New (to me) faces dot the landscape during week 1 of Fall League action

Followers of the AugBball Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts have seen my features of Rahim McCorkle (above) of Silver Bluff, and Zayveon Williams (below) of Burke County. During the first session of PQ Sports Fall League play, McCorkle played with tons of competitive spirit and looked like he had plenty of fun as he led his Aiken Select team to wins over Thomson and Evans. And Williams, who I learned sports a 4.0 GPA in our post game interview, scored 6 straight points for Sports Academy South to cut Team Power's second half lead to 1 point with 3 minutes remaining before the Power prevailed.




Silver Bluff and Burke County are teams I didn't see play last season, so McCorkle and Williams are new faces at AugBball. So are several other standouts from Saturday's action at Evans Middle School, including Kevin Williamson (Aiken), Deaontae Carter (Burke County), Emmanuel Bryson (Grovetown), Chance Fugghett (Grovetown), Tim Williamson (Hephzibah), Jonquez Smith (Hephzibah), Dajuan Hill (Aquinas), Gerald Merriweather (Aquinas), Duvall Cardwell (Evans), and Kyle Driscoll (Evans).

Team USA doesn't have to paint a masterpiece on offense to win. Almost no team ever does

People complaining about Team USA's ball movement are missing something. They want to see the ball and the bodies zip around like the Spurs and Warriors make it do when they are rolling, missing the fact that those are the only teams in the world who do that somewhat frequently against the world's best (NBA teams). And even San Antonio and Golden State's fluid dances stall at the highest levels of competition.

Where was San Antonio's passing exhibition when Oklahoma City locked in to what the Spurs were doing and imposed their will, winning four straight playoff games to close out the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals during last season's playoffs? After a scorching start to the series, the Spurs' offense quickly evolved into an isolation heavy attack which first featured LaMarcus Aldridge making circus shots, and eventually after that well ran dry used Kawhi Leonard in countless late shot clock, one-on-one attempts versus Andre Roberson or Kevin Durant. No wonder the Spurs fell way short.

And the mighty Warriors, winners of a record 73 regular season games and owners of the most fluid and impressive offensive attack we've seen (including the best pair of shooters we've seen) needed a ridiculous string of Klay Thompson heaves in game 6 against that same Thunder team to even survive long enough to advance to the NBA Finals.

Nothing about Thompson's heroic performance could have been attributed to solid team offense. Almost every shot he took, and for that matter almost every shot he and his fellow splash brother took between that game and the entire Finals versus the Cavs, would be more the result of "hero ball" than the kind of "holy offense" the commentators criticized this Team USA squad for not playing as they ran through the Olympic field.

It is difficult to paint a masterpiece on the offensive side of the basketball court. It happens in exceptional cases. San Antonio's 2014 work of art against the Thunder (Conference Finals) and especially the Heat during their last title run passes with flying colors. And of course so does Golden State's 73 win regular season run. But I struggle to remember another time when this kind of offense was sustained against the world's best.

Playing great defense, rebounding relentlessly, limiting turnovers, and maybe most importantly getting the best players the best shots possible (even if those shots don't come after a series of ooh and ah passes) is much more realistic. And those fundamentals have led to many more wins and championships, than any other methods.

Team USA followed this formula. So when the day came when Durant scored 30 points in three quarters, including a 4-6 start from deep, and Klay Thompson made the shots he takes, and everybody else swarmed on defense and ate glass, Team USA won by a million. And they didn't even have to look pretty doing it.

Link to story in the Columbia News Times:

Link to story in the Columbia News Times:
http://newstimes.augusta.com/sports/2016-08-03/county-resident-writes-commentary-on-local-basketball

My AugBball activities are the subject of an article by Chris Gay in today's Columbia News Times. This is probably the site many know to find AugBball. But during many stretches (like the July AAU evaluation period and the high school region and state tournaments last February and March), I post basketball updates solely to the AugBball social media pages. Follow those pages here:

https://www.facebook.com/AugBball/

https://twitter.com/augbball

https://www.instagram.com/augbball/

https://www.youtube.com/user/cookchad08

The Georgia Sting tips off July's evaluation period in the Marcos Pizza Shootout

*Correction: In the 11 minutes of total video, I've found 2 clips, that are about 8 seconds each, where I made mistakes. I identified Desha Benjamin as Desha "Halmilton" once, and I later misidentified her school as Laney rather than Westminster.

