Hello Basketball! Whutz Up!!!
The 2023-2024 Georgia high school basketball season is here. The June Live period, summer leagues, fall leagues and 4-and-1s workouts are behind us. After a week of official practices the season is upon us with scrimmages and official games less than two weeks away. Everyone can feel the excitement in the air, fittingly so. This will be the final season of class seven classifications in Georgia. For the foreseeable future, at least the next two seasons, this will be the last year a 7A state champion will be crowned. Georgia will consolidate the classifications and class 6A will be the highest classification beginning with the 2024-2025 season. With that said, look for a wide open 7A to be as competitive as ever and other classifications will be highly competitive as well.
The Hillsman Heavy Top 10 Georgia is in its sixth season, fourth of public publication, and ranks using the following criteria ; OVERALL performance, Team Chemistry, Coaching, Schedule (quality In-State, OOS, Head-to-Head and Common Opponents are all heavily considered) and Scheduling For Roster Talent (meaning is the team very talented but stacking up wins against lesser talented teams but struggling against teams equal or greater in roster talent and vice versa; yes a team with more losses can be better than a team with fewer losses because of scheduling and the other criteria previously mentioned.
While player recruiting status and what scouting services saw over the past spring and summer is important, it is not a heavy focus and determining factor, it is considered when looking at a team’s overall performance, especially against equal or greater competition but the BASELINE IS HOW you perform in a structured schedule with practice , film , a stopped clocked and prep. Summer games are fun…what do you do when you are at the TOP of the scout sheet is what matters.
When we load and unload the bus and plane with these 10 teams these are the teams that we can take anywhere as they are the best 10 in Georgia for the 2023-2024 season for each week of the Hillsman Heavy Top 10 Georgia. This is PRESEASON, it could look different later.
Speaking of Georgia and classifications, the playoff brackets are already set for this upcoming season and were set way back in late June. Here is a look at the playoff brackets.
We, like most, are not fans of the pre-determined brackets. However, it is what it is in Georgia’s GHSA. The teams, of course, determine their regional seeding (Top 4 from each region, region tournament determines state seeding). You already know which regions will matchup in the first round. Yes, there are a litany of possibilities, but the door is ajar for all kinds of stuff come late January and early February. Yes, ANYTHING can happen yet, and still, most in the basketball world would like to see the pre-determined brackets go away and a power ranking system of sorts used.
There were some changes to the rules made not only by the GHSA but by the NFHS most notably is the foul count rule. In Georgia the old foul count rule was; On non-shooting fouls teams would shoot the one-one- bonus on the 6th team foul and two shots (double bonus) on the 8th team foul of the quarter and fouls reset after each quarter. In many other states teams would shoot the one-and-one bonus on the 7th foul of the half and two shots (double bonus) on the 10th foul of the half and the fouls did not reset after each quarter. The new rule across all of high school basketball is on non-shooting fouls, teams shoot two free free throws (the bonus) on the 5th team foul of the quarter and the the fouls reset after each quarter. To keep it simple, the new high school foul count/free throw rule is exactly like the NBA and FIBA on the 5th foul teams shoot two free throws the rest of the quarter on all fouls.
Some Georgia high school coaches had this to say about the new foul count rules.
“I like it, it’s going to help the better free throw shooting team salt games meaning it rewards the teams that can make free throws, it will punish the undisciplined teams. Good for us we have been talking and working on it in practice. We have been working and focusing more on hitting our defensive keys without fouling. Offensively we are intentionally working more on shooting and making free throws knowing we have a chance to more free throw attempts than in years past.” – Darren Douglas (Grovetown)
“I like the new fouls rules, it cleans up the game and gets the excessive fouling out the way. It may or may not slow the game up but don’t foul, don’t foul after five fouls and you must play better defense without fouling.”- Jamaal Garman (Warner Robins)
“It’s good it’s for high school basketball because it puts a premium on team defense, you have to guard you yard and do so without fouling or committing unnecessary fouls.”- Rory Griffin (Greenforest)
“I hate losing the 1-and-1. That was a huge part of the game and added suspense. It also rewarded the teams that could handle pressure and shoot down the stretch. So I like the move to 5 fouls in a quarter just hate losing the 1-and-1.” -Jason Dasinger (Etowah)
“It’s the pro game, I love it, We have a number of guards who we are going to play downhill and be aggressive. Play aggressive shoot free throws. I have no issue with the new foul rule, it’s not new to the game of basketball ” -Larry Thompson (Wheeler)
“Hillsman why are you calling me and asking me about this, its a pro rule. We have to coach better, lead better, and develop better as men. It’s going to make our game better I like the rule.” -L’Dreco Thomas (Cedar Shoals).
“I think it’s going to be good for teams known for shooting and making free throws. It will be tough for teams that struggle shooting and making free throws. I like the rule and I do not think it will change anything in the flow of the game, but teams could be more strategic in the game depending on the score and whether they are good or bad free throw shooting team.”- Lawrence Kelly (Cross Creek)
All in all we love it. It mirrors the professional and international games, provides for a better flow to the game and places more emphasis on defending without fouling because the penalty for doing so is much more costly over time in a ball game. No team wants to have a team shooting free throws for a long portion of a quarter due to racking up fouls and without the one-and-one it takes being “bailed out” out of the equation.
