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#ATLJAM Friday Night Notes: Garrett Tucker

26, Apr 2019

#ATLJAM Friday Night Notes: Garrett Tucker

The lone NCAA Live Period of April tipped off on Friday night and, as expected, tons of college coaches made their way to Suwanee Sports Academy for the annual Atlanta Jam. With a variety of different talent on hand, college programs from many different levels and conferences were present. Here's what Garrett Tucker saw on opening night of the event.

GCPC STARS BACKCOURT IS MUST-SEE TV

The Mobile, Alabama, based GCPC Stars is by no means the most flashy team when they take the floor, but they may be one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the South. Much of that is because of their young, star-studded backcourt in Riley Leonard and Hunter Ivy. 

Leonard, a 2021 shooting guard, was one of the best young prospects that took the floor on Friday night. At 6-foot-5, the sophomore jumps off the page with his size, frame, and shooting ability. His shooting will definitely attract many coaches throughout the weekend. However, he can't be labeled as just a shooter right now. Leonard made several tough finishes at the rim look easy with his body control and athleticism and he created opportunities for others, too. While he's just a sophomore, Leonard is definitely a kid low-major and mid-major programs will want to keep tabs on going forward.

Leonard has received a lot of attention already this spring, but with him going down with an injury late in the first half of action, Ivy, a 2022 guard, was able to carry the load for his team. The lefty has a smooth calmness about his game and he makes things look effortless. Ivy's long-range shooting is notable and impressive, but the best of aspect of his game on Friday was his excellent feel for the game and decision-making ability. Playing up two age groups, the freshman seemingly made the correct play each time and looked comfortable in the environment. 

The outstanding backcourt duo help GCPC cruise to an easy victory to open the event. Expect them to continue to make noise throughout the weekend. Be sure to grab some popcorn when you sit down and watch -- they're both entertaining prospects.

HELLO, REMEMBER ME?

The South Florida Rockets had a successful season last year at HoopSeen events, as they were competitive at the Bob Gibbons TOC and also won a division at Best of the South. One of the standouts from last year was 2020 big man Inady Legist and he wasted no time making his mark to open up the Atlanta Jam.

A throwback below-the-rim player, Legiste was a workhorse for the Rockets. He did a nice job of carving out space on the block and making himself available to his guards. The 6-foot-6 big man has a nice set of hands, as he caught and rebounded anything in his vicinity. Legiste is a no-nonsense player. He understands his role and limitations on the floor while putting himself in positions to be successful. The junior is a quality low-post scorer and rebounder that should draw interest from low-major and Division II programs. North Florida and Albany State are two schools showing preliminary interest to this point. He had 18 points in a loss on Friday night.

UNSIGNED SENIOR MAKES HIS CASE

Many of the college coaches that were in attendance on Friday night are still searching for players to fill their rosters for next season. Luckily for them, the Atlanta Jam has over 150 unsigned seniors in the field. Several available prospects should be able to find potential homes following the weekend.

Arguably the most intriguing unsigned senior to take the floor on Friday night was 2019 shooting guard Floyd Rideau. Playing with Florida Elite FLL, the 6-foot-4 swing man had a quality showing in all facets of the game. He dazzled with a strong skill-set and some upside in his long, wiry frame. He didn't make many outside shots, but it's easy to see that he is a high-caliber shooter. Rideau was able to create for teammates and show other facets of his game. I wouldn't be surprised to see some low-major programs getting their eyes on him as the weekend unfolds.  

 


Garrett Tucker
State Editor

Garrett Tucker is a senior content producer for HoopSeen. He has been a member of HoopSeen.com since 2014. Specializing in basketball in the South, Garrett has helped grow the HoopSeen Alabama network from the ground up. He also provides stories and information from players all across the country. His GTuckerScouting recruiting service is a notorious product in the Southeast, as he has been in contact with numerous college programs across the country. You can follow Garrett on Twitter at @GTuckerHoops.

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