OTR Circuit: Building Men that Last with the Georgia Canes

This week’s featured OTR Circuit team is the Georgia Canes. Long before the Circuit was formally initiated, the Canes were running almost exclusively on OTR courts. With a focus on doing things the right way, the Canes work to develop players on and off the floor.

PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

Program: Georgia Canes
Home Base: Metro Atlanta
Director: Zocko Littleton
Assistant Director: Bryce Williams
17U Coach: Donte’ Medlock
Media Director: Issac Taylor
Motto: Earned Not Given

Notable Alumni:
Marcus Foster - Xavier/Furman
Terrell Ard Jr. - Mount St. Mary’s
PJ Carter - Memphis/LSU
Nahiem Alleyne - UConn
Derrick Butler - Bowling Green
AJ White - North Georgia
Montavious Myrick - Eastern Kentucky
Zion Fruster - Eastern Illinois
DJ Patrick - UNC Asheville
Cardell Bailey - Southern Indiana
Tay Watson - USC Upstate
CJ Jackson - UTRGV
Umar Rashid - Case Western
Chase Ballard - Miles College
Braden Moore - South Carolina State

Aiming for Something Higher

The game of basketball is competitive on and off the court. There is much at stake in fielding a travel team yearly. There is the drive to win games and a desire to draw coaches to live period events. The ultimate goal is to field offers and get players into college uniforms. The stakes are high. And the pressure to succeed grows with every year.

The aim for the Georgia Canes is deeper than the annual cycle of roster building, competition, and chasing college offers. The foundational motto of the program is Building Men. Developing Leaders.

Director Zocko Littleton expressed it in this way, “The vision of the Georgia Canes is to use basketball as a vehicle to build future leaders. We want to develop young men who will stand out in their communities long after the final buzzer.”

Littleton added that the values of discipline and doing things the right way are at the forefront of building every Georgia Canes team. He says that players are encouraged to “represent something bigger than themselves.”

In a day where the focus is on immediate gratification, the Canes are working to foster an atmosphere where players can achieve success on the scoreboard and in life.

Winning in a Competitive Landscape

Basketball’s popularity has reached an apex in recent years. Never have there been more players on the court. Consequently, there are record numbers of fans watching games on television, live streams and in person. As a result, more teams are being formed in the state of Georgia. Coach Donte Medlock points to the pandemic as the most challenging moment for the program.

“Our biggest challenge was the COVID era. We were competing to get quality players on our roster. That combined with the number of new programs in the state of Georgia, it was a difficult moment.”

Despite the challenges, the Canes remain in the conversation as a top independent travel program in the state of Georgia. Medlock adds, “we continue to meet – and beat – our expectations.”

Medlock proudly adds that the nickname, “Shoe Killas,” is a reminder that the Canes are on the prowl annually to take down a shoe-sponsored team. They have done it before. And they aim to do it again.

Canes Advantage

The Canes’ reputation as a top independent program is in large part because of the quality of players on their roster. This year, guard Jayden Crawford emerged as one of the hottest prospects on the circuit. He entered the spring season as a reputable guard with decent skills. He finished the summer with offers and a reputation as one of the state’s premier prospects. Crawford signed his letter of intent to Georgia Southern last month and is leading Alexander High School towards a postseason run.

Co-director Bryce Williams gives the OTR Circuit credit for the promotion of the Canes players. “Shun Williams and his staff consistently highlight kids and create opportunities for them. On the Radar Hoops brings college coaches from all levels and from all over the country, giving our players the exposure they deserve.”

Upward Trend

The Canes’ list of alumni who have earned college scholarships grows every year. In addition to Crawford, guard Tyler Williams signed with Piedmont, Quintin Mansfield signed with Troy, and Marquise Leslie signed with Charleston Southern. Keep an eye on Jason Welborn II at Decatur High School, where he continues to draw interest and offers. Crawford’s backcourt teammate at Alexander, Torian Greene, has several skills that college coaches ask for in a 2-way guard. Additionally, forward Gideon Kamuelyu was on an upward trajectory this spring before being sidelined with an injury.

The Canes will be back on the OTR Circuit next year. The process will start over. New stars will emerge. And the opportunity to build character that lasts will be there as well.

See some of the highlights of Canes’ players below courtesy of @DrKrisWatkins

Jayden Crawford (Georgia Southern)

Jason Welborn II (Available)

Torian Greene (Available)

Gideon Kamuelyu (Available)

Marquise Leslie (Charleston Southern)

Jonathan Hemingway has been a National Evaluator for On the Radar Hoops since 2013. He has been involved in the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director, and evaluator. You can reach him at CoachHemi@gmail.com and follow him on X  @CoachHemi.