OTR Hoops: Week in Review - 2028s in Focus - February 2, 2026

For the second week in a row, plans of spending a Saturday in the gym have been thwarted by inclement weather. However, I was able to get out earlier in the week to see some games, and I used the time at home to watch film on players who—for one reason or another—I haven’t been able to see yet this season. 

An area of focus for me was the 2028 class, so here are some of the sophomores who caught my interest in person or on film this week: 

Tenaje Freeman - Jonesboro: Jonesboro has some interesting underclass prospects whether sophomore or freshman. Tenaje Freeman is one of them. Somewhere in the 6-foot-8 to 6-foot-10 range, Freeman is still putting it together, but he has shown some bright flashes around the basket. He’s a weapon in the dunker’s spot on one end, and he can be a rim deterrent on the other. As is the case with pretty much every sophomore in the country, Freeman has to tighten up his game to increase consistency, but he’s in a great spot as is. Look for him to take strides this travel season. 

Shane Goines - Mount Paran: I saw Goines a lot in the fall, but it’s been a few months since I’ve checked back in. He looks as potent on offense as ever. Goines has significant gravity as a scorer from all levels. That not only puts points on the board for MPC, but it also opens the game up for everyone else. Goines can use his threat as a scorer to make plays for others. But, he can also, you know, just get buckets too. In film reviews, Goines has been the focal point of defenses, often being face guarded, and he still finds ways to hover around the 20-point mark often. He’ll be a buzzworthy name on the 16U stage this spring. 

Myles Hayes - Woodward Academy: Woodward Academy picked up a nice win over Tri-Cities on Wednesday. Myles Hayes was one of the stars of the game. Known for his smooth athleticism and grit, Hayes showed that off with several highlight defensive plays. He's a springy leaper who pinned a couple of shots off the backboard to deter easy baskets. He put on a shooting performance that could further raise his ceiling if it becomes a consistency. Hayes hit four 3-pointers en route to 18 points. Hayes is already a national name, and that will only continue with more performances like the one he had this week. 

Bentley Lusakueno - Woodward Academy: Wednesday was a slower start for Lusakueno as he looked to find his rhythm early on, but that didn’t last too long. He picked things up in the second half as he started to finish plays with authority at the rim. Lusakueno’s more of a skilled big than anything else. He’s good on straight-line drives, and he has good touch on his jumper that extends beyond the 3-point line. That was all on display when he started to heat up later in the game. 

Jahmar Maurice - Woodstock: One of the best bucket getters among Georgia’s sophomore ranks, it’s never a surprise to see that Maurice posted another big scoring night. He’s quick with the ball and can score on all levels. Maurice is particularly dangerous with his jumper which has good range. When he can get to a pull-up at the elbows, it feels like he’s automatic. Maurice is fearless at the rim and can finish crafty shots. 

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.