Freshmen U: Class of 2028 notebook

Freshmen U: Class of 2028 notebook

By Robert Alfonso Jr.

Hiram, GA – Freshmen U came back strong this year. The showcase is geared to highlight incoming freshmen before the start of the high school season.

This incoming Class of 2028 prospects stepped in and made sure to propel themselves into the conversation of the upcoming season. Here are some of the better players to watch this season. Some may challenge for a varsity spot before the season ends.

TL Hanna’s Kaleb Allen is become the next rising star from South Carolina. The 6-foot-6 forward is a long wiry kid and has a mean skillset. One of the first plays in team play was him snagging a rebound and slapped the PSI out after slapping the basketball with both hands. He then pushed the ball up the floor before nailing a three-pointer. His skillset was on full display dropping dimes, finishing through contact, before showing off some athleticism with some block shots and a few dunks. Allen was the best prospect in camp. Period.

McDonough’s Khaleb Young was one of the smoothest players in camp. He opened team play hitting two deep jumpers. One was contested while the other was well beyond the high school three-point line. He is more than a shooter though. Young was displayed versatility being able to guard multiple position and rebounding with ease to only then push the ball up the floor. He is an all-in-one basketball prospect. The Warhawks’ product is one to track.

 Carver-Columbus High School has its future point guard in Timothy Woodson Jr. When you see him on the ball he is bigger and stronger than many in the class. He finds ways to the basket with an elusively quick step. His footwork allowed him to get around defenders to finish around the basket. He runs the team like a veteran and handles pressure comfortably. Woodson plays downhill but has the jumper in the arsenal.

Sandy Creek High’s Jerome McClain is a prospect to invest in for the long run. His 6-foot-7 frame is built like most juniors on the high school level. He is strong with excellent footwork who is capable of playing with his back to the basket or face up as a power forward. McClain anchored the interior blocking shots and pulling rebounds down in traffic. His offense game will grow with reps and confidence. This will help him carve out a spot on the varsity roster soon.

Dutchtown High stays with talented players coming through the program. Go ahead and pencil in Zyan Tribbey to be a major contributor in the near future. The point guard is only young in age and classification. His game is certainly mature. He handles the basketball on a string. There was never a moment he looked rattled dealing with pressure. Tribbey was always looking to get the ball up the floor and getting the ball to others in scoring position. Whenever this wasn’t happening he was nailing jumpers from anywhere on the floor. He plays under control through all the chaos. The most impressive thing about him is his strength.

The Pridgett name is familiar to the Georgia basketball community. Miton’s Mason Pridgett will look to keep it that way for the next four years. He was one of the shiftiest guards in camp. Defenders thought they stopped him only to find themselves off balance looking to recover. Pridgett would either drive, or find a cutting teammate. His motor and competitive edge was also the separator. If his team needed a bucket he delivered. Pridgett’s knack for scoring does not overshadow his ability to run a team. He could be next in line to run the Eagles offense down the road. His brother, George, plays at Florida International after stops at Jacksonville and Polk State.

Every time Houston County’s Karon Plummer steps into a showcase event one can see his growth. During this event he was on the ball more handling and distributing to others. His play shows how much work he has put into handling the ball and making stronger decisions. This showed he can handle pressure. Being at the point on many possessions did not hamper Plummer’s ability to still score the ball efficiently. HOCO could be onto something if they let him run the position in spurts during the junior varsity season.

Easily the most physical player in camp was Hillgrove High’s Brice Jatta. It was not hard to spot him out because he either rejecting players shots off the backboard or just tearing down every rebound within his desired reach. When he was not doing either Jatta was driving to the rim daring anyone to step within his path. He finished at the rim. Then there were times this two-sport athlete was threading the needle on a number of passes to players. Jatta was Hillgrove’s starting quarterback but he suffered a concussion. He looks ready for the upcoming basketball season though.

Houston County’s Nijah Barrett showed plenty of promise throughout the camp. It is hard for a young big man to get any real touches from guards playing with them for the first time. However, this did not stop the 6-foot-6 interior prospect. Barrett ran the floor to carve out space around the basket. He then would alter or block shots not eh other end of the floor. His touch on the perimeter had some good results. The best part of Barrett’s game is yet to come after some work.

Brock Gillespie, from East Hall, had a solid performance after a slow start. He shot the open opportunities exceptionally well. His defensive focus only shows you we understands the Vikings defensive standards. The guard made sure to be all over his opponent. He never fell for too many ball fakes or shifty guards. Gillespie’s most impressive tangible was his focus when being coached. He was locked in and soaking up the information. Moments like this will get any player on the floor during the high school season.

Milton High’s Graham Whitehart has a tremendous feel for the game. He delivered several nifty passes in the open court without any wasted dribbles. His drive to play the right way stood out the most. He was always moving without the ball and looking to hit whatever open shot he was given. Just watching him play you can see he has been around the game for a long time. Look for the work to continue in the Eagles program.

Chapel Hill High has a trio of high-level defenders in Willam Pass, Donovan Arce and Amir Jackson. Both have active hands and are lightening quick which disrupts opponents. Arce blocked shots in every way possible. Those defensive stops led to fast breaks where he displayed his athleticism. Jackson is a hybrid guard who can play on and off the ball. He had a good looking jumper and nailed many through the course of several games. Pass is a hyper-active ball handler. Just when the defense thought it had him trapped, he maneuvered out of it with relative ease. Pass plays with poise. The Panthers have a bright future ahead with these three on the rise.