Early December Look-In Around... A-D1 Region 5

With my Mt Bethel girls naturally navigating the same schedule as our boys, I have had a chance to see some good boys players come through the gyms as I stick around after our girl's game to take in our improving boy's team.   Top 50 nationally ranked freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2436950' first='Peter' last='Julius'] has been putting up monster stat lines for our Eagles, 25+ ppg with close to double figure blocks and rebounds almost nightly, the 6-foot-9 post facing double and triple teams but continuing to flash the kind of exciting ability you'd expect from a player with that kind of gaudy ranking. Plays with a boyish and infectious enthusiasm that electrifies the crowd while showing off still just flashes for such a young player of the incredible things to come.   Also for Mt Bethel, senior guard Tej Efemini has taken a strong summer and an equally strong fall and really made huge strides as a leader and big-basket getter. He's an inch taller, gets after it as an on-ball defender, has added muscle in the weight room, and is not shying away from the 3-ball, a newly improved facet of his offensive game   Some other guys who have impressed as I look around the social feeds as well:   [player_tooltip player_id='1966103' first='Greg' last='Howard'] | Guard | St Francis | 2025   41 points with an incredible 11-for-11 stat line from 3-pt range for Howard in a win over AIS December 13. He's shown that kind of scoring ability the last couple of years, flashes of the complete scoring package that makes him attractive for sure at the next level, as he notched his 1000th career point in that same game. One of those guys who will get even better at the next level, heady with a gifted nose for the game. Plays in a backcourt with [player_tooltip player_id='1501752' first='Reynolds' last='Escher'], [player_tooltip player_id='2245635' first='Deniz' last='Ozbek'] and Bryce Brown that can match up with anyone.   [player_tooltip player_id='2328812' first='Josh' last='Mickell'] | Guard | B.E.S.T. | 2025   With brother Jacob came over from Douglass and has helped turn BEST into a serious contender for this Region title. Plays so hard at both ends, love the moxie and edge he plays with, and at 6-foot-3 and a sturdy frame can give you physicality guarding the backcourt and still enough size and smarts to guard frontcourt guys and make their lives difficult. Really solid two-way guy who will immediately make a college program better. Michkell and company shoved Mt Bethel and Julius around a bit in stealing a hard-fought road one at our place December 3.   [player_tooltip player_id='2756690' first='Blake' last='Pollock'] | Guard | Landmark Christian | 2025   My first extended look at Pollock as the War Eagles came to East Cobb December 7, and I was immediately impressed. Super aggressive mindset as a scorer, and plenty of variety in the bag to unload on defenses. Can get out in space and be an exciting finisher, but has good power at a solid 6-foot-2 to engage and absorb contact near the rim. Defends four spots for an undersized group, so that kind of understanding and value defensively has real tangible plus sides.   [player_tooltip player_id='1696232' first='CJ' last='Harper'] | Guard | Paideia | 2026   Didn't have a prototypical Harper-type game vs Mt Bethel December 10 as the Eagles defense locked him up solid as they have to most teams all season. But you still can be enamored with both what we know about him as a scorer and what you can see in flashes that make him such an intriguing prospect. At 6-foot-4 with some length and an explosive first step, he at times appears to glide around the floor and can look unguardable even for the best defensive units. With [player_tooltip player_id='1543541' first='Frank' last='Jackson'] transferred out, defenses are tuned in to his ever move, but whether the slick lefty puts up 30 or 10 points on a given night, the qualities in his game that translate so well to the next level remain evident.   [player_tooltip player_id='2691467' first='Andric' last='Parent'] & Cam Hewling | Guards | Mt Paran | 2025's   The duo has been swapping out scoring honors of late with each man taking the lead one night and the other contributing in other ways, then they swap roles. Both guys give the Eagles versatility to play on and off the ball, but their unselfishness and ability to affect the game at both ends is why they are consistent at stuffing the stat sheet and impacting the game at both ends. Both have been hovering in or around double figures for the entire month as this group navigates with grit the same brutal A-D1 Region 5 slate that everyone has to face. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2125546' first='JT' last='Scott'] is another exciting name to know out of Coach Chuck Frierson's program.   [player_tooltip player_id='2523999' first='Quint' last='McGrath'] | Guard | Mt Vernon | 2027   They're breaking in some new faces in Sandy Springs after a fabulous run of success under former Coach Tarrik Mabon that included a state title a year ago. New, up-and-coming young head man Reed Dungan, coming off an apprenticeship on Mabon's staff, will have this group back contending really soon, and still has crafty point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1543496' first='Gabe' last='Alterman'] to run the show. One piece that may help him and the Mustangs get back to prominence fast is the wing bomber McGrath. Picture-perfect stroke on the catch and shoot, just the kind of look you'd show any young shooter to emulate. Still finding his way off the bounce as he grows into his frame and adds weight, but all the potential in the world is there at 6-foot-5 to develop into a big-time scoring threat across the floor.

With my Mt Bethel girls naturally navigating the same schedule as our boys, I have had a chance to see some good boys players come through the gyms as I stick around after our girl's game to take in our improving boy's team.