The travel basketball season officially concluded with the Final Run at Suwanee Sports Academy in the last weekend in July. On the Radar Hoops crowned the Circuit champions in each one of its age divisions. Now it is time to look back at our champions and reflect on their runs. Today we conclude our Circuit Champion analysis by examining how Sewer South overcame the odds and earned the right to be called a champion. Coach Spencer Dixon’s squad bought into a championship philosophy and earned the title.

It has been a roller coaster ride for the Sewer South group this year. They entered the spring tabbed as the most talented group on the OTR Circuit and the clear favorite to win the 17U title. By the time the Final Run arrived, however, Sewer sat outside the top five in the standings.

Injuries, roster attrition, and the surging programs from Florida explain how Sewer found themselves as the spoiler rather than the favorite heading into the Final Run.

Sewer South also saw the rise of a post player, Tim Johnson, this spring. The 6-foot-10 center entered the spring as a lesser-known prospect from Bowdon High School. By the end of the summer college coaches from across the Southeast were driving in to watch the big man block shots and run the floor during the NCAA Live Period events. His impact was so great that he was named Defensive Player of the Year on the Circuit.

Johnson, by all accounts, is a hardworking, soft-spoken young man who puts production before the hype. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, he would not be able to compete with his teammates in the final weekend of travel basketball.

It would not have been unreasonable to expect a group that had an uneven road this year to fold in the final tournament. However, this is not what this team did. It started with the steady hand of Armond Smith. He was Coach Dixon’s point guard who ran the show on offense. But more than that, he was the player that his teammates looked to for confidence and poise. Smith’s play earned him Championship Game MVP honors.

The praise for Smith came in fast this spring, with several OTR evaluators forecasting Smith’s rise to Circuit stardom. Here is what the scouts had to say.

Josh Tec wrote March 19, 2026 from The Opening:

A crystal ball would predict that Smith will be featured in plenty of these kinds of articles this spring and summer. He is dynamic with the ball. Smith showed three-level scoring and blitzing speed. He gets down the court so fast. Smith also looks like he can be a pest on defense with good hands to poke the ball free from opposing defenders for a pick six. 

@OntheRadarHoops wrote March 28, 2026 from the Atlanta Classic:

‘27 Armond Smith dropped 30 points this afternoon in an OTR Circuit matchup. He is a star in the making this year.

@RoseySportsUSA wrote July 17, 2026 from Power 24:

Armond Smith is a legit floor general. He sets the tone early, dictating and controlling the pace of the game. He uses his speed to blow by primary defenders, get two feet into the paint and make the correct basketball play.

Cameron Ross wrote July 25, 2026 from the Final Run:

Armond is a guard with a tight handle. He is elite in transition creating scoring for himself and his teammates. He finished well with both hands and played into contact through traffic.

Beyond the leadership of Smith, Sewer was locked in as a group. And this was the key to Sewer’s run. Coach Dixon told OTR that defense was the focal point, “Our defense set the tone. We played with confidence, trusted our preparation, and competed for every possession. When the pressure increased, our guys stayed connected and never lost sight of what got us there.”

Players such as Landon Grundy, Jordan Wiseman, Roman Avery, and Graham Titus all have the talent to be the leading scorer on most other circuit teams. Each of them had nights when they were the star for Sewer. What set the group apart was their willingness to take turns and fill whatever role the team needed. Titus was the leading scorer in the championship game with 15 points, yet the group still played for each other rather than for individual recognition.

Coach Dixon highlighted this fact when he told OTR that the overlooked part of this team was each player’s willingness to play their role. He said, “One of the biggest reasons for our success was the unselfishness throughout the roster. The players who embraced their roles, defended multiple positions, celebrated their teammates’ success, and did the little things every game helped make this championship possible, even if their impact wasn’t always reflected in the box score.”

One player who embodied this spirit more than anyone else was Christian Dixon. The combo guard could always be seen on the floor maxing out his effort. Director of OTR video, Kris Watkins, described him as an “Agent of Chaos,” which illustrates his ability to keep opponents out of rhythm.

Another player who filled his role in his own way was guard Preston Liston from Lassiter High School. The 6-foot-5 shooter is a player who does not need a lot of touches to be productive. His ten points, which included two 3-pointers, in the championship game were right on time in the Sewer South win.

In many ways Sewer South ended the season exactly where many in the OTR organization expected them to be back in March. The path between those two points was never straight. Coach Dixon’s group handled the bumps and still claimed the title. Dixon’s pride in the kids came through in his final quote. “I’ll remember this group’s resilience. Every challenge we faced became an opportunity to grow, and our players stayed committed to the vision from the first tournament to the championship. They represented Sewer South the right way every time they stepped on the floor.”

Sewer South is the 17U OTR Circuit Champions

Championship Game MVP: Armond Smith

Coach of the Year: Spencer Dixon

Assistant Coaches: Korry Richards, Tyler Brookins, Chris Tanzy, and Josh Fitzwater

Roster:

Jordan Wiseman, Landon Grundy, Roman Avery, Armond Smith, Christian Dixon, Preston Liston, Tim Johnson, Graham Titus, Stevie Shields

Written, edited, and formatted for web by the author.

Jonathan Hemingway is a senior writer for On the Radar Hoops. He has covered basketball for the site since 2013 and has been involved in the game since 1995 as a coach, camp director, and evaluator. Reach him at CoachHemi@gmail.com or follow @CoachHemi on X and @Coach_Hemi on Instagram.