Each travel basketball season collegiate coaches, scouts, and national evaluators travel across the country to shoe circuit tournaments to recruit and cover some of the nation’s most promising ballers. The upper echelon shoe circuit teams often flaunt 5-star prospects and are a top priority on the national scene. However, there are many diamonds in the rough on non-shoe circuit squads that fly under the radar each travel season. The talent level on the non-shoe circuit teams in the state of Georgia is as solid as it has ever been. Hypesouth takes a look at a couple of non-shoe circuit programs and rising hoopsters from the mid-state area that collegiate programs of all levels should put on their radars.
17U MIDDLE GEORGIA SUPERSONICS
Travon Walker (So), Tavias Fagan (Jr), Zyrice Scott (So)
Coach Mo Scott has the 17U Middle Georgia Supersonics running like a well-oiled machine. The talent will not get much better than Fagan, Scott, and Walker at the non-shoe circuit level. Each has been a member of the program since the fourth grade and have built a tremendous chemistry together through the years. The talented trio from Upson Lee are fresh off of an undefeated (32-0) state championship season. After a breakout junior season, Tavias Fagan has been courted by numerous of shoe circuit teams, but the sweet shooting lefty opted to stay loyal to the local Supersonics. He is undoubtedly one of the more intriguing prospects entering the travel season and is a HM D-1 caliber talent regardless of who he suits up for. The 6-foot-3 combo guard has received offers from Middle Tennessee State and UGA as well as earned a 3-star rating by rivals.com. Zyrice Scott, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, is a floor general that runs a team with ease. His high basketball-IQ and impulsive leadership ability sets him apart. The crafty point guard is an unselfish pass first player, but will take a game over when needed. Low majors should definitely take a look at him during the live period. Travon Walker is a physical beast on the interior. His bruising style if fitting given that he is one of the most sought after gridiron prospects in the country. With football offers already in hand from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia to name a few, the 6-foot-5 sophomore will more than likely end up signing a football scholarship. However, his basketball skills aren’t to be overlooked. He has the athleticism, footwork, and touch around the basket to make an impact on the low-mid major level if he decides to opt for basketball. Also worth mentioning is Maurice Gordon of First Presbyterian Day (Macon, Ga). He is an under the radar player with great size and athleticism. Once the 6-foot-6 wing develops a consistent jumpshot, he will have all of the tools to play at the mid-major level. College coaches of all levels should keep tabs on this squad this travel season.
Upcoming Schedule
March 31-April 2: Norman Parker Showcase-Hoopseen (Suwanee, GA)
April 21-23: Sweet 16 Session 1-On the Radar Hoops (Atlanta, GA) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
April 28-30: Atlanta Jam-Hoopseen (Suwanee, GA) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
17U MIDDLE GEORGIA RAPTORS
CJ Jenkins (Jr), Khalyn Weekley (Jr), Zy’Tavian Hill (Jr)
The 17U Middle Georgia Raptors are a solid non-shoe circuit team that continually produce quality players. Sharnell Harris, Curtis Harris, and staff have done a really nice job through the years building this program. Low major colleges and JUCO’s looking for good players should definitely keep an eye out on this organization. Zy’Tavian Hill is an undersized forward that has a high motor. The Central-Talbotton product averaged 16.4-points and 9-rebounds per game in 2016-17. After earning MVP at last season’s Hoopseen BOTS Tourney, Hill will be one to watch this travel season. Clayton Jenkins, a Macon County product, can absolutely put the ball in the basket at will. The 5-foot-11 shooting guard averaged 22.3-points per game this past season and shot 35% from beyond the arc. In addition, he was awarded GHSA Class A Junior of the Year and selected 2nd Team All-State by Hoopseen GA. With a year of eligibility remaining, recruitment is slow for Jenkins, but that will probably change in a hurry once he gets a couple of tournaments under his belt. Khalyn Weekley is an up and coming player out of First Presbyterian Christian Academy that will take the 2017 travel season by storm. The 6-foot-2 combo guard is a virtually unknown player in the state of Georgia, but we are confident that he will make a name for himself by summer’s end. He averaged 23-points per game and was an All-Region selection in 2016-17. Coaches should definitely follow up on these three deep sleepers at some point during this travel season.
Upcoming Schedule
March 31-April 2: Norman Parker Showcase-Hoopseen (Suwanee, GA)
April 21-23: Adidas Gauntlet (Dallas, TX) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
April 28-30: Adidas Gauntlet (Atlanta, GA) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
July 12-15: Adidas Finals (Spartanburg, SC) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
16U MACON BUCKS
Darius Dunn (So), Ty’Ree Gilbert (So), Kendall Green (So)
Former Georgia Southern star, Coach Terry Odom, heads the 16U Macon Bucks. His fast pace offense allows them the freedom to make plays pushing the ball up the floor at every opportunity. Darius Dunn and Ty’Ree Gilbert are both two year varsity starters at Northeast-Macon High School and have averaged double figures in points in each of their first two seasons. Dunn, a 6-foot-1 combo guard, is the most versatile of the bunch. In 2015-16, he was named the Hoopseen GA Class AA Freshman of the Year. In addition, this season, he was selected 1st Team All-Region 4-AA as well as named the sandysspiel.com GHSA Class AA Most Underrated Player. Gilbert is a sniper from downtown that can get hot at the drop of a dime. This season, the 5-foot-11 shooting guard averaged 17.3-points per game and led the team in made 3-pointers made for the second consecutive season. NAIA’s and JUCO’s looking for a shooter should take a look at this youngster out of Macon, Ga. Kendall Green is a speedy point guard that provides the energy for the Macon Bucks. The 5-foot-9 sparkplug is at his best when out in transition. He has the ability to score in bunches or create easy opportunities for teammates. Last season, he played solid minutes for Houston County (GA) up until he was forced to sit out the second half of the season due to transfer rules. With their continued development, expect these young prospects to play their way into the conversation.
