Sandy’s Spiel Fall League Midseason Takeaways

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Union Grove will be a Problem</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Union Grove has been a great surprise at the Fall League, racking up a 3-1 record at the Labor Day break. Coming from the southside, the Wolverines have made their weekly treks to Dallas a business trip, securing multiple impressive wins. [player_tooltip player_id='1045088' first='Eric' last='Garcia'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1227099' first='Nile' last='King'] are double-double machines. Garcia has averaged 16.8 points and 13.3 rebounds while King has posted 14.3 points and 11.3 rebounds. Tony Colley is an X-Factor with his versatility on the perimeter as is [player_tooltip player_id='1574210' first='Caleb' last='Samples'], an intriguing 2025 swingman with inside-out capabilities. The Wolverines are an athletic group that plays extremely hard. Their guard play is steady between [player_tooltip player_id='1408561' first='Caleb' last='Johnson'], Chance Whitfield and Allen Suber. [player_tooltip player_id='1173189' first='Brandon' last='Simmons'] figures to have a bright future as well as a 2025 guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1300746' first='Justin' last='McCarter'] has D-I Upside</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 6-foot-5, the stock riser is as smooth as they come in the Fall League. McCarter does so much well. He gets to his shots with ease, attacking off the dribble and stopping on a dime to rise and fire. He uses his length to finish at the rim and is an effective rebounder and defender. While McCarter's three-level scoring is his calling card, especially his jump shooting, his court vision is quite impressive as well. Justin is a stat sheet stuffer that continues to get better every time I see him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Don't Sleep on Paulding County Guards</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1381054' first='Javonne' last='Williams'] of Paulding County has had a monster first half averaging 17.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals while South Paulding's [player_tooltip player_id='1133341' first='Jeremiah' last='Taylor'] has led a balanced attack posting 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game. What do both players have in common? They have both led their respective teams to 4-0 records and both play with a great motor. What's most impressive about Williams is that he's second in the League in scoring and hasn't made a single three-pointer. Teams know he's getting to the rack and all they can do is foul him. He poured in 27 points against Osborne, assaulting the rim and mixing in pull-ups when needed. Taylor is another slash-first guard, but he has hit a handful of threes to keep the defense honest. He's a great offensive rebounder and a superior athlete to most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Welcome to 7A, Carrollton</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year's magical run to the Elite 8 may be tough to replicate now up in 7A, but the Trojans will still be a difficult matchup thanks to their three-headed monster in the backcourt. [player_tooltip player_id='1267166' first='O'Brien' last='Watkins'], [player_tooltip player_id='1530150' first='Keshaun' last='Pace'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1558574' first='Eli' last='Pippins'] have combined to average 35.8 points per game over the first four weeks of Fall League. Watkins is the table setter, bursting through the holes of the defense like a running back when attacking the hoop. Pace does a little bit of everything while Pippins can be penciled in for two threes and two layups nightly. Once at full strength during the high school season, the Trojans will welcome blue chip football star [player_tooltip player_id='1348529' first='Caleb' last='Odom'] to provide size and even more athleticism as a 6-foot-6 wing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Know these Shooters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1558576' first='Isaac' last='Plavich'] leads the League in threes with 13 while [player_tooltip player_id='1558566' first='Cole' last='Smith'] has hit 10. Don't know them? You should get familiar for this upcoming season. Plavich, a sophomore, has emerged for Christian Heritage in the absence of [player_tooltip player_id='1055485' first='Jax' last='Abernathy']. The potent scorer is averaging 15.8 points per game, fourth in the League. He will see a major role in the offense this season. Smith has been the go-to guy for Allatoona this Fall dating back to Week 1 when he exploded for 29 points. The strong wing is averaging 15.5 points, 8 rebounds and 2.5 steals. He looks like the next breakout senior for Allatoona.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->