HoopSeen Fall Shootout Team Notes (Part 1)
Here a few of the teams that were impressive at the HoopSeen Fall Shootout last Saturday.
Holy Spirit-
Holy Spirit performed better than any other team on the day and 2020 G Anthony Edwards made it known that he was the best player in the gym on Saturday. Fresh off of the USA minicamp, Edwards imposed his will each game and did whatever he wanted on the court. He possesses a special combination of strength, skill, and athleticism that makes him a top 15 player in his class nationally. With Edwards, the Cougars have two stud senior forwards in Kamani Johnson and George Maslennikov. Johnson is a do-it-all player with a non-stop motor; he makes a huge impact with his activity, intensity, and aggressiveness. Maslennikov, a recent DePaul commit, had a nice outing Saturday as well. He looks like he has improved on the block with his back to the basket, and is more consistent shooting from the perimeter. Holy Spirit also has two effective 2019 guards, Kye Jeremiah and Miles Wallace. Jeremiah is a strong, athletic guard who has continued to improve at the point position. He is always attacking but has also found a nice balance of distributing to teammates. Wallace is an efficient guard who takes some ball-handling responsibilities for HSP and is a nice outside threat. Rounding out the group are Nick Maddox and Denys Bobchuk. Both Maddox and Bobchuk provide tough, physical play on both ends of the floor. They make good contributions with this approach and provide a spark of energy when they’re in the game. I’m excited to see how this GISA power does in the big time GHSA matchups that they have scheduled this year.
Dacula-
It is hard to find a backcourt in Georgia that is more loaded than Dacula’s. The Falcons have 4 guys capable of putting up big numbers in a hurry: Arusha Hunter, Mekhail Bethea, Brenden Tucker, and Quincy Ademokoya. Hunter, who is committed to Clayton State, made a huge jump as a junior last year and looks to have another great season as a senior. He is an efficient scorer who is always under control and picks his spots very well. Bethea averaged nearly 15 PPG last season and solidified himself as one of the better 2019 prospects in the state. He has continued to mature and provides the Falcons with a dynamic scorer off the dribble. Tucker transferred to Dacula from Archer this year and saw his stock rise considerably this summer with Game Elite. Tucker is an explosive athlete who plays with an angry aggression about him. He is nearly unstoppable in transition and is becoming a more consistent shooter as well. The youngest of the group, Ademokoya comes to Dacula from Chicago, and may be the X-factor for this team. At 6’7”, Ademokoya gives the Falcons an exceptional outside shooter with great size. Not just a shooter, Ademokoya also has some athleticism that he displays when protecting the rim and attacking the offensive glass. Putting these 4 prospects together creates a core that will be big trouble for any opponent this year.
West Forsyth-
This West Forsyth team surprised some people on Saturday. The Wolverines have a few players that I’ve had my eye on for a while, but their performance was still somewhat unexpected. West Forsyth will be led by senior Michael Zabetakis this year. He does so many different things for this team offensively and defensively. He is a high IQ player who scores and distributes well at either guard spot, along with having some impressive athleticism that helps him on both ends. To go with Zabetakis, Terrance Taylor is another solid senior for WF. Taylor has a smooth lefty game and provides a nice combination of inside and outside scoring. Junior wing Payton Aiken is another fundamental offensive player who gives a boost with his athleticism, energy and activity. The Wolverines also have two young players who will make an impact this season: Joseph Staiti and Broc Bidwell. Staiti, a sophomore, is an ultra-aggressive and confident wing who can heat up from deep or slash to the basket and finish through contact. Bidwell is a freshman PG with an advanced game for such a young player. He handles the ball well, can shoot off the catch or dribble, and can penetrate to create a lot of different things for the team. Expect this West Forsyth team to increase its win total significantly from last year.