MARIETTA, Ga. — The second stop on the On The Radar Battleground tour took over Marietta. Several of the best middle school teams in the region took center stage in the Atlanta suburb, and here’s who stood out: 

Dawson Pressley - EYA Team Swain - 2031

Team Swain was easily added to the watchlist after this weekend behind there coaching and the play of multiple players lead by DP. Nothing flashy or fancy but a very consistent player who did a bit of everything for this group and was a reliable option in all matchups watched. Solid size as a guard, can get to the rim, defends well and keeps the game simple with his play. This team is going to make a lot of noise this szn due to pieces like Pressley and the group being not only skilled but also coachable. 

Bennett Haley - Devin Butts Elite - 2030

Caught the hot hand in the win over AEBL and showed an array of tools. Did a good job attacking the rim, beating his man off the dribble and using his body to shield defenders.

Maddox Kilby - Devin Butts Elite - 2030

Highly fundamental skillset that usually translates as a coach’s son. Ran the guard spot well and showed he can break down defenses and stay composed through pressure. High iq, shows good wiggle and can score in bunches.

Quentin Jackson - Devin Butts Elite - 2030

Quentin caught the hot hand early in the win over AEBL and ended up finishing the contest with 6 3’s. Prior to that I felt a big game coming from QJ just based of his movements in warmups. DBE was another group that is well coached and you can see it in the play of the kids. QJ was highly fundamental, used his size well-being a smaller guard and made some nice reads to his bigs for easy lays. 

Aidan Brown - AEBL - 2030

Was a walking bucket and wasted no time letting the defense know. He is wired to scored and was able to pick his spots on the court and go to work. He plays with a lot of passion and is very vocal on the court which can be contagious to his teammates. He’s best with the ball in his hands but as he continues to grow his game and hone into his true guard role it can improve his gameplay big time along with extra efforts on the defensive end. Definitely a name that will be heard in the foreseeable future.

Daniel Webb - AEBL - 2030

Brought some nice size to this group and had an effective soft touch around the rim. Displayed nice foot work in the post and was never flustered in his movements. Effective rebounder and he can push the break well leaving defenses lost if they are not familiar with his game. Old school feel and quality product for this group.

Micah Smith - Game Elite - 2031

Micah at his age is flirting with the phrase “Man amongst boys” already. He walks into the gym with a physical presence to himself and it just translates to the court. Big shoulders, strong arms that allow him to grab every rebound and his size and wingspan make him a force defensively. One of the more consistent performers in his class already, Micah continues to turn out performances that are eye opening. The size and intangibles are there, it will continue to be about adding to his arsenal, improving ball handling and shooting.