OTR Hoops: Grayson New Year's Standouts

LOGANVILLE, Ga. — The Grayson New Year’s Classic is always an event rife with talent. Inevitably, prospects start the year with a bang at this event. 

Here’s a look at more of the standouts of the day:

RELATED: Grayson New Year’s Classic MVPs | Standouts Pt. I

Emmanuel Alofe - McEachern - 2026: Alofe just stands out physically. Around 6-foot-7 with good length, he passes the eye test. He started McEachern’s Saturday game hot with three 3-pointers early on. That made his potential as a prospect all the more intriguing. Alofe also converted some athletic finishes at the rim. He flashed a ton of potential and feels like a prospect that could level up when he gets to college and continues to improve. 

Deniz Ozbek - St. Francis - 2026: Ozbek was part of a high-powered St. Francis offense on Saturday. A member of their trio to surpass the 20-point mark, Ozbek did most of his damage from deep with five-made 3-pointers. He got down hill and converted some nifty layups. Ozbek’s shotmaking has gotten him some college interest, and it’s helped St. Francis pick up some impressive wins this season. 

)Kyree Taylor - Greenforest - 2027: There were a lot of inquiries, from people in basketball circles around Georgia, about Greenforest’s Kyree Taylor during and after their game on Saturday. He opened a lot of eyes with his dynamic two-way play. In a low-scoring affair, Taylor accounted for a good chunk of Greenforest’s offense with double-figure scoring and by dishing out a handful of assists. He did a good job of guarding the ball against dynamic guards on the other end as well. Coming down from Canada, he immediately made his presence known in the Peach. 

Jah’Siah Payne - Dutchtown - 2026: Payne has had a great senior season with Dutchtown. A low-maintenance guard, Payne has a knack for making plays in clutch situations and gives the Bulldogs a great option to create something while Bobby Buggs is the center of the scouting report. Payne can hit a shot and get downhill to the rim. He did the latter often on Saturday and made plays down the stretch to lock up a gritty win. It’s been a breakout season for him. You know a player is doing something right when unaffiliated members of the basketball community dole out compliments behind the scenes. I’ve had people positively remark about Payne to me in the stands during Dutchtown games. 

Kevin Rogers - Cedar Grove - 2027: At both the AEBL Holiday event and Grayson’s New Year’s Classic, Kevin Rogers has given Cedar Grove a spark alongside Manny Green. He’s a tough guard who’s scored the ball from multiple levels and played pesky defense against high-quality competition. He’s effectively gotten to and finished in traffic at the rim while also knocking down outside shots and getting the ball to teammates. Just typical solid point guard things. If he keeps up at this pace, more widespread recognition will come. The past two viewings have been nothing but positive. 

Jason Welborn - Decatur - 2026: Welborn can do a little bit of everything on the floor, and that was reflected in Decatur’s upset win over Grayson. Offensively, he hit shots and made athletic plays at the rim. That’s been a consistent part of his game forever. Especially in the second half, he was intense on defense. Welborn is one of the best available guards in Georgia. Saturday was a great showcase for how he impacts winning. 

KJ White - Gainesville - 2026: KJ White established himself as one of the better point guards in Georgia’s 2026 class throughout 2025, and that momentum carried into 2026 with another solid performance. White has a poise about him with the ball that’s vital in close games. He can get where he wants to go to distribute or score, and he balances the two well. White helped the Red Elephants gain separation late in a tight contest. 

Brayden Wise - North Oconee - 2029: The younger of North Oconee’s Wise brothers. Brayden is every bit as promising a prospect as Justin was at the same stage. They have similar games too. Wise’s shooting stroke is pure. He knocked down several from deep, but he also showed his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. Wise has been one of the most productive freshmen in the state this season. 

Josh Tec has been covering prep basketball in Georgia and nationally since 2020. He has served myriad roles as a writer and evaluator, including editor-in-chief. Tec has a degree in journalism from Georgia State. Follow his work on X (Twitter) @_joshtec.