My second AugBball fall league report

I like the action at the fall league. The high school division features several of the area's most promising teams. And the players have competed fiercely.

Last week, I highlighted the play of Laney's Tahj Tanksley and Donald Henley, who led the Wildcats in a hard fought win over Alleluia. The duo followed that act one week later with a similar performance in a win over Westside, the second consecutive without seniors Christian Keeling and Zep's Jasper.

Tanksley delivered the first blow, a catch-and-shoot three off of a Henley drive and dish that gave Laney a 38-30 lead with 10:54 remaining. A couple slashing scores from Tanksley and Henley followed, and the Wildcats appeared to be rolling. But a late mini meltdown led to a one point Westside lead before Tanksley netted 6 free throws in the final minute and Henley grabbed two crucial steals to seal the game.

I make quite a fuss over seniors Christian Keeling and Zep Jasper. Rightfully so, given they are committed to play division one college basketball next season. But Tanksley and Henley will be just as pivotal as anyone to the Wildcats' continued success if Laney is to extend its streak this coming season to seven consecutive final four appearances.

Richmond senior Madison Williams recently committed to attend college and play ball at Illinois State. His Richmond Musketeers are well represented in the fall league under the Brown Suns name. Playing most of its games without seniors Nick Roberts (6'7") and Rashard Green (6'5") has given 6'5" junior Moses Williams, a lefty with good athleticism, a chance to play a big role.  He and senior Trey Brown complimented Williams nicely in a win Saturday against Alleluia.

Alleluia burst on the fall league scene last week with an impressive performance in a close loss to Laney. Saturday, the Angels got help from Cross Creek senior Moses Jones, who tipped in his own miss to win one of the most entertaining games of the Fall, an overtime Alleluia victory over Westside.

Alleluia's Mac McBride and Hayden Hebert, both seniors, looked unstoppable most of the day in the win over Westside and in a close loss to Richmond. Junior sharp shooter Ben Dresser continues to improve his entire game, and Jones made many big plays while hounding Westside's Trez Hawes and Richmond's Madison Williams for about 60 total minutes.

Westside's Hawes has been a consistently effective scorer and a game competitor throughout league play. So has junior teammate Elijah Brown. But I have yet to see Westside notch a win.

Aquinas is the team I've learned the most about by hanging around the fall league. Sophomore Tre Gomillion has matured a great bit on the court. I've watched him consistently ask for the ball and proceed to attack the basket, seeking contact and living at the line.

But Gomillion is not alone. Gerald Merriweather a sophomore transfer from Hephzibah, can score. Cameron Gardner, yet another sophomore transfer from Hephazibah brings size and potential. And at least during the fall league, Hephzibah sophomore Jozquez Smith brings more shooting and perimeter play to the Irish.

I know if I enjoy fall league action this much, I'll love the season, which is right around the corner. In the meantime, I'll see you in the gym.

AugBball Fall League Report: Laney tops Alleluia

AugBball Fall League Report Video Outline

Laney tops Alleluia in a very entertaining game

Last week I revealed the top 4 area teams in my preseason top 10. If you’re keeping score at home, this is where things stood entering the weekend:

Laney's Tahj Tanksley defends in a 2015 state playoff game.

1. Laney
2. Josey
3. Richmond
4. Thomson

I planned to place Alleluia in the 5th position. Saturday’s Laney-Alleluia fall league matchup was a great chance to see two of the area’s best compete.

Laney’s seniors didn’t play. But junior Tahj Tanksley and sophomore Donald Henley led the Wildcats to a close win. Both guys compete and defend fiercely. Both have looked great since the summer in their new roles on a team that is not as deep as last season’s. And both continue to show they can put the ball in the basket.

Alleluia's Ben Dresser and Mac McBride helping
and recovering in a Spring AAU game

I feel confident about putting Alleluia into the 5th slot in my area rankings.

In the video above I talk about the difficulty in comparing Alleluia to the area’s best because they don’t play them during the regular season. Most importantly, Alleluia’s coach Dennis McBride continues to remind me my, or anybody’s, preseason predictions are meaningless because teams earn what they get on the court. Amen.

