Jr. Peach State: Day 1 Notebook

Jr. Peach State: Day 1 Notebook

The annual Jr. Peach State tournament brings together some of the best teams from across the country.  This season was no different. There were teams looking to make an impression early in Augusta.

Here is a re-cap from Laney High.

Southern Dream holds off the LI Bulldogs

In one of the best games of the day was between Southern Dream and the LI Bulldogs.

Both teams made runs in the game before Southern rattled off eight consecutive points to hold on for a 60-53 win.

Leading the way for the Dream was De’Quavian Lovette. The lightening quick guard finished with a game-high 22 points, 16 of which came in the second half when Southern made its run. 

However, the Bulldogs were not about to let the game get away from them too much. JT Lewkowicz, Nathaniel Hosey and Zaire Pinnock refused to stop playing. This trio showed heart and skills until the final whistle. Hosey was the teams leading scorer with 18 points. Pinnock chipped in with 11, while Lewkowicz finished with only five points but had a number of critical steals throughout the game. 

NightRyders walk away from AE5

The NigthRyders entered the game with only eight players. Those guys capitalized on its ability to shoot the ball and play defense to beat AE5.

This Florida-based program had things rolling. They just set the tempo of the game with relentless defense. This created easy baskets and later open three-pointers. As a team, the NightRyders connected on six made shots from beyond the arc. It is hard to beat a team playing stifling defense and shooting it as efficiently throughout the entire game.

Ryan Gornto helped the NightRyders had 13 points. He knocked down half of the teams three-pointers.

Team Spartans bring the energy

Any team scheduled to play Team Spartans better be ready for a battle.

The New England based organization is relentless in everything they do. It starts on the layup line and concludes at the final buzzer. Every second is spent playing hard and squeezing the will out of its opponent.

This is exactly how the Spartans concluded the evening. They outlasted, outplayed, and out willed Heartwork. Leading the way for the 2027 Spartans was Alijah Johnson. The sharp shooting guard scored a game-high 13 points. He knocked down 3 three-pointers, while trying to run the team and playing 94-feet of defense. This is the Spartan Way.

Thomas leads Bulldogs

Chi-town Bulldogs is a team with a bright future. These guys have some length inside and on the wings. They dominated its opening match-up from the opening tip. Roosevelt Thomas  is a traditional post. The 2028 post can step out on the perimeter but knows to get in the block and get to work. It is rare you see players his age want to play bigger. He also has great footwork inside. His ability to pass the ball was impressive.

DNA Elite leaves its mark

Leaving an immediate impact and impression on the night was DNA Elite 2026. The Northern Virginia-based program touched every part of the court with its defense.

They put on the pressure from the word go. DNA’s fingerprint, pun intended, left a mark on the final score. The exclamation point came when Derrick Robinson threw down the hammer In the open floor. It may have been his first one of the night or the season, but that did not matter. Robinson and DNA left it all on the floor.