Great things happening at the 2011 Elite 8 Thanksgiving Hardwood Classic 

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Georgia State University Sports Arena

The 2011 Elite 8 Thanksgiving Hardwood Classic (EETHC) promises to continue delivering great high school basketball in Atlanta and will feature six nationally and/or state ranked teams that will give basketball fans both young and old from across the Southeast as well as the nation the opportunity to converge on Atlanta to witness four high flying action packed basketball games.

This “Battle on the Hardwood” will showcase several of the Top 100 ranked Division 1 and future NBA prospects in the Nation all under one roof competing for national ranking and bragging rights. These top high school basketball teams and players rated by ESPN, USA Today, Prep Nation, high school and college basketball critics from around the country will go head to head in some of the best match-ups predicted by national and local sports analyst, sports writers, newspapers and magazines all in one day at Georgia State University.

Justin Young
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Senior Writer

ATLANTA, GA — All eyes in the Peach State weren’t just watching the action in Athens on Saturday afternoon in the Peach State. Sure the Georgia Tech and Georgia battle on the gridiron was gripping. So was the action inside Georgia State Sports Arena for the Elite 8 Thanksgiving Hardwood Classic.

Derrick Favors started his senior year off in a big way.

FAVORS, MALONE POWER SOUTH ATLANTA

After helping his South Atlanta team win it’s first game of the season, Derrick Favors stood outside the back door of the Georgia State Sports Arena on a rainy Saturday night handing out hugs to female schoolmates and getting pats on the back from friends and families.

Favors was smiling in large part to his 29 point, 12 rebound, four block, four steals and three assist effort in South Atlanta’s 88-77 win over Centennial.

The five-star big man was also smiling because for the first time in a long time, he was just the normal 17-year-old from the south side of Atlanta that just so happens to be one of the elite high school players in the nation.

There were no questions from strangers asking him where he is going to college. There were no over eager super fans begging and pleading with him to choose their school. There were no coaches waiting for him outside of the locker room.

“It’s nice, not having to worry about any of [the recruiting pressure],” Favors said after the game. “There are no worries. I can just play ball. I can just hear the ball bounce. I can just be me.”

Favors was just the normal 17-year-old that just so happened to score a lot of points, rebound a lot of basketballs, block a handful of shots and make a number of steals in his team’s first game of a hectic and competitive season.

While there were schools there to see him, Favors paid no attention to them. He says he won’t pay much attention to the recruiting process for a while. With the spring signing period still months away, Favors said his focus is on the here and now.

“All I care about is this team,” Favors said. “All I care about is winning the state championship.”

Favors had plenty of help from his teammates.

Auburn bound wing Andre Malone was outstanding in the first half, scoring 14 points and shot three of four from three-point land. The four-star guard pumped in 28 points in the victory.

His presence on the wing opened up the middle of the floor for Favors to do his best work under the basket.

Malone, a strong-bodied wing, is physically ready for the college game and his transition to the next level, at least from a physical standpoint, should be seamless.

Favors, Malone and South Atlanta had to hold off a terrific effort by N.C. State bound guard Lorenzo Brown.

The four-star guard scored 19 impressive and aggressive points and dished out eight assists in the defeat. Brown played with great intensity from tip to the final buzzer and did everything that he could possibly do in order to put his team into position to win a tough game.

MILLER GROVE MAKES MAJOR STATEMENT

Miller Grove and Westlake, two of the top teams in the Peach State, matched up in the most anticipated game of the young season in Georgia and the game certainly lived up to it’s billing.

Miller Grove took full advantage of it’s roster rich with Division I prospects to claim an 81-65 win over Westlake.

Down by three points at the halftime break, Miller Grove came out strong in the third quarter. The Wolverines won the quarter 30-13 thanks to full court defensive pressure and quick scoring offense from under the radar guard Malcolm Frank, a 6-foot-2 senior.

“It was our defense,” Frank said. “We told ourselves that defense was going to win that game.”

The offense didn’t hurt either. Especially from Frank, who scored a team high 21 points.

“That’s him,” Georgia Tech bound point guard Mfon Udofia said. “That’s what he’s been doing all season long so far. I knew he was going to step it up. That’s what he does.”

Frank said he has heard from Lafayette, North Florida and Alabama State on the recruiting front and he is hoping to pick up his first scholarship offer this season.

Udofia scored 14 points on an off night shooting the ball. His leadership down the stretch played a big role as he fed Frank, who had the hot hand, for scores and directed his young post players.

Donte Williams, a 6-foot-9 junior forward, came off the bench and scored nine points, grabbed six rebounds and had three blocks. He’s a good-looking long term prospect with a substantial upside.

Williams was oftentimes matched up with fellow 2010 big man Marcus Thornton, a Clemson commitment.

Thornton struggled against Miller Grove’s length, scoring just one field goal en route to seven points and three rebounds.

Westlake junior Jalen Kendrick started the game off strong but cooled off like the rest of his teammates in the second half. Kendrick manned the point throughout the game and the 6-foot-6 prospect finished with 16 points on six of 14 shooting from the floor and six assists in the defeat.

