5 Takeaways: Grayson @ Peachtree Ridge
1. Devin Vassell will contribute at Florida State next season.
o With a game high 32 points, Devin Vassell once again proved he was the best overall player on the floor in his final high school game. Vassell’s 6’4″ frame allows him to knife through defenses and his wingspan gives him the ability to finish against opposing big men in the paint. I was most impressed with Vassell’s ability to finish through contact on either side of the rim and being able to get to the line, knocking down eight of his nine attempts from the stripe. He has a nice mid-range and floater game almost reminiscent of former UNC and current Sacramento King forward Justin Jackson and although he did not knock anything down from behind the arc, the up and down style of game didn’t call for many attempts from deep on this night. Vassell can absolutely get it done on all three levels and with time in the weight room once he is in Tallahassee, this incoming freshman could make an impact right away like former Jonesboro high school (GA) and current FSU freshman MJ Walker.
2. Travis Anderson is as good as advertised.
o In an intense back and forth game on the road, you need your senior leaders to step up and make plays to be victorious; and that is exactly what Grayson head coach Geoffrey Pierce got out of senior guard and Charleston Southern commit Travis Anderson. Leading his team with 24 points in the contest, Anderson made his presence felt in both halves with crowd silencing three pointers giving Grayson the breathing room it needed when Peachtree Ridge attempted to cut multiple double-digit leads. Anderson hit one three in each of the first three quarters and knocked down all his free throws in the fourth quarter and going 11/12 from the line for the entire game. He settled his team down when things got rowdy in the second half and showed leadership and toughness for a Grayson team that has all the pieces to make an even deeper run in this year’s state tournament.
3. Grayson may have the best backcourt left in the state tournament for all classifications.
o What is Batman without Robin? That is the question when discussing the Grayson backcourt in Anderson and combo guard Nick Edwards. Edwards who finished the contest against Peachtree Ridge with 15 points gives the Rams another ball handler against pressure and a legitimate second option offensively when things get too centered around Anderson. Edwards is smooth with the ball in his hands and has a quick first step to get past defenders to create havoc in the lane. Tough floaters and finishes at the rim made up his offensive output from the field and the senior is another reliable free shooter as he knocked down 7/8 free throws on the night. Handling pressure isn’t a problem for this team and this duo is the reason.
4. Terence Porter Jr. should be signing with a collegiate program soon.
o 6’7” senior forward Terence Porter Jr. transferred into Grayson for his final prep hoops campaign and has helped the Rams down low all-season long. In the matchup against Peachtree Ridge, Porter Jr.’s positive output was no different as he scored 8 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and had an even bigger impact blocking and altering shots at the rim. He is an above average athlete that finished every pass from one of the penetrating Grayson guards while maintaining the awareness to spread the floor for those opportunities. The combination of size, soft hands, athleticism, and basketball IQ is hard to find and Porter Jr. possesses all of those qualities. With those attributes and the scarcity of big men in the high school game, I believe that Porter can be an asset at a low to mid major Division I basketball program next season.
- 5. Reco Holloman is a key piece for this team to reach its state championship destination.
o What I love about this Grayson team is the fact that they have role players that can make plays when the opportunity presents itself. Junior Reco Holloman fits that mold perfectly as he chipped in with 16 points in their Sweet 16 win Thursday night. Holloman knocked down four shots from behind the arc and took on the challenge of slowing down Vassell for the majority of the game. The junior guard has an athletic frame and at 6’4” he is a good slasher when he decides to put his head down. Holloman provides an extra option for the Rams and a solid two-way player who can defend against opposing teams’ best scorer. For Grayson to reach a final four and state championship Holloman will need to be that effective player that he was against Peachtree Ridge and maybe more.