A close look at a fantastic run by Evans, Burke County, Cross Creek and Washington County through the NCAA Georgia Team Camp

What can playing four games in June in a high school team camp that featured one-third of all the teams (150 total) in Georgia with the games being watched by hundreds of college coaches tell us about a team’s prospects for the following season?

I asked Kevin Kenny and Purvis Dukes, the head coaches of Evans and Burke County, that question after their teams went unbeaten in the NCAA Georgia certified (for evaluation by college coaches of all levels) team camp two weekends ago. Below are their responses and the full game highlight reels from 5 of Evans and Burke County’s 8 combined games, along with the highlights from 2 of Cross Creek’s 4 games, and 1 each from Washington County and Jefferson County.

Throw in my analysis of each team, including a review of the competition they faced, and my opinions about what their showing can tell us about where they each stand entering next season, and you have a complete review of the experience that the teams from the CSRA had in this first ever event of its kind.

Evans

Background:
Class 6A
Record last season: 24-5, 7-3
Post Season: Reached 2nd round of state playoffs

Any assessment of the results, both on paper or in person, achieved by the Knights at the camp had to be unquestionably positive. During the first three games, all shown separately in the highlights below, coach Kenny’s team sprinted out to big leads early, playing with a high level of enthusiasm and using impressive teamwork that amplified the team’s biggest strengths, a deep core of talented perimeter players who can all shoot, run, jump and score. In the highlights below, watch for Christian Chambers (6-2 Sr), Brasen James (6-3 Soph), Rashad King (6-3 Jr), Joshton Mincey (5-10 Jr), Daniel Simpson (6-4 Sr), Jaydynt Stephens (6-1 Soph) and Jourdain Spann (6-0 Soph) to see why I think Evans might have the most talented roster in our area.

Brasen James (Evans)

After lunging to first half leads as large as 21 (vs Dacula), 10 (vs Cherokee Bluff) and 12 (vs Hiram), Evans held off a second half surge every time, and twice went on to win by more than 15 points. But the most impressive result on paper was a win in the final game of the weekend over class 3A defending state champion Morgan County, a game I can’t describe because it was the only Evans game I didn’t watch.

Below are the highlights and a brief look at the opponent's recent history for the first three wins by Evans. But first let’s see coach Kenny’s response when I asked him what he took from the weekend:

I think the biggest thing to take away from it is a confidence and team chemistry factor.  We struggled early in the summer but turned it around to be honest after the Westside (Butler summer league) game. After that we played 100% better and going into the GHSA weekend felt good where we were at. Then to go 4-0, you could tell they felt they could play with anybody. This translated into the very next 3 days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ). We beat Glenn Hills Monday and Cross Creek Tuesday and Josey (by 18) on Wednesday . Not only did they feel they could play with anyone, but they could win the close games. Glenn Hills by 4, Cross Creek by 4. So to sum it up, team chemistry was very, very good and confidence in themselves, their teammates and the system was a huge factor this summer. 

- Kevin Kenny (head coach, Evans)

NCAA Georgia Team Camp Results (Evans)

Evans 61, Dacula 45 (Game 1)

Background: Dacula

Class 6A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 12-16, 7-4; reached 1st round of state playoffs

2017-18: 16-11, 7-3; reached 2nd round of state playoffs

2016-17: 20-9, 8-3; reached 2nd round of state playoffs

Evans 45, Cherokee Bluff 43 (Game 2)

Background: Cherokee Bluff

Class 3A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 15-11, 6-6; lost in 1st round of region tournament

Evans 50, Hiram 33 (Game 3)

Background: Hiram

Class 5A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 11-16, 5-1; lost in region tournament quarterfinals

2017-18: 23-10, 11-5; reached semifinal round of state playoffs

2017-17: 11-15, 9-7; lost in 1st round of region tournament

More from coach Kenny:

One more thing. Not to take anything away from Westside, because they will be pretty good, but we only scored 26 points against them (in the summer league) for the game and the kids realized we have too many scorers to only score 26 for a whole game. The very next game we had 28 at the half and that’s when I think everything clicked. Sometimes it takes one little thing for kids to “get it” and I think that was it.

I agree with coach. We won't see any more 28 point halves from this crew.

Is Burke County "back"?

Background:
Class 4A
Record last season: 6-15, 1-7
Post Season: First round region tournament exit

The Bears missed the state playoffs last season after a run to the class 4A quarterfinal round in 2018. Coach Purvis Dukes's group is always one of the most disciplined and hardest playing teams we see, with one piece of evidence being the charges taken in the videos below by Dexter Jones, a player who epitomizes Burke County's team identity.

Purvis Dukes will have Burke County back on the winning track.

Fans in Waynesboro should look forward to a resurgence in the team's fortunes in the coming season if Burke County's performance at the team camp is any indication. Before reviewing the results below, let's see what coach Dukes thought of the experience:

Guys understood that this was a first of its kind event for high school players to play with their teams. Teams were well prepared because of the opportunity presented to play in front of so many college coaches. I watched several teams play and the players and teams got after it. This definitely was a first class event.

