OTR Tip-Off Classic Preview

NORCROSS, Georgia, – With high school teams practicing and preparing for the upcoming season, our focus shifts to prospects and teams are poised to make the most noise during the winter months. OntheRadarHoops.com will host its’ annual Pre-Thanksgiving showcase featuring many of the top teams in the Atlanta-Metro area. We take a look at this year’s match-ups and which players are positioned to have the standout performances.

Many of the TOP teams & players will participate in the OTR Tip-Off Classic

?: November 16
?: Norcross HS

5 ⭐️ Sharife Cooper
5 ⭐️ Jabari Smith Jr
4 ⭐️ JT Thor
4 ⭐️ Kowacie Reeves Jr
4 ⭐️ Devion Smith
4 ⭐️ Caleb Murphy
4 ⭐️ Eugene Brown
4 ⭐️ Kalab Washington

⬇️: Schedule pic.twitter.com/J27m1GFfzq

— Shun Williams (@OntheRadarHoops) November 11, 2019

Last year’s Record: 22-9 (GHSA Class 7A Final 4)
Key Returners: 2021 Jaden Harris, 2020 Kevon Eskridge
New Additions: 2020 Quincy Ademokoya (Temple) 2020 Wilford Campbell, 2020 JT Thor, 2022 Kok Yat, 2020 Josh Taylor (Georgia)

Last year’s Record: 27-4 (Class 4A Final 4)
Key Returners: 2021 Jabari Smith, 2021 Deshon Proctor, 2020 Matt Williams, 2020 Immanuel Alexander
New Additions: 2020 Daryl Rice

Preview: Coach Jesse McMillan will look to continue the tradition of excellence on Spalding Drive. The Blue Devils potential lineup could be one of the biggest that the Atlanta area has ever seen. Senior forward JT Thor is a high major recruit who could become a dark horse candidate to be voted Georgia Mr. Basketball after reclassifying into the class of 2020 this year. Assuming Norcross has their full roster cleared by November 16, it will be an excellent test for Jabari Smith of Sandy Creek who is a consensus top ten prospect nationally. He has had a wave of high major coaches come through to see him this preseason. See what @HypeSouthMedia had to say about Smith a few weeks ago: Junior Preview.

Last year’s Record: 20-10 (Class 7A Elite 8)
Key Returners: 2021 Jamall Clycle, 2021 Blake Hadley, 2021 Kaleb Washington, 2021 Tyler Shirley, 2021 Danny Stubbs, 2022 Nile Hillmon, 2022 Andre Young

Last year’s Record: 24-7 (Class 5A Final 4)
Key Returners: 2020 Eugene Brown III (Ohio State) 2020 Jarrett Walton, 2020 Mohama Diallo, 2021 Kusamae Draper

Preview: We believe that Pebblebrook is primed for a breakout season. Not that they have been off the radar in recent years, but the talent and hunger that is present on this roster could lead them to exceed  expectations. Hadley looks as if he could attract major attention from college coaches this season. Throw in the talent of Washington and coach George Washington should have plenty of cards in the deck this season. Meanwhile they will match-up with an experienced and confident Southwest team. Brown III should be the best player on the floor next Saturday night. Will that be the difference?

Last year’s Record: 17-10
Key Returners: 2020 Sion James (Tulane), 2021 Ryan Johnson
New Additions: 2021 Andrew McConnell, 2021 Makai Vassell, 2021 Iajah Phillips

Last year’s Record: 24-4
Key Returners: 2020 Chris Youngblood (Kennesaw State), 2020 Brandon Stroud (Kennesaw State)
New Additions: 2020 Keith Williams

Preview: Coach Branden Mayweather’s squad loaded up with back court talent in the off-season. McConnell was tabbed as a top 100 prospect in his class by 247 Sports over the summer. The combination of his playmaking with James’ athletic overall game is a tough match-up for anyone. East Coweta has firepower of their own in a pair of Kennesaw State commits. Both Youngblood and Stroud can fill up the scorebook on any given night.

