Team AugBball starts Peach State Select with two straight wins

In this video I share highlights, some statistics, and my opinions from Team AugBball's wins in the first two games of this week's Peach State Select tournament:

July AAU Preview - Team AugBball

During the next couple weeks, our area will be a major hub for the some of the best "grassroots/AAU" basketball in the country.  July is a key time for high school basketball players to be evaluated by college coaches.  There are only 21 days during the Spring and Summer periods when players can be evaluated, and 15 of those days are this month.  With the Nike Peach Jam, the country's premier youth basketball event, and the "Peach State" tournaments hosted in the Augusta area beginning tonight, I am excited about seeing our area's best players face some of the nation's best players and teams.  I observed the action during the Spring period.  Here I will preview four teams that feature area players I follow.  And I will be back throughout the next couple weeks to update you on their progress.

Here is my preview of Team AugBball:

I haven't seen many AAU teams shoot and pass the ball as well as this group.  Alleluia's Ben Dresser and Greenbrier's Jakob Nelson are probably the area's best long range shooters.  Mac Mcbride (Alleluia), Moses Jones (Cross Creek), and Justen Hartfield are all capable of scoring and creating off the dribble and knocking down shots from deep.  And Hayden Hebert (Alleluia) is a skilled and athletic wing who impacts the game in many ways.

Dresser regularly strings together 6-8 threes in a game, many from distances rarely seen from a high school player. And he makes more than his fair share of important shots, the shots that win or seal games. And the rising junior is much more than only a shooter.  He handles and passes the ball well and he is mentally and physically tough.  In my preview of Team Power, I listed four players as being probably our area's best guards.  But the truth is I believe Ben belongs in that handful.  And he is only a junior.

I'm glad I've been involved with this group during the Spring because it has given me a chance to get to know Cross Creek's Moses Jones.  He is a fine young man and a very good player.  At times he has been the team's best all around player.  He creates opportunities for teammates with his penetration and willingness to find shooters.  He has a nice shooting touch and scores from deep, in the mid range, and at the rim.  He is a tough kid with a competitive spirit.

Greenbrier struggled last season.  But rising senior guards Justen Hartfield and Jakob Nelson have followed strong individual high school seasons with equally impressive AAU performances in the Spring.  The Wolfpack are in good hands next season.

Alleluia teammates Mac McBride and Hayden Hebert were very consistent throughout the Spring. McBride is a scrappy point guard who can score in all ways and has great instincts.  In addition to making shots from deep, breaking down defenses off the dribble, and creating opportunities for teammates, he does a good job of getting to the free throw line and converting.  Hebert is the team's best rebounder.  He has very good footwork around the basket and can knock down shots from deep as well.

Team AugBball's first several games of the July period will be in the Peach State Select tournament at Augusta Prep on the following dates and times:

Wednesday, July 8 - 6:20 PM
Thursday, July 9 - 10:20 AM
Thursday, July 9 - 2:20 PM
Thursday, July 9 - 7:40 PM
Friday, July 10 - 10:20 AM
Friday, July 10 - 6:20 PM

Josey and Westside's bright future... and some breaking news!

***This post (originally written beginning last Friday) was finished before I got the news about Westside beating Washington County at home Tuesday.  Sophomore point guard Christian Robinson made a free throw with 0:00.4 remaining to seal the win.  Robinson is featured in this post.  It looks like the Patriots are not going to settle only for making noise in the future.  As we approach the end of the regular season and the coming region tournament, Westside has officially joined the region race.  Welcome, Patriots!***

Demontrez Hawes scored a combined 27 points
last Friday and Saturday for a surging Westside

Region 3A is the place where only the strongest survive.  Glenn Hills has been stung by injury and therefore unable to have consistent success.  The five game suspension of a key contributor stunted Westside's progress before it could begin.  And Josey's current position in the middle of the standings is misleading considering the Eagles have held fourth quarter leads in all but one region contest.

If the coaches of these teams believe their seasons have not met their standards for success, they may find comfort from two thoughts swirling in my head as I decided which Friday game to attend (the top candidates were Butler at Westside and Josey at Glenn Hills):

1)  Finishing outside the top 3 of the region 3A race does not constitute a failure.  I believe Josey, which currently occupies the fourth position, is our area's fourth best team.  That is how strong the region is.

2)  The teams occupying the fourth, fifth, and sixth spots in region 3A are loaded with key contributors who have eligibility remaining after this season ends.  Glenn Hills' young guns nearly led the Spartans to victory in a recent game (see here) at Aquinas.  And the subjects of the rest of this (possibly premature considering the current season is not yet over) post are the 10th and 11th graders who will lead Josey and Westside into the future.

Josey's Underclassmen

Four of the first six players in Josey's rotation will return next season.  Playing major minutes before full crowds against some of the state's best teams, and being a fortunate bounce or two away from success, has undoubtedly made this foursome feel like veterans.  The player who has looked most comfortable this season has been junior Donald Jordan.  In games versus Butler, Richmond, and Laney, I watched the 6'2" wing confidently knock down three pointers and successfully attack the basket.  Jordan has been the most impressive player on the court during some of the season's most pressure packed moments.







Another Josey guard with no fear of the bright lights is sophomore Jonathan Butler, who often enters games and immediately lets it fly from all angles.  He is equally effective shooting from deep and making floaters after blowing by defenders.  And he finishes with both his left and right hands.







Westside's Future

I mentioned Westside's slow start in region play.  Junior Demontrez Hawes's suspension was undoubtedly a factor.  I don't know whether he hit the ground running immediately after rejoining the Patriots weeks ago, for Friday and Saturday's home losses to Butler and Josey, respectively, were my first viewings of the Patriots this season.  But one thing is certain:  Hawes has found a good rhythm approaching the season's final stretch.  His shooting stroke is solid.  He makes threes and mid range jump shots, and he looks like he'll never miss a free throw.  His size and athleticism allow him to score through contact in the paint after crashing the offensive glass.  I'm glad I got to see him play. For some time I have considered him to be among the area's best perimeter players.  My mind has not changed.







I first met sophomore Elijah Brown when I coached him in a middle school all star game.  He immediately distinguished himself by being polite, listening carefully, and not only playing very fundamentally sound basketball, but playing extremely hard.  The next time I saw him was months ago in a random fall league game where he laid out for a loose ball, putting his body in harm's way. Anybody who knows me knows that immediately registers.  Friday and Saturday, Brown showed he has continued to develop his winning habits.  In addition to impacting the game through sheer effort, he showed the ability to shoot from long range, use good footwork around the basket, pass effectively, and defend.







