South Paulding-Calhoun Standouts
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In a physical game of runs, Calhoun closed the gap with a 14-0 spurt to trim the South Paulding lead to 49-46 with 3 minutes remaining but the veteran Spartans responded with a 10-0 close to secure a 59-46 victory…
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Continue ReadingIn a physical game of runs, Calhoun closed the gap with a 14-0 spurt to trim the South Paulding lead to 49-46 with 3 minutes remaining but the veteran Spartans responded with a 10-0 close to secure a 59-46 victory on the road, surviving heavy foul trouble.
Taylor jumped out of the chute with 11 first quarter points before being saddled with foul trouble. The bouncy guard made plays downhill but most impressive was his perimeter shooting, hitting a three off the dribble and then sinking a pull-up from the mid-range. Battling Dylan Faulkner Dylan Faulkner 6’8″ | PF Calhoun | 2023 State GA inside, Taylor played a key role on the glass, soaring above all others for rebounds. The elite athlete finished with a team-high 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
Williams plays the role of Swiss Army Knife for the Spartans. He provides versatility on the wing, able to score outside, attack off the dribble and provide points around the rim. Williams is another good athlete that uses his length to earn deflections. David did a good job seeing the floor, fitting in passes to cutters. Williams tallied 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. He led the Spartans with six points in the fourth quarter to help stave off a Calhoun comeback.
Coming off a school-record 39 points, LaVigne warmed up as the game went on after a scoreless first quarter. Andrew’s shot-making was on display with his first hoop, coming off a screen to catch and shoot a three all in one fluid motion. LaVigne’s smooth approach and unwillingness to force bad shots makes him an efficient scorer that has a breakout season in front of him. I’ve long said that LaVigne is South Paulding’s most well-rounded offensive threat due to his ability to catch-and-shoot, create off the bounce to get to his spots in the mid-range and his toughness downhill as a driver. The three-level scorer attacks from all angles and is adept at playing without the ball. Andrew finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 steals.
Josiah Azu
Josiah Azu
The freshman saw crucial minutes as upperclassmen battled foul trouble. Azu is a long and lanky rookie, but don’t let the appearance fool you. While he may look like baby deer at times, Azu can light it up with his jumper when given space. He knocked down a three and scored on a nice cut to the basket. Josiah also provides active length atop the 1-2-2 zone. Azu has a bright future ahead as he gains more experience and adds more weight.
At 6-foot-9 with elite leaping ability, Dylan Faulkner Dylan Faulkner 6’8″ | PF Calhoun | 2023 State GA just isn’t fair at the high school level. The Lipscomb-commit kept Calhoun in the game with his ability to draw foul after foul inside. Faulkner totaled 25 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 blocks while going 7-10 from the free throw line. Dylan has a terrific second leap when cleaning up misses and plays with balance even when smaller defenders try to use their lower center of gravity to push him out of the paint. Faulkner skied for rebounds and was able to push the ball in transition, doing a good job of keeping his head up to hit teammates in transition. Faulkner altered a ton of shots inside and made South Paulding think twice when driving the lane. His presence was felt immediately in the first quarter as you could see the Spartans were hesitant in their attempts to get all the way to the rim.
Highlights
Blake Hammett Blake Hammett 5'11" | PG Calhoun | 2026 GA
Blake Hammett Blake Hammett 5'11" | PG Calhoun | 2026 GA
The burly football freshman didn’t play the first two quarters but when he was inserted late in the third quarter everything changed for Calhoun. Momentum completely shifted as he made a difference in the 1-2-2 press. Hammett’s first impact was made with a putback at the buzzer to end the third quarter. South Paulding pushed the lead to 17 early in the fourth but Hammett’s effort on defense was infectious, sparking a 14-0 run. Blake didn’t necessarily stuff the stat sheet, but good things happened when he entered the game, posting 2 points, 1 rebound and 3 steals in limited time.
Chattam helped make things interesting in the fourth quarter, scoring on an And-1, attacking the lane and kicking to Daniel Streete for a corner three and then converting on a pair of free throws. All-in-all, Landon finished with 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. With another year of development coming, Chattam could be a stock riser over his final two seasons on the wing.
Highlights
Daniel Streete
Daniel Streete
Steady guard play will be imperative for Calhoun to find success. Daniel Streete had some nice moments throughout the game serving as a multidimensional scorer. Streete helped stretch the defense with his three-point shot and was sneakily crafty when getting to the hoop, scoring with tough scoops through traffic. His final line showed 9 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.