun one between North Gwinnett and Grayson. Here are some notes from the day:
· Denmark recorded their second win in as many days. Sutton Smith was great again for the Danes with Kourtland Tolbert supplying a huge scoring boost as well. Denmark has proven that they can execute at a high level and will be state title contenders again this year.
· Berkmar center Malique Ewin (Pictured) was all that and more today. He has come a long way in only a matter of months both physically and from a skill standpoint. He’s extremely mobile for his size and gets off the floor really quickly. He has also expanded his game even further and has become more comfortable putting the ball on the floor.
· Makai Vassell and Iajah Phillips were great for Lanier today in a win over St. Francis. Vassell scored the ball from all over the floor, shooting it well from three and in the midrange. Phillips really showed his athleticism in the open floor with a couple of huge dunks.
· St. Francis freshman Jalen Lee has an extremely bright future. At 6-foot-4, he has the physical abilities now combined with a solid skill set that projects well as he gets older. He could be one of the top players in Georgia’s 2024 class when it’s all said and done.
· The Grayson-North Gwinnett game was a good one. With a lot of high level future college talents on the floor, the back-and-forth between these two teams combined with some late game drama made this one a lot of fun.
· North Gwinnett will be in the state title mix. The way they shoot the ball, they will be able to score points and give teams fits. They are very solid in most areas and should prove to be one of the better teams in the state.
· RJ Godfrey was the best player that I saw today. He stuffed every part of the stat sheet and did everything he could to try and get North Gwinnett a win. He was in constant attack mode and was finishing around the rim at will and through contact. On the defensive side, he came up with some huge blocked shots. Spectacular performance.
· Grayson forward Chauncey Wiggins might have played the best game that I’ve seen from him tonight. He played within himself, made good decisions, and looked confident in his play. He shot the ball at a high level and was able to make an impact defensively and on the glass.