The 2010s era of basketball is officially over, ending an action-packed decade of hoops around the globe and today we take a trip down memory lane highlighting the top 10 players from Middle Georgia over the past ten years.

To close this chapter in mid-state hoops, Hypesouth Media has selected our own All-Decade Team chosen by our panel of evaluators. The players are split into two teams consisting of the most accomplished prospects from 2010-2020.

1st Team All-Decade

  • Tylik Evans, 5’8 PG, Rutland (2015)
HS Career Stats: 17.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 5.8apg, 4.6spg

Pound-for-pound Tylik Evans was unmatched on the hardwood during his tenure at Rutland. The electrifying crowd-pleaser was box office and the unaminous Middle Georgia people’s champion from the time he hit high school until he graduated. He led the Hurricanes to two GHSA AAA Elite 8’s in 2013 and 2014, as well as a Final 4 appearance in 2015. In addition, Evans is Rutland’s all-time leader in points (1,336) and steals (340).

Evans went 66-3 in two years at Georgia Highlands College where he was a two-time all conference selection, 2016 GCAA Freshman of the Year, and named 2017 Georgia Junior College Defensive Player of the Year after leading the NJCAA in steals at 4.8 per contest. Following his Juco career he enjoyed one year stints at Savannah State University and the University of South Carolina-Aiken.

Evans is currently playing professionally in Europe for the Ansbach Piranhas and was recently named 2020 EuroBasket Player of the Year.

  • Tye Fagan, 6’3 G, Upson Lee (2018)
HS Career Stats: 22ppg, 7.2rpg, 3.4apg, 2.3spg, 1.4bpg
2010-2020 Hypesouth Player of the Decade
2018 Hypesouth Mr. Middle Georgia Basketball

Fagan was hands down the best winner of this bunch. His win at all costs attitude was on full display during his junior and senior campaigns where he was ‘The Man’ for Upson Lee. The Running Knights rode Fagan’s back to a state record 63 straight victories and back-to-back GHSA AAAA State Championships. The 6-foot-3 lefty eclipsed the two-thousand point mark becoming Upson Lee’s all-time leading scorer with 2,038 career points. In 2018, he became the first ever Mr. Middle Georgia Basketball trophy recipient following an extraordinary senior season.

Fagan inked with the University of Georgia and is currently in his sophomore season. He averaged 4.1 points per game this year and is seemingly in line for an expanded role moving forward.

  • Nelson Phillips, 6’5 W, Warner Robins (2018)
HS Career Stats: 18ppg, 6rpg, 3.7apg, 2.9spg, 1.1bpg
2017 Hypesouth Middle Georgia Defensive Player of the Year
2017 & 2018 Hypesouth All Middle Georgia 1st Team

Phillips was a key piece to the puzzle in capturing the first state basketball title in school history. He led Warner Robins in scoring during his junior and senior seasons and pumped in 1,530 points for the Demons over a four year span. The 6-foot-5 swingman  is widely viewed as the best two-way player in the mid-state from the decade. Throughout his high school career he was often the top scorer and lead defender on the court.

Phillips chose Georgia State over schools like Iowa State, Mississippi State, and Butler. This season, he was a spot starter and averaged 8.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for the Panthers.

  • William Jarrell, 6’5 W, Crawford County (2016)
HS Career Stats: 24ppg, 8.6rpg, 4.3apg, 2.6spg, 2.6bpg
2015 & 2016 Macon Telegraph Middle Georgia Player of the Year

Jarrell collected 1,538 points in his career at Crawford County. The 6-foot-5 small forward was arguably the best player in the mid-state over a two year span, 2015 and 2016, where he was named Macon Telegraph Middle Georgia Player of the Year. During that time he led the Eagles to a GHSA AA State Championship appearance and a Final 4.

Jarrell played a post grad year at Middle Georgia Prep before signing with Miami-Dade College. The high energy Georgia native threw in 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists as a freshman prior to suffering a career ending injury.

  • Khavon Moore, 6’8 F, Westside-Macon (2018)
HS Career Stats: 19.8ppg, 9.6rpg, 4apg, 2.5spg, 2.4bpg
2017 Macon Telegraph Middle Georgia Player of the Year
2017 Hypesouth Middle Georgia Player of the Year

Moore is by far the most decorated player from Middle Georgia over the past decade in large part due to his five-star status on the national stage. The 6-foot-8 hybrid forward was rated a consensus top 10 prospect nationally for a big chunk of his high school career. He made waves on the travel circuit, but also left his mark on the school ball scene becoming Westside-Macon’s all-time leading scorer (2,020 points) and guiding the Seminoles to GHSA AAA Elite 8 and Final 4 appearances in his final two seasons while playing a national schedule.

Moore reeled in over 25 Division-I offers before signing with Texas Tech and eventually transferring to Clemson where he is currently a sophomore.

2nd Team All-Decade

  • Torrico Simmons, 5’9 PG, Wilkinson County (2015)

Simmons won a pair of state championships at Wilkinson County and was the head-of-the-horse for the Warriors during his time in Irwinton, Georgia. The 5-foot-9 sparkplug poured in 20-points and 18-points in consecutive state title games and averaged a career 24.7 points per game in four years at Wilco.

Simmons was named 2015 GCAA Freshman of the Year and two-time Team MVP at South Georgia Tech before signing with Mississippi Valley State University where he currently plays.

  • Matt Brabham, 6’0 G, Central-Macon (2010)

We’d be remiss if we did not credit Matt Brabham for setting the tone at the top of the decade. There was no one better at putting the ball in the hole and he paved the way for all the guys that came after him during this period. The 6-foot alpha male led by example pouring in 2,239 points as a four year starter at Central-Macon. His no nonsense approach rubbed off on teammates making the Chargers one of the most successful mid-state squads in the early 2010s.

Brabham played briefly for Miami-Dade College.

  • Quintez Cephus, 6’2 G, Stratford Academy (2016)

Before gaining notoriety as a ‘football guy,’ Quintez Cephus terrorized opponents on the hardwood. He sits atop of Stratford’s all-time scoring list with 2,419 points and was the main ingredient in the Eagles 2014 GISA State Championship run. The dual-sport stud held Division-I offers in basketball and football.

Cephus originally committed to hoop for Furman University before ultimately opting to sign a gridiron deal with the University of Wisconsin. He also held a basketball offer from Mercer and football offers from Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Miami, and Vanderbilt.

Quintez, affectionately known as ‘QT’ was recently drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft.

  • Gerdarius Troutman, 6’3 SG, Taylor County (2014)

Troutman was the most efficient three-point shooter in the Middle Georgia area from 2010-2020. He was named Region 4-AA Player of the Year three times and averaged 22.4 and 24.4 points per game respectively in his final two seasons at Taylor County.

Troutman spent his freshman year at South Carolina State University and transferred to Gordon State College the following season. At  Gordon State he averaged 13.5 points on 52.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc leading the NJCAA in three-point percentage. The 6-foot-3 sniper finished his collegiate career at Florida Atlantic University knocking down 147 trifectas at a 42.2 percent clip while averaging 10.9 points in two seasons.

  • Jarquez Smith, 6’9, F, Jones County (2013)

Smith’s travel ball productivity outweighs his school ball output. However, the 6-foot-9 forward put together an impressive senior season that earned him all state honors from the Georgia Sportswriters as well as garner national attention. He averaged 16.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 7.5 blocks per game.

In four years at Florida State (2013-17) he finished second all-time in games played (136) and eighth all-time in block shots (123).