- Purvis Dukes (head coach, Burke County)

Roderick McBride (Burke County)

I'll add that learning more about his players and watching them thrive in that event was one of the highlights of my weekend. The Bears have a formidable starting five: Roderick McBride (Sr), Bobby Little (Jr), Dexter Jones (Sr), Tim Wright (Sr) and James Mable (6-4 Jr).

Burke County 53, Locust Grove 39 (Game 1)

Background: Locust Grove

Class 5A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 5-21, 2-12; lost in first round of region tournament

2017-18: 5-22, 2-14; lost in first round of region tournament

2016-17: 6-20, 3-13; lost in first round of region tournament

Burke County defeated Perry (Game 2)

Background: Perry

Class 4A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 5-18, 2-8

2017-18: 15-11, 4-6; reached 1st round of state playoffs

2016-17: 22-9, 7-3; reached 3rd round of state playoffs

Dexter Jones (Burke County)

Burke County 47, Lakeview 33 (Game 3)

Background: Lakeview

Class 1A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 20-9, 7-3; reached 1st round of state playoffs

2017-18: 21-8, 15-0; reached 2nd round of state playoffs

2016-17: 25-6, 15-0; reached 3rd round of state playoffs

Burke County defeated Carver-Atlanta (Game 4)

Background: Carver-Atlanta

Class 5A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 12-14, 6-8; reached 2nd round of state playoffs

2017-18: 3-20, 1-13

2016-17: 17-14, 5-9; reached 3rd round of state playoffs

Cross Creek

Background:
Class 4A
Record last season: 16-10, 5-3
Post Season: Reached 2nd round of state playoffs

Cross Creek played more than 30 games in June, so one had to expect for the Razorbacks to let down in at least one. That inevitability occurred when Apalachee sprinted out to an early lead and never looked back in Cross Creek's second team camp game. But the Razorbacks sailed through the other three contests on the strength of its unparalleled size. Unparalleled in our area, and certainly in Cross Creek's region, at least.

Kobe Stewart (Cross Creek)

Cross Creek's lead guard and playmaker is senior Kobe Stewart, who stands 6-6 and recently received a scholarship offer from Presbyterian. And this summer he was often surrounded by these four long athletes who have also shown strong fundamentals to go along with their length: Monroe Atkins (6-5 Sr), Corey Trotter (6-4 Jr), Makhi Climons (6-3 Sr transfer from Richmond) and Josh Dorsey (6-2 Jr).

Cross Creek defeated Alcovy (Game 1)

Background: Alcovy

Class 6A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 9-17, 3-8; lost in first round of region tournament

2017-18: 11-15, 4-6; lost in first round of region tournament

2016-17: 6-22, 0-10; reached 1st round of the state playoffs

Apalachee 51, Cross Creek 39 (Game 2)

Background: Apalachee

Class 6A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 11-17, 2-8; reached 1st round of the state playoffs

2017-18: 11-17, 3-7; reached 1st round of the state playoffs

2016-17: 11-15, 4-6; lost in 1st round of region tournament

Cross Creek defeated Arabia Mountain (Game 3)

Background: Arabia Mountain

Class 5A

Recent season results:

2018-19: 6-19, 4-8; lost in 1st round of region tournament

2017-18: 12-13, 4-9; lost in 1st round of region tournament

2016-17: 11-12, 6-7; lost in 1st round of region tournament

Cross Creek 56, Whitfield Academy 39 (Game 4)

Background: Whitfield Academy

Class 1A

Recent season results:

2018-19:10-15, 7-9; lost in region tournament

2017-18: 10-17, 4-10; reached 1st round of state playoffs

2016-17: 20-9, 13-1; reached 2nd round of state playoffs

Washington County and Jefferson County

Jarden Maze (Washington County)

These are two teams I want to follow more closely next season. Washington County needs no introduction because some of the best athletes and teams in the history of CSRA sports have come from the school in Sandersville. The Golden Hawks hoops program benefits from the leadership of its veteran head coach, Carlos Hope. WACO is a perennial power in class 2A, and Hope's team played the most difficult schedule of any area team at the NCAA Georgia event. Despite losing 44-41 in its opening game against Lambert of class 7A, Washington County showed it can compete with any program of any size. The Golden Hawks were led by senior guard Jarden Maze, who has been praised heavily by recruiting analysts throughout the offseason.



Washington County would go on to win two and lose two in a four game slate that also included class 5A state runner up Fayette County.

Jefferson County was not as fortunate in the winning department. But by making the trip to Atlanta with only 7 players, including several freshmen and sophomores, and pushing Alcovy of class 6A to overtime, the class 2A school from Louisville proved that success isn't always measured in wins and losses, especially in June.