 

Catching up: Two weeks ago I watched Evans beat a solid Butler team in Fall League play and got my first look at transfers Joel Grant and Chris Stone with their new team.

I’ve known Grant is a player. Stone looks like a pure shooter. And I appreciate 6’6” senior center Michael Steflik’s ability. But I was most interested in learning more about sophomore Serron Spann, who tallied five assists in the first half of this fall league game alone. Coach Kevin Kenny appears to have a strong core of players. I think I’ll soon be placing the Knights into my preseason top 10.

Aquinas has a solid, young backcourt. 

Sophomores Tre Gomillion and Gerald Merriweather were impressive in a narrow loss to Brown’s Suns (mostly players from Richmond Academy) in the league’s first week. I end the video above with a look at the Fighting Irish’s likely leaders come November.

Seasoned veterans: Laney's Keeling and Jasper (Preseason post 1 of 30)

See why I believe this duo will make Laney the area's best team. Again.               

At a recent coaching clinic, Division 2 coaching legend Gordon Gibbons made a persuasive case for how difficult it is to earn a college basketball scholarship. Simply put, there are 50 scholarships available to graduating high school seniors every year in Georgia. There are over 500 players each season who are their teams' best players, recognized as all state performers, or otherwise considered, surely by their parents and themselves, as worthy of free educations by way of playing hoops. But the math dictates that only one of every ten guys will actually earn a scholarship. Not because the other nine can't play. There just aren't enough spots at the colleges.

Senior Zep Jasper (Laney) will play at the College of Charleston after he attempts to lead the Wildcats to another Final 4.

If you don't like the math, just look at our area and find that three players earned scholarships to four year schools last season and only three in this year's senior class currently have such offers on the table. Which brings me to my first pre-season post, highlighting two of the area's "seasoned veterans" who will make a huge impact this season: Laney's senior guards Zep Jasper and Christian Keeling. Jasper has committed to the College of Charleston and Keeling has scholarship offers from several division 1 schools. Laney's recent tradition of area dominance and the return of these two dynamos place the Wildcats in firm position to defend their place at the top of the area hill.

Senior Christian Keeling joins teammate Jasper as first team All Region 3-AAA performers

These two will certainly receive the best shots area teams and players have to give. But performing against the area's best is something this duo has done consistently ever since arriving on Laney's campus as freshmen. No players have logged as many big minutes and big games, and made the type of impact Jasper and Keeling have made these past several years. Now they will assume the leadership roles for what could remain the area's premiere powerhouse. I can't wait to enjoy their final season in Augusta.

Laney's Zep Jasper brought me back to the gym!

Zep Jasper (Laney):  2014-15 highlights

When the high school season ended, I told Laney point guard Zep Jasper I'd be happy to make a highlight video of him using clips from the Wildcats' historic season, which included a 29 game winning streak.  But after more than four months of reporting on my favorite area basketball stories, I realized I enjoyed the time away from the gym these past few months.  So as much as I wanted to make good on my promise, I couldn't get myself to do the work involved with finding and editing video footage and making a (hopefully) entertaining video.  But that all changed when I wondered into the Butler High School gym last month to see Laney play Josey in a summer league game...

As a coach, a player, and even a fan, I have never been one to say something like "oh, it's just summer league," or even "oh, it's just pick up ball."  I think if you play, you compete.  Seeing Zep take that approach to the game featured in my video below inspired me to get back into the gym following my favorite area basketball stories.  For that reason, I am glad I went to Butler that night. Another reason I am grateful I went is because it was the last time I saw my good friend Buck Harris on the sidelines with the Wildcats.  He and players like Zep and Christian Keeling have built something truly special.  As you'll hear in the video below, I hope to see Jasper and his buddies finish their high school playing days at Laney so they can finish the great thing they have started.

In the video below I explain why I so enjoyed seeing Zep play, even though it was "only a summer league game."  And I talk about why I hope he stays at Laney for his senior year.