He showed flashes of why so many high-major teams are lining up to get involved with the versatile prospect.

THE KID IS ALRIGHT

Favors is the now at South Atlanta and within the Peach State. And the future is coming sooner than later.

“I’m the future, I guess,” a sheepish Nick Jacobs said after South Atlanta knocked out Centennial.

Jacobs, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, had some big glimpses of the future in his seven-point, 10-rebound, three-block effort. He won’t post huge numbers this season but his role is increased this season and Jacobs looks ready for the challenge that awaits him this season.

Jacobs said he has heard from Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, Memphis, Winthrop, Wichita State, Oklahoma, Georgia and Georgia Tech early in the process.

ATKINS IS ALL GOOD IN VICTORY

Virginia Tech bound wing Manny Atkins pumped in 30 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in an 83-66 Tucker win Southwest Atlanta Christian.

The 6-foot-6 forward made it look too easy against the undersized SACA team. He scored the buckets he should score down low and knocked down three of his nine three-point attempts.

Virginia Tech has had success in the past with players like Atkins on the wing. He’s a step quicker than he was last season and with his ability to crash the boards as well as stretch the defense, Atkins should be a nice reserve as a rookie next season for the Hokies.

HI, MY NAME IS?

South Atlanta was paced by an understated 10-point, 10-assist game from unsigned point guard Nick Watkins. He ran his team with great efficiency. For low-major teams looking for a simplistic point guard in 2009, Watkins is worth a look.

With Brown leading the way for Centennial, the Knights had 13 points from Adrian Rogers, a 6-foot-4 junior, and 13 points and eight rebounds from Kam Belin.

Rogers hit all three of his three-point attempts and only missed one shot from the floor. Rogers will be a player that mid-majors sniff around in the class of 2010 this season.

Belin had the tough task of trying to defend Favors and Jacobs and all things considered the 6-foot-6 junior did the best he could do. He worked hard for his rebounds and scored some tough buckets with longer defenders draped on him. Belin could be a in store for a big year this season.

Westlake had a team high 21 points from unsigned senior Javaris Bryant, a 6-foot-5 combo forward. The low-major prospect was a tough match-up for Miller Grove because of his versatility inside and out. He scored on the wing, the midrange and at the basket all the while being a threat on the boards as a rebounder.

Southwest Atlanta Christian has been the home to some of the best prep players in Atlanta for the last six years. This year’s team is very young and inexperienced and the club is looking for it’s identity early.

Junior guard Michael Murray scored 20 of his 29 points in the first half. He was a nice surprise for the young but storied program. Murray played his way onto the low-major radar in the class of 2010.

ALL EYES ON US

Georgia Tech head man Paul Hewitt, Georgia State head coach Rod Barnes, a pair of assistants from Georgia and an assistant coach from N.C. State and Kennesaw State all made it out for the day’s activities.

Harrow’s 47 lead Thanksgiving Classic

ATLANTA — The second annual Elite 8 Thanksgiving Hardwood Classic held at Georgia State University featured some of the top players in the Atlanta area. The event was well run with great matchups. In Game 1, Lithia Springs — led by Georgia Southern-bound guard Trey Bussey‘s 33 points — defeated SW Christian Academy 82-68, while attendees at Game 2 witnessed future NC State point guard Ryan Harrow explode for 47 points as Walton came back from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Creekside 84-79.

The evening games started off with a down-to-the-wire finish that saw Westlake knock off Centennial 65-64 behind Clemson signee Marcus Thornton‘s 20 points. The most anticipated game of the day, between two teams with multiple highly rated prospects, pitted Milton versus Miller Grove. It was Milton’s perimeter scoring — consisting of sharpshooting sophomore Evan Nolte (25 points), along with the guard tandem of Shannon Scott and Dai-Jon Parker, who combined for 35 points — that proved to be the difference as Milton won 81-70.

[+] Enlarge

Chris Williams/Icon SMIRyan Harrow is a quick point guard who uses his speed to get into the paint or separation for his jump shot.

Standout players

Ryan Harrow, PG, (6-0, 160)
2010, Roswell, Marietta, Ga./Walton
Don’t let Harrow’s willowy frame fool you; the kid is an assassin. While exploding for 47 points he showed his ability to score in a variety of ways. The NC State signee knocks it down from behind the arc, gets into the paint or to the rim at will and is automatic from the free throw line. He plays with extreme confidence and is fearless attacking the rim versus bigger players. He has great body control and is surprisingly explosive going to the basket in transition. He brought the thunder on a couple of occasions that got the crowd to its feet. Although he spends a lot of time playing off the ball for his high school team, he needs to be more discrete with his passes because he turned it over five times with a few careless decisions. He will need to develop his body to defend and compete against some off the bigger ACC guards, but he is a handful to contain in his own right and is capable of running a team, while still being a scoring threat.

