This past weekend McDonough High School in Henry County, Georgia was the host to the largest basketball event that happened in the state of Georgia. Over 1/8 of the entire state’s basketball community was in the building this weekend for this high level event. Teams from every corner of Georgia were in the building from Savannah, to the Panhandle, to the Mountains, and over to Augusta. With a number of colleges and streaming services in the gym, this high level exposure event didn’t disappoint, and there were some familiar names who lived up to the hype, but also some new faces to get acquainted with who had some great coming out parties. Read below to see the All-Tournament Teams and reviews.
GROUPS A-D
Cedar Shoals – 2026 6’3 Devin Hubbard stood out for the Jaguars who is a very skilled perimeter guy. Hubbard can really shoot it, but he’s also gotten stronger since the last time I saw him in person, and he is doing a nice job now of getting physical on the attack and finishing off of two feet. A guy with a good IQ and some good range, Hubbard is an intriguing prospect to pay attention to as he continues to grow his repertoire of skills heading into his senior campaign. Cedar Shoals plays in the 4A-8 Region that is going to have the likes of North Oconee and Eastside Covington, but the Jaguars are extremely well coached, and will definitely be a team to be expected to finish in the top half of the region and compete for a state tournament spot with the majority of their talent coming back from a year ago.
Dutchtown – This year’ champs of the top division were extremely physical all weekend and the Bulldogs who played in the 5A Elite 8 this past year picked up right where they left off. 2026 6’6 Maddox Melancon was lights out in the semifinals and championship on Saturday. HIs power, soft hands, and versatility stuck out as he played against two undefeated teams Saturday and was a rebound shy of a double double in both games. A big framed guy with some tremendous strength, he can play inside and outside, has a nose for the ball on the offensive glass, and really can guard anyone 2-5. He is really good, notably, from the left block. 2026 6’1 PG Bobby Buggs had a solid weekend. The true point guard was relentless on defense with his on ball pressure, did a nice job of exploding out of the gates in transition leading the break, and his active hands really caused problems defensively disrupting flow for offenses. A quick reaction guy who makes a lot of good decisions, Buggs is a guard of note in the 2026 class. 2027 6’6 F Bryce Celestine is a newcomer from Tennessee who played really well. The long and athletic Celestine was just what the Bulldogs needed to give them the edge they needed to go 4-0 this weekend and bring home the gold ball. Celestine has a good feel for the game, can guard multiple positions, and a soft touch at the rim. His ability to run the floor well and defend, mixed with his rim protecting skills are something of note. The Bulldogs will be a favorite to repeat in 5A-3 this year but will be tested by Langston Hughes.
Griffin – The Bears are going to be a dangerous team this year in 4A. Griffin was absolutely dominant on Friday in wins over McDonough and South Gwinnett. 2026 6’3 PG Demari Bailey really played at a high level and caught the attention of a few college coaches who were in the gym all weekend. Bailey’s size for a true point guard is intriguing, and his playmaking skills, mixed with his shot making skills make him an instant prospect for somewhere at the next level. He has some good range, sharp passing skills, and can defend very well. 2026 6’6 Bubba Sullivan was fantastic this weekend. Sullivan was the leading scorer for the Bears who can hurt you in so many different ways. He has tremendous length for a perimeter guy, shoots it at a high clip, and has a smooth attack that looks effortless at times making him an incredibly hard guard. He has some good wheels on him and is always looking to be on the attack when the ball is in his hands. 2026 6’2 G Jordan Mays might have been the best on ball defender in the gym all weekend. Mays has incredible lateral movement, and some of the best guards in the building this weekend struggled to get by him. His aggressiveness, competitiveness, and sheer athletic ability make him a coach’s dream looking for a guy who can just lock someone down. 2027 6’5 W/F Jayce Touchstone showed off his athleticism and length, as he was all over the place on defense causing havoc. A raw talent, Touchstone has a really high ceiling that with the right development in his last two years, he could become scary good. 2028 6’6 F King Fuller was a beast inside on the boards for Griffin. Fuller came in off the bench and had some key rebounds and key putbacks in Saturday’s Gold Bracket play that stuck out. His huge frame for a 2028 prospect is instantly eye popping and when you mix that with his footwork, soft hands, and nose for the ball, he instantly makes the list and is a name to pay attention to. The Bears are going to be a heavy favorite in the 4A-3 Region. In a region that lost a lot of seniors, the Bears return their entire squad from a year ago except for one guy only. Their defense and on ball pressure is comparable to having a root canal, and they instantly dial up the pressure as soon as the offense has the ball. If you cannot play at a ping-pong pace of basketball, you won’t be able to keep up with the Bears this year.