Now let’s get into the steak and potatoes of the Hillsman Heavy Preseason Top 10 Georgia
- Grayson (24-6; 7A Semifinalist) Head Coach: Geoffrey Pierce: Key Players: Gicarris Harris, Christian Jaden “CJ” Hyland, Jacob Wilkins, Amir Taylor. Notable Scheduling: McEachern, Woodward Academy, Kell, Sandy Creek, Osborne, Mt. Vernon, Dorman (SC), Chick-Fil-a Classic (Columbia, SC), North Broward Prep (FL), Hoop Hall Classic (Springfield, MA) Perry (AZ), Durant MLK Classic (Washington, DC), Newton (2x)
- McEachern (23-7; 7A Elite Eight) Head Coach: Tremayne Anchrum Key Players: Ace Bailey, John McQueen, Jaye Nash. Notable Scheduling: Grayson, Kell, Dutchtown, Pebblebrook, Harvard-Westlake (CA), City Of Palms (FL), New Years Classic at Grayson, Camden (NJ), Holiday Hoopsgiving (GA), Hard In The Paint (GA)
- Wheeler (27-7; 7A Champion) Head Coach: Larry Thompson Key Players: Kota Suttle Jr, Josh Hill, Julian Ormond, Ricky McKenzie, Amare James, Lamarrion Lewis, David Clark Notable Scheduling: Dutchtown, Newton, Rock Creek (MD), Holiday Hoopsgiving (GA), Alexander, Central Gwinnett, Lithonia, Berkmar, Norcross, Walton (2x), New Years Classic at Grayson, Osborne (2x)
- Newton (19-11; 7A Elite Eight) Head Coach: Barry Browner Key Players: Jabez Jenkins, Kevin “KJ” White III, Davin Neal, Tim Prather, Christian Ingram Notable Scheduling: Sandy Creek, Osborne, Wheeler, Kell, Riverwood, Grayson (2x), Miller Grove, St. Anne Pacelli, Westlake, Mt. Pisgah
- Norcross (26-5; 7A Semifinalist) Head Coach: Jesse McMillian Key Players: Michael Pace, Jaron Saulsberry, Toby Ojukwu Notable Scheduling: Berkmar (2x), Peachtree Ridge (2x), Grovetown, Douglass-Atlanta, Shiloh, Alexander, Myers Park (NC), Lexington (SC), Central (AL), Wheeler
- –Berkmar (14-16; 7A 2nd Rd ) Head Coach: Greg Phillips Key Players: Mekhi Ragland, Eddie Cooke, David Culbreath, Mike White Notable Scheduling: Norcross (2x), Central Gwinnett, Greenforest, Shiloh, Wheeler
- –Alexander (28-5; 6A Champion) Head Coach: Jason Slate Key Players: Braedan Lue, Allen Stoddard, Greg Dunson, Ethan Miller Notable Scheduling: Tri-Cites, Mt. Vernon, Tournament of Champions Illinois (Maumelle, Christian California, Vashon, Norcross, Holy Innocents, McEachern, Dutchtown, Langston Hughes (2X)
- –Sandy Creek (26-6; 3A Champion) Head Coach: Jon Nickerson Key Players: Micah Smith, PJ Green, Kani Rashied-Henry, Jared White Notable Scheduling: Cedar Grove (2x), Douglas-Atlanta (2x), Mt. Vernon, Grayson, Milton, Fayette County, Gainesville, Westlake, St. Anne Pacelli
- –Dutchtown (23-9;5A Elite Eight) Head Coach: Wallace Corker Key Players: Gabriel Bradley, Matthew Hinton, Joah Chappelle, Austin Mosby-Weems. Notable Scheduling: McEachern, Wheeler, Osborne, Langston Hughes, Greenforest, Alexander, Battle At The Border (AL), Union Grove (2x), Eagles Landing (2x), Jones County (2x), Alexander
- –Cedar Grove (20-10; 3A Finalist) Head Coach: Camden Terry Key Players: Emanual Green, Jayden Scott, Dontavius Stringfield, Nathaniel Lloyd. Notable Scheduling: Osborne, McDonough, Tri-Cities, Sandy Creek (2x), Douglas-Atlanta (2x), Tucker, Creekside Christian, Mays, Grovetown, St. Andrews
Keeping Tabs On: Fayette County, Greenforest, Mt. Vernon, Lee County, Pace Academy, Westside-Augusta, Chapel Hill, Kell, Spencer, Eagle’s Landing, Etowah, Madison County, Pebblebrook, Columbia, Paideia, Cross Creek, Riverwood, Tri-Cities, Grovetown, St. Pius X, Milton, Holy Innocents, Carrollton, Jonesboro, Sequoyah, Jackson-Atlanta, Woodward Academy, Campbell, Cedar Grove, Portal, Osborne, The Walker School, North Oconee, Langston Hughes, Collins Hill, North Gwinnett, Marist, Union Grove, Jones County, Douglass-Atlanta, Clarke Central, McDonough, Cedar Shoals, Long County, Southwest-Macon, Calhoun County, Lithonia, Warner Robins, Greenbrier, Gainesville, Shiloh, Mays, Savannah, Peachtree Ridge, Johnson-Savannah, Dougherty, Christian Heritage, Walton, Oglethorpe County, Swainsboro, Ware County, Camden County, Carver-Columbus, Westlake.
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS NOTABLES:
The GHSA is the biggest, oldest and richest association for high school athletics in the state, however there are other organizations where you will see and hear about their teams throughout the season, especially when playing GHSA schools whether in home-and-home games, showcases or tournaments out out-of-state events.
GAPPS: Creekside Christian is the defending GAPPS D1 3A champion.
GIAA: St. Andrews is the back-to-back defending GIAA 3A champion.
#SeeYouInTheGym
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