Last year’s Record: 19-9
Key Returners: 2020 Julius Reynolds, 2020 Dara Olonade
New Additions: 2020 Jalen Deloach, 2020 Elijah Wood (Rhode Island), 2022 Malique Ewin, 2022 Jermarhi Hill, 2021 Camden Blount

Last year’s Record: 25-4 (GHSA Class 7A Sweet 16)
Key Returners: 2020 Deivon Smith (Mississippi State), 2021 Ian Schieffelin, 2021 Taje Kelly
New Additions: 2020 Caleb Murphy (South Florida), 2020 Toneari Lane (Winthrop)

Preview: Berkmar is going to the team that everyone is anxious to see how they piece together. Coach Greg Phillips has nearly an entire new roster full of Division One caliber prospects. Jalen DeLoach, who moved in from Savannah, is an intriguing athletic wing-forward. While sophomore forward Malique Ewin lit up the fall camp circuit with talented skill set. They will get an immediate test from Grayson, who many believe is the top team in the state. Their back court of Smith and Murphy could be the top duo in the state, in terms of play creating and scoring. Add in the frontline strength of Schieffelin and Lane and it will be hard to contain coach Pierce’s team on any night.

Last year’s Record: 32-0 (GHSA Class 7A State Champions)
Key Returners: 2020 Sharife Cooper (Auburn)
New Additions: 2020 Dylan Cardwell (pending GHSA clearance), 2021 Bobby Moore, 2021 Randy Brady

Last year’s Record: 20-7 (Class 6A Sweet 16)
Key Returners: 2022 Zocko Littleton, 2021 Basit Lacket, 2021 Baqi Lackey,
New Additions: 2020 Emon Washington, 2022 Jameel Rideout, 2021 Travis Burrus

Preview: McEachern’s reputation as the favorite to repeat as champions will always be there as long as Cooper is at the helm. They should get a good test from South Cobb, however, in this match-up. Littleton could be one of the best shooters the state has seen in some time…and he is just a sophomore. South Cobb’s roster has plenty of talent to push the Indians in this November match-up.

Last year’s Record: 21-7
Key Returners: 2020 Colin Granger (Ohio), 2020 Luke Champion (Samford), 2020 Braxton Beaty, 2020 Will Baker, 2021 Jackson Greene

Last year’s Record: 23-6
Key Returners: 2020 London Riley

Preview: Both teams lost important back court playmakers from last year. It will be interesting to see which players step up to fill the void for each team. Lambert’s go-to player this year, however, should still be Granger. The 6-foot-8 forward is a terrific inside-out option. While coach Cason at Discovery will look to Riley to take his game to another level this year. Already armed with an outstanding reputation as a shooter, we will see if Riley can add important pieces to his game.

Last year’s Record: 23-7 (Class 3A Sweet 16)
Key Returners: 2021 Kowacie Reeves Jr. 2021 Javian Mosley

Last year’s Record: 27-8 (Class 2A State Champions)
Key Returners: 2020 Cameron Fortson, 2020 Ra’Sean Frederick, 2020 Roman Son, 2021 Robbie Armbrester

Preview: It seems that every team from Middle and South Georgia are anxious to prove that they can play with all the Atlanta-Metro area teams. They will get that chance on Saturday morning versus defending Class 2A State Champion Therrell. For Westside, Reeves Jr. is an established prospect on the national scene. The 6-5 guard can score the ball in several ways. His match-up with Therrell should tell us a lot on how this season will unfold for the young men from Macon. Frederick and Armbrester looked primed to defend their title at the OTR Super 64 Campin September. Both play with determination that will be needed to make another post season run. Read more about them here: Standouts from OTR Super 64 Camp

Last year’s Record: 14-15 (Class 7A Sweet 16)
Key Returners: 2020 CJ Hines, 2020 Justin Edmonson, 2020 Areyon Johnson, 2020 Brent Smith

Last year’s Record: 8-18
Key Returners: 2020 Jabari Smith, Vino Glover, Jabre Mills

Preview: Coach Joel Lecoeuvre’s squad caught fire at the right time last season and finished in the Sweet 16. The best news for the Tigers is that they return all the key pieces from last year’s team. Even better news is that they are now seniors. Experience and leadership usually set up for success in the game of basketball. On the other end, coach Joe Dix looks to move the Eagles out of the rebuilding process into the competitive of Region 6 (Class 7A) standings.