Upcoming Schedule
April 14-16: Future 150 Main Event (Atlanta, GA)
April 28-30: Atlanta Jam-Hoopseen (Suwanee, GA) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
15U HYPESOUTH ELITE
Bryson Wooten (Fr), Courtney Green (Fr)
Hypesouth Elite is a somewhat new travel program in Middle Georgia headed by Ex-Savannah State University standout Armand Burnett. In spite of its short history, Hypesouth possesses a couple of the more talented underclassmen from the area. Bryson Wooten is a 6-foot-1 freshman of Jones County High School that has loads of potential. The heady combo guard saw limited varsity minutes for the Greyhounds in his first season. He has a great feel for the game and a good skill set that will put him in position to be a very effective player for years to come. At the time being, Wooten is just a wide-eyed kid that doesn’t truly understand his potential yet, but keep an eye on him moving forward because he could really take the state by storm whenever that switch flips on. Courtney Green is another key component for this upstart program. The 6-foot-4 forward out of Rutland-Macon High School started eight games as a freshman and was named sandysspiel.com GHSA Class AAA Freshman of the Year. He is a good rebounder and shot blocker, but needs to polish his offensive skills in order to ascend to the next level. The Hypesouth Elite squad will have a busy summer on the travel circuit and definitely have some young players that are worth monitoring. Keep an eye out on this team as it begins its quest to become a reputable program.
Upcoming Schedule
March 31-April 2: Norman Parker Showcase (Suwanee, GA)
April 7-9: Magic City Rumble (Birmingham, AL)
April 28-30: Atlanta Jam or Sweet 16 Session II (TBD) * NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
15U WARNER ROBINS ALL-STARS
Horace Johnson (Fr), Rodney James (Fr), Willie Northern (Fr)
The Warner Robins All-Stars continue to build a solid program. This organization has steadily gotten better through years. With 3-star standout Nelson Phillips and Jacolbey Owens running the show, their 17U program is as good as any in the state regardless of affiliation. However, we will focus on their 15U team who started out on the lower level YBOA circuits, but have had solid success over the past two travel seasons and are steadily rising up the ranks on the higher level AAU circuits. Coach Eric Richardson believed in the vision and persevered through the adverse times. Rodney James, a freshman guard from Veterans (GA) High School is a solid player that saw minimal varsity time in 2016-17. This summer, the All-Stars look to develop him by putting the ball in his hands as he is in line to takeover ball handling duties next season for Veterans. Horace Johnson is another young prospect from Veterans (GA) High School. The 6-foot-1 freshman saw extended varsity minutes this season and is expected to become a full time starter next season. He is a little undersized for the forward position right now, but with a couple inches left to grow, expect him to develop into one of the more effective small forwards in the state. Up to this point, Willie Northern is the most promising of the 15U Warner Robins All-Stars. The 5-foot-10 freshman from Northside-Warner Robins kicked off the travel season with a bang and was selected to the Hoopseen Georgia Cup I All-Tourney Team. The young combo guard possesses the physical tools to make tough plays through contact. With the departure of several key seniors, Northern is in line to be Northside’s next marquee player.
Upcoming Schedule
March 31-April 2: Norman Parker Showcase (Suwanee, GA)
April 28-30: Atlanta Jam (Suwanee, GA) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
May 19-21: Bob Gibbons TOC-Hoopseen (Suwanee, GA)
15U MIDDLE GEORGIA BUCKS
Camrone Cherry (Fr), Chavis Mathis (Fr), Tushobe Hopkins (Fr)
Melvin Flowers’ Middle Georgia Bucks Program has been a staple in the Middle Georgia area for over two decades. They have won AAU championships at the state and national levels. The 2017 version of the 15U squad is coached by former West Virginia Mountaineer Tobias Seldon and led by Camrone Cherry, a talented freshman out of Northeast-Macon High School. The 6-foot-1 combo guard started every game for the Raiders in his first season and was named the hypesouth.com Middle Georgia Freshman of the Year. At this point, he still has a ways to go maturity wise, but the future is bright for the 6-foot-1 lefty out of Macon, Georgia. Mid-majors are already in on him pretty heavy as the travel season kicks off. Chavis Mathis is a multi-talented 6-foot-4 forward that can play out on the perimeter as well as mix it up on the interior. At this point, he doesn’t have a high motor, but expect that to come as he matures. Tushobe Hopkins is a young guard from Southwest-Macon (GA) High School. He didn’t see much varsity time last season, but is expected to see an increased role for the Patriots moving forward. He will be the lead guard for the Bucks this travel season as Coach Seldon has turned the keys over to him. Hopkins is a very deep sleeper; however, he may turn some heads this summer if he comes in with the right approach and attitude. Expect to hear more from these young men in the coming years.
Upcoming Schedule
March 31-April 2: Ice Breaker Tourney (Aiken, SC)
April 7-9: Future 150 (Powder Springs, GA)
April 21-23: Southern Exposure Showcase (Aiken, SC) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
April 28-30: Atlanta Jam-Hoopseen (Suwanee, GA) *NCAA LIVE PERIOD*
May 12-14: Atlanta Classic-On the Radar (Powder Springs, GA)