Our Georgia cup circuit hosted top teams from Georgia to Louisiana who all gathered to play for championship gold.

After our cup finals closed the book on this seasons stories, I wanted to look back at just some of the many players and teams that made their mark. 

 

Most impressive player on our cup circuit: Jusuan Holt, Atlanta Tapout Black 

 

Holt was a popular name with our staff all season as his play was one of the more consistent this year. So much of what he brings to the table is hard to find at his position. With size and shot making being so highly sought after, I would expect for Holt first division one offer to come soon into his junior season. A click flip through the scoresheets will show you the impact he had during Atlanta Tapouts 6-0 record en route to a Georgia Cup IV championship. Winning seems to follow Holt as he ended both his high school and cup series with his team atop of the leaderboard. As we dive deeper into our 2021 rankings, Holt looks to be one of the leaders at his position. 

 

Most cohesive team: Atlanta Xpress Hook

 

Where do I start? This past weekends play at the Georgia Cup Finals was the perfect way to encapsulate the fiber of Atlanta Xpress Hook. From Camerin Lyons game winner to Daryl Rice's standout game, your opinion on the teams most productive player may just depend on which game you watched. What isn't debatable is just how tightly stitched together this group is. A low maintenance approach carried them to a Cup finals championship and while the results weren't favorable, the statement had already been made. Some groups just get it, and the proof shows in their win-loss record. 

Georgia Cup story starters: Mansir Williamson Double Trouble, Kelvin Cochran Bambridge Shockers

It's a staggering amount of players that have started their stories at our Georgia Cup circuit over the years. It's as good of a stage as any to get a look at what players have a chance to make their marks in the years to come. Williamson and Cochran are two of the states young prospects that represented their 2023 class well over the spring. Williams has a uniqueness to him that should only get better with time and maturity. As he shifts from being homeschooled to joining the public school ranks, look for him to be a reoccurring name over time.

The story of Bambridge Shockers forward Kelvin Cochran started with some whispers and texts being sent across SSA. It doesn't happen often, but when multiple members of our staff sing the praises of one single player then some homework has to be done. Some variation of " number 22 is showing out for Bainbridge" was echoed throughout and once again, the hype was real. Cochran would dominate the weekend, only slowing down for a few minutes to deal with a minor injury. He's bigger than some of his peers but his game isn't solely reliant on his physical advantages. What will jump out immediately is his skill level, especially from the high post, an area that doesn't always come easy. When looking ahead to that next south Georgia standout, Cochran will be one to track.