Archive for June, 2010

Marietta High graduate Chevez Clarke said he keeps in touch with the two fellow Georgians who were first-rounders drafted by the Los Angeles Angels earlier this month.

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Clarke was taken No. 30 overall, preceded by Cook third baseman Kaleb Cowart (No. 18) and East Coweta pitcher Cam Bedrosian (No. 29).

“I talk to Kaleb and Cam all the time,” Clarke said. “It’s only a matter of time before we get out there and start playing.”

None of the three has yet to reach contract terms. The Angels have a Aug. 16 deadline to sign high schools picks or lose them to college. Clarke signed a baseball scholarship with Georgia Tech.  Jackets coach Danny Hall …

Continue reading Georgia Tech recruit fretting between ACC school or LA Angels after being drafted in the first round (Updated) »

Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford, once star players for archrivals Georgia Tech and UGA, have “grown” in their relationship over the last few months.

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Of course, the two have millions of reasons to develop football chemistry with each other as they are both considered among the NFL’s most promising future stars, along with carrying the hopes of turning around the fortunes of the Detroit Lions.

“I think our relationship has definitely grown just because of all the effort we’ve seen each other put in over the offseason,” Johnson told AJC. “You’ve got somebody that keeps you accountable, and you keep them accountable. I think Matt is somebody who is a leader by example on our team.”

Neverthess, we had to CJ the question: What is it like depending on a …

Continue reading Ex-Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson and former UGA QB Matt Stafford grow closer during the offseason »

Norcross High’s Diamond DeShields returned to Atlanta on Monday with another first-place medal in basketball.

Diamond DeShields (No. 7) was the team's youngest player at 15 years old (USA Basketball)

DeShields helped lead the USA Women’s National Team to its fourth straight gold medal in the 2010 FIBA Americas Championship. DeShields, the youngest player on the team at 15 years old, scored 10 points in a 81-38 win over Brazil in Sunday night’s championship game.

“After we won the game, it all sunk in and I am very happy,” DeShields said. “It was a great experience. I made friends with people from other countries in other sports. To win the gold, that just tops everything off.”

Last year as a freshman, DeShields guided Norcross to the state basketball championship in Georgia’s largest classification. Her father played 13 seasons in the major leagues and currently manages in the minors for the Cincinnati Reds. Older brother Delino DeShields, who picked up Diamond from the …

Continue reading DeShields helps lead Team USA to the GOLD medal »

One of the nation’s top-rated defensive ends is moving to Georgia for his senior year of high school football.

LaMichael Fanning, who has committed to BCS champion Alabama, will enroll at Harris County High. His former athletics director at Auburn (Ala.) High confirmed to the transfer to the Opelika-Auburn News.

“He has some family situations that are going to need to be attended to back in Harris County,” said Auburn High’s Clay McCall told the newspaper. “He and his mother will be going back. You have to put family before the sport you play, and this is a situation where family needs to come before football.”

The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Fanning played at Harris County as a freshman, Callaway (Ga.) as a sophomore, and Auburn High as a junior. Fanning played “sparingly for the [Auburn High School] during the semifinal run