Notebook: Georgia State Team Camp

Notebook: Georgia State Team Camp

By Robert Alfonso Jr.

Atlanta, GA – The annual Jonas Hayes Team Camp is always a good time for teams across the state to get some good bump in the summer before the live period.

This year, the camp had some solid matchups across the board of teams and players. There were some teams and players who played like they were still in championship form. Then the best part of this camp was seeing some future prospects.

Here are a few names who made an impact and some worthy of tracking in the next few years.

Tri-Cities has traditionally called itself Point Guard High with several floor generals leading the program to championship success. Malique Johnson is poised to be another point guard looking to run the Bulldogs’ offense. The senior guard was in control throughout all the games played. He did not shy away from the extra attention and never looked rushed. Johnson has a quick first step and gets into the lane easily. He changed the pace on both ends of the floor. If his play continues Johnson will continue the point guard tradition from Tri-Cities.

The Bulldogs’ future looks bright with the play of Jayden London and John Morris. London is a rising sophomore with good length and a soft touch around the rim. Morris, an incoming freshman, is a space eater. He is a relentless rebounder and bruiser.

Pace Academy played each of its games like it was the first week of February and not team camp in June. The Knights were tactical and relentless on the defensive end, which is where it all starts for them. They forced teams to play faster than many wanted to this early in the summer. Pace’s tempo was orchestrated by Eric Chatfield Jr on both ends of the floor. The junior guard dictated things from the opening tip. His court vision found players for easy scoring opportunities. Chatfield is one of the purest floor generals in the state. His poise, toughness, and leadership are something the Pace players feed off of.

The beneficiaries of Chatfield’s passes and court vision were LJ Moore and MJ Madison. Both players finished above the rim after a Chatfield pass. Moore, a senior, showed off his newly consistent range from beyond the three-point line. He looks more comfortable from beyond the arc, while still battling inside on both ends of the floor. Madison, a rising sophomore, was a problem on both ends of the floor. He displayed versatility beyond his years. Look for him to be a major contributor this season.

Getting an opportunity to see Chandler Bing for the first time since the playoffs was impressive. The 6-foot-6 junior showed the time spent in the gym has been well spent. He is stronger and bouncier, while also finishing at a high rate. Look for his name to really start picking up some traction this summer.

Lovett will have a different look this season. The Lions have some young players to watch, especially Ryan Cain. This rising junior shot the ball really well during camp. He moved well without the ball and was able to get shots off with ease. His ability to knockdown shots helped open the offense up allowing other players to get into the mix, especially Daniel Gadsden.

The rising freshman is an intriguing prospect. It is evident this is a young player, who is adjusting to the speed of high school basketball on the varsity level. However, when he was inserted into the games, Gadsden was fearless. His ability to get into the paint and finish at times against more physical players was impressive. He never backed down or allowed mishaps to affect his demeanor. Gadsden will be a name the basketball community in the Peach State will learn about in the next few years.

Woodward Academy has always had a player in the program with a tremendous upside. Based on what was presented on the floor there are two players one couldn’t help but notice, Eduardo Todd and Jarvis Hayes Jr. Todd, a rising sophomore, was active and relentless on both ends of the floor. He made sure to keep things fluid on both ends of the floor. He is a 6-foot-6 forward with great hands and length. His ability to finish around the rim was impressive for a player looking to battle inside.

Hayes, who was comfortable on the Georgia State floor, is a rising freshman. He is a guard who handled the ball really well and knew where to make the correct plays. Hayes saw the floor to get teammates into scoring positions. Whenever he was not looking to make a play for someone else, this youngster was getting into comfortable scoring spots on the floor. His feel for the game comes from his time in the gym. He is familiar with the Georgia State floor because his father, Jarvis, is the assistant men’s basketball coach. The younger Hayes will soon be making a name for himself.