All teams have point guards.  The ball has to be advanced up the court in some way.  So all teams have players who dribble a lot.  This doesn't mean they all dribble well.  But Westside's sophomore floor general Christian Robinson is a very good ball handler who gets his teammates the ball in the proper positions on the court.  He also has the ability to get to the basket and score or get fouled. And his shot is solid.  As he continues to get comfortable and his team continues to improve he should be a great asset for coach Marvin Fields's Patriots.







The future is bright for Josey and Westside.  But any region 3A team looking past them in next week's highly anticipated region tournament will be sorry in the present.

Matt Miller's scorching of the nets looks familiar to me!

Keeping a regularly updated blog about my favorite Augusta basketball stories is a little more challenging than I thought.  I have so many favorites!  Three months into my latest attempt (this was my first), I've found myself to be capable of keeping pretty pretty good tabs on the high school hoops scene, particularly the happenings of the area's premiere region.  And even if I don't provide the most complete analysis of every corner of the high school game, I am happy that through the weekly release of "Region Race" episodes, I have also hit the high points of the most interesting action involving teams of note in other regions (Harlem, Grovetown, Aquinas, Augusta Christian, and Alleluia).

The area I've fallen short of blanketing is that involving the college basketball action of greatest interest to me.  I hoped to closely follow throughout the season five main stories:

1)  GRU Augusta
2)  Rod Hall and the Clemson Tigers
3)  Matt Miller and the United States Merchant Marines Academy
4)  Frank Booker and the Oklahoma Sooners
5)  Ahmed Hill (Virginia Tech) and Marcus Stroman (South Carolina)

After a fast start, these posts, with the exception of the GRU Jaguars, have been pretty much nonexistent since December.  Why?  I suppose because I made a new year's resolution to release "Region Race" episodes every Thursday and keeping this commitment has put me in high school gyms most Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.  After recording and writing and making videos about that action, I haven't made the time for seeing, let alone writing about my favorite college stories.

So I can either give up  this part of what I set out to do or make a "new month's resolution" on this fifth day of February to work smarter and start consistently following and sharing my thoughts concerning these stories before the hoops season escapes me.

I'll start with this post (and the above video), mostly about former Augusta/GAIS Eagle Matt Miller, the player of mine who has impressed me more than any other during my 20 years of coaching.

Matt Miller is the Landmark
Conference's 6th leading scorer

Matt was recently named the Landmark Conference Player of the Week.  And the video above shows Matt in his first game after being recognized.  It was probably his best game yet as a college player.  The video speaks for itself and I'll get to his recent honor in a moment, but first I'd like to share one of the many stories I have about Matt that will hopefully provide some background and help you appreciate him at least partly as much as I do.

Matt told me soon after I became his coach in the summer before his freshman year in high school he wanted to be an engineer.  He had already earned his high school algebra and geometry credits, and it was clear he would soon know more high level math than I ever will.  So it shouldn't be a surprise that years later, as he was weighing his college options that he would easily recognize that 3 is greater than 2.  Stay with me.

After scoring more than 3,000 career high school points Matt had proven to anyone with an open mind and common basketball sense that he was a legitimate member of an exclusive club:  that consisting of guys good enough to earn a division 1 or 2 full basketball scholarship.  Matt had narrowed his options to two scholarship opportunities at nationally competitive division 2 colleges and an appointment at the United States Merchant Marines Academy (USMMA), an engineering school for serious students with lofty career goals and the discipline needed to succeed in a highly competitive academic environment.  USMMA also fields a division 3 basketball team whose coach was smitten with Matt.  (He was also very persuasive.  I remember him telling Matt the following:  "If you can go to Harvard or Duke, go!  But don't go to some nondescript school and miss this career opportunity because people think division 2 is better than 3 or division 1 is better than 2."  That coach is no longer at USMMA, but I am grateful for the role he has played in Matt's life.)

So Matt chose to prioritize his academic and professional goals and reported to Kings Point, New York.  Two years later, he has met each challenge with class, composure, and grit.  His being named the Landmark Conference Player of the Week is the proximate cause of my getting into gear and committing to posting more about college hoops action.  With all that is so impressive about Matt, I hope to share more over time.  His example can be very instructive for young people who love and excel playing the game while also keeping it in its proper place within a larger life plan.

But now I'll detail his latest basketball exploits.  After starting half the games and scoring just under 10 points per game during his freshman season, Matt has become a team leader as a sophomore.  He and junior David Smith average 16 points each and are both among the top ten leading scorers in the conference.  Matt's shooting percentages are impressive (83% FT, 45% FG, and 38% 3 pt FG), especially after considering the perimeter nature of his game.  He has scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games.  And as you can see in the video above, Smith and he put on an offensive clinic Wednesday, combining to score 56 (27 for Matt and 29 for David) points in a 90-88 win over Drew.  The win was the Mariners' third straight.

I was thrilled to see signs early this season that Matt had found a "good fit" with his college basketball situation.  Months later it is obvious I even underestimated how well Matt would do.  His wise college choice, which was obviously far more sophisticated than the "3 is greater than 2" math I joked about above, will benefit him the rest of his life.  And it is playing a big part in his enjoyment of the present.  Part of Matt's brilliance has always been that he knows basketball is a game meant to be played for fun.  So it is no surprise he is playing like he is having a blast!



***Here are some posts from the past about Matt Miller***

Dec 10, 2014

Miller makes game winner versus Coast Guard

Nov 24, 2014
Matt Miller Finds the Right Fit

Nov 19, 2014
Miller Returns from Sea and Hits the Courts

Jan 7, 2014

Miller's Career High 20 Points not Enough in 81-69 Loss to Stevens

from USMMASports.com

Nov 21, 2013

Former Eagle Matt Miller Passes His First Test

Sept 16, 2013

Wise Beyond His Years

Dec 17, 2012
GAIS' Guard Combo - Miller and Crown

March 20, 2012
Crown and Miller Named NCHBC All-Americans

Brinson and Gordon lead Aquinas to a non-region win over Glenn Hills

San Antonio Brinson is our area's best "prospect."

Twenty-five days is too long, especially during the heart of the high school season, for a hoops junkie like me to not take the opportunity to see Aquinas's San Antonio Brinson play.  In our area, his qualities are truly unique.  I recently told friend and Augusta hoops legend Keenan Mann the case for Brinson becoming a contributor on a major college basketball team is straightforward and compelling:  He is 6'7" and he shoots, dribbles, moves and jumps very well.

