#AtlantaInvitational – Rising Stars – June 9, 2015

 South Fulton Lions guard Damarcus Johnson shined in the Atlanta Invitational. Photo Cred – Willie Evans

Damarcus Johnson – South Fulton Lions – 2019

Johnson was outstanding on Saturday morning in a game where his team faced off against Stackhouse Elite and Kyle Sturdivant, who many say is one of the top guards nationally in the 2019 class.  Johnson was up for the challenge and did everything he could and then some to the tune of 36 points and 11 rebounds.  The lefty is slippery in transition where he can change directions, perform crossovers and use an in and out dribble without losing speed.  It looked if though John took a lot of shots, but they were shots that he had to take once he found himself past a couple of defenders and into the sweet spot.  According to his coach this type of performance is business as usual for the crafty guard.

Malachi Rhodes – Georgia Stars – 2019

Rhodes is a lanky kid that was stronger than he appeared to be.  His long arms and motor kept him active on the offensive glass where it seemed like he just out reached opponents for rebounds.  He operated from the high post where he was able to free himself up using ball fakes and constant jab steps.  Once he got his defender o stand up, Rhodes only needed one dribble to get himself in point blank range.

TJ Bickerstaff Atlanta Xpress – 2019

Atlanta Xpress guard TJ Bickerstaff

Atlanta Xpress guard TJ Bickerstaff

Bickerstaff may be closer to 6’1 and he to has some long limbs.  The young guard was very unselfish, almost to a fault sometimes, but he made his team go.  He showed an all around game that was filled with intangibles.  He rebounded well, pushed the ball when he saw fit, and advanced the ball a ton with long passes up the floor to running teammates.  Bickerstaff’s shot was off from deep, but his stroke looked pretty decent as he constantly moved without the ball and found himself with open looks.

Khalil Shaheed – Game Elite – 2019

If you’re looking for a player that stays in attack mode then Shaheed is your man.  Throughout his Saturday morning win Shaheed never let up when it came to attacking the defense on the offensive end.  He put so much pressure on the defense that it forced the refs to make calls that more times than not went his way.  Shaheed not only got to the rim by using some pretty nifty footwork, but the layups he missed he used some quick bounce to tip in his misses.  He was really fun to watch as he avoided picking up charges by using a euro step that he could execute with either foot.

Alex Powell – Georgia Stars – 2019

Georgia Stars post Alex Powell

Georgia Stars post Alex Powell

You really can’t deny the potential upside of a 6’8 8th grader, and even more so when you have a 6’8 8th grader that has his coordination together and a couple of go to moves in his arsenal.  Powell wasn’t some stiff out on the floor, he stayed active and got his hands on a ton of rebounds.  Strength is what he needs immediately, but that will come as he missed out on hauling in a number of rebounds due to him not being able to rip them down or away from his opponent.  On the low block he impressed by converting on a few short hooks over his right shoulder.  It looks as if he understands angles a bit, as he didn’t fight defenders off from trying to front him, but rather pivoting and following the ball with his hands ready to provide a nice target.  Powell’s mobility doesn’t look like an issue as he kept up with the pace of the game.  He even proved he could step out and shoot it as he calmly sank short jumpers on the baseline and topped it off with a sweet turn around jump shot in the middle of the lane.

Brandon Green – Georgia Red Storm – 2019

This 6-foot-4 has continued to grow and sharpen his skill set over the past year. He can impact a game at both ends of the floor. Defensively, he has the athleticism, length, and moxy to defend all three perimeter positions. He is a tough rebounded and is able to lead the break either delivering a solid pass or finishing around the cup.

Kerry Willis is the Director of Scouting for Courtcred.com and is a contributor to On the Radar Hoops. You can reach him via email at Kwillis@courtcred.com.

 


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