Kell – The Longhorns have a new look roster currently, and have some really nice young talent of note as they look to reshape. 2028 5’11 PG Kamari Kilgore was a leader for Kell this weekend who scored a win over Tift County. Kilgore shot the ball at an efficient clip with the touches he got in scoring position, was a fantastic defender on ball with his ability to stay in front and mirror, and was able to find open teammates for shots through pin point passing to their windows for quick shot attempts. 2027 6’1 SG Trey Smith shot the ball well at times and was a shooter of note from the weekend. He did a nice job of creating passing windows for himself to catch and shoot. He has a quick release and fantastic form that you could make an instructional video on. 2027 6’2 PG BJ Love showed some good spurts and has continued to improve his game. His role has changed now with the transfers that have left as Zachary Graves is now heading to McEachern, and some others as well, but Love will be a leader for the Longhorns this year and as he settles into his role, he will be a player of note this season. Kell plays in 4A-6 which only has five teams, but they will be tested this year by the likes of Westminster, Centennial, and Cambridge who all return some key pieces. 4A-6 is going to be a fun region to watch this year, as anybody will be able to beat anybody it seems at the moment, but Kell is one of those programs where success doesn’t graduate, and they will compete for 32 minutes.
McDonough – The Warhawks graduated a lot of seniors from this past year’s squad and got off to a rocky start after losing to a very good Griffin team. But the Warhawks grew up this tournament, and went on to win their next three games, including a Silver Bracket championship win over Southwest Dekalb that was one of the more entertaining games of the weekend in a rematch of this year’s 4A Sweet 16 with a layup to seal the game in the closing seconds in a packed gym. 2028 6’0 PG Kerrington Moore was consistently good for McDonough all weekend. A crafty guard with a ton of skills and high IQ to go along with it, Moore, who already holds a division two offer to Columbus State, has three more years left in his prep career and is already scary good. He was one of the few kids I’d say from this weekend who were efficiently good from every level from all angles in terms of scoring, and his vision of where guys are going to be open on their cuts mixed with pin point passing is something that just isn’t common in rising sophomores. As he continues to get stronger and polish other areas of his game, Moore is on pace to be one of the top players in Georgia for 2028. Another Warhawk that’s a 2028 to note is 2028 6’6 F Austin Dennard. A guy who is physically ahead of the curve for a rising sophomore, Dennard’s presence alone elevates the Warhawks to another level, and his rebounding skills are really one of note. Not only does he have a good nose for the ball on both ends of the floor, he does a fantastic job of chinning it as he gathers it and getting it out of his hands quickly to a guard to lead the charge to the other end without ever turning it over really. He does a nice job of going up strong, and you rarely see him ever bring the ball down as raw youngsters tend to do. A guy to circle for 2028. A pair of smaller guards to note for McDonough were also 2027 5’10 CG Christian Jackson & 2027 5’11 CG Elijah Drummond. If you like smaller guards, these two both got after it all weekend and were fantastic complimentary pieces to the Warhawk attack. They really played their roles well and took what the defense gave them. Two guys with two years left who could turn into something. McDonough plays in the largest region in 4A-2 that is basically the Henry County Invitational except for Jones County. McDonough is the defending champs in the region, and with Moore and Dennard, they will absolutely contend for a state tournament spot and the region title. Locust Grove, ELCA, and Woodland appear to be contenders in the region, but McDonough has really good guard play and some decent size with Dennard. If the Warhawks can limit offensive rebounding concessions and protect the paint, they’re going to be a very difficult out in that region as they look to get back to the final four from this past season.
