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7A Summer Stock Risers – Shooters

7A Summer Stock Risers - Shooters
August 2, 2022

ATLANTA, GA – As the summer travel season comes to a close with OTR having put on a monster spring and summer buffet across the region, attracting teams and players from as far as the West Coast, the Dakotas, Texas and the Midwest to name just a few, and along the way performing our core task of helping to set the table for hundreds of prospects to perhaps see their college basketball dreams come true.

Back to life on the local Georgia hardwoods with Fall Leagues soon to heat up, we take some time to look at Stock-Risers from the new Region alignments in a multitude of categories, and how they might impact those state tournament races (travel team in parentheses).

by: Keith Agran

Ryan Williams | 5-11 | PG | North Paulding | 2024 (Wood Elite)

Have had a front-row seat for much of his early development under the top trainers with Wood, he’s taken their tutelage to heart and put forth a group of summer seasons over the last 2 years (much of it playing up a class) that have proven not just how to beat the ever-present height-argument but also to illustrate how you can rise above general pre-judgments with serious and hard work, cannot be left alone from anywhere inside 22 feet or so and his work as a complete floor leader with an advanced head for the game has grown as well, in a 5-team region it’s far from outrageous to see what’s expected to be an improved NPHS crew in one of the 4 qualifying spots.

Jackson Sousa | 5-10 | PG | Dacula | 2023 (BCB)

Prior to the multitude of defections from the Dacula program over the last few months Sousa was well-known for his knockdown shooting and slick play at the point, after seeing him with even more confidence in June with now full control of the Falcons offense and then additionally in July with BCB it’s easy to see why Reinhardt offered him and that list should grow in that same ilk, deadeye bomber and precise passer who adds a little flair and fun to his PG-play.

Luke Strickland | 6-4 | SG | Parkview | 2023 (Champions Chance, pictured at top)

This new-look Parkview team will be really interesting in a stacked Region 4-7A even after saying goodbye to a good senior class, in particular with the arrival of 2025 riser Jacob Wilkins and when star SG and wide receiver Mike Matthrews Jr returns from the Panthers gridiron can this bunch potentially make some serious noise, coming back home from Combine Academy (NC) he’s got legit size and keen awareness out there falling nicely into that primal spot-up 3-pt guy, but there’s more there and he sets up as a big piece of any playoff push in Lilburn.

Keishawn Hampton | 6-1 | PG | Collins Hill | 2023 (Norcross Heat)

Though Norcorss Heat spent a good deal of time playing away from OTR the word on Hampton’s play and what I already knew about his still emerging ability has been enough to stamp his place on this list, going back to 2020 he was a top shooting prospect who could not be left alone and that together with a nicely wrapped package as a full-court PG prospect he has stacked up some offers (Thomas U and Emory & Henry offered of late, interest still from Western Carolina and North Florida and others at the D1 level) heading into his final season as a transfer from Meadowcreek, the defense and on-court savvy as a passer complement the knockdown range really well and don’t get talked about as much as they should.

Cam Pope | 6-2 | CG | Cherokee | 2023 (Wood Elite)

Hard to deny how good the Wood Elite org has been in particular with this 2023 class and where their guys were versus where they’re headed, Pope fits that perfectly as he has been an up-and-coming talent for some time now and playing both at Cherokee and Wood with teammates Tayden Owens, Dastin Hart and Mason Bennett has added to the flavor, sharing the ball literally all-year round the last 2 years with another top talent like Owens can make it seem like Pope isn’t producing a ton but a full look at his work and the kind of dynamic offensive game he can unleash suggests otherwise, the deep shooting can be positively deadly in spurts and the entirety of his game translates really well to the next level with more intriguing ceiling still there I feel.

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 has both a championship-coaching background on the HS-level and daily newspaper writing experience, both from New Jersey. You can reach him at keithagran1@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @BracketSage.


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