MLK Dream Challenge Showcase: Preview
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On a day where the country takes time to commemorate one of the greatest leaders in its long history, high school basketball seasons are entering their home stretch of games as teams prepare to make deep postseason runs. In the…
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Continue ReadingOn a day where the country takes time to commemorate one of the greatest leaders in its long history, high school basketball seasons are entering their home stretch of games as teams prepare to make deep postseason runs. In the 2019 preview of the MLK Dream Challenge we take a look at some of those games, player and position battles that will make Grady and Maynard Jackson high school’s the place to be in the city where Martin Luther King had such an impact during the Civil Rights Movement.
Teams / Match-ups
Location: Grady HS
- Henry County vs. Riverwood (11:30am)
- Westside (Augusta) vs. Grady (1:00pm)
- Mill Creek vs. Tri-Cities (2:30pm)
- Morgan County vs. Langston Hughes (4:00pm)
- Shiloh vs. GAC (5:30pm)
- Greenforest vs. Meadowcreek (7:00pm)
Location: Maynard Jackson HS
- Lakeside vs. Brookwood (11:00pm)
- Aquinas vs. Maynard Jackson (12:30pm)
- Whitfield vs. Mays (2:00pm)
- Grayson vs. Berkmar (3:30pm)
- Campbell vs. South Atlanta (5:00pm)
- Mt. Bethel vs. Woodward (6:30pm)
Superlatives
Best Team Overall Team Match-Up
Winner: Berkmar vs. Grayson
Inside the Game: Both teams have had impressive seasons thus far, coming in with a combined record of 32-7 on the year. Grayson, led by junior guard Deivon Smith, can come in on a 14 game winning streak (with wins against Archer and Stevenson this weekend), not having lost a game since December 1st. The streak includes a current 6-0 start in region 8-7A and a road win over region foe Newton County, 70-61. Smith, who has received offers from Clemson, Wichita State, and Georgia Tech within the last month will get a chance to impress on a big stage once again for collegiate coaches to take notice. Role guys like Ian Schieffelin, Javon Tatum, and Reco Hallmon provide a nice scoring balance and will give the Rams a chance to pick up another win at the MLK Showcase next week. Berkmar comes into this game at 15-5 with three of those losses coming at the hands of last year’s 7A state championship participants, Norcross and Meadowcreek. Berkmar has the strong play of senior guard Truitt Spencer, sophomore big man Dara Olonade amongst others to rely on as they face off in the battle of Gwinnett county.
Best Guard Match-Up
Winner: ’20 G Ja’Quavian Florence (South Atlanta) vs. ’19 G Terrell Burden (Campbell)
Inside the Match-Up: Burden is one of the more underrated point guards in all of Georgia, regardless of classification but those around the state have started to take notice of the floor general’s skillset. Burden only stands at 5’9” but the combination of speed, handle, and change of speeds will keep any defender off balance. Burden is best when getting downhill and into the paint but can stop on a dime and pull up from the midrange area as well. He is averaging around 25 points and 6 assists per contents and has double digit point production from teammates Brandon Deravin and Andrew Thomas-Brown which will make them a tough out in one of the tougher region in the peach state, region 2-7A. On the opposing side, South Atlanta comes in at 15-4, 9-1 in region 8-2A and a traditional championship contender in class 2A. Florence is a junior guard that can fill up the stat sheet for the Hornets and at 6’3” has the ideal size to do it at next level from the guard position. He can shoot the ball from three and effects the game by getting teammates involved as well. Sophomore guard David Hollis provides a formidable backcourt running mate for South Atlanta and should equate for good guard play all around in this game at the MLK Dream Challenge, and not just Burden and Florence.
Best Wing Match-Up:
Winner: ’19 W Ben Sheppard (GAC) vs. ’20 W Toneari Lane (Shiloh)
Inside the Match-Up: Another anticipated one on one match-up during the MLK Dream Challenge will come from two players that are versatile when talking about putting the ball in the basket. Greater Atlanta Christian knows what it takes to win at the highest level, coming in as the reigning champions of Georgia’s 3A classification. Sheppard, who has committed to play at Belmont University, is a big reason for that success. At 6’4” he has great length and long arms to effect the game on both ends. He plays above the rim consistently in transition and is a high level shot maker from three-point range. Sheppard, point guard Hunter McIntosh, as well as Center and Michigan football commit Chris Hinton form a solid core with a lot more players on the roster that know how to defend. The Generals from Snellville come in with a reputable 12-6 overall record on the year, including impressive wins over Peachtree Ridge and Berkmar. Lane is a do it all type of player and can score points bunches. He has great strength and tenacity unlike a lot of high school players when getting to the rim. The junior’s jumper has come along nicely this season and like Sheppard has the size that Division I programs are looking for at 6’5”. Add in quality pieces like Kendall Lewis, Josiah Agnew, as well as Darius Garcia and you can see why their record is respectable with a chance to make noise in this game and moving forward into the year. There will be a lot of talent on the floor for this game and the Sheppard vs. Lane match-up specifically should not disappoint.
Best Big Match-Up:
Winner: ’20 F Jordan Meka (Mt. Bethel) vs. ’20 C Walker Kessler (Woodward)
Inside the Match-Up: The biggest hype on a match-up on the interior at the MLK Dream Challenge comes down to two Division I talents on the low block. For Mt. Bethel it comes in the form on junior forward Jordan Meka. At 6’7” he will be the smaller of the two players but can make up for it with his athleticism and shot blocking ability. Meka, who just recently surpassed the 1,000 point scoring mark, is a walking double double every time he takes the court. He and senior guard Coleman Boyd lead the attack for the Eagles who are looking for a deep run in the single A state playoff in only their first year in the GHSA division. For the War Eagles from Woodward, the word has been out on 5-Star Center Walker Kessler. The 7 footer’s ability to knockdown perimeter shots and convert with ease in the paint on either side has top programs such as Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina in his ear. The underrated passing ability of Walker should be on display as well, as The War Eagles out of College Park, Georgia will play through him and need another strong performance to come away successful on MLK weekend.
Other Notable Players to Watch for:
- ’19 G Jalen Benjamin (Meadowcreek/UAB Commit)
- ’19 W Jamir Chaplin (Meadowcreek/ USF Commit)
- ’19 G Tyrin Lawrence (Morgan County)
- ’19 W Tyrel Morgan (Langston Hughes)
- ’21 G RJ Noord (Greenforest)
- ’21 G Peyton Daniels (Tri-Cities)