Paideia – Coach Eddie Johnson and the Pythons won their first two games on Friday in two very close affairs. If they say finding ways to win close games is a skill, Paideia, who returns a ton of experience, has gotten it down already. 2026 6’5 G CJ Harper played well throughout the weekend, and showed that he can impact the game in a variety of ways without having to score a bunch of points. His anticipation skills, on ball & offball defense, and active hands were just a few of the things he showed that he can do besides scoring. His ability to play above the rim regularly has grown to his game and is molding more & more into a high level prep prospect. 2027 5’10 PG Tristan Mitchell was fantastic on Friday night. Mitchell is a small explosive guard who for a guy his stature, has an explosive first step that covers a ton of ground. He can score off the dribble in either direction, and is typically efficient from all three levels. If you have a taste for smaller guards, Mitchell is a guy to circle on your 2027 list. 2026 6’4 W/F David Smith played well again and while he is one of the top baseball prospects in Georgia for 2026, he’s also a solid basketball player who will help Paideia continue the success they have perennially. 2028 6’6 Stevie Shields was deceivingly good. The big man played with great poise, patience, and positioning. Right when the opponents would apply some pressure in some form, Shields seemed to regularly find the open gaps in the backside of the defense for the demoralizing easy basket. A guy who looks as if he is going to keep growing, Shields will be a prospect of note for 2028 based on how he efficiently played this weekend. Paideia plays in the gauntlet region 1A-5 that consists of mostly private schools in the Atlanta metropolitan area. They made it to the Elite 8 this past year in the private school division, and there’s no reason that the Pythons trap scheme that caused fits all weekend can’t dial up some more pressure that equals success this year given their experience, coaching, and talent.
Southwest Dekalb – The Panthers return almost their whole team from last year and competed their Panther tails off. If there’s one thing you need to know about playing Southwest Dekalb, it’s going to be physical, it’s going to be a grind, and it’s going to be a good ole’ fashion coal miner’s fight. They may have gone 2-2 on the weekend, but don’t let that fool you. Their aggressive style of play caused lots of problems, and were three baskets away from going 4-0 potentially. 2026 5’10 PG Thomas Glanton III feels like he has been in the Panthers program forever, and is poised to have a fantastic senior season. A guy who has an impact on the game in so many ways, Glanton might have shown the most awareness of any player in the gym this weekend. His ability to gauge time and situation is really of the highest level. His tight handles, high motor, and heady play is a problem for any team when he’s on the floor, and if the shots are falling for him, it’ll be a long night. Don’t let his size fool you though, the guy has a big heart, and he will carry the team if/when he has to. 2027 6’1 CG Jackson Ushery showed some good play throughout the weekend. A returning first team all region player, Ushery can typically really fill it. As he continues to grow stronger and continue to polish his game, Ushery will be a big name to circle on your 2027 list to keep tabs on. 2026 6’5 F Aaron Burks showed some glimpses. Another guy who feels like he’s been around the Panther program for years, Burks has some really notable athleticism and length. He plays a lot bigger than he really is, and does a fantastic job of cleaning up on the offensive glass. His impact on the game is noticeable right away and his will to routinely attack the boards on both ends is really good and translates well to the next level for sure. Southwest Dekalb plays in 4A-5, and will be a heavy favorite to win the region this year. With practically their whole team returning from a year ago, fantastic coaching from Eugene Brown, and their style of play, Pius, Tucker, and Marist will look to challenge them for the region title, but the Panthers are going to be a very difficult out, especially at home, where they haven’t lost a true home game in over a year and a half.
South Gwinnett – The Comets are starting over for the most part this season given how many incoming freshmen they played. While they might experience some growing pains, these youngsters can play, and they’ve experienced a ton of success at the highest level already for their age. 2029 6’5 F Jacob Reed is a youngster with some serious upside and a high ceiling. A long, extremely athletic guy who can physically hang with guys his size and much older, Reed is oozing with potential and already displays some abilities that are way ahead of the curve. Reed will develop nicely into coach Qaree Howard’s full court trap scheme the Comets are known for and will be able to guard just about anybody given his fantastic athleticism and lateral movement. 2029 5’10 Treu Taylor is a guard that is of note for the 2029 class who has already created a bit of a national buzz for himself. Taylor is a smaller – but much stronger for his age – guard who can turn on a dime, and his speed, shiftiness, and ability to make quick decisions in small windows of time really are remarkable for his age. Taylor is going to be a name to remember for the 2029 class. South Gwinnett plays in the gauntlet of a region in 6A-4 with the likes of Grayson and Newton. While the region did graduate a ton of seniors across the board, and there have been some notable departures from the region, South Gwinnett will always be a threat as long as they continue to develop players who fit their scheme that is a pain to prepare for, and even harder to play against.
