OTR The Opening: Sunday Standouts Part 1

<p>With the first full weekend of the AAU season humming here in GA, was able to take in about 6 hours of action on Day 2 of The Opening down at McEachern HS. As is often the case with On the Radar, many of the top teams in the state were on hand, and here are my first 8 standout performers from a fun day.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870180" first="Grant" last="Portera"], 6-3, CG, Atlanta Wolfpack (2022, River Ridge)</strong></em></p> <p>Handling the PG a lot for the Wolfpack and it seems to be becoming a better fit each time out, with good size and quickness he can be effective at that spot using his exceptional athleticism to get downhill or for his comfortable mid-range game for the pull-up J, showing much more consistency from 3 and can really get at the rim when he gets a head of steam, poised for a big summer with a talented team around him that is a great fit.</p> <p><em><strong>Grant Moore, 6-6, PF, Atlanta Wolfpack (2022, West Forsyth)</strong></em></p> <p>Just enamored with what this uber-athlete can become with the kind of reps and competition he’ll see this summer around town, so rangy with terrific lift off the deck, he can be a monster crashing from the wing or back you down for a nice power move in close, an elite rebounder and sound defender who plays above the rim and can provide an exciting lift of momentum with one of his thunderous jams.</p> <p><em><strong>Jordan Fordyce, 6-4, CG, Georgia Fire (2022, Eagle’s Landing, pictured above))</strong></em></p> <p>An elite athlete with the skills to play either guard post, physical build and style makes him a tough matchup, he can back down smaller players or create space out past the arc for 3-balls and mid-range pulls, is as good a rebounder from the backcourt as I’ve seen since November, really gets off the deck and is an exciting finisher both on the break and off the drive.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1130592" first="Yannis" last="Woods"], 6-8, PF, Georgia Fire (2022, Jonesboro)</strong></em></p> <p>Second time getting eyes on this fascinating forward from the south side of the ATL, so much intriguing upside with his length and movement, can really get up above the rim as a finisher, rebounder or shot-blocker, looking forward to seeing him more and get a look at his perimeter face-up possibilities because that element will take him to another level, still even now a must-see for anyone traveling the local circuits. </p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1049037" first="Josh" last="Hughes"], 6-5, PF, OTP (2022, Etowah)</strong></em></p> <p>Post game just continues to evolve as one of a few guys in the ATL-Metro who embraces the back to the basket game and is seeking to hone it, moving better and better and has really added a toughness edge which I believe has come from a confidence in knowing that he now belongs out there with the elite posts, with the advanced OTP tutoring he’ll receive I see his already high IQ floor presence adding even more to his burgeoning game. </p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1020680" first="Dajuan" last="Devonish"], 6-1, PG, OTP (2022, Etowah)</strong></em></p> <p>After seeing a lot of these 2022 and 2023 Etowah guys both last summer and this past regular season I feel the Eagles will be a real sleeper pick to go deep in next year’s playoffs, Devonish is among a slew of guys making steady progress that is measurable to anyone who’s watched him, more confidence attacking using his terrific handle, more willingness to not bull his way into large traffic areas and instead rely on his jump-shooting, showing a more composed feel running the show and already an elite on-ball defender.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870183" first="Robert" last="Dix"], 6-6, SF, Georgia Legacy (2022, South Cobb)</strong></em></p> <p>Since seeing him early in his sophomore year I’ve been wowed by the inherent gifts Dix has in his game, it seemed to me he had some difficulty finding a good fit last summer on the circuits but I think Legacy is a great one for him, he can do his thing - attack from the wing, use his soft jumper in space, be a force inside both on the glass and catching on the block when he moves to the 4, with great athleticism and size defend all 5 spots when needed, he’s set to enter a senior season where the floor in Austell may finally be his to shine and he has all the tools in the world to quickly emerge as a high D1 summer breakout. </p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870203" first="Braden" last="Pierce"], 6-10, C, Georgia Legacy (2022, River Ridge)</strong></em></p> <p>Has come a full universe from where he was when I first saw him in June of 2020, just incredible leaps and bounds at both ends, a confidence in his scoring game which includes both a nice mid-range jumper package as well as a myriad of spins and floaters that are finding bottom more than not, has become one of the state’s best erasers at the rim as his timing and positioning are spot-on, getting sniffs from high D1’s and I expect that to ramp up potentially as he matches head to head with some of the state’s better centers. </p>