5-Star Longhorn Classic -Sneaky Good Names

MILTON, GA – Our Jon Hemingway dropped a net on the best performers from last weekend’s 5-Star Longhorn Classic hosted by Milton, but let’s dive a little deeper to look at guys who did more than just post big numbers.

By: Keith Agran

Shane Potts | 6-2 | SG | Goose Creek (SC) | 2025

Was instant offense off the bench as a good-looking Gators team entered 19-3 but took one on the chin from a frustrated and highly motivated King’s Ridge team, this shooter’s an interesting one to watch up in the Palmetto State as upperclassmen are the likely reason he’s down the rotation some but he impressed everyone sitting at the media table with the aggressiveness on the offensive end and nose for the net.

Jaydon Cole | 6-2 | CG | King’s Ridge | 2025

Caught him twice over the last 10 days and he’s looking super sharp playing a true combo role for the Tigers, love that Coach Bob Martin inserted him into the starting lineup as he adds both high IQ decision-making with a sneaky burst with the ball that needs to be talked about more, can play some point more than ably allowing Isaac Martin a chance to take a few breaths and be a dangerous bomber from the wing, and with 6-10 William Jobe coming off the bench Saturday it made for an interesting rotational look and it worked.

Christian Foy | 6-6 | PF | North Mecklenburg (NC) | 2024

Second straight year North Meck has come down to GA and impressed mightily, 2024 stud prospect Isaiah Evans and deadeye 2024 bomber Trey Maxwell filled up the scoresheet as our Jon Hemingway rightfully noted but I was drawn to the brute force of Foy, terrific frame for muscling his way through traffic or dominating on the glass, has all the makings of a mid-major forward with still another year to hone his full craft.

Jake Tillman | 6-1 | PG | Milton | 2024

Couldn’t resist a second mention for Tillman despite our Jon Hemingway noting his excellence last Saturday as well, having followed his development over the last 3 years from MVA Outlawz on the circuits to Alpharetta to Milton there was always this type of performance lurking beneath – speed off the bounce, a tight handle, natural scorer’s mentality – I couldn’t resist telling the guys at the media table to watch out for Tillman vs North Meck with Josh Dixon out nursing a calf injury and he didn’t disappoint.

Keshawn McPherson | 6-6 | SF | Osborne | 2023 (pictured at top)

Can body up and play some 4 for you but moreso on display last Saturday showed off a sweet shooting touch from ranges all the way out to the arc, poured in 9 pts in the 1Q of a 21-point afternoon vs Grayson, his availability much like 2023 teammate guard Justin McCarter can be traced directly to the revised recruiting climate but McPherson will be a spring or late summer “get” for a program that will be glad they made the move.

Treyvon Maddox | 6-7 | SG | Gray Collegiate | 2025

For the 2nd straight year Maddox’s 2023 teammate Avontae Parker was the most impressive player I saw at the Longhorn Classic (and cited by our Jon Hemingway) but it remains hard to not zone in on Maddox when he’s on the floor, a freakishly gifted athlete who oozes high D1 upside I had a chance to see him in the fall at the Upward Stars Combine up in Spartanburg and down here against host Milton the high flier with a nice touch from range had some wow moments again, one of the better sophomores in the Southeast without a ton of debate.

Amari Brown | 6-2 | PG | Sandy Creek | 2024

Teammate and 2024 star Micah Smith was dominant at times and rightfully highlighted by our Jon Hemingway but it was great to see Brown and the whole of Sandy Creek up close again, is a year stronger and better in all aspects after a sophomore season where he emerged as one of my favorite guards in any of the classes, sign me up to watch him play as he is as sound and plays as hard as anyone, defense is off the charts/top-shelf level and is college-ready, checks the boxes across the board with such consistency and can do it was flair or beat you with brain power, deserving of more mention as one of the best all-around guards in the 2024 class here in the Peach.

Keith Agran has lived in Georgia since 2011 and joined OTR as a National Evaluator in 2021. He previously scouted for Prep Hoops dating back to 2019, and also spent 3 years as a sports writer at two newspapers in New Jersey. After a championship-coaching background on the HS-level also in NJ, he accepted the Girl’s Basketball Head Coaching position in May 2022 at Mt Bethel Christian Academy and now balances scouting and coaching still with a keen eye on talent around the region. You can reach him at keithagran1@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @BracketSage.