Week 2 Workout Review (Part 1)
After going to Parkview and Centennial two weeks ago, I was able to get out to 5 different schools last week. Most teams throughout the state have their workouts in full swing now, providing the opportunity for lots of programs…
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Continue ReadingAfter going to Parkview and Centennial two weeks ago, I was able to get out to 5 different schools last week. Most teams throughout the state have their workouts in full swing now, providing the opportunity for lots of programs to be seen. In the first portion for Week 2, we will take a look at workouts at North Gwinnett and Denmark. Part 2 will include Dawson County, Winder-Barrow, and Providence Christian. This upcoming week should have a full slate of teams to view as well, and then the Gwinnett tour begins the week after once Division 1 coaches are allowed to attend workouts.
North Gwinnett
North Gwinnett marked the 1st workout viewing of the week with 8 Bulldogs coming in after school. The graduation of guys and transfer of others has left Region 6-7A seemingly wide-open; North Gwinnett could sneak up on some people and make noise within the region. When their team is at full strength, they have a pretty well-rounded group.
The leaders of the group on Monday were clearly Brendan Rigsbee and RJ Godfrey. Rigsbee, a 2021 SG, started to catch some eyes over the summer and seems to be constantly improving. He has a solid overall offensive game but is best getting downhill to his left hand; he shot pretty well from deep and was able to display his athleticism during ball-screen work. I think he’ll continue to gain attention this winter. Godfrey came in at 16th in our initial 2022 rankings; he already has an impressive combination of size and versatility for a sophomore wing. I was able to get a closer look at his shot during the workout. He showed flashes from the outside in June & July and has a pretty smooth stroke that should drop consistently with more repetition. Godfrey is a long 6’5” with ball skills and a solid frame, I’m excited to see what he does this year.
Not present at the workout were two key football players, Jared Ivey and JR Martin, who will help the team a lot once they return. The Bulldogs will face some tough tasks in their absence, starting out with the Jared Cook Classic. Alongside Rigsbee and Godfrey in the session were some role players that NG will need production out of, especially early in the season. The other perimeter players were Gunnar Carlberg and Josh Miles. Carlberg is a small but capable shot-maker, Miles is another outside shooter who also has some strength to him. The forward group included Luke Keller and Armon Poyan. Both are fairly versatile on offense and will need to provide the Bulldogs with tough play inside on defense. 2021 G Kobe Jackson is another player who will help NG this season, he was not in attendance for the workout.
Denmark
The 2nd stop of the week was at Denmark on Tuesday morning for their team workout. About 15 guys were present for the session that was conducted by an outside trainer; it was a unique but insightful workout to watch. A heavy emphasis was put on different defensive concepts and offensive spacing ideas. It was clear which guys were locked in during each drill, and those with good basketball IQ (and without) were easy to identify.
If you were paying attention this summer, you’re well aware of the upward trajectory of Danes guards Sutton Smith and Robert Cowherd. Both are Top 30 prospects in their respective classes and produced for the entirety of the travel season, ending it with nice showings at the NCAA Academy. Although Smith and Cowherd are both fairly quiet in general, it was apparent during the workout that others were following the example they set in each drill. They are going to have to do a lot for Denmark this year; they’re very capable and should form one of the better backcourts in 4A.
A few other players who were at the workout and will log significant minutes for the Danes this year are Michael Dougherty, Karson Kinnevy, Joseph Scott, and Adrian Gutierrez. Dougherty and Kinnevy both give Denmark boosts with their perimeter shooting and smarts. They know their roles, give effort on defense, and don’t make many mistakes. Scott has the body and a decent set of tools offensively that should make him an asset on both ends as a forward for this team. Increased focus and consistency will be key for him. Gutierrez could provide the Danes with another valuable backcourt piece. He’s pretty quick, seems to have a few different pieces to his game, and has nice potential on the defensive side of the ball.
I saw both Adonnis Easton-Tolbert and Max Vinogradov with Denmark during June, but neither were in attendance last Tuesday (Easton-Tolbert plays football). They bring strong, active games that will help the Danes considerably this winter.