GAINESVILLE, GA – The brand-new East Forsyth HS complex played host to its first Bronco Holiday Classic last weekend, and 8 solid teams descended on the Lake Lanier-area for a full day of hoops. Here are some standouts from the 4 games: By: Keith Agran Niko Wilson | 5-10 | CG | 2023 | Lambert More of the same for Wilson who has been steadily carving up the competition from day one in November, he posted 35 of their 69 points in the loss to Calhoun and even with regularly changing defenses......
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CUMMING, GA – After a sick wave that disrupted teams this week as well as this writer, we recovered enough to turn the key on the ignition and head out. This Sage Speaks covers a trip to Douglas County for a Thursday night jaunt and the War Lodge Invitational doubleheader at Sequoyah Friday night. We’ll circle back later for individual coverage of the 3 Showcases from the weekend and pre-Christmas slate early this week. By: Keith Agran Paulding County at Alexander (12/16/21) WHAT HAPPENED: Alexander W 77-72 – In a terrific HS-basketball......
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NORCROSS, GA – We move to Night 2 of the Hawks-Naismith Classic for 2021, this group of games Saturday from Norcross HS. Some standouts: By: Keith Agran Malique Ewin | 6-10| PF | Berkmar | 2022 The Ole Miss-commit has the full array going against what is now a depleted Milton-team up front, finished with 25 pts and showed us some of the movement and smoothness that he brings as a finisher particularly when given space facing the basket, equally devastating is the catch-in-close deuces especially against teams that can’t match his......
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ATLANTA, GA – One of the season’s classiest and most anticipated events took place this past weekend in 2 locations, with girls and boys games in the Hawks-Naismith Holiday Classic spread between Holy Innocents’ and Norcross HS. OTR was in both spots for boys action Friday and Saturday, and armed with NBA level stats provided by the Atlanta Hawks staff on hand, here are some standouts first from Holy Innocents’: By: Keith Agran Will Hopkins | 6-5 | SG | Holy Innocents’ | 2024 My first look at Hopkins and as advertised......
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MARIETTA, GA – We finish our TOC coverage with capsules on the last two games of the evening: By: Keith Agran Milton vs Pebblebrook RESULT: Pebblebrook W 64-47 PEBBLEBROOK PLAYERS WHO SHINED: Kami Young (6-2, SR, G) Jordan Brown (6-2, SR, G), Jaiun Simon (6-6, JR, F) MILTON PLAYERS WHO SHINED: Seth Fitzgerald (6-3, JR, G), Kanaan Carlyle (6-4, JR, G) SUMMARY: Playing their first game back since the publicized off-court turmoil has left them without seniors Cam Walker and Jonathan Murray, it was not that surprising that the first 16 minutes......
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ATLANTA, GA – Let’s move to Part 2 of my can’t miss guys from UA Hard in the Paint’s first 5 time slots at Maynard Jackson HS. by: Keith Agran Jalen “Roc” Lee | 6-5 | SG | Solid Rock | 2024 Rapidly moving up the charts to the top of the 2024 class is the exciting Lee, who is a true bunches-scorer who gets into such a rhythm at times he almost seems in a trance, were it not for his great vocal nature and enthusiasm on the floor it would......
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ATLANTA, GA – Atlanta Xpress and Maynard Jackson HS hosted two days of hoops over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and OTR was in the house for the first blocks of Day 2. Generally smaller, lesser-known programs populate those early time slots, but there were plenty of guys who shined, here are 8 from the first 3 games alone: By: Keith Agran Keondre Jones | 6-2 | CG | Therrell | 2022 Was all over the place at both ends in giving Hapeville Charter all they could handle after the Hornets finally got......
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SNELLVILLE, GA – One of the country’s premier annual Thanksgiving holiday tournaments went off once again in Atlanta, and this time Holiday Hoospgiving was hosted by Shiloh HS in two gyms, and we were on site for Day 1 action predominantly in Gym 2. Here is Part 1 with my first 5 standouts from some excellent day-long action: By: Keith Agran Bryson Ogletree | 6-4 | SG | 2022 | Mundy’s Mill This Mundy’s Mill group was athletic and fun even at 10:30 in the morning, as they got up and down......
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CUMMING, GA – In a holiday week full of tournaments, “Sage Speaks” will cover two small Thanksgiving events from Woodstock and North Forsyth, as we braved the holiday traffic to get two locations in one day. We’ve covered Jared Cook, and we’ll do Holiday Hoospgiving and UA Hard in the Paint separately as well to come. Here are some notes below from my “2-for” on Tuesday: By: Keith Agran Centennial vs Pope (11/23/21, Wolverine Classic at Woodstock) WHAT HAPPENED: Centennial W 59-23 – A seriously perplexing afternoon final despite the stellar defense Centennial......
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SUWANEE, GA – The 3-day hoop fest that is the Jared Cook Classic was held once again at North Gwinnett HS last week, and OTR was in the house for Day 2’s matchups. Some impressions: By: Keith Agran Langston Hughes vs Lambert RESULT: Lambert W 64-59 GAME NOTES: New Longhorn Head Coach Clay Wages has picked right up where Scott Bracco now of East Forsyth left off, as this group is organized and well-drilled in both the fundamentals and execution. Against what is traditionally one of the better defensive programs in the......
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