Saturday “Dagger” Sheet: Backcourt Gems From The Week

The GHSA got its schedule underway Nov. 20, and here are some of the opening week’s best performances as I hit the bricks for the first time: Quinones Corpman, 6-1, Senior, CG, Meadowcreek Quinones Corpman Much of the attention with the surely-improved Mustangs this winter will be with their ballyhooed 2023 class headlined by PG Keishawn HamptonKeishawnHampton5'10" | PGMeadowcreek | 2023StateGA, wings Colby WilliamsColbyWilliams6'7" | SFMeadowcreek | 2023StateGA and Dayton RichardsonDaytonRichardson6'5" | PFMeadowcreek | 2023StateGA and big-time riser forward Eduardo HendricksEduardoHendricks6'7" | PFMeadowcreek | 2023StateGA (not in the lineup for football), but Corpman was not to be outdone against Washington by his younger compadres, showing off tremendous deep-shooting range, exciting ballhandling, and plenty of moxie getting to the basket in dropping 32 points in a 71-65 home triumph, he was also a handful for the young Bulldogs guards on D showing his maturity and ability to score in spurts turning defense into offense. Logan TurnerLoganTurner6'5" | SGCentennial | 2021StateGA, 6-5, Senior, SG, Centennial No Centennial game seemingly goes unmarked by Turner’s varied talents, be it a breakaway slam, a shot pinned to the glass on D, or his multitude of sweet-flowing jumpers from all over the floor, in a tight 62-57 road win over Lambert all of it was on display and needed to be as some young Knights pieces were being integrated for the first time and fellow senior stud G/F Kyle DuncanKyleDuncan6'4" | CGCentennial | 2021StateGA was impacting the game in many ways as he does but less on offense than usual, facing a rotation of face-guarding defenders Turner was still able to shake loose for 22 points pulling up before help could arrive or rising up above the fray on the break, he led an intriguing Knights group with risers 2023 guard Mansir WilliamsonMansirWilliamson6'2" | CGCentennial | 2023StateGA and 2022 big-man Wade KahlWadeKahl6'7" | PFCentennial | 2022StateGA assuming larger roles and sure to rapidly develop for coach Matt Barkley. Isaiah LoganIsaiahLogan5'11" | PGAllatoona | 2021StateGA, 6-1, Senior, PG, Allatoona [player_tooltip player_id="869652" first="Isaiah" last="Logan"] (1) Logan was a known commodity at least to me heading into this past summer’s abridged and obviously unusual summer, yet he was somewhat unable to find his stride with a club and didn’t put up the kind of production we were accustomed to seeing, yet in a 59-50 win over Cass at the Wolverine Classic at Woodstock last Monday he showed the things we saw a lot of during his junior campaign - speed with the ball, instinctive defense and hands, leadership, and a nose for finding the bottom of the net both from the perimeter or getting into the seams of the defense tallying 22 points, with 5 experienced seniors comprising the starting lineup (joined by Kevin TaylorKevinTaylor6'4" | SFAllatoona | 2021StateGA, Cameron BaldwinCameronBaldwin6'5" | PFAllatoona | 2021StateGA, Marshall WillinghamMarshallWillingham6'5" | PFAllatoona | 2021StateGA and Warren Williams), it’s not a stretch to think the Bucs will be a real threat in the 6A playoffs. James WhiteJamesWhite6'5" | SGHeritage-Conyers | 2021State#182NationGA (above, 6-5, Sr) and RJ NoordRJNoord6'3" | CGHeritage-Conyers | 2021StateGA (6-3, Sr), Heritage-Conyers Without question among the state’s best backcourt duos, White and Noord were at the top of their game against a solid Creekvierw squad last Monday at North Forsyth’s Raider Classic combining for 58 of the team’s 79 points in a 13-point win, White has added strength to his frame from last winter and to go with a born-to-score mentality, he now can power his way to the basket in addition to bombing from out as far as 25 feet and was not at all deterred getting involved on the glass at both ends in sort of hybrid G/F mold, Noord was a downhill brute of a PG last year when I saw them but he too has evolved his game and body and showed out again against the Grizz, building off a brilliant summer which saw him slow his pace and see the full floor for gaps and assists even more effectively, he took it at the skilled but smaller Creekview backcourt and just poses a brutal matchup at this level for any foe. Brookes KahlertBrookesKahlert5'11" | PGSt. Pius | 2021StateGA (6-1, Sr) and Trey Acklin (6-2, Sr), St. Pius Catholic [player_tooltip player_id="754331" first="Brookes" last="Kahlert"] If you don’t know what to expect when you go to see a St. Pius game, this one a 70-60 win at Lovett, your eyes are drawn to two things - Brookes KahlertBrookesKahlert5'11" | PGSt. Pius | 2021StateGA’s flashy ballhandling and terrific vision and the myriad of cutters and fun 50’s-style ball movement which has become a staple of the Golden Lions under coach Aaron Parr, Kahlert (23 pts) is coming off a summer in which he starred alongside a slew of others risers for the Atlanta T-Wolves as they sliced, diced and just plain ran over and past a laundry list of high profile club teams, to go with the flash though Kahlert boasts a ton of sound basketball pedigree and deep-shooting skill and his ability to find the open man with exceptional regularity and flare shouldn’t be mistaken for wild showing off, Acklin is one of many capable Lions targets at the end of Kahlert’s feeds and he took advantage of his own exceptional athletic gifts to finish at the rim and on the break (18 pts), he can shoot it from deep mas well but really shines when he can as mentioned catch and create off the bounce attacking the rim.