Lessons learned from the Georgia Cup #2, part 2
By Kory Keys
Kory Keys looks back at a busy weekend for the Georgia Cup #2. What were his three takeaways from the weekend of basketball?
We've Been Lacking PGs in the South...But Georgia Has Two Young Ones
All across the grassroots circuit the last year or so, I've often marveled how the grassroots scene is lacking quality point guards. The good news is Georgia possesses two really good young ones in 2018 prospects Alex Jones and Drue Drinnon. Jones (Alpharetta) and Drinnon (East Jackson) both garnered accolades for their performance during the high school season as both led their teams to state playoff appearances. Drinnon holds the upper-hand in terms of height and athleticism, whereas Jones is a fantastic ball handler, facilitator and finisher at the rim. Both will be intriguing high-major prospects should they continue to develop more consistency in perimeter shooting.
Georgia Phoenix Keeps Bringing It
If you're looking for a strong local program that has gone toe-to-toe with the shoe company teams the last two weekends, Georgia Phoenix is your bet. The Phoenix fielded a pair of 16U teams over the weekend and had multiple players standout. The guys who have made their mark are Charlie O'Briant (2017, GAC), Tyler Taylor (2017, Lanier), Titus Cook (2017, New Manchester), D.J. Young (2017, Milton), and Nick Dubois (2017, Sprayberry). Keep them on your radar heading into the summer.
Diamonds in the Rough
Grassroots tournaments can make your head spin at times considering the amount of games, venues, and hours you log watching ball. So I always make it a point to find diamonds in the rough no matter the team or score. This weekend was no different. Those players are:
2016 Kareem Brewton (Shiloh), Atlanta Tapout
2017 Jayden Comma (Roswell), Roswell Buckeyes
2017 Noah Blackwell (Fayette County), Southern Stampede
2017 Jalen Hodge (Norcross), Georgia Stars Goldwire
2017 Michael Johnson (Allatoona), North Atlanta Orange
2017 Rod Sims (Norcross), Georgia Stars Goldwire
2018 Damon Stoudamire (Lambert), North Georgia Elite