More importantly, Brinson is a good student and a better person.  He possesses those old fashioned and endearing qualities that make me cheer for his on and off the court success.  Take his reaction to adversity Saturday in the most tense moments of Aquinas's overtime win at home over non region rival Glenn Hills.  After missing a couple free throws and failing to convert a fast break layup, San Antonio was visibly shaken.  This is not a criticism.  Anyone interpreting it that way is badly missing my point.  His reaction revealed a genuine concern for his teammates and his own execution on the court.  Caring matters.  It leads to relationships and experiences that matter.  Brinson, who is abnormally young for an elite 11th grade basketball player (he only recently turned 16) will soon learn that he has built up so much goodwill with Aquinas's players, coaches, and fans that no amount of mistakes will disappoint them.  And as he grows even more comfortable in his role as our area's best player, those people, and more importantly San Antonio himself, will be in for a treat.

All of this is not to say Brinson played poorly in Saturday's win.  Far from it.  As usual, he did it all, leading all scorers with 18 points.  When 6'4" Maurice O'Bannon guarded him, Brinson beat him off the dribble and drew fouls.  When smaller players defended him, he patiently worked his way into the paint, both from the wing and the post, shooting over the defense and getting to the foul line.  There have been times this season when the scoring opportunities he took have been mostly of the catch-and-shoot three pointer variety.  But during the last two Aquinas games I've seen, in December versus Midland Valley and Saturday, Brinson has imposed his will on defenses.  His teammates and he will all benefit as his confidence grows and he continues to push that envelope.






Speaking of confidence, one Aquinas player who has never lacked it is junior Kham Gordon, who played better Saturday than I had seen him play at any time prior.  Gordon used his strength and ball handling skills to get high percentage shots.  And none were more important than the bank shot he made after a baseline drive in overtime that provided the Fighting Irish's final lead.







I have commented on Aquinas's youth and potential and expressed optimism that this group will improve enough during the regular season to make a deep post season run.  Hancock Central has been the only region team to slow down this group.  I hope Saturday's win over a fine Glenn Hills group gives the guys confidence heading into the final weeks of the regular season before region tournament and state tournament action begins.

Glenn Hills continues to compete despite challenges

The level of play in region 3A and the familiarity I have with its teams, as well as that with the 5A teams, has caused me recently to miss some of the games involving Harlem, Aquinas, Augusta Christian, Midland Valley, Burke County, and Alleluia.  But I set aside an eight day period, beginning last Friday, to get reacquainted with as many of these teams as possible.  And I am planning ways to stay connected with all the teams I follow as they finish the regular season and move towards the post season.

I am very glad I chose to attend Glenn Hills' visit to non region rival Aquinas Saturday.  Coach Travis Mcrae has done a masterful job keeping his Spartans near the .500 level in the most difficult region any of us know.  Glenn Hills has gotten into position to make a run at a state playoff birth under the most difficult circumstances:  the Spartans exited the first week of January with a 1-3 region record and had recently lost its senior team leader, Zi Cook, to injury.  Cook will likely return for the post season, but probably not before what Mcrae calls the coming week's "gauntlet" of difficult region games versus Butler (Tuesday at Glenn Hills), Josey (Friday at Glenn Hills), and Washington County (Saturday in Sandersville) ends.

That slate is enough to discourage (or scare!) lesser competitors.  But coach Mcrae's group has proven itself to be uniquely prepared to handle such daunting challenges.  Consider as an example its January 9th win defeat of Washington County.  Senior Aaron "Toot" Williamson embodies the team's competitive spirit.  Toot always has played much bigger than the ruler measuring his official height reads.  In Saturday's game he caused havoc on the defensive end, grabbing steals, rebounds, and loose balls that helped the Spartans cobble together enough easy baskets to force overtime against Aquinas.  When Williamson wasn't creating something from nothing, his younger teammates were knocking down timely three pointers.

Although they came up a bit short Saturday, Glenn Hills has shown the ability to win with or without its full roster.  See how they do it below.  And don't be surprised if the Spartans record some impressive wins before and after Cook's return.






Perhaps with the help of some much deserved luck, Glenn Hills will earn one of region 3A's four state tournament bids, a truly noteworthy accomplishment.  I would not enjoy being the state tournament team tasked with facing in the first round any 3A team, including coach Mcrae's Spartans.

Alleluia and Augusta Christian meet Tuesday in game of contrasting styles

Alleluia has suddenly become one of our area's best teams

This is a public service announcement... or at least a bit of information relevant to people like me who watch and enjoy our area's high school basketball action.  Alleluia is very good.  If you haven't seen the Angels play, I recommend you treat yourself.  Tuesday's date with Augusta Christian is a great opportunity.

If you have seen coach Dennis McBride's team in action, but your last look was before this season, then you will think you are seeing a brand new team.  Even if you last saw the guys as recently as December, you will notice a transformation.  The rate at which the players improve is truly remarkable.  That Alleluia would visit Ludowici, Georgia, and beat one of the southeast's best independent schools, Faith Baptist, would have seemed impossible a short time ago.  Yet that is exactly what the Angels did Saturday, tallying 90 points in a 9 point victory over the Crusaders.

There is nothing physically intimidating about this group.  But they are mastering the game's fundamentals faster than any group of players I've seen in years.  Tuesday's game at defending South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) state champ Augusta Christian will not be the last time hoops fans have a chance to see the Angels in action.  For the majority of the players have eligibility remaining after this season.  But it is a game that has been circled on my calendar since October.  Augusta Christian will refocus its attention after dropping a heart breaking region game Saturday.  And Alleluia will need to find a way to defend the Lions inside, where 6'9" Calvin Taylor and 6'6" freshman Isaiah Kelly hold a distinct advantage that should provide a fascinating contrast to Alleluia's fast paced, sharp shooting attack (see video below).  I'll be there to watch and report here soon afterwards.  As always, I'll see you in the gym!

Shame on me: Harlem is in better position than I realized.

There is no substitute for putting in the the work.  Consistently.  After trumpeting throughout November and December my belief that Harlem will win its region and advance deep into the class 2A state playoffs, I probably made a mistake in concluding, without doing any real homework, that Harlem's early January losses at Swainsboro and Dublin were evidence that the Bulldogs' chances aren't as good as I had hoped.

Providing good insight would have required me to see Harlem play between my last visit to a game (the December 19th thriller versus Grovetown) and now.  And if that were impossible, a phone call or a text exchange with coach Kim Chambers would have done the trick.  But Friday's chance exchange with Chambers made apparent some factors that suggest the Bulldogs are in a much better position to win its region, either in the regular season, the tournament, or both, than I had realized by simply checking the scores of January's games.

