News & Notes from the BCB/MLK Showcase
SUWANEE, GA — The annual Blue Collar Basketball MLK Showcase is quickly becoming one of the best one-day events in the South. A full Monday of action hammered home that sentiment at Peachtree Ridge High School. The stars shined and the crowd was treated to quite the feast of high-level hoops.
THE MAIN EVENT
We recapped the entertaining show Newton put on thanks to isaiah Miller & Co. against Spartanburg Day. Be sure to read it and see some of Miller’s aerial highlights HERE.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME
The crowd began to grow mid Monday afternoon to see the Zion Williamson show at 2 p.m. But McEachern sophomore Isaac Okoro didn’t want to be the preview. He wanted to be a part of the big show. Heck, you could argue that Okoro was the show.
Okoro scored 35 points and hit his first eight shots from the floor (14-17 FG, 4-6 from 3) to help McEachern stay undefeated on the season, beating Lakeview Academy. Okoro continues to play the role of the state’s top sophomore in Georgia. He effortlessly dominated the game on the offensive end. The 6-foot-5 wing was brilliant in the win.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl was on hand to see him play, something that he’s done quite a bit since the travel season. Georgia assistant coach Yasir Rosemond was the first coach in the gym to see Okoro, too. Both schools have offered a scholarship.
NEWS & NOTES
KC Hankton of United Faith was one of the better big men at the BCB MLK Showcase. The 6-foot-8 forward East Carolina and Charlotte were on hand to see the junior.
Peachtree Ridge’s Devin Vassell is quickly becoming one of our favorite Atlanta area sleepers. The 6-foot-3 guard scored 24 points in tough loss to United Faith Christian. The class of 2018 guard is a high-ceiling prospect that has impressed us every time we’ve seen him play this season
Southeast Missouri signee Khalil Cuffee scored 27 points in Langston Hughes’s win over Jenkins. The 6-foot-3 guard is one of the best scorers in the Atlanta area and should be primed for reserve minutes as a rookie.
Auburn was on hand to see Landers Nolley of Langston Hughes again. They’ve seen the 6-foot-6 junior three times this season.
Jenkins made it a game against Langston Hughes thanks in large part to the scoring punch from Trevion Lamar and Zion Williams. Lamar, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound wing forward opened the game strong from the perimeter, knocking down three-pointers. The second half was controlled by Williams, who used his speed and determination to make things very close. Division II schools would be well-served getting down to Savannah to recruit the Port City natives. The two combined for 50 of their team’s 71 points.
York Prep senior guard Tracus Chisholm scored 31 points and hit seven three-pointers to help his squad put away Covenant Christian. The 5-foot-11 guard has interest from a handful of Division II schools.
DJ Burns of York Prep will be a highly talked about post player in the class of 2019. The 6-foot-8 forward has good, soft hands and a frame that should bode well as a high-major prospect moving forward.