Desha Benjamin scored 14 points, Alana Davis and Olivia Owens added 13 each, and the Georgia Sting's 17u AAU team, which is coached by Will Avery, topped Carolina United 66-50 Friday in the Marcos Pizza Shootout at Greenbrier High. Also in action were the Sting's teams of rising juniors and sophomores. The games, which are scheduled throughout Friday and Saturday, are a part of a big tune up for July's "evaluation period," one of the rare times when, beginning next week, college coaches from every division are permitted to watch AAU games.


In addition to Benjamin (Westminster), Davis (Cross Creek), and Owens (Johnson of Savannah), the Sting's (class of) 2017 team is loaded with many of the area's top returning players. Aubriana Bonner (Laney) combined with Owens to spark a 20-0 first half run by causing repeated turnovers that allowed Davis and others to show their versatility and skill in the open court. And after that spurt, Davis and fellow 6'2" frontliner Sydney Grayden (Greenbrier) combined for easy opportunities, connecting on high and low post half court action.

Benjamin's double duty

Benjamin, a rising junior who will transfer from Laney to Westminster, also led the Sting's 2018 team with 17 points in a 54-48 loss to the South Carolina Future. Benjamin, Lexi Jeffcoat (Evans), Yasmine Avery (Greenbrier), and Jaiden Hamilton (Laney) are young enough and good enough to be contributors on this team of mostly rising juniors as well as the older team.

Clutch free throw shooting pays off for younger Sting

Jordan Brown, a rising freshman at McCormick High, and Erin Andrews, a Midland Valley sophomore, combined to bury 5 of 6 free throw attempts in the final minute of the youngest (2019) Sting team's (2019) 43-42 win over the South Carolina Future. Brown finished with 14 points and would have provided her team with a three point lead with less than 10 seconds remained were it not for a lane violation during her made free throw that opened the door for the Future to tie the game at 42 before Andrews, who scored 10 points, was fouled and calmly sank the game winner.

Laney, Aquinas, and Hephzibah come out on top in Thursday's summer league session (full highlights)

One last week of high school summer league remains. Here are links to the posts here at AugBball.com with highlights from the girls games played at Butler in June on Tuesdays and Thursdays:

Cross Creek and Aquinas stay undefeated and Mayo leads Rebels to win at summer league

Laney and Cross Creek's girls impressive in Thursday's summer wins

Richmond, Laney, Josey, and Westminster's girls tip off the summer with wins

And Follow @AugBball on social media for live updates from summer league games and much more:

https://www.facebook.com/AugBball/

https://twitter.com/AugBball

https://www.instagram.com/augbball/
AugBball on YouTube

Hamilton and Williams spur the Lady Wildcats past rival Josey

Sophomore Jaiden Hamilton made three first half threes and senior Jhessyka Williams added several buckets while Laney built a double digit lead over rival Josey before hanging on to win to stay undefeated in Thursday's summer league session at Butler.

The Lady Wildcats, and many of the fans at Butler last night, are now looking forward to Tuesday's 8:00 PM matchup with Cross Creek. Both teams are undefeated in the summer league at Butler. And the two teams have been Richmond County's top two teams for years now.

Aquinas improves to 5-1 with win over Butler

Aquinas defended hard, moved the ball crisply, and made enough shots to cruise past Butler, giving the Fighting Irish a 5-1 summer league record and setting up a showdown with Hephzibah Thursday at 4:00 PM.





The Lady Rebels, who sprinted past Glenn Hills Thursday after edging Josey last week, finish their June schedule with games at 4 PM against Butler Tuesday, and Aquinas Wednesday.

Laney, Lakeside, Evans, Glenn Hills roll at Wednesday's summer league

Laney rolls past Harlem

After five years without a summer league loss, Laney has been beaten three times in the first few weeks of June. But the Wildcats made quick work of now region opponent Harlem at Wednesday's summer league at Butler. I watched them come a steal and a dunk away from beating Richmond last week, and they handily beat Glenn Hills on opening night.