In Harlem's 73-49 loss at Swainsboro, the Bulldogs' first game since the holiday break, Chambers sat all but the six players who attended all of his holiday practices.  Playing short handed, Harlem remained within striking distance of the now 7-1 region leaders until the third quarter when the Bulldogs finally "ran out of gas."  And during its 83-80 loss at Dublin, Harlem was on the short end of a 49-25 disparity in free throw attempts.

In my early November post declaring my intention to closely follow Harlem, I predicted a deep playoff run.  Watching the Bulldogs beat Greenbrier, Lakeside, and Grovetown before the holidays reinforced my confidence.  The way the regions are aligned caused me to choose to watch games other than Harlem's during most of January.  But not seeing the Bulldogs play in a month is not a good excuse for not being prepared.  A simple call or text to coach Chambers would have done wonders.  Lesson learned.

But no harm no foul because while I watched Augusta Christian and Hammond play Friday, a buddy filmed Harlem's "payback" opportunity versus then 7-0 Swainsboro.  On its home court, Harlem will have had the chance by Tuesday to even the series with the two region opponents who have beaten the Bulldogs, Swainsboro and Dublin (Tuesday).  More importantly, two wins would move Harlem into second place, or even a tie for first if the Bulldogs get some help.  At stake is the bye into the semifinal round of region tournament play that goes to the region's top team.

And so far so good as coach Chambers' group disposed of Swainsboro (64-49) with relative ease at home Friday.  Florida Gulf Coast signee Reggie Reid led the way with 18 points.  Rayshaun Morris and Steven St. Claire added 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Harlem's athleticism is a major advantage over its 2A peers.  And nowhere is this advantage more pronounced than at the point, where Reid plays.  As I saw him do against Lakeside in December, Reggie had stretches Friday where he cleared the defensive glass and went coast to coast and either finished the initial shot or rebounded his own miss until he converted.  He rebounded his own misses after jump shots and free throws, leaving the impression that he can almost score at will with a lack of taller players protecting the rim.

Besides his exceptional athleticism, Reid also distinguishes himself with his selflessness.  Because of his gifts, I have often found myself wishing he were more selfish.  And he certainly has the ability to dominate a game by attacking repeatedly, as he did in Harlem's comeback win over Grovetown one month ago.  But he is more comfortable helping teammates be successful.  And his generosity looked contagious Friday.  Specifically, Torrien Beard, who has impressed me all season, repeatedly set up teammates for easy scores in Friday's win.  The combination of these two guards' athleticism, scoring ability, and unselfishness will be difficult for 2A teams to handle this post season.

I mentioned being impressed with Beard.  And everyone who has watched Reid has been impressed with him for years.  But coach Chambers has more weapons, as was evident Friday.  Rayshaun Morris began his senior season with a 10 point first quarter against Greenbrier that set the Bulldogs off and running months ago.  Friday's first quarter reminded me of that November evening as the slashing wing finished with his off hand (his left) with soft floaters in transition.  And Steven St. Claire shoots the ball well every time I watch him play.

Whether or not my faith in the Bulldogs wavered recently, I am happy to see Harlem is on track to have a post season to remember.  I will be sure not to watch the end of January from afar!

McDaniel carries Hammond to victory over Augusta Christian

In the latest Region Race episode, I mentioned the "internet fame" of Hammond's Seventh Woods (whom ESPN currently labels the 60th best junior in the country) and the anticipation for his visit to Augusta Christian for an important region contest.  But Friday's biggest star was another player who is no stranger to fame, Xavier McDaniel.  Only this “X-man” is not the one I grew up watching bully NBA guards and bury threes for the Seattle Supersonics.  But the former NBA star’s son was a chip off the old block Friday in Hammond’s 57-55 win in the defending state champions’ gym.

The filled-to-capacity crowd no doubt expected big things from Woods.  But he didn’t score a field goal Friday.  However, McDaniel made shots from all angles, including behind the three point line, floating towards the basket, and above the rim.  Many times.  Every time Hammond needed a basket, he seemed to answer the call, including a jump shot from the free throw line that gave the Skyhawks a 55-53 lead with less than one minute remaining.  Immediately afterwards, Augusta Christian’s Madison Williams tied the game with a reverse layup only to set up an anticlimactic finish. Woods was fouled 50 feet from the basket and sent to the line, where he made the game winning free throws with seconds remaining.

The home loss must sting after the Lions seemed to control much of the game.  Junior Madison Williams played brilliantly, and the only times Augusta Christian seemed vulnerable were the moments he was forced to sit because of foul trouble.  While on the court, he got where he wanted off the dribble and finished almost everything.  

And the Lions’ attack was balanced as 6’9” senior center Calvin Taylor and 6’6” freshman forward got numerous attempts in the paint.

But coach John Harris’ team has a history of returning even stronger after setbacks.  The Lions lost both regular season meetings versus Hammond last season before defeating the Skyhawks in the post season and eventually winning the state championship.  Assuming Hammond is more talented than any SCISA team Augusta Christian will face, there is nothing about Friday’s game that suggests the Lions won’t be poised to make a serious run at repeating as SCISA’s champs in the next 60 days.

Aquinas is young, but full of potential

The concerns I have about Aquinas have to do with the team's youth and inexperience as a unit.  The team's lone returning major contributor from last season, San Antonio Brinson, is as gifted as any area player.  And he is probably becoming a major college basketball player.  But the quiet and well mannered 6'6" forward is just now learning to lead a team.  His smooth jump shot and his solid athleticism, ball handling skills, and footwork give coach Bernie Norris all the needed ingredients of a game changing player.  But he will need to become more aggressive offensively, especially in attacking the basket, for his team to reach its full potential.

And his teammates will need to do a better job handling pressure, delivering the ball to Brinson consistently, and providing scoring help.  During the first two of three Aquinas games at the Monterrey Classic at Evans High School, Jalen Holbrook and Brian Jessee showed signs of stepping into leadership roles.  Jessee attacked the basket consistently and used his exceptional athleticism to finish over and through defenders in a win over Grovetown in the quarterfinals and a semifinal loss to a solid Midland Valley squad.  Holbrook made two first half threes against Midland Valley to help the Fighting Irish mount a comeback that eventually fell short.

