OTP Fall League Eye-Catchers Pt 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The OTP travel basketball organization run by Jack Shaughnessy is ever expanding and filling its roster of coaches and administrators with a ton of young and vibrant basketball talent and ambition from around the Atlanta-area. Coming off a spring and summer where its first New Balance Pro 16 17U team turned a lot of heads with a bevy of rising talent occupying the roster, the expansion continues this fall with its first-ever Fall League held at various sites in Cherokee County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Up and running on Sundays since August 18, the league runs from a 5th/6th division up through Varsity, with a mix of travel teams and schools represented. Let's roll back a bit and look at some standouts from the first few weeks of action, Pt 1 of 2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Keith Parker III | Redline | 2031</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2610795,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240818_111124-rotated-crop-3000x1970-1727727786.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240818_111124-rotated-crop-3000x1970-1727727786.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2610795" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Keith Parker III</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A tight handle for a young player, he has strong instincts for the age group and can create space for his shot or use the blow-by. Defensively, he's a 1/2 step ahead of most others in the division with smart positioning and active hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Markus Galins | King's Ridge | 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Got after it effort-wise and it showed in helping his team win when I saw the KRCS JV win during early fall action. You see some of the possibilities of where he can take things as a multi-level threat with some time to develop, can knock them down or put it on the deck, and KRCS will likely be very welcoming for some fresh faces after this year's group of seniors rolls through.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Ethan Patti | OTP | 2029</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2610804,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240818_085728-rotated-crop-3000x1970-1727728069.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240818_085728-rotated-crop-3000x1970-1727728069.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2610804" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ethan Patti</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing on a pretty talented 8th-grade team, Patti consistently stands out for his ability to play both guard spots and be a clever scorer or effective distributor. Not afraid to also get dirty closer to the basket, he makes a lot of hustle plays and contributes the little things that help teams win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2471139' first='Matlock' last='Gemberling'] | Sequoyah | 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2610797,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240818_170005-rotated-crop-3000x1970-1727727895.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240818_170005-rotated-crop-3000x1970-1727727895.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2610797" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='2471139' first='Matlock' last='Gemberling']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Perhaps no player in the early weeks of action separated himself from a pack of guys we didn't know much about more than Gemberling. At 6-3 he fills a frontcourt role which may not be ideally suited for him but one he attacks with his athleticism and good frame. He's an exciting finisher at the rim having piled up a bunch of dunks and is the kind of do-it-all guy this Chiefs team needs to augment stars [player_tooltip player_id='2046356' first='Cade' last='Lomas'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1444780' first='Brendan' last='Tousignaut'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Braylon Tate | ETG | 2031</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing against mostly 8th-graders two classes higher he was nonetheless dominant with a combination of size and fluidity that belies his age. A big guard at the moment, he took his act down to the low block a few times and used both fleet feet and a powerful shoulder dip to power his way to a bunch of and-ones. Surely a name to know as he creeps closer to high school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Noah Mayo | OTP | 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2610810,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240825_130232-crop-3000x1970-1727728345.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/20240825_130232-crop-3000x1970-1727728345.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2610810" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Noah Mayo</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fresh off Steph Curry's amazing Olympic performance Mayo went out and buried seven three-balls from all angles in a win over [program_tooltip program_id='2440710' first='B4' last='Academy'], whipping his own bench and the surrounding crowd into a frenzy that was a lot of fun for fall ball. Pure knockdown magic at the moment, it'll be interesting to see how his game matures at River Ridge from the arc inward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2245676' first='Lamari' last='Campbell'] | Centennial | 2025 (pictured at top)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with Mt Bethel the Knights from Roswell have been the most impressive team at the fall league, and have the look of a group that can contend in 4A this year. Among the large cast of veteran returnees is Campbell, back and looking healthy after dealing with injuries the last 2 seasons and getting downhill with senior-like authority. Playing a hybrid small forward role, he hits the glass for them but can step out and shoot it or catch it on the block alongside their other bigs [player_tooltip player_id='2102288' first='Noah' last='Brady'] or [player_tooltip player_id='2245647' first='Ford' last='Felton'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2525240' first='Joshua' last='Schulze'] | [program_tooltip program_id='2440710' first='B4' last='Academy'] | 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Woodstock has something going with a lot of young talent playing around town this past summer and also showing up in the fall. Schulze was super efficient while also showing off some unexpected athleticism with a couple of dunks in game vs ETG. That combination together with plenty of touch from the perimeter makes him an intriguing name to know for a young and still-developing Wolverines group which may surprise some folks this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->