PH GA Freshman Showcase – Akiem’s Primetime Performers (Part 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The premier high school hoopers of Georgia and the southeast can put away their travel uniforms until March of 2024. The high school season is upon us in a few months.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But before that, many of those primetime ballers took part in an event where they wore jerseys with the oh-so-sleek Prep Hoops logo. That, of course, was the Freshman Showcase. Georgia's was one of five that took place throughout the weekend with others taking place in Illinois, Kentucky, Florida and Ohio.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And of course, we were on hand. Here is a look at a few from this past weekend that caught my attention. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2125570"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2126571,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eTynan Nealis got things started as the boys schedule of Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase got underway. He was effective early and often as she used his 6-foot-2 to make plenty of plays near the rim – particularly in the interior. What helps a team also is his ability to haul in rebounds on either end of the floor. During the AAU months of spring and summer, Nealis ran with Empire Elite. Nealis also is unafraid to draw necessary contact and give his team additional opportunities at the free throw line. In many ways, Nealis set the tone to give his team a victory as this year's Prep Hoops Freshman Showcase got underway.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64dc15ec4e7d8"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1543537"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2126572,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eUmenyiora was another who got his Sunday at Next Play 360 off on the right pair of kicks. His play was indicative that the boys portion of Freshman Showcase Sunday would be every bit as scintillating as the girls slate of matchups. Umenyiora consistently displayed how much of an asset he can be to a team – including the Mount Pisgah bunch he will be part of when the 2023-24 season commences in a few months. Umenyiora is listed at 6-foot-2. The Prep Hoops Georgia Freshman showcase was filled with “just getting started” talents and Umenyiora is one of those.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64dc15ec4e85b"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2125514"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2126573,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eOn the heels of what was a travel season that saw him play for Team Scoot Henderson, this rising star is looking to translate that into a successful freshman season at Kell. He stands at an even six feet. A 3-point shot happens to be part of his offensive arsenal in addition to the knowledge that basketball is indeed a contact sport. That knowledge will put him in position to draw contact and convert on free throw opportunities. He also contributed heavily to his team's first victory on Sunday to get his time in Marietta off to an auspicious start.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64dc15ec4e8c5"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1986996"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eJust as it was the case on the girls end of the ledger, the boys field for the Prep Hoops Georgia Freshman Showcase also had a few standouts make the trek from out of state. Sims was one of those notables as he plays for Fox Creek – a South Carolina school located in the CSRA (metro-Augusta) region. A signature element of his game is how accurate he can be from long range. If Sims has the rock behind the 3-point arc, he is likely to take and make said attempt. Sims is listed at 6-foot-1 and is coming off a travel campaign where he ran with [program_tooltip program_id='2078752' first='Upward' last='Stars'].u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64dc15ec4e92a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2126578,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"William Russell","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Eastside","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eThe taller they are, the harder they can be to defend against – or score on. Russell made sure that was true on Sunday as he used every bit of his 6-foot-6 frame to his advantage. One can expect Russell to convert on many high-percentage opportunities and some of those could be two-point putbacks as a result of an offensive rebound. Russell is also unafraid of contact in the interior and is a potent threat to block shots as a defender. If one is an aficionado of Eastside, one has to be beaming about the possibilities with Russell wearing that school's colors.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64dc15ec4e9cf"} /-->