Basketball has officially started in the Peach State. Georgia High School Association members tipped things off last week with open tryouts in preparation for the 2025-26 season and Hypesouth Media gives you an early outlook on which players we project to have all-area production this year.
If you have any questions concerning the hoop landscape in the midstate, we got you covered. And there’s no better place to start than with our preseason All-Middle Georgia teams.
Caron Howard, the reigning Hypesouth Mr. Middle Georgia Basketball winner is back to defend his crown. Last season, the Southwest-Macon point guard averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and a team high 4.7 assists per game. But his 31-point outburst in the state title game put everyone around the Peach State on notice. Howard is one of the most seasoned and talented floor leaders around and we expect him to have the Patriots in championship contention again this season.
Putnam County’s Jmari Greene is a scoring specialist that has the best clutch gene in Middle Georgia. The War Eagles get the ball in his hands when the game is on the line and he delivers more often than not. Putnam was upset by East Laurens in the Elite 8 last year, but with the bulk of its core back in the fold don’t be surprised to see them in the thick of the class A-D1 title race again.
Southern University commit Karez Demory has been a model of consistency at Baldwin over the past two seasons and we’re confident that trend will continue. He reeled in a handful of offers in the spring and summer before ultimately deciding to join the Jaguars and take his talents to the SWAC. With the departure of a few key pieces expect Demory to be the clear leader for the Braves this season.
Morehead State commit Malik Gillespie is widely viewed as the top overall prospect in the mid-Peach State area. The Houston County standout will be heavily leaned on to get a loaded Bears squad firmly in the mix of the class 5A state title conversation.
Chase Dupree was one of the biggest winners of the offseason. He pulled in a few offers and made a name for himself statewide. All eyes will be on the Southwest-Macon star this year as there are a few questions left to be answered. Can he get the Patriots back to the promised land and get them over the hump? What will be his collegiate destination? Will he repeat as class A-D1 POY? We’ll simply say, stay tuned.
Cam Cherry is a bit underrated, but it’s not because of productivity. He has statistically produced all-state numbers for three years and is looking to cap off an amazing high school career with a high-achieving senior campaign.
Central-Macon sophomore Jarvis Williams is arguably the top shooter in the entire state. Last season, he knocked down a school record 96 three-pointers en route to being named All-State Freshman of the Year, Middle Georgia Freshman of the Year, and 3rd Team All-Region. Morris College recently extended an offer to the 2028 sharpshooter and several other four year collegiate programs have added him to their recruiting boards.
Karon Plummer has sprouted in height over the past year and has all the tools to be the next high level prospect from Middle Georgia. The 6-foot-5 point guard is starting to mature as a basketball player and when the light flips all the way on buckle up. Will it happen this season?
We believe Rudy Bowen’s skillset will help Jones County make some noise this year. The Greyhounds have the talent to be a sneaky good squad and Bowen will be a key piece to the puzzle.
We’ve put 6-foot-7 Rowan Woodrich on breakout alert heading into the season after turning in a productive offseason on the travel ball scene. The Peach County standout had some impressive performances that intrigued several lower tier Division-1 programs. We anticipate Woodrich’s numbers and notoriety to start trending up moving forward.
Josiah Ingram is a single-A public school, small town star that has flown under the radar. The Hancock standout threw in 17.8 points, grabbed 3.8 rebounds, and collected 2 steals per game and was named Region 5 A-D2 Player of the Year last season.
Putnam County 2027 SG Jeremy Banks has an efficient, sweet shooting stroke that will translate at every level. The south-paw junior isn’t a high volume shooter, but when he takes them he makes them more often than not. We feel Banks will carve out a bigger role this year despite the War Eagles having a logjam in the backcourt.
Justin Ray is an athletic wing player that is seemingly in line to have a big season. At 6-foot-4, he plays above the rim and uses his length as an advantage on both sides of the ball. The Greyhounds will be a tough opponent all year with him and the aforementioned Bowen wreaking havoc on the perimeter.
Tyler Harris fits the mold of a Warner Robins big. He is undersized but plays hard and does all the dirty work for the Demons. His nonstop motor puts him in double-double territory game to game.
Kyler Johnson has had an amazing high school career to this point and we have every reason to believe the success will continue. The Dodge County senior has a good all-around game and could easily play himself into first team discussions by the end of the season. Albany State threw its name into the hat with an offer following a dominant spring and summer.
2025-26 Preseason Mr. Middle Georgia Basketball Watchlist
The final results will include but are not limited to players identified prior to the season.
CJ Howard, Southwest-Macon, 2026, PG
Jmari Greene, Putnam, 2026, G
Karez Demory, Baldwin, 2026, PG
Malik Gillespie, Houston County, 2026, G
Chase Dupree, Southwest-Macon, 2026, G