A few weeks into the New Year, we are starting to get a better idea of the identities of some of the state’s boys hoops teams. Some of the contenders have been surprises, some were expected to be at the top. But all the following squads are definitely noteworthy in one way or the other. Here are a few squads to keep an eye one, and a look at how they got to where they are now.
Newton – The Class 5A Rams are enjoying a strong season with a 14-1 record at press time, the only loss being to ’09 4A semifinalist Richmond Academy by five points. The team went undefeated in a Tennessee tournament in November and is fresh off a drubbing of Luella on Tuesday, 73-55.At 6-0 in the region, a playoff spot is highly likely, but what will the Rams have in store when they face some of the top teams in the state? Newton has lost to the only ranked team it has played, and isn’t scheduled to play an ranked teams until the playoffs would start. Is the gaudy record a byproduct of less-than-stellar competition?
Westlake – The South Fulton school loses the best player in Georgia off last year’s team (Jelan Kendrick – transferred to Wheeler) but simply proceeds to knock off most of the competition in its way until Tuesday, when it lost to a good but not great Morrow team for its second loss of the year. The Lions are 15-2 at press time thanks in large part to the play of Clemson commit Marcus Thornton, a 6-8 player who can score and defend. With a win over Rice (N.Y.), the No. 17 team in the nation at the time according to USA Today, in the Chick-fil-A Classic over the holidays, we’ve seen what Westlake can do against top talent. The ’09 5A semifinalist should again be a factor deep into the playoffs.
Norcross, Mill Creek – The Region 7-AAAAA monster, Norcross, may just get a challenge from upstart Mill Creek this winter. Norcross isn’t the juggernaut it was when it won three state titles, the last coming in ’08, but the Blue Devils aren’t bereft of talent. Norcross is led by swingman Jeremy Lamb, headed to UConn, and sophomore shooter Chris Bolden, a Brookwood transfer, has stepped up nicely lately. The X-factor for Norcross will be how it copes without big, bruising forward Adrian Hubbard, who left the team a few weeks ago to nurse an injury and start preparing for his football career at Alabama as a tight end; he also could have been looked at as a basketball prospect had he stuck with the hardwood. Norcross gets a tough out-of-state test against Thomas Jefferson (N.Y.) this Saturday, a game that should tell us if they can truly hang with the big boys this season. Mill Creek, on the other hand, has the same 9-1 record as Norcross in the region, but dropped a nine-point decision to the Devils last month; they’ll get another crack at Norcross on Jan. 29 on the road. Mill Creek has surprised by surging into the rankings this season, but will want to prove its legit with some big second-half region wins.
Chamblee, Lakeside-DeKalb, Miller Grove, Tucker – What else can you say about Region 6-AAAA? These four teams are the frontrunners for playoff bids, although talented Stone Mountain and Southwest DeKalb teams will have a say come region tourney time; as we know, the four best teams don’t always make it in. But in looking at these squads, each one ranked in at least one poll, the league has four elite teams. Chamblee is led by the scoring of senior David Mason and has risen to top-five status already. Lakeside-DeKalb is a quick, guard-oriented team that averages well over 80 points a game and recently dropped 111 on a good East Hall squad in the Tribute to a King Holiday Hardwood Classic at Centennial on MLK Day. Miller Grove loses Mfon Udofia and Stephen Hill to Georgia Tech (basketball and football, respectively), but has perhaps the state’s best post tandem in sophomore Tony Parker (pictured) and senior Donte Williams, both 6-foot-9. And Tucker lost Virginia Tech freshman Manny Atkins from last year’s runner-up squad (the Tigers were blown out by Miller Grove in the finals), but center Brandon Dawson (Kennesaw State commit), wing Shonzikio Williams and sharpshooter Chris Kingsberry have Tucker clicking again. It will be a slugfest from here on out in this league, but at least two or three talented teams will miss out on the postseason again from Region 6-AAAA.
Rockdale County – One of the surprises of the state so far, Rockdale has quietly compiled an 18-1 record, with the only loss a one-point defeat to out-of-state Gadsden City (Ala.). The Bulldogs are led by junior swingman Kevin Ware, a 6-4 prospect who can really fill it up. Fellow junior Bernard Thompson can also stuff the stat sheet as well. Rockdale has great wins, including a tournament championship at the Florida Shootout over the holidays, where Ware was named MVP. The ‘Dogs have dropped top in-state competition, too, downing region rival Clarke Central, a ranked squad, on Jan. 9, and Class 5A Stephenson on Dec. 28. Can they translate early success into a strong region finish and a postseason run?
Dunwoody – The Wildcats are back after a tough transition year in ’09 which saw the team dealing with the loss of a number of top college prospects. Javon McKay is one of the top seniors in the state, and he’s got Dunwoody back into the rankings and back onto the competition’s minds. The 6-4 McKay gets help from big point guard Shane Porchea, also 6-4, on a senior-laden roster. Dunwoody lost 79-57 to Region 5-AAA powerhouse Columbia, a league opponent with its own hopes of playoff glory. The Wildcats have a relatively easy schedule between now and the final game, a home matchup with Columbia on Feb. 12 to close the regular season. The outcome in that contest could tell us whether the ‘Cats are a contender or a pretender in 2010.
Greater Atlanta Christian – Class 2A’s top-ranked boys team has streaked out to a 15-1 record, staying undefeated in the state with the only loss to a powerful Melrose (Tenn.) team in the finals of the Arby’s Shootout over the holidays. The Spartans made a statement when they knocked off national power United Faith Christian (N.C.) at Centennial in the MLK Day showcase last Monday, showcasing a combination of great physical talent and maturity. This is a well-coached team that, right now, should be the favorite to take the title. Senior center Trent Wiedeman is a smart post player that can display bursts of athleticism as well as a great outside shot; he’s headed to the College of Charleston next year. Junior wing player Malcolm Brogdon is the next big thing for GAC, as he scored 27 points against the tough United Faith team, which sports a handful of D-I prospects.
Next week, Score Prep will take a look at some of the more intriguing girls squads from around the state. Ewalt can be reached at aewalt@scoreatl.com.
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