Besides getting the most out of Brinson's gifts and finding scoring help from others, Aquinas will need to be a better rebounding team and generally give more effort to overcome its lack of size (besides Brinson), experience, and muscle.  The turnovers and mental mistakes (multiple lane violations during teammates' free throws) will likely persist as players learn how to handle game pressure better.  But the effort level will need to immediately become more intense if the Fighting Irish want to limit opponents' easy shot attempts.  Midland Valley basically rebounded their own misses until they converted in the semifinal matchup, and no team can consistently win without cleaning the defensive boards.

Our area has several high level players.  None have the size and versatility of Brinson.  And because of his character and his demonstrated rate of improvement, I predict he will be a force in single A basketball for the next season and a half.  Hopefully Jessee, Holbrook, junior Kham Gordon, and freshman Tre Gomillion can speed up their learning curves so Aquinas can reach its full potential in upcoming regular season region competition.  With the proper focus and effort level, I see know reason the Irish can't enter the post season with a high seed in tournament play, as they have every season in recent memory.

ARC's "preseason" should have Musketeers ready

Region AAAAA member ARC probably knows best the grind local AAA teams face in the coming weeks, as the Musketeers have played five games versus those teams already this season.  The Musketeers' lone win against that group came weeks ago in Glenn Hills' gym.  But the experience should set up coach Steve Nobles' team nicely for its coming region schedule.

After Friday's loss to Butler at Paine College, coach Nobles explained that he schedules November and December with the upcoming region schedule in mind.  I think he crafted a good slate as the Musketeers (6-8) can use the experience to understand their potential and to identify areas of weakness.

Regarding ARC's strengths, the team showed signs of competitive spirit in reducing Butler's lead from 16 points to 1 over a 12 minute period between the middle of the second quarter and the end of the third.  Many teams would have folded after being down by so many points, so early.

But senior Moses Lewis doesn't seem to have any quit in him.  He led the Richmond offense with an ability to handle the ball under pressure, beat his man to the basket, and make shots.  He did these things consistently against Butler and again versus Josey Saturday, when the Musketeers' comeback attempt was cut short by the Eagles' red hot shooting.

Having a guard who can reliably handle pressure and put the ball in the hoop will serve Richmond well in region play.  I think Lewis is the best guard in Richmond's new sub region (2A-AAAAA), and he is a major reason I'll probably pick the Musketeers as a favorite to win the regular season race.   A good thing about Lewis' play is that he takes his opportunities in the flow of the offense.  And he makes sure the right guys stay involved in the action.  This brings me to the second major strength Richmond possesses:  its inside play.  

Nick Roberts has the potential to be a real difference maker.  The 6'6" junior has a sweet shooting touch and looks skilled enough to be that seemingly rare player: a low post scoring threat.  Seriously.  Those players still exist! More repetitions on the court should continue to do wonders for Roberts.  And his 6'5" sidekick, Rashaud Green brings some of the power and agility that Roberts currently lacks.  Green is not as skilled as Roberts and has more trouble scoring.  But the two combine to make up maybe the most impressive inside attack I've seen from AAAAA teams.

The inside-outside attack described above is likely what benefitted ARC in its recent 3-0 showing at a holiday tournament in Macon.  But it wasn't enough last weekend at Paine.  This brings me to ARC's apparent weaknesses.  The Musketeers turn the ball over too much and they give up too many offensive rebounds.  I have wittern about the importance of these two aspects of the game.  Too often versus Butler and Josey did ARC give its opponents easy opportunities in transition after turnovers and off the glass.  I also have concerns about whether the Musketeers give the kind of effort needed to maintain a winning season.  I only saw two games.  But it seemed both Butler and Josey beat them to the loose balls and rebounds that were up for grabs.

The Musketeers have tasted success early in what coach Nobles calls the "preseason."  But they have also been humbled.  Success in region play is theirs for the taking.  I look forward to seeing if they grab it.

Josey coasts to victory against ARC

Darius Williams

One of the traits I believe the young guys who play high school (and even college) basketball share is a lack of self confidence.  I often encourage a guy to believe in himself more.  That this vulnerability in adolescents exists is logical.  But I suspect that if I were to tell Josey's Darius Williams he needs to believe in himself more, he may chuckle.  For he, more than anyone I've seen play in person this season, oozes with confidence while between the lines of a basketball court.  And he does so for good reasons.

Before the nightcap of Saturday's set of holiday tournament games at Paine College, Williams bobbed to the beats playing over the live speaker while meeting with officials and other team captains minutes before tip-off.  And literally seconds after the opening tip, Williams had run off 5 points (counting two made free throws prior to jump ball after an ARC technical foul).  A blink later, the sharpshooter helped Josey build a 10-1 lead, then shortly after, a 20-7 advantage.  And before most on the court had settled into the flow of the game, Darius had scored 12 of his team's first quarter points and Josey had taken a 25-12 advantage to start the second quarter.

And as is his practice, most of Williams' baskets were of the spectacular variety:

Williams then did something else he does very well: he trusted his teammates to help carry the load offensively.   And they did so in impressive fashion.  Both in Josey's near victory versus Butler and in its drilling of ARC Saturday, Donald Jordan, Janathan Butler, Kahlon Whitley, and Javen Whitehead have been impressive.  All for different reasons.  When the strengths of these four hard nosed competitors is added to Darius' gifts, 2+2 seems to equal 5.  It definitely did Saturday, as Josey coasted to victory over the Musketeers.

Harlem's Beard big in clutch

The Harlem Bulldogs were recently pegged as Georgia's 9th best team in class AA.  I thought before the season that the Bulldogs could make a deep run in the state playoffs simply because Florida Gulf Coast bound Reggie Reid is a very good player who can overpower many of his opponents with his speed and athleticism.  The Bulldogs now take a 12-1 record into the holidays and coach Kim Chambers team has yet to lose with Reid on the floor.  But Chambers and the Harlem faithful have also benefited from something I view as a surprise:  the emergence of senior Torien Beard. The athletic guard with a nice shooting touch has not posted the gaudy stats his more heralded teammate has, but he gives the Bulldogs another matchup problem on the perimeter.  He doesn't need to be the focus of the offense to make an impact as he scores in all ways:  in transition, off the offensive glass, catching and shooting from deep, and driving to the rim.  This provides a great complement to Reid, who can always be relied on to create easy shots for himself and others.

But when called upon, Beard is ready.  Example:  Friday's come-from-behind 63-61 win over county rival Grovetown.  Beard scored the team's last 9 points, helping the Bulldogs overcome an 11 point deficit in the game's final three minutes.  With the win, Harlem, long an also ran in the county, finished a 7-1 run over the past 60 days versus AAAA rivals Lakeside, Evans, Greenbrier, and Grovetown.  The only loss (to Greenbrier) came in Reid's absence.

