RYZE Tipoff Classic – Saturday Notebook Part 3

<p>And 8 more from Saturday’s action at the RYZE Tipoff at LakePoint:</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="820311" first="Nathan" last="Rodriguez"], 6-3, PF, NME (2023, North Paulding)</strong></em></p> <p>Continues his seemingly unlikely ascendency as an undersized, modern-day post man, but size aside he gets the job done with a lethal combo of basketball smarts, unrelenting hustle and an array of post moves which most kids today simply don’t have or understand, he’s taking things to another level as his body and mind mature approaching his junior HS season and this summer will be a great springboard for that.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1050117" first="Earnest" last="Ofremu"], 6-4, SF, NME (2023, McEachern)</strong></em></p> <p>The Indians next breakout star could very well be wearing the blue and white of North Metro, even in glimpses I caught some of the special athletic gifts Ofremu brings to the table, a high riser and sleek mover his basketball acumen is growing exponentially as well as he is expanding his scoring levels further from the basket, and like so many on this talented and underrated NME roster will see even more attention this summer.</p> <p><em><strong>Tre Chatman, 6-4, SG/SF, SBT (2022, North Cobb Christian)</strong></em></p> <p>Becoming a regular thing highlighting Chatman's exploits already, he had two games Saturday that will be legendary in no time with 41 points in their first game and 37 more to help lead a stirring comeback win in their second, his game does stretch out beyond the arc but his real damage and skillset occur inside 18 feet where he has the stout frame yet serious quickness to score from the mid-range with really nice touch and then in close with overwhelming strength and inherent agility, a truly full package to deal with and a sure-fire summer breakout to keep eyes on.</p> <p><em><strong>Quantae Rogers, 6-1, CG, ATL Hoops (2021, ATL Basketball Academy, pictured above)</strong></em></p> <p>One of the day’s surprises for sure as I was getting my first look at this uber-talented guard, plenty talented enough to have played for a 7A power he toyed with defenders and made the game look far easier than it is, plays with 3 other unsigned 2021’s who bear mentioning (<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1130503" first="Jacorye" last="Favors"]</strong> of Washington, who may reclassify to 2022, <strong>Avante Harper</strong> of Parkview, and <strong>Elijah William</strong>s of Providence Christian), Rogers is slithery and smart on the floor which makes for a scoring package which was dominant from multiple levels as he handled both guard spots, long-range shooting, crafty drives, decisive distribution, heady defending, it was all there and this is an unsigned 2021 that can help a next-level program right away.</p> <p><em><strong>Jake Tillman, 6-0, PG, Mva Outlawz (2024, Alpharetta)</strong></em></p> <p>Rapidly rising to the top of the 2024 class is this slick lead guard who doesn’t appear a freshman when going up against juniors and seniors, his game is advanced and his understanding is even further ahead as he possesses the qualities of a well-seasoned PG but also the veteran traits of an accomplished scorer, shoots it, drives it, passes it, this Raider will undoubtedly continue to draw praise from here and other outlets as his play does all there talking.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1050124" first="Jalan" last="Johnson"], 5-9, PG, SBT (2023, North Cobb)</strong></em></p> <p>In the undersized but immensely talented category of rising PG’s from Saturday is Johnson (along with NME’s superb [player_tooltip player_id="1049220" first="BJ" last="Brown"] of Harrison), all he did against a talented and spirited bunch from the Vintage Warriors was take on all comers, handle serious pressure, make excellent decisions all game (many resulting in big <strong>Terrell Reeves</strong> finishes, another North Cobb prospect to watch at 6-6), and knock down hugely important 3-balls when his team needed a lift or was trying to close things out, it’s that kind of steady and clutch play which bears the attention of anyone seeking a sound lead guard and for whom height doesn’t hinder logical decision making.</p> <p><em><strong>Kylan McKinnie, 6-1, CG, Vintage Warriors (2023, Eagle’s Landing)</strong></em></p> <p>A program coming off an incredible run to a state title is sure to have players to watch, and the pipeline to more success appears filled with the likes of McKinnie and some of his Warriors teammates (<strong>Ty Redmond</strong> and <strong>Isaiah Parrott</strong> to name two), but McKinnie took honors in this game with his full-court game of deft ballhandling, high-rising, soft shooting touch and terrific on-ball defense, loved the moxie and confidence out there as he was the catalyst in a comeback attempt against SBT that fell just a little short. </p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="598779" first="Jordan" last="Riley"], 5-10, PG, Tri-City Elite (2022, Parkview)</strong></em></p> <p>Tri-City continues to put out clubs that will test you across the entire width of the floor and is clearly deserving of mention among the top independent programs in the state, another Parkview product in Riley impressed with his tough to deal with combination of deadly long-range shooting and quick bursts to the hole off the dribble that even a well-schooled Norcross Heat team had trouble with, he’s quite able to handle the lead guard post and even under 6-0 can be a problem shifting over to the wing.</p>