Saturday marked the start of the Tournament of Champions Classic at Wheeler High School with several top teams and players from around the Peach State in the building. Dan McDonald took in the action and had several takeaways from the event.
· Kell guard Scoot Henderson (Pictured) has been and remains a five-star prospect by all the major recruiting services for good reason. He’s always been an explosive athlete and a gifted scorer, but now he’s grown a little bit more and put on some additional muscle, which only makes him more dangerous getting downhill attacking the basket. As for his game, where he’s really grown is with his passing ability. He didn’t rack up a ton of assists, but he made several really good passes in the half-court and in the transition game.
· Fayette County forward Kaleb Banks has been putting up huge numbers so far this season and did it again on Saturday afternoon against Tucker. He connected on five three-pointers and had several nice finishes at the rim that resulted in a three-point play. He’s become a really versatile offensive player, which will translate nicely to the next level. It shouldn’t be a surprise that his offer list includes Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State and Xavier.
· Fresh out of a quarantine, unsigned senior wing Travis Harper (St. Anne Pacelli) proved once again that he’s one of the best available wings in the Southeast right now. He has a great combination size, skill and athleticism at 6-foot-6. He’s always been a shot maker, but today he was more aggressive attacking the basket and finishing. As he fills out, he could be a really good player at the Division 1 level. Harper also surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his high school career.
· Chattahoochee guard AJ White did what he’s been doing for the last four high school season and that is get buckets. The 2,000-point scorer pumped in over 20 points again for the Cougars. He’s one of the top unsigned point guards in the Southeast.
· Berkmar shooting guard Destin Logan looks like an intriguing prospect. The long, lanky wing has a really smooth jump shot and can score off the bounce. I’m excited to see where his development goes in the next year and beyond.
· When Berkmar forward Malique Ewin is a finished product, it’s going to be scary. He’s so naturally talented at 6-foot-10. He’s agile, gets off the floor quick, and he’s physical. He has strong hands and soft touch. He throws a Kevin Love-like outlet pass but can also put the ball on the floor himself.
· A big part of Kell’s 29-point win over Chattahoochee was the play of its senior guard, Jaylen Harris and Najhae Colon. Harris dropped 21 points offensively and must have taken at least five charges on the defensive end. Colon recorded only 4 points, but it was his tough defense and eight assists that made a huge impact on the game.
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