NORCROSS, Georgia, - The Tip-Off Classic proved to be a success once again. The annual event provides a look at which players and teams will garner attention this upcoming season. This event featured several competitive games and the night’s finale saw a packed gym with emotions running high. Here is a look at the standout names from the event.

By: Jonathan Hemingway

Reshard Slaughter – Lanier High School – 2027

 Slaughter took advantage of the stage and delivered a career-high 31 points in a win over Archer Saturday morning. He is a 6-foot-3 wing built with length and quickness. He did a lot of damage in the open court as a slasher and finisher in advantage situations. Slaughter shows promise on the defensive end as well. He uses anticipation skills to pair with his quickness to disrupt. Look for the Longhorns to be competitive this season and make another run toward the postseason.

CJ Harper – Paideia – 2026

Harper delivered a game high 25 points in the 1 p.m. game slot. Despite his team coming upon on the short end on the scoreboard, Harper proved he is in the discussion as one of the top guards in the city. The Old Dominion-bound lefty prefers aggression to finesse. He will err on the side of pressing the issue versus picking his spots. This is a strength. Harper shows that making plays is preferable to passivity, especially when his teammates are looking to him to stir the drink.

Nah-Nah Kinyanjui – Kell – 2027

Kinyanjui is stepping up to fill a need coach Jermaine Sellars’s team. He does a bit of everything. He handles the ball, scores when needed, and scraps for 50/50 balls on either end of the floor. The junior is an all-around player that produces in each outing. He is hard to game plan against, because he brings effort that is hard to negate.

Bobby Buggs – Dutchtown – 2026

Buggs was sensational on Saturday evening. He was clearly one of the most athletic and confident guards to play during the event. He blends elevation, hand-eye coordination, and touch as well as any guard we have seen recently. He scored a game-high 23 points in a runaway win over Central Gwinnett where he did not have to play the game’s final minutes. For college coaches who may have missed out on their top recruiting targets this fall, Buggs should be at the top of the recruiting board for as the next best available.

Jerrin Samuel – Winder-Barrow – 2026

The Doggs are playing short-handed early this season. They are missing a few starters due to injury and football season not yet ended. That has put a strain on coach Travis McDaniel’s group in the opening weeks of the year. However, there is still plenty of optimism radiating from Winder largely behind what their senior star, Jerrin Samuel, can produce nightly. The lefty Furman commit is one of the best all-around players in the state. While he can shoulder the scoring load nightly, his passing and willingness to rebound and play physically should not be overlooked. He scored a game-high 19 points against Grayson. Expect the Doggs to get back on track in short order after the early setbacks.

MJ Curry – Grayson – 2027

Curry has the profile of a prospect ready to elevate himself into the realm of elite national prospects. He is a 6-foot-6 guard with terrific athleticism and a polished skill set. He bent the rim with a few dunks in a win over Winder-Barrow. He is also proving to be a consistent shooter from distance as well. Coach Geoffrey Pierce’s roster is a bit younger than it has been recently. Nevertheless, Curry plus the two senior guards (Tyler Williams, Malik Rideout) provide a core that should be formidable by season’s end.  

Will Dopfer – Lambert – 2026

Dopfer and the Longhorns held on to get a signature early-season win over Norcross on their home floor Saturday evening. Dopfer proved to be the best player on the court in this match-up. He looked for the ball in the big moments and scored in nearly every way possible in this game. He finished with a game-high 26 points. He is headed to Longwood next season.

Colben Landrew – Wheeler – 2026

Landrew erased any doubt as to whether the Wildcats would be contenders to repeat as state champs this season. He went further to assert himself as an early candidate as the best player in the state of Georgia this season. The 6-foot-6 UConn bound wing is confident with his 3-point jumper. He also looks to be in peak physical condition as well. He has trimmed up his body in the past year. He further proved that he is more than just a complementary 3-and-D type wing in this match-up. He took defenders off the dribble and delivered the most memorable moment of the night with a one-handed punch over a Tri-Cities defender in the 4th quarter. He finished with 32 points, which included five 3-pointers.

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.