GHSA Playoffs: ATL-Metro Day Two Superlatives

<p>The opening round of the GHSA playoffs really ratcheted up Wednesday night, here we look at some more first-round outstanding performers.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="754239" first="Jusaun" last="Holt"], G, St Francis</strong></em></p> <p>(24 pts, 9 reb, 4 at, 2 stls vs Walker) - (WATCHED ON NFHS) The full arsenal was on display in the win, the handle, the deep shooting, the aggressive attack, Walker did what they could switching off the matchups but his inside-out game was just too good.</p> <p><em><strong>Drew Robinson, G, St Francis</strong></em></p> <p>(19 pts, 3 reb, 2 asts, 3 stls vs Walker) - (WATCHED ON NFHS) Impressive shooting outing for the junior, likes to camp at the line and get off his pure, quick stroke.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="754267" first="Will" last="Richard"], G, Woodward Academy</strong></em></p> <p>(19 pts, 5 reb vs Griffin) - Really thrived in the lead-man role with [player_tooltip player_id="691431" first="Walker" last="Kessler"] graduated, an efficient scorer with multiple level effectiveness.</p> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id="1130504" first="Logan" last="Stephens"], G, Woodward Academ</em>y</strong></p> <p>(21pts, 3 reb vs Griffin) - Powerful guard can be dynamic off the bounce or knocking down beyond the arc, will really guard you, great complement to Richard.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870154" first="TJ" last="Clark"], G, Newton</strong></em></p> <p>(23 pts vs Colquitt County) - Sometimes this skilled senior gunner can be overshadowed by his young 2023 up-and-coming compadres, but he always makes contributions in some way and can flat out score in bunches.  </p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1004875" first="Wyatt" last="Fricks"] and [player_tooltip player_id="806745" first="Isaiah" last="Nelson-Ododa"], Winder-Barrow</strong></em></p> <p>(A pair of double-doubles vs Douglas County) - Totalled 21 points, 21 rebounds and 11 blocks between the two big forwards in a big-time road win at DCHS, that kind of glass cleaning and rim protection will be challenging for a smaller Centennial bunch in round 2.</p> <p><strong><em>Landon Kardian, F, Holy Innocent</em>s</strong></p> <p>(17 pts, 10 reb, 7 at, 3 blks vs Athens Christian) - The big Kennesaw St football-signee took center stage away from stars [player_tooltip player_id="806722" first="Garrison" last="Powell"] and Justin Wilson, this team can go deep with extra production from glue guys like Kardian.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="830573" first="AJ" last="White"] and [player_tooltip player_id="687647" first="Jordan" last="Brown"], Chattahoochee</strong></em></p> <p>(Both 20+ point evenings vs Pope) - 48 points between them, and while not quite the [player_tooltip player_id="868086" first="Cam" last="Sheffield"]-White combo from last year’s state title-winning group, this duo still features the electric senior White and his scoring acumen and now adds a maturing junior Brown who while not the size of Sheffield can still score, pass, guard and rebound from the backcourt.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="869648" first="Jaylen" last="Harris"], G, Kell</strong></em></p> <p>(21 pts, 5 reb vs River Ridge) - The Longhorns needed everything in the tank to slip past the Knights, and there was Harris again doing so many things well at both ends for his team to complement the star power of teammate [player_tooltip player_id="598763" first="Scoot" last="Henderson"].</p> <p><em><strong>Vino Glover and [player_tooltip player_id="820282" first="Ethan" last="Davis"], Collins Hill</strong></em></p> <p>(Double figures vs Etowah) - The two high-profile stars were among 4 in double figures for the Eagles (Chris Lanns and Jabre Mills the others), the senior Glover has had a solid season in the backcourt while the 2023 Davis is one of the fastest rising players in that class.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="949916" first="Tony" last="Carpio"], F, Providence Christian</strong></em> </p> <p>(21 pts, 10 reb, 2 blks vs George Walton) - Another double-double for the 2022 riser, his game and production have been spot-on since the calendar turned and few big man in the Meteo have been more impactful.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="598780" first="Chance" last="Thacker"], G, Providence Christian</strong></em></p> <p>(18 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast vs George Walton) - More of the do-it-all variety for the versatile guard who’s stock has been rising since July of last year and there’s little reason to see it slow any at all.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="754331" first="Brookes" last="Kahlert"], G, St Pius</strong></em></p> <p>(20 pts vs Walnut Grove) - On a team where so many post production every night Kahlert remains the stalwart at the PG spot, the game runs through him and whether it’s Trey Acklin (11 pts) or Cal Peterson (15 pts) doing damage the flashy ballhandler seemingly has a hand in it.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="758360" first="RJ" last="Godfrey"], F, North Gwinnett</strong></em></p> <p>(17 pts, 9 reb vs Roswell) - This is the kind of stat line you get from Godfrey and the kind of next-level player the 2022 product can be down the line, gifted scorer around the basket and absolute glass-cleaner at both ends.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870169" first="Christian" last="Drummer"], G/F, Archer</strong></em></p> <p>(17 pts, 7 reb vs Gainesville) - Unquestionably one of the Metro’s most underrated players, goes out every night and does what his team needs, a worker who replaces flash and flair with smarts and <em><strong>fundamentals.</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1020667" first="Griffin" last="Cherry"] and Daylen Thrower, North Paulding</strong></em></p> <p>(36 combined points vs East Coweta) - Cherry has been proving doubters wrong all year with his tremendous deep shooting and decision-making from the point, Thrower rolls under the radar a bit like Drummer but gets his work in with terrific athleticism in a slasher’s role.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="869615" first="Ian" last="Davis"] and [player_tooltip player_id="869631" first="Navaughn" last="Maise"], Discovery</strong></em></p> <p>(14 and 12, respectively vs South Forsyth) - As good a road win as you’ll see in the playoffs, and the inside-out duo of Maise gutting it out on the interior and Davis attacking and bombing from the wing has been fun to watch for a team that plays hard and entertains.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870161" first="Anthony" last="Arrington"], G, Galloway</strong></em></p> <p>(25 pts, 9 reb vs Tallulah Falls) - Broken record territory with Arrington doing it all over the floor on a nightly basis, suck skill, and versatility for one of the state’s best-kept secrets down on the A-Private level.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="754284" first="Zyair" last="Greene"], G, Miller Grove</strong></em></p> <p>(17 pts vs Central-Carrollton) - Yet another underrated gem not playing in a marquee program but the production is always there for this physical, skilled guard who can get downhill on you and is one of the area’s best defenders.</p>