Tip-off Classic Wrap-up
By Robert Alfonso Jr.
SUWANEE, Ga. – Warming up for July is exactly what the Tip-off Classic is about.
This past weekend, teams had a chance what they have to do during the next two Live period weekends where players will be evaluated by college coaches from across the country.
There were a few players looking to get their names on a college coach’s radar. Here are a few names some may be interested in watching.
Backcourt headed to West Virginia
Khalil Green and Micah Tucker are two Georgia players who have made a decision to continue their basketball journey at Huntington Prep School in West Virginia.
Green is leaving Stratford Academy after winning the GISA state championship. He is a quick and explosive scoring combo guard. His ability to keep defenders off balance is impressive.
Tucker, who is leaving Mount Pisgah, is a tactical point guard. He has been around the game for a long time. His play will continue to progress in the nationally competitive program.
HP is a basketball-focused college predatory school. The program has been one of the top ten basketball programs in the country featuring some of the top high school-level players in the world, including 2013 graduate Andrew Wiggins. All students are considered NCAA Division I prospects and are recruited by some of the top programs in the country.
Ford tough and explosive player
Jayddence Ford is a flat-out player.
He is a shifty point guard with an explosive first step, who can get them to create scoring opportunities for others. This is exactly what a floor leader should do on a team.
While Ford is exceptional in helping others, he is also elite at finishing at the basket and shooting the ball.
Ford put the shooting and scoring prowess on display during the Tip-off Classic. The 2026 St. Anne-Pacelli product averaged 26.7 points per game. He had point totals of 19, 36, 19, and 33. The 36-point performance was him hitting 10 three-pointers for 17U Tri-City Elite.
Now, when you watch Ford play he isn’t just gunning jumpers from all over the floor. His assist-to-turnover ratio is about 3-to-1. He handles the pressure really well, despite being a lot shorter than his opponents.
So many coaches will look at Ford’s size but when you watch him play he controls the controllable.
Players to watch
2024 Josiah Lawson is an intriguing prospect on and off the floor. Not only can he score the ball with ease and abundance, but the AE5 product is also a sharpshooter from the perimeter. He is a big-body forward with a good ability to execute from the mid-post efficiently. His IQ is off the charts on the floor and off the court. He currently holds a 4.2 GPA at Tucker. High academic programs need to jump all over this basketball intellect capable of playing all five positions on the floor at 6-foot-7.
2024 Clark Mastin is a speedster with the ball in his hands. The Eagle’s Landing floor general understands how to keep defenses on their heels. He worked Anthony Edwards 5 basketball’s offense for others’ success. Mastin is always looking to push the ball up the floor for easy buckets. His on-ball defense frustrated opponents creating critical turnovers.
2024 Brandon Thomas is someone college programs need to have on their radar. He is a 6-foot-7 wing with tremendous athleticism on both ends of the floor. Thomas plays above the rim with plenty of energy. He runs with Tri-City Elite during the non-Live period events but will lace them up for Team Carroll for the remainder of July.
2025 Jayden Cole plays the point guard position with the patience of an artist working on a sculpture. The Team Huncho floor general looks for angles and works on them to his advantage. He smooths out and passes through tight spots. His feel for the game is not easily disrupted by pressure from the King’s Ridge product.
2025 Bryce Dawson is an impressive prospect with length and skill. He can shoot the ball at a highly consistent result. The way he elevates off the ground is hard for defenders to stop. His ability to raise up at the rim is also impressive. He finishes at the rim with tremendous athleticism. The Central Phenix City High product needs to be on every college program’s radar if they’re in search of an athletic wing.
2025 Patrick Curtin showed the ability to shoot the ball at a consistent rate. His Top Tier Black Maryland team competed and rode his stroke into deep playoff runs. The Glenelg Country School product has a strong IQ always looking to make a game-winning play.
2026 Chris Kitenge helped propel Team Judah Nation to the championship with his length and skill. The DME Academy product was getting into the lane and running the team as a 6-foot-6 hybrid guard. There is not much to love about his ability to finish through contact around the basket.
About the Author
Alfonso
Robert Alfonso Jr. is a graduate of Mount Sait Mary College. He has more than 20 years of journalism experience. Alfonso has helped build a basketball web brand in Georgia and has covered high school through college sports for publications in New York, North Carolina, and Georgia. His mission has always been to uplift the athletes who play sports providing them the exposure needed in this new media platform.