The Classes We Love: Georgia State
Mere months ago, I was still a student at Georgia State, so as a freshly graduated Panther, of course I have to give my alma mater some praise for the 2023 class they’re bringing in. Even if I had no connection to GSU, I’d still love what Jonas Hayes and company have done with their first recruiting class for multiple reasons.
First and foremost, this two-man class is made up of guys from the state. It shows that the staff plans on prioritizing keeping guys home. There’s no need to stray from the Peach State when there’s so much talent right in the Panthers’ backyard. The Hayes brothers have used their connections and status within Georgia to land a good first class, and it could just be the start of things to come. They’re in on several players from the area in future classes as well.
Another reason that I like this duo is the fact that they’re proven winners, and that means a lot to me. Both guys are coming off of state championships in their respective classifications, and they’re both the clear favorites to repeat. Both could be coming to Georgia State as back-to-back state champions. That’s not too shabby.
Finally, these are two low-maintenance players. They don’t need the spotlight on them in order to make contributions to winning. They’re just going to play hard and do whatever the team needs them to do to be successful. That’s part of the winning mentality that I love.
Let’s take a look at each guy individually.
I just made the two-and-a-half-hour trip to Grovetown High School to see Ferguson and the Warriors on Tuesday. I think that’s enough to show how much I love this guard and his squad. Ferguson was great in their win as expected.
He’s a do-everything guard who’s as tough as they come and plays a physical style. Ferguson is going to be able to contribute right away because he has a college-ready body, and he has a defense-first mentality.
While defense is what will likely see him the floor early on, he’s a fantastic scorer who thrives when slashing to the basket. He takes to contact well and can use his athleticism to finish above the rim.
At the end of the day, Georgia State hit a home run by landing Ferguson.
In the frontcourt, GSU added plenty of size with 6-foot-11 DK Manyiel. He’s been dominant with Greenforest Christian during his high school career.
Immediately, Manyiel is going to provide a rim-protecting presence for the Panthers. He’s a long, mobile big and will swat shots into the second row of their new arena. Having a guy like him in the paint will allow GSU’s guards to take some more gambles on defense because Manyiel will be there to deter guards from scoring at the rim.
As he adds more strength to his lean frame and adjusts to the college game, Manyiel can evolve into a productive offensive player.
