LOGANVILLE, Ga. — The Grayson New Year’s Classic has become a tradition in the Peach. There’s not a better way to spend the first Saturday of the year than by taking in a full day of hoops. 

It’s always one of the better events in the area that features interesting matchups to give prospects the opportunity to go up against similarly talented players. 

On a day that featured nine games and over 12 hours of action, there’s naturally a lot to get to. 

Let’s start with a recap of some of the very best from the day. The MVPs if you will. 

Tobias Brinkley - Decatur - Tulane Commit: Decatur pulled off one of the most significant upsets of the season to start 2026 with their road win over Grayson. Tobias Brinkley played with the kind of edge, motor and toughness that they needed to get the win. He was physical around the basket on both ends. Brinkley used his length and athleticism to score and rebound in traffic. It felt like he grabbed every 50/50 ball in his area. In order to erase a 16-point lead against one of the best teams in the region, the Bulldogs needed to be the aggressor, and Brinkley was that in every aspect of the game. 

Isaiah Chandler - North Cobb Christian - 2027: 2027 guard Isaiah Chandler had one of the loudest performances of the day. He was aggressive in his pursuit of the rim and was tough to keep from getting there. Chandler either scored or was sent to the free-throw line when he attacked. His efforts landed him a 32-point game. He made highlight plays on defense too. Chandler had several athletic blocks in transition to thwart easy baskets. 

Charlie Gersmehl - Gainesville - Belmont Commit: Unsurprisingly, future Belmont forward Charlie Gersmehl produced for Gainesville to keep the Red Elephants undefeated. He’s long been one of the most consistent and versatile forward prospects in Georgia. Gersmehl is just solid across the board. He showed his touch and fundamentally sound poise on offense en route to 18 points. Per usual, he made an impact on the glass. Gersmehl is always impactful when he takes the floor. 

Torian Greene - Alexander - 2026: Greene is one of the best available seniors in Georgia. A two-way guard, Greene brings a high floor to each game. What I mean by that is that he’s always going to play hard and guard. That’s a given. When his scoring is clicking, a different level to his game unlocks. Saturday was one of those days. Early on, Greene was Alexander’s offense. He scored it on all three levels and of course played with his aforementioned baseline attributes. Greene’s scoring is just becoming more and more consistent too. He’s playing his way into being a no-brainer prospect that coaches need to be investing their time in. 

Jaylen Samuel - St. Francis - 2027: This has been a breakout season for 2027 guard/wing Jaylen Samuel. Saturday saw a 29-point game out of him. It started with a scorching-hot first half where he knocked down five 3-pointers. This has been a consistency rather than an anomaly. Well, not five in a half, but he’s been shooting it really well this season. In the second half, he operated inside the arc, and threw down a big-time dunk. He’s building positive momentum at the right time ahead of the spring. 

Justin Wise - North Oconee - 2027: Not that the back-to-back 4A champions need much validation, but Saturday evening felt like a statement win for North Oconee. 2027 guard Justin Wise just added another marquee performance on a big stage to his resume when he dropped 23 points against Tri-Cities. It was a classic Wise performance too. It started with his outside shot. He’s one of the best in the region in that department, and he’s savvy with it too. He knows how to use his gravity as a shooter to draw contact or create opportunities inside the arc. Wise is so smooth offensively. Miami assistant CY Young was parked right behind the North Oconee bench throughout this performance.