The Walker School – Coach Bryce Brickhouse could put on a clinic on fundamentals. The Wolverines were probably the most fundamentally sound team I saw all weekend. They just don’t beat themselves at all, and their combination of shot fakes, ball fakes, and team togetherness was remarkably impressive. They went 3-1, with their only defeat to Dutchtown who went undefeated in a very close match. 2028 5’11 PG KD Hernandez was the top 2028 prospect in the gym this weekend of all 54 teams. At his young age, Hernandez is already an elite scorer, has a strong frame, and scored from all three levels. His toughness, grit, and ability to score in both directions really stood out, and was a problem for the opposition all weekend. As he continues to polish his skills, he really is on the trajectory of being a very high level player. 2026 6’1 SG Anderson Carey was the best catch and shoot knock down shooter I saw all weekend in the gym. Carey has a very quick release, and he does a very good job of bringing the ball back to the shooter’s pocket on poorly thrown passes and still knocking them down, not an easy task. A guy who shoots the three at way higher than the 37% bar, Carey can also put the ball on the deck and knock down some jumpers too. He brings a little bit of versatility to his game, and that makes him a guard that has to be respected in matchups that caused some help defense issues as guys were able to find the paint more often. Newcomer 2026 6’2 Devan Fernande is a newcomer from California that instantly stuck out. For 6’2, Fernande is a really good rebounder with some really good leaping ability, and was as good as any 6’2 guy in the building at crashing the boards and extending plays. A guy who can also fill it from the outside, Fernande is the perfect addition to The Walker School, and will really help them this year. The Wolverines were the regular season champs in the famous 1A-5 region that has 15 teams in it, all from the Atlanta metropolitan area and went to the private school division sweet 16. The bulk of their talent is back from last year, and the Wolverines will be considered a heavy favorite to be in contention again for the region championship. When the shots are falling, The Walker School is going to be an incredibly difficult out given their tough half court defense, and don’t beat themselves ever demeanor.
Tift County – Legendary Alabama basketball coach Charles Burkett crosses over into the Peach State now and takes over a Tift County program that has been a very good program in South Georgia over the years. The Blue Devils feature 2026 6’8 F Kaden Lawson, who was the top big man in the division this weekend, and was by far the best shot blocker. Lawson has a division one football offer to Florida Atlantic already, and plays EYCL with the Georgia Stars, so it’s early to speculate what route he will go. But the reality is, he is going to be one of the best shot blockers in Georgia this season, and is exceptionally gifted athletically. A lefty with a nearly unstoppable hook shot from the right block, Lawson is also a pretty good passer for a big man, is very aggressive, and the guy runs the floor as well as any 6’8 big man you’re going to find. No question a big man worth the look hiding in rural South Georgia. 2027 6’8 Cordell Nelson is another big man at Tift County worth the look and keeping tabs on. The big man is raw, but he’s still very young, and on top of size he has some really notable length. If he can continue to grow his game and grow into his body, Nelson will be a nice prospect coming up in 2027. Tift County plays in 6A-1 that will feature the likes of Lowndes, Richmond Hill, and Colquitt County this year. Tift County is going to have fantastic coaching, fantastic size, but their guard play will be something they need to figure out in order to claim a top four spot and a spot back in the state tournament again this year. But the Blue Devils grew up this weekend and were better and better every game they played. Expect them to be a whole different team come playoff time compared to where they start in the fall.
Tucker – With the loss of some key pieces, the Tucker Tigers looked a little different this weekend. 2029 5’10 PG Van Wilder made his debut to the high school basketball scene, and instantly made his presence felt. He knocked down the game winning three in overtime in the win over Cedar Shoals Friday night as if he’s shot it a million times in the same situation. A “Jason Williams” like vibe and handles, Wilder is going to be a name to pay attention to in the 2029 class moving forward and is about as skilled as they come with a ton of confidence and moxie. 2027 6’5 F Kelan Smith also stuck out this weekend. Smith is long, athletic, and played with a chip on his shoulder all weekend to help Tucker go 2-2 in the event. His toughness inside posed challenges for opponents all weekend, and his ability to grab a rebound and clear it himself extremely quickly without turning it over and getting an outlet pass out quickly really was something of note. Smith strikes you instantly as a guy who’s only going to get better and better with the two years he has remaining. James Hartry is a longtime legendary coach in Georgia who is going to have the Tigers in their usual winning ways this season, and their aggressive style of play will instantly make them a threat for the region title. Tucker plays in 4A-5 that features the likes of Pius, Marist, and Southwest Dekalb and the Tigers will challenge for a top four spot and more. Tucker won the region championship this past season and played in the final four.
