The Peach State’s high school basketball season tipped off with Georgia’s Elite 8 and several other early-season events across the state, setting the tone for what promises to be a competitive year. The action was entertaining, and the level of play did not disappoint. Here are some key takeaways and standout performers from the weekend.
Gainesville H.S. looks every bit the part of one of the top teams in Georgia. They feature a blend of shooters, size, and athleticism and perhaps most importantly, they play together. The team’s ball movement and willingness to make the extra pass were impressive throughout.
6’8″ 2026 F Charlie Gersmehl Stretches the floor with range on his jumper. Showed touch from deep and patience in the post, utilizing a smooth jump hook and reading doubles well. Made several sharp kick-outs to shooters on the move when help came. Committed to Belmont
7’0″ 2026 C Kevin Curtis A long, mobile center who protects the rim and finishes with soft hands. Ran the floor hard and showed promise with a developing post game, highlighted by his jump hook.
6’3″ 2026 SG Brandon Nelson showed explosiveness as slasher that thrives in transition. Brought energy on both ends and has the athleticism to defend multiple positions.
6’6″ 2026 F Quintin Mansfield Troy U commit plays with force inside. Brings a physical presence and toughness that sets the tone defensively. Finishes through contact and rebounds both ends.
Wilson Academy showcased a young but intriguing roster built around length, athleticism, and effort. They hit the glass hard and competed in every possession, showing signs of a group that will only get better with experience.
Taye Alibi 6’6″ 2027 WF His energy stands out, always in motion on both ends. Long, physical wing who was active on the boards and around the rim. Uses his frame well and competes with purpose. 6’8″ 2029 F Tristan Edwards A versatile forward who impressed with his defensive versatility, good feet, and rebounding instincts. Offensively, he flashed a consistent midrange jumper and confidence facing up. Effort and energy is a strong suit for him. 6’10” 2030 C Emmanuel Quedraogo A developing big man, still in the 8th grade, shows upside through his effort, length, size and presence in the paint. He is still refining his offensive touch. Raw, but with upside.
Pace came out firing, led by a balanced inside-out attack that quickly found rhythm but couldn’t hold off the barrage of buckets coming from Grayson in the second half.
6’9′ 2026 F Hayden Clay Tried to set the tone early, scoring 10 first-quarter points with strong finishes on the block and a confident midrange jumper. The energy of the game picked up in the 2nd half and he was neutralized by an aggressive Grayson defense.
6’2 2028 PG Brielen Craft – Took control in the second quarter, mixing tempo and pace to find his rhythm offensively. His ability to score and facilitate continues to elevate his stock as one of the more complete guards in Georgia’s 2028 class. The second half he seemed hampered by a nagging foot injury that took its toll as the game wore on.
But the story was Grayson and its athletic, high energy wing 6’6″ 2027 Marcus Curry Jr. As the saying goes, he was on one! Curry showed extreme confidence in his deep ball, knocking down several trey’s, scored in the mid-range and of course got out in transition, including the highlight of the day when he put a Pace defender in the rim. I’ve seen a lot of growth in this young man, stay tuned. 6’5″ 2029 W Austin Leonard shows a lot of promise. After a rocky start, settled down in the second half and looked the part as one of the state’s top players in his class. 5’10” 2026 PG Don Thomas was instant offense off the bench. The speedy guard with a quick trigger from deep will be the X factor, along with 6’6″ 2027 F Byron Lee, in the Grayson offense and success this season. Lee was very effective cleaning up plays in the paint.
Others of note
Hillgrove duo of 2027 Asa Montgomery and 2028 Bryon Jatta could be one of Georgia’s best pair. Both are dynamic scorers who can carry games.
McEachern’s 2027 6’4″ PG Chase Lumpkin sets the tone as a two-way leader—unselfish offensively and relentless defensively. Keep an eye on 2027 Zachary Graves, a microwave scorer with an old-school “Vinny Johnson” vibe, and 2026 Emmanuel Alofe, a versatile forward who fills every stat column.
Dutchtown 2026 PG Bobby Buggs The PG led a gritty fourth quarter comeback with tough finishes at the rim and two clutch free throws to seal the win. Ice-cold in crunch time. 2028 Isaiah Dorsainvil guard finished with 11 points and set the tone defensively, applying pressure all night against Hillgrove.
Summary
From Gainesville’s discipline to Grayson’s flair, the Elite 8 event proved that Georgia high school basketball remains loaded with talent across all classes. With emerging stars and deep rosters statewide, this season should shape-up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.