Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy may be one of the smallest schools in the state of Georgia but it’s basketball program has produced a number of basketball players over the years. Next up is junior wing Deaundrae Ballard.

The 6-foot-5 scorer is off to a hot start for the small Class A private school. But that’s not a surprise. Ballard was an all-state player last season as a sophomore and he’s coming off the heels of a terrific travel season showing.

Ballard, the No. 4 ranked player in Georgia’s loaded 2017 class and No. 27 overall nationally, played well last weekend at the Verizon Hoops For the Cure. He scored 25 points in a win over Griffin.

Coming off the season he had with travel ball, Ballard said he is ready for what is in front of him this year with his SACA team.  

“I’m very confident. During the summer, we built a lot of chemistry. We stayed at each other’s houses, we built love within our team. Our mission is to win state and we wanted to bounce back this year and win state,” Ballard said.

“When you wear this jersey, you have to wear it with respect. We want people to fear us when they see us.”

His production has caught the attention of some of the top programs in the South. Ballard was a busy young man this fall. He took unofficial visits to Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Georgia Tech. According to his father, Harvard, Stanford, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt are also in the mix.

“Right now I’m just observing and taking in the circumstances with every school. Next year I want to be able to make my decision,” Ballard said.

“I’m asking questions and seeing my fit. Can I come here and dominate? Can I come here and help their program? Am I beneficial to what they are trying to do?”

Is there a school that is impressing early on?

“A couple of schools,” Ballard said matter-of-factly. “But that’s just for me.”