#TerryTalks: Peach State Day 1 Standouts

PeachState 2023 is underway, and teams from across the country have come to Augusta. There were a lot of talented players on the court on day one, and here are a few that stood out to me… 

Bryce Ward (5’11/PG/’27/Low Country Elite)

Instagram: brycboii3 

Bryce is a lead guard that was dynamic as a playmaker. His strength was attacking off the bounce, as no one could contain him in one-on-one situations. He has a good balance between scoring and facilitating, but he showed the strength of his game to be his ability to score off the bounce. He is shifty off the bounce and crafty with his finishes in the paint. He showed his ability to use either hand in traffic and was also very poised in tight spaces. Defensively he had active hands and applied solid ball pressure. Overall, he has the physical tools and potential to be a player we will keep our eyes on. 

Jason Hart (5’5/CG/’28/YSE)

Instagram: Imshifty_2028

Jason has a small frame, but his impact was definitely felt. He showed that he could play on and off the ball, and his production never fell off when he switched between positions. He has good court awareness and knows how to set the table for his teammates. He has a soft touch from all over the floor. He’s comfortable using floaters and runners and sets up his scoring opportunities with frequent changes of speed dribbles during his attack off the bounce. Even though he switched between both guard spots, he was at his best creating for his teammates and for himself from the lead guard spot. He can be counted on the run the offense, and his team is really at their best when he is being aggressive.     

Keegan Keeton (5’9/CG/’28/MC Warriors)

Instagram: keetonkeegan

Twitter: @keegankeeton

Keegan has emerged as not just one of the best shooters in his state, but he is amongst the talks of the best shooters in the country. When he steps across the half-court, he is in range and does not hesitate shooting from that deep. He showed that he can put the rock on the floor when teams run him off the line, and he has floaters and runners in his finishing arsenal. He is a shooting specialist who can carry the 3 and D label. He is one of the most aggressive on-ball defenders I saw on the first day. His stock continues to rise every time I see him.  

Quintyn Voltz (5’10/CG/’28/Team Teague Johnson)

Instagram: theofficialquintynvoltz

Twitter: @QuintynVoltz

Quintyn is one of the smoothest players that I saw on day one. He is highly skilled and plays at a nice pace. He does not come at you with a forceful downhill attack, but he has a quick first step and set-up moves that he uses to hunt the paint that leaves defender’s heads spinning. Q is a versatile player who can play on or off the ball and is a multi-level scorer. He is a playmaker that is physically gifted enough to play 1-3. He has good court vision and awareness, allowing him to read the defense on the move and find open teammates. He plays both ends of the floor which ball-handlers need to be aware of because he ripped several players while I watched him.

Jahlil Jenkins (5’5/PG/’28/Carolina Tigers’ 28) 

Instagram: Born2ball

Jahlil is a small lead guard but extremely cerebral. He has a nice feel for the game, and his team is in safe hands as he orchestrates the offense. He is a quick point guard with scoring instincts and is at his best in an up-tempo game where he can really push the pace of play. He is a gamer who is very difficult to contain off the bounce as he converts in the lane at a high rate. JJ commands and gives opponents guards a lot of problems on both ends of the floor. His game made it hard not to consider him part of the upper echelon of lead guards I saw on day one. JJ is a tough cover off the bounce, as everything that he is and does for his team creates possibilities.

Omar Torres (5’10/SG/’28/Team Spartans)

Instagram: omart0rres

Twitter: omart0rres_

Omar is listed as a shooting guard but spent most of his time at the lead guard position. He has a nice physical profile and plays a physical brand of basketball. Omar was aggressive from the jump and was getting wherever he wanted on the offensive end of the floor. He struggled to finish early in the game, but as the game went on, he punished the MC Warriors off of dribble penetration. He set the tone early, using his strength to punish smaller guards, and as he did so, he showed his team how they were going to win the match-up. There wasn’t anything flashy about his game as most of his game consisted of straight-line drives in the half-court, allowing him to get his shot at any point in the possession. He is the alpha leader on his squad, and they are poised for a good tourney.