Westlake – Longtime legendary coach Darron Rogers Sr. knows a thing or two about winning basketball games, and the defending region champs may have gone 2-2 on the weekend, but had the lead in both losses with less than 2 minutes to go and could have easily ended up 4-0. 2027 6’4 PG Charles Matthews was tough and showed his explosiveness and ability to create. Matthews can get to the paint whenever he wants, and he does a nice job of using his big frame to bully his way to the basket where he often plays off of two feet inside to finish. Matthews was first team all-region this past year and it doesn’t take long to see why as he really does have a complete package. 2027 6’6 F Roscoe Hayes had a really good weekend. Hayes holds a division one football offer to Louisville already as a wide receiver, but Hayes has some serious length, athleticism, and can really move for a guy with that much length his age. Hayes was a regular finisher around the rim this weekend and caused matchup problems all over the place. 2027 6’4 Amare Jackson also stood out over the weekend and defensively dialed up some really good pressure and caused a ton of steals and deflections for the Lions. While Westlake may be young and still working through some things, they have the talent and the coaching to repeat again in Region 6A-2. In a region that graduated a ton of seniors, Westlake will be young on paper, but they still return a lot of good talent from a year ago and will probably be the deepest team in the region. The Lions will be a heavy favorite to repeat in the region this year.
Please See My All-Showcase Teams Below based on performance during the day:
Showcase MVP: Maddox Melancon (2026) 6’6 WF – Dutchtown HS
FIRST TEAM:
Demari Bailey (2026) 6’3 PG – Griffin HS
Bobby Buggs (2026) 6’1 PG – Dutchtown HS
CJ Harper (2026) – 6’5 G – Paideia HS
KD Hernandez (2028) 5’11 PG – The Walker School
Kaden Lawson (2026) 6’8 F – Tift County HS
SECOND TEAM:
Austin Dennard (2028) 6’5 W/F – McDonough HS
Thomas Glanton III (2026) 5’10 PG – Southwest Dekalb HS
Charles Matthews (2027) 6’4 PG – Westlake HS
Kerrington Moore (2028) 6’0 PG – McDonough HS
Bubba Sullivan (2026) 6’6 W – Griffin HS
THIRD TEAM:
Aaron Burks (2026) 6’5 F – Southwest Dekalb
Anderson Carey (2026) 6’1 SG – The Walker School
Bryce Celestine (2027) 6’6 F – Dutchtown HS
Roscoe Hayes (2027) 6’6 F – Westlake HS
Tristan Mitchell (2027) 5’10 PG – Paideia HS
HONORABLE MENTION:
GOLD TEAM:
King Fuller (2028) 6’5 F – Griffin HS
Devin Hubbard (2026) 6’3 SG – Cedar Shoals HS
Kelan Smith (2027) 6’5 F – Tucker HS
BJ Love (2027) – 6’2 CG – Kell HS
Devan Fernande (2026) 6’2 G/W – The Walker School
Jayce Touchstone (2027) 6’5 W/F – Griffin HS
Amare Jackson (2027) 6’4 G – Westlake HS
Jacob Reed (2029) 6’5 W/F – South Gwinnett HS
Jackson Ushery (2027) 6’1 G – Southwest Dekalb HS
David Smith (2026) 6’4 W/F – Paideia HS
SILVER TEAM:
Christian Jackson (2027) 5’10 CG – McDonough HS
Cordell Nelson (2027) 6’8 F – Tift County HS
Kamari Kilgore (2028) 5’10 PG – Kell HS
Elijah Drummond (2027) 5’11 CG – McDonough HS
Jordan Mays (2026) 6’2 CG – Griffin HS
Stevie Shields (2028) 6’6 F – Paideia HS
Trey Smith (2027) 6’1 SG – Kell HS
Treu Taylor (2029) 5’10 PG – South Gwinnett HS
Van Wilder (2029) 5’10 PG – Tucker HS