Dai-Jon Parker, SG, (6-2, 185)
2011, Alpharetta, Ga./Milton
Parker is built like a high-level guard and is a scoring machine. He is an explosive dynamic athlete who scores in bunches and can take over a game. He has a good looking stroke out to the 3-point line; showed the ability to shot fake and dribble into his shot; or he can get it to the basket where he is able to absorb contact and finish. He is effective in either an up-tempo or half court game, but he shines in transition where he does a good job of filling a lane or spotting up. He is a solid secondary handler that can assist in breaking the press and is a good decision maker off the dribble. With his combination of strength, length and athleticism he has the potential to be a lock-down defender. He has developed into one of the top shooting guards in the 2011 class and will be highly sought after in the recruiting process.

Shannon Scott, PG, (6-2, 170)
2011, Alpharetta, Ga./Milton
With his outstanding skill set Scott has tremendous basketball ability, but as a point guard he is ahead of the curve for most players his age because he has already figured out what his main job is as a leader on the floor: win! He is a smart playmaker is and an excellent push guy that sets the tempo and puts incredible pressure on the defense by getting the ball up the floor into scoring areas. He knows how to utilize a ball screen and is money pulling up off the dribble from the free-throw area. He is a solid defender that covers a lot of ground and does a nice job on the ball. He is great at getting into the paint and finding an open teammate, but sometimes he plays too fast resulting in a few unforced turnovers; he needs to avoid leaving his feet without knowing who to pass it to. Scott combines with Parker to form one of the top backcourts in the 2011 class.

Trey Bussey, SG, (6-3, 165)
2010, Lithia Springs, Ga./Lithia Springs
Bussey is an intelligent player who does a nice job of picking his spots. The long-armed lefty is a scorer that is excellent at finishing with either around the basket and has a nice mid-range, pull-up jumper off the dribble. He can knock down a 3-ball, but his release is inconsistent sometimes resulting in sideways ball rotation. The Georgia Southern signee has point guard instincts and is adept at advancing the ball up the floor with the pass often finding an open teammate for a lay-up. He has a chance to be a great defender because he understands positioning off the ball and is always a threat to come up with a steal in the passing lanes. He needs some time in the weight room to develop his body, but will be an excellent Southern Conference player.

Player to watch

Evan Nolte, SF/PF (6-7, 190)
2012, Alpharetta, Ga./Milton
Nolte, who scored 25 points in a high-level matchup versus Miller Grove, is a skilled combo-forward (think Mike Dunleavy) that has tremendous upside. As a 2012 grad it is easy to project him as a 6-9 or 6-10 player. He has very good court awareness and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time to make a play. He handles it and passes it well for a player of his size and age. He has a nice three-point stoke with deep range that allows him to stretch the defense and helps create driving lanes for his teammates. Despite his thinner frame, he battles for rebounds and is not afraid to mix it up in the low post while being at a strength or weight disadvantage. He understands defensive positioning and is able to perimeter defend on and off the ball. The developing sophomore is rising fast through the ranks of the 2012 class.

Surprise player

Travious Relaford, PG, (6-0, 160)
2010, Fairburn, Ga./ Creekside
When Burrell arrived at St. Thomas More this September, his most glaring deficiency was his perimeter jumper, but after less than three months, Burrell has completely reworked his mechanics and already become a much more consistent shooter. Beyond his improved stroke, Burrell also impressed with his patented point forward type skills and a series of athletic plays this weekend. He got out in transition and finished high above the rim, blocked several shots when rotating from the weak side of the floor, and even showed an ability to rebound above the rim in traffic.

Notes

• Milton High School is a difficult matchup for most teams at this level because they have tremendous balance. They have four high-level players that can each dominate their position. Scott and Parker are a tough backcourt, Nolte is a shooter that makes plays and 6-8 junior Julian Royal controls the paint.

• Miller Grove’s frontline of 6-8 sophomore Tony Parker, 6-8 senior Donte Williams and the versatile 6-8 junior Henry Brooks are a tough trio of bigs that pound the glass and wear down opponents.

• Clemson bound senior Marcus Thornton from Westlake High School as well as fellow seniors 6-8 Tony Jacobs (High Major Footballer), 6-9 project Nkosi Ali and 6-3 shooting Chad Johnson provide sound leadership for talented rising sophomore guards C.J. Reese (6-1, 175) and Ronnie Harris (5-9, 155)

• Mercer signee SG Jeremy Burgess (6-5, 190) from Centennial High showed how he can be an electrifying scorer when he gets it going. The big guard can shoot it with range and dance it to the basket.

• The 2013 class seems like a long time away, but you will be hearing about 6-7 freshman Chris Davenport from Southwest Atlanta Christian as he continues to develop. The young fella’ is improving skill-wise and becoming more athletic.

• 6-5 sophomore Bobby Brown from Lithia Springs High School was intriguing in limited action. He passes the look test and moves like a prospect, but we need to see more of him before we can make an honest evaluation. My hunch is that he will be a player.

• A good number of college coaches were in attendance taking in the action, including Wake Forest head coach Dino Gaudio along with assistant Rusty LaRue, Clemson’s Oliver Purnell, Alabama assistant John Brannen, Oregon State’s David Grace, Northwestern’s Tavaras Hardy, College of Charleston’s Andrew Wilson and Georgia Southern’s Chris Kreider, among others.

Mike LaPlante has spent nearly 20 years coaching college basketball. Most recently, he was the head coach at Jacksonville State University.