GBCA Live Session II: Must-See Performers Pt 2

<p>And here’s Part 2 of some must-see guys from the GBCA Live Session II:</p> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id="1205841" first="Kourtland" last="Tolbert"], 6-3, SG, 2022, Denmark</em></strong></p> <p>Saw more Friday and Sunday of the maturity and amped-up energy level he’s been shown g during a solid campaign with AC Georgia Select 17U, when he gets going he can be an absolute terror in the open floor and is a top 5 rebounding guard both with good size and terrific vertical, can help with the ballhandling but is at his best in space facing up with a chance to see what’s ahead of him in the paint, this is a newish roster with the likes of intriguing international arrivals 6-8 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1227070" first="Nordin" last="Kapic"] (Europe, nice footwork and soft hands in the post), 6-8 2023 Keinan McFarlande (Virgin Islands, big and long but perhaps a bit more of a project) and 2023 guard Chad Molloy (Virgin Islands, speedy, skilled with ball)  joining hard-worker and glue guy 2022 F Jayden Hilliman, 2022 SG Jackson Gibree and 2023 wing Stefan Davidov. </p> <p><em><strong>Corey Gibbs, 6-3, PG, 2022, Sandy Creek</strong></em></p> <p>This team was intriguing although with graduation losses and transfers out plus new faces coming in as well it looked as though some chemistry still needs to be established, still Gibbs gives them some seriously physical downhill PG-play and should be a key veteran stabilizing force with skilled new guards 2023 Vic Newsom and 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1204748" first="Amari" last="Brown"], Gibbs can play and will get looks for his floor leadership, frame and speed with the ball but these 3 plus others will frankly be the sprinkles on top as monster 2024 6-7 [player_tooltip player_id="1050448" first="Micah" last="Smith"] continues his upward move as one of the state’s top players.</p> <p><em><strong>Fabian Desilva, 6-5, SF, 2022, Eagle’s Landing</strong></em></p> <p>This Eagles crew is a sure-fire top 5 team in the state heading into this fall with a deep cast of returnees from a state title team, Desilva has been putting in the work on his game with Quiet Storm and it looks to be paying off as he continues showing off an improved face-up package together with his athletic work on the interior, 6-5 2022 stud [player_tooltip player_id="1043319" first="AJ" last="Barnes"] was terrific particularly defensively in his matchup against Fayette County’s [player_tooltip player_id="948801" first="Kaleb" last="Banks"] Friday and gives this group immense versatility at his size, add to them top 2023 guard [player_tooltip player_id="598781" first="David" last="Thomas"] who can flat out do it all with his varied skills and uber-athlete 6-4 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1214189" first="Jordan" last="Fordyce"] and you have an incredible array of weapons and athletes to deploy on the south side.</p> <p><strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id="1139776" first="Caleb" last="Smith"], 6-3, SG, 2022, SW DeKalb</em></strong></p> <p>Not blessed with a lot of size SWD will have to look to the emerging Smith to do a lot more than just score, he’s hitting the glass, guarding multiple spots and handling the ball for a Panthers team that has some of its typical athleticism but perhaps not quite the depth as prior years, still Smith showing off his versatility and big-shot making talents will not go missed as he has the look of a 20+ ppg guy, he gets solid help in the backcourt from savvy veteran 2022 guard Jordan Sanders and this is the kind of program that gets better as the season wears on so expect them to be all you can handle by January ’22.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1131772" first="CJ" last="Hyland"], 5-11, PG, 2024, Lanier (pictured above)</strong></em></p> <p>It’s a 1 and 1A type scenario when you talk Lanier hoops and their two exceptional 2024 risers Hyland and 6-7 forward [player_tooltip player_id="1131774" first="Jayce" last="Nathaniel"], both had the slew of D1 coaches sitting around me Sunday wanting to know more from me as Hyland showed off his impressively advanced all-court game as a scoring lead guard and Nathaniel was erasing shots, running the floor like a gazelle and finishing inside without interruption, Hyland looks to be growing as he’s already a couple inches taller than last regular season and is as poised and naturally gifted a guard as there is in the class, both play for Team Huncho 15U so we’ll see a lot more of them in July.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="870183" first="Robert" last="Dix"], 6-6, SF, 2022, Hillgrove</strong></em></p> <p>Having spent the last 2 seasons almost as an understudy to others on deep South Cobb rosters it’s a wise move if nothing else for Dix to have followed Coach Greg Moultrie 10.5 miles north, finally now he’s the man and coming off a brilliant spring with Georgia Legacy he looked polished and confident using his great frame for dribble-drive variety and showing off the maturity of a sleek jump-shooter who can find his spots, he was a D1 prospect to me 2 years ago when I first saw him as a sophomore and is even more soundly in that category today, Campbell-transfer 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id="1131777" first="Jeremiah" last="Wilkinson"] has been handed the reigns and it’s a brilliant move to me as he can really handle it and is an advanced-level scorer who tons of moxie and Trae Young-like range, don’t sleep on the considerable contributions of 6-7 2022 forward Isaiah Pettigrew, who just goes out there and hustle his tail off, produces buckets inside and rebounds with ferocity.</p>