Tip-Off Classic 17U BLM Standouts pt. 1
Elite level grassroots basketball is officially back in Georgia. Here’s who shined at The Tip-Off Classic held at Suwanee Sports Academy over July 4th weekend. 6-6 W Matthew Cleveland Matthew Cleveland 6'7" | SF Pace Academy | 2021 State #13…
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Continue ReadingElite level grassroots basketball is officially back in Georgia. Here’s who shined at The Tip-Off Classic held at Suwanee Sports Academy over July 4th weekend.
6-6 W
Matthew Cleveland
Matthew
Cleveland
6'7" | SF
Pace Academy | 2021
State
#13
Nation
GA
– Atlanta Celtics
Matt Cleveland has torn up the competition in the early stages of the travel season. His ascension to five-star status has been well warranted. He left his foot on the gas at the Tip-Off Classic, rattling the rim every chance he got. Friday night against the Atlanta Xpress, Cleveland went for 23 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks and followed up on Saturday with an easy 12 points in a 61-40 win over AC Georgia. Cleveland was unstoppable in transition, using his graceful long strides to streak down the floor and burst to the rim. His mindset was to get to the basket at all costs and no one dared challenge him. He also hit a handful of mid-range pull-ups, but undoubtedly was at his best when getting downhill.
6-9 F
Jabari Smith
Jabari
Smith
6'10" | PF
Sandy Creek | 2021
State
#5
Nation
GA
– Atlanta Celtics
Always steady,
Jabari Smith
Jabari
Smith
6'10" | PF
Sandy Creek | 2021
State
#5
Nation
GA
did nothing to hurt his stock as a top five prospect. He blocked shots, rebounded and of course scored when his number was called. In two blowout wins, the Celtics got a ton of points in transition, limiting the need to showcase Smith’s versatile offensive arsenal. Smith found some points on the break as well however and showed his value as a multi-positional prospect that has the length and footspeed to play all over the floor. Defensively, he moved well latterly when switched onto guards and helped keep them out of the lane. On offense, he made teams pay that tried to foul him, going 11-11 from the line.
6-5 W
Camron McDowell
Camron
McDowell
6'5" | SG
McEachern | 2021
State
#172
Nation
GA
– Team Dickerson
Following a scoreless first half on Friday night, McDowell broke free in the second half as the flood gates opened and Team Dickerson raced away from BMaze Elite 57-42. McDowell scored all 12 of his points when it mattered most. He got revved up by attacking the basket and once he put up some points, his three-ball followed suite and began to drop. His athleticism and toughness on the court can overwhelm opponents that aren’t mentally and physically prepared to compete with him.
6-4 PG
JoJo Peterson
JoJo
Peterson
6'4" | PG
Mt. Pisgah | 2021
State
GA
– Team Dickerson
JoJo Peterson
JoJo
Peterson
6'4" | PG
Mt. Pisgah | 2021
State
GA
’s aggressiveness in the first half on Friday helped keep Team Dickerson afloat while they searched for their groove. Peterson went 6-6 from the line in the opening stanza and finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal. As a big guard, Peterson possesses both the size and athleticism of a potential future star. He’s got great zip on his passes and can make the highlight play but on Friday he went for the homerun ball a little too much. Expect Peterson to get better and better as the offseason wears on and for him to lead Mt. Pisgah into the 2020-21 season as a serious Class A-Private title contender.
6-3 PG Derrick Harris – AC Georgia
Derrick “Mannie” Harris made a name for himself out of South Georgia. Though AC Georgia went winless in the Black Lives Matter division, Harris’ offensive prowess turned heads. He was aggressive when hunting his offense and did everything he could to carry AC Georgia. Sometimes he could tend to overdribble when trying to free himself for space, but overall his three-level scoring is a skill that bodes well his senior season.