Laney has a proud tradition and a deep pipeline of talent. Along with senior Tahj Tanksley, who didn't play Wednesday, PJ Walker, Dejuan Griffin, and Donald Henley are a few of many guards in the Wildcats' system who position Laney nicely come winter time.

The Wildcats' reached the quarterfinal round of the class 3A state tournament last season after 6 consecutive trips to the state semifinals, including a state title (2012) in class 2A, to which the Laney will now return with the new region alignments.

The new 8 team class 2A region of interest to Augusta's basketball fans includes the following teams:

Laney, Westside, Butler, Josey, Glenn Hills, Harlem, Jefferson County, and Screven County

Like all teams, Laney will need to earn its way into the top half of that group to have a chance to make an eighth straight run in next season's state tournament. Of course we'll wait many months to know whether they will succeed. But before that long period begins, we can get one more sneak preview Wednesday when the Wildcats face arch rival Josey, who is unbeaten in June, on the last night of June's summer league schedule.

Evans is steadily improving

Fresh off a win over then unbeaten Richmond, Evans again knocked off Hephzibah Wednesday. The Knights have improved steadily all month. The more I learn about the team, the more optimistic I am about its future.

Sophomore Cameron Cabarrus and junior Will Caudill have both drained shots from deep all month. Kyle Driscoll and Duvall Cardwell have patrolled the paint and the glass on both ends, and they both pass, catch, and finish in transition. And two year varsity contributor Serron Spann, a junior point guard, sets a great example by willingly passing the ball ahead in transition, and by generally being a good and reliable teammate.

Coach Kevin Kenny has a deep roster of good players whose names I'm slowly learning. When Evans substitutes in waves of five, each group gives a proper defensive effort and shows a willingness to share the ball, like here:

Lakeside is loaded

After watching Evans and Lakeside put back to back beatings on Hephzibah and Cross Creek, respectively, I look forward to watching the decades long rivals meet possibly several times this winter.

Lakeside is more talented now than ever. Returning seniors Kresean Hall (11 ppg, 7 rpg) and Deon Berrien (15 ppg, 13 rpg) and sophomore Kalen Williams (14 ppg, 3 apg) have all consistently produced. And ready to contribute significantly are juniors Brad Hilley and Tucker Gilbert.

Sheppard and Whitehead lead Glenn Hills to an impressive win

Glenn Hills turned an explosive second half run into a comfortable win over Richmond Wednesday. The Spartans were led by two newcomers who have played inspired basketball this month. Senior transfer Tony Sheppard and freshman John Whitehead were relentless on the glass and disruptive on defense. Sheppard also made a pair of threes and Whitehead dunked one that I didn't get on film.

Without 6'7" junior Timmy Sellers and veteran guard Robert Drew, there was no shortage of contributors, including lefty guards CJ Bowers and Eric Farmer. And 6'5" Jeffrey Cabarrus provides yet another long an active presence in the paint.

Augusta Prep's Ryan Jolly recognized as one of state's best juniors

Ryan Jolly joined Isaiah Kelly of Pace Academy as the two Augusta raised players given spots in Hoopseen.com 's ranking of the top 20 players of the class of 2018. Jolly, a 6'0' guard, claimed the 15th spot while Kelly, a 6'6" post player who attended Augusta Christian before leaving the area after his freshman season, was tabbed the 5th best rising junior in Georgia.

I have not gotten to see Jolly and his Augusta Prep Cavs play in June, but the shooter with a smooth handle and a great feel for the game has obviously made quite the impression on the "Georgia Cup" circuit, which is hosted by Hoopseen, as a member of the Georgia Bulls AAU squad.

Here are AugBball posts featuring or including Jolly from this past season:

Updates and highlights from Tuesday's games, including Westminster, Richmond, Lady Warriors

Augusta Prep edges Alleluia in home opener

Jolly, Watson-Gayle, Smith light up the scoreboard in preseason play