Game Notes

Beard played his best when his teammates needed him most, scoring 9 of his 17 points in the final 3 minutes.  He also did it in style.  His shooting stroke is simple and smooth.  He makes a high percentage of his threes, and he has a knack for making touch shots on the move.  These are shots he is able to get pretty easily because of his exceptional athleticism.  See his late game spurt here:





Before Beard's heroics, Reid kept Harlem close by never letting his foot off the gas offensively. Contrary to what I saw in the win against Lakeside, he attacked on virtually every possession and forced Grovetown to foul him frequently.  Harlem will need this kind of resolve if the Bulldogs are to go deep in post season play.  Reid led all scorers Friday with 26 points.






Grovetown has long been a team dominated by its now trio of seniors:  Logan Morris, Solomon Gause, and Kenny Joseph.  Morris has all the tools, including a deep shot and the ability to beat defenders off the dribble and score with floaters and at the free throw line.  Gause and Joseph struggled to keep possession down the stretch against Harlem's pressure.  But they both can score the ball.  These three will need to learn to lead a winning team in upcoming region play as they enter the end of their high school basketball tenure together.  See them here:

Cook and Brinson: Both exceptional in more than one way

Entering Saturday's non region matchup between Glenn Hills and Aquinas, I was eager to see two players I know a good bit about but have never really watched play basketball for a whole game. Glenn Hills' Ziaire Cook (senior) and Aquinas' San Antonio Brinson (junior) share the distinction of being very young for their classes.  It has been documented in books like "Outliers" that athletes who are at the older end of the spectrum in their respective grades make up a disproportionate amount of those who end up at the elite level.  This is why so many children and parents decide to hold back a year (I did) to get more physically and mentally mature before entering high school.  So Cook and Brinson's setting themselves apart from most of their peers is an exceptional feat.

Even more appealing to me is their performances in the classroom.  A college basketball coach with knowledge of Cook's standardized test score told me his is the highest he's ever seen from a prospective college basketball player.  And my friend Matt Scott, a reliable source for all things Aquinas, bragged to me about San Antonio's 3.5 GPA.  After learning more about their abilities on the court and in the classroom, I'll be circling the dates on the calendar for as many Glenn Hills and Aquinas games as I can.

Saturday's matchup featured Brinson at his best, as he scored 23 points in the first half and helped his Fighting Irish stay within a point of the Spartans at halftime, trailing 31-30.  The 6'6" junior scored in every imaginable way.  I have seen him enough to know he possesses a soft shooting touch.  In addition to drilling jump shots Saturday, he dunked in traffic, completed three point plays after offensive rebounds, scored in the open court, and handled the ball and created offense against Glenn Hills' 94 feet of pressure defense.  But the Spartans' second half defensive attack slowed Brinson, and he was only able to score one basket after intermission.







While Glenn Hills found its rhythm defensively, holding Aquinas to 17 second half points, Ziaire Cook was consistent throughout the game, scoring 10 points in each half for a team high total of 20.  I asked Will Avery about Cook before the game.  One thing he said was that he is deceptively athletic, that the 6'3" guard will almost casually dunk the ball when he doesn't appear to have that kind of bounce.  After watching him I have a better feel for what Will means.  Like many good players, he makes the game look easy.  He shoots and handles the ball well, and he uses these skills to get where he wants on the court offensively.  He makes shots that college players make, like floaters and left handed finishes.  Cook is averaging 23 points and 6 rebounds per game.







Glenn Hills (5-1) hosts another one loss team, Laney (6-1), Tuesday in both teams' first region contest.  Aquinas (4-2) visits Greenbrier Friday.

Alleluia's "homecoming" a success

Highlights from Alleluia's home games last week (scroll down for many more clips)


Alleluia sprinted to its fastest start ever in the season's first ten games, winning nine straight after losing the opener.  And before Tuesday, the team had yet to play in its home gym.  As coach Dennis McBride's team prepared for a four game home stretch, I was anxious to see what the team would do with a home court advantage.  All teams play their best at home.  But Alleluia has always been especially difficult to beat there because the cozy gym puts its highly supportive crowd right on top of the action, and right inside the heads of opposing players.

After jumping out to a quick eight point advantage Tuesday over the formidable Faith Baptist Crusaders, a cold shooting spell at the free throw line (11-24) and difficulty dealing with Faith Baptist's full court pressure resulted in a hard fought 76-68 loss in the season's first home game.  But the Angels bounced back Friday evening with an impressive 83-72 win over Victory Baptist, and scored 50 points in the first half Saturday on the way to an 81-64 win over Sports Academy South.

Sharp shooting guards Ben Dresser (25 points) and Stephen Mulligan (15 points) made a combined nine three pointers in Friday's win.  Junior point guard Mac McBride filled the stat sheet with 14 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals.  And junior forward Hayden Hebert scored 18 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.  The Angels gave its filled-to-capacity home crowd plenty to cheer about Friday, scoring 45 points by halftime and maintaining a 10-20 point advantage throughout the second half.  Tuesday's game against the Augusta Eagles homeschool team, who beat Alleluia in the season opener in the Victory Baptist Tip-Off Tournament, will complete the Angels' four game home stand.

Random Notes

One reason I so enjoy following Alleluia is because I like seeing players and teams that improve a lot over time.  It is not unusual to find these guys in the gym at 5:00 A.M. practicing their ball handling and shooting, at 11 P.M. (during high school basketball season) playing pick up ball, or in the middle of a hot summer's day diving on the floor for a loose ball while playing "21."  (Yes, I do mean during the middle of the summer in Augusta's only gym that still doesn't have air conditioning, and yes people evidently still play 21!)  These guys are old school gym rats.  Heck, I'm told they even play on the outdoor courts on school grounds right off Lumpkin Road.  No wonder I like these guys so much!

Two players who had stellar weeks, and whose progress on the court amazes me, are juniors McBride and Hebert.  There was a time, during off season league play against the area's best guards, when McBride would have trouble handling defensive pressure.  I know because I was the referee he would occasionally appeal to for foul calls when the ball was stolen from him.  He needs no such help from the zebras these days.  After Dresser and Milligan shot Victory Baptist out of its zone Friday, McBride dealt the final blow by picking apart Victory Baptist's man-to-man defense, using his ball handling expertise to beat defenders and finish in the paint and at the free throw line.  He scored 10 of his 14 points, making all six of his free throw attempts, during this fourth quarter segment.

McBride is able to get where he wants on the court off the dribble because he "has the ball on a string," as we used to say.  Throughout the week, he used this ability to create great scoring opportunities by beating the initial defender, drawing a crowd and making the right pass to the right guy, or finishing himself.







One year ago, Hebert was a "big man," although he was no taller than 6'3".  After months/years of honing his fundamental skills, he has proven coach McBride right when he says Hayden is a guard. This week he made shots from deep and scored on floaters and pull up jump shots.  He has always been a good athlete, as was evident by his several blocked shots Friday and his rim rocking dunk Saturday.  But until recently, I haven't seen him make this many impressive plays on the perimeter during game action.  The hours in the gym he spends with his teammates are surely the source of this improvement.







One of the most unique characteristics about this team, and about watching them play in their own gym, is their ability to make deep shots.  Lots of them.  Ben Dresser is a pure shooter.  And in Alleluia's gym, his range legitimately starts just behind half court.  No area player since Westside's Frank Booker, now an Oklahoma Sooner, has earned the kind of green light Dresser has.  His ball handling and shot making skills are solid too.  Only a sophomore, I can't think of an underclassman in this area I would rather have were I a coach.







Dresser is far from the only shooter on the roster.  In fact, no one in the rotation lacks shooting range. Along with McBride and Hebert, seniors Milligan and Abe Dresser (older brother of Ben) and sophomore Elliot Balducci are all threats on the perimeter.  Seniors Billy Conkright and Ryan Wilby add experience, rebounding and skill to the front line, ensuring that this team is much more than only a group long range bombers.






For many reasons, an Alleluia home game is a unique and worthwhile experience for any basketball fan.  The mix and depth of fundamental skills the guys possess is hard to find in high school teams. These features combined with the intimate feel of the gym and the community make this Tuesday's 7:30 P.M. game a hard one for a basketball fan like myself to skip.

Update on VA Tech freshman Ahmed Hill

Ahmed Hill is third on Georgia high school basketball's all time scoring list.  But he never seemed to force things offensively, always finding opportunities within the rhythm of Aquinas' offense.  He even spent much of his senior season facilitating for teammates, playing the role of point guard when the Irish were suddenly left without one.  A level headed student of the game, Ahmed never took plays off and always impressed me with his intangible qualities (effort, communication, and general leadership) almost as much as his physical gifts.

These qualities have served him well during his first month of major college basketball, as he is looking like a long term 30+ minute per game player for the rebuilding Virginia Tech Hokies of the ACC.  Going from shooting frequently and initiating most of his team's offense in high schoo to taking 5-10 shots each game seems to be a transition Hill has no problem executing.  Since the preseason his coach and teammates have praised his work ethic and attitude.  Channelling the size and agility his 6'4" frame brings to relentless defensive pressure, rebounding, and selectively attacking on the offensive end, Ahmed is proving to be a player coach Buzz Williams can't help but keep on the court.

Hill was assigned one of the country's leading scorers, D.J. Newbill, in a recent narrow loss to Penn State in the ACC-Big East Challenge on ESPN.  Playing as one of four guards in the Hokies' perimeter oriented attack, Hill grabbed a team high 10 rebounds and barely missed a long three at the buzzer to tie the game.  

I don't mean to say Hill is not involved in the offense.  He is averaging 8 points and 4 rebounds per game, he is shooting 40% from three point land, and he has scored 9 or more points in 4 of his first 8 games.  More than anything, I am happy for Ahmed, a young man of rock solid character, for finding such a great fit so early in his college basketball playing days.  Because he is this entrenched in the Hokies' rotation this early, and because he has made himself valuable without scoring in bunches, I think it is only a matter of time before he starts scorching the nets from deep, making his mid range jump shots, and regularly getting to the foul line.  He is in what may prove to be a perfect position for an incoming freshman.  He is one of 3 freshmen in the current starting lineup, playing for a coach who hand picked him and who is beginning from scratch with his new team.

I predict Ahmed will keep hustling, defending, rebounding, selectively picking his scoring spots, and most importantly, playing heavy minutes.  And when all this experience he's gaining gives him the confidence and comfort level to let it fly, he probably won't score as many major college buckets as he did in high school.  But he will make more than his fair share.

***Here are some posts from the past about Hill and his former Southern Stampede AAU teammates***

Nov 20, 2014

Stoman's Still a Winner

Nov 12, 2012

Marcus Stroman: True Point Guard, True Leader

Dec 9, 2012

Ahmed Hill Backs Up Statement

July 19, 2012

Stampede Opens Peach Jam with Win

Miller makes game winner versus Coast Guard

Learning by doing is often the only way to truly learn anything.  Former GAIS Eagle Matt Miller and his United States Merchant Marines Academy (USMMA) teammates are learning to win, one game at a time. The Mariners fell just short in overtime Saturday against Susquehanna.  And trailing rival Coast Guard 45-44 with 5:18 remaining Tuesday, Matt’s Mariners looked vulnerable.  But Miller scored 5 points in the final minutes, including a put back of his own miss with 1.3 seconds remaining to clinch the USMMA victory.

The win was only the second of the season for the Mariners (2-6).  But the young team is showing signs of having success in the future.  Successful teams deal well with adversity.  In Saturday’s contest, USMMA led conference foe Susquehanna 70-67 on the final possession. A Mariner fouled a three point shooter with 1 second remaining, and the Mariners eventually lost in overtime.  In an interview played before the live stream of Tuesday’s game, head coach Steve Hayn talked about how proud he was of his team for the way they played Saturday.  This forward looking mentality is likely where Matt has gotten his optimistic outlook on the team’s future.  In texts and calls, it is clear he is focused on winning and growing as a teammate on a successful team.

This mindset had to come in handy last night when a red hot USMMA squad that had built a 32-15 first half lead suddenly found itself trailing late in the game.  Rather than succumbing to the moment, Andrew Williams made 4 of 4 free throws and Miller drained a jumper off the dribble to give the Mariners a 49-47 lead before his last second heroics.  The team may not have handled the moment so well if not for Saturday’s disappointment and for coach Hayn’s guidance afterwards.

The team’s trio of leading scorers are young.  All perimeters players, Miller (13.8 ppg) is a sophomore, David Smith (13.4 ppg) a junior, and Robbie Kennedy (13 ppg) a freshman.  Before breaking for Christmas, USMMA next plays a pair of 4 P.M. road games this Saturday and Sunday at Elizabethtown and Scranton, respectively.

***Here are some posts from the past about Matt Miller, his former GAIS Eagles, and USMMA***

Nov 24, 2014
Matt Miller Finds the Right Fit

Nov 19, 2014
Miller Returns from Sea and Hits the Courts

Jan 7, 2014

Miller's Career High 20 Points not Enough in 81-69 Loss to Stevens

from USMMASports.com

Nov 21, 2013

Former Eagle Matt Miller Passes His First Test

Sept 16, 2013

Wise Beyond His Years

Dec 17, 2012
GAIS' Guard Combo - Miller and Crown

March 20, 2012
Crown and Miller Named NCHBC All-Americans

Rod Hall leads Clemson to Overtime win over #18 Arkansas

Clemson's won-loss results have been downright inconsistent these first eight games.  Although the Tigers got a quality neutral court win against LSU, losses to Gardner Webb, Winthrop, and Rutgers (the latter mentioned two at home) have been disappointing.  Judging from coach Brad Brownell and players' comments after the loss to Rutgers last Monday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, a lack of toughness, effort and leadership were the culprits.

I'll never be one to doubt the leadership of senior point guard, team leader, Augusta native, and good friend Rod Hall.  Playing Sunday with a slight limp due to the lingering effects of an ankle sprain suffered ten days ago during the first possession of a win against High Point, Rod played an impeccable floor game Sunday to lead the Tigers to a come-from-behind, overtime home win over the nation's 18th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.

Game Analysis

The game was certainly Clemson's best performance of the season.  Hall's too.  Clemson got off to a fast start in which 6'7" freshman forward Donte Grantham, 6’7” sophomore forward Jaron Blossomgame, and 6'11" center Landry Nnoko carried the scoring load.  Rod and fellow senior Demarcus Harrison did a great job helping to establish Nnoko as a low post scoring threat, feeding him with on time and on target passes so he could do what he does best, turn over either shoulder and finish jump hooks in close.

Grantham, who seems to have a bright future as a Tiger, was the recipient of good looks at the basket early as a result of the crowd Nnoko drew in the post.  He did a great job taking advantage of the situation, scoring from deep, driving to the rim, crashing the offensive boards, and finishing in the open court.  While playing the role of facilitator the entire first half, Hall's only clean look at the basket came on a nice feed by Nnoko on a post double.  The big center spotted Rod on the opposite wing and he buried his first three point attempt to give Clemson a 29-20 advantage.

The Razorbacks then had success slowing down Clemson's inside attack with full court pressure.  Rod's job got much more difficult from that point forward.  Clemson has a long and athletic frontline, and senior shooting guard Demarcus Harrison can stroke it from deep.  But only Rod, and possibly the freshman Grantham, looked comfortable against Arkansas' pressure.  He handled it well.  But by extending Clemson's offense and forcing them to use so much time and energy protecting against turnovers, Arkansas effectively took Nnoko out of the game for a while.

After Clemson's lead vanished in the second half, Hall went from simply handling the full court pressure to exploiting it by splitting double teams, getting into the paint, finding teammates for easy looks, and eventually going on a scoring tear himself.  He drove and scored at the rim midway through the second half. Then he made an especially gutty play, splitting the double team and dropping in a giant killing floater over a taller Arkansas defender to cut the Razorback lead to 3 with 8:09 left to play.  Rod was not the only Tiger making plays.  Senior Demarcus Harrison made a timely three to keep the Tigers within 4 with 5:32 remaining.  And Jaron Blossingame followed that with a thunderous dunk after driving through the teeth of the Razorbacks' defense to pull within 2 at the 4:31 mark.

After scoring only one point (a Hall free throw) the next 3:35, Clemson trailed 57-51 after a Bobby Portis runner with less than a minute remaining.  The next 90 seconds, including the first possession of an eventual overtime period, belonged to Rod Hall.  The senior from Augusta way into the paint, willing in a short jumper in the paint and soon after stole a pass and scored over a Razorback defender at the rim, cutting the Arkansas lead to 2.  The Tigers would then force a steal with less than 15 seconds remaining, and Blossomgame converted a layup after a feed from Harrison in transition to send the game into overtime.

Hall established the tone for overtime during the extra period's first possession.  He dribbled out most of the the shot clock before drilling a rhythm dribble three in the face of an Arkansas defender before draining all four of his free throw attempts to eventually ice the Clemson victory. Rod was the leading scorer and he posted an insanely efficient stat line:  19 points on 6-9 shooting, including 2-3 from deep and 5-6 from the free throw line!

Eventually coming full circle back to what worked so well in the game's opening minutes, the Tigers took their biggest lead since the first half after Nnoko patiently worked in the post, drew multiple defenders, and found Blossomgame for a two handed dunk that put Clemson ahead for good 66-60.

Sure enough, weighing Clemson's losses to Winthrop, Gardner-Webb and Rutgers with its wins against LSU and Arkansas paints a picture of early season inconsistency.  And coach Brownell is right in holding senior leaders Hall and Harrison accountable.  I believe effort and mental and physical toughness are not the culprits.  In Clemson's methodical system of limiting possessions and staying in games with defense, it has taken time to establish ways to score points.  Nnoko has been a steady source of productivity.  Although Hall's season statistics have been superb (12 ppg* on 53% FG and 62% 3pt FG), I had not seen him consistently take responsibility for the team's offensive opportunities before Sunday.

The Tigers have been one of the country's best defensive teams for a while now.  If they continue to find consistent sources of offense, our guy Rod may be able to reach his first NCAA tournament in March.  And if that comes to be, it will be largely because of his contributions.  And that is very exciting!

A hole may have been dug with early season losses.  But Sunday's win against a nationally ranked opponent can be the first step in figuring out how to be a legitimate competitor in the country's best league, the ACC. For the time being, the Tigers will try to continue its roll against SEC teams this Sunday in a home game against Auburn and next Friday on the road at South Carolina.

*The 12 ppg reference removes the 0 point outing recorded in the High Point game.  Rod only played one possession that game after spraining his ankle.  Clemson’s official stats show him averaging over 10 ppg because that game is factored into the official scoring totals.

***Here are some posts from the pasts about Rod Hall and his Clemson Tigers***

Nov 17, 2014

Hall has it all figured out

Nov 10, 2014

Rod Hall Explodes Late in Exhibition Opener

March 31, 2014

Michaux: Ex-Laney star Rod Hall helps light fire under Clemson basketball team

from the Augusta Chronicle

Nov 25, 2013

Rod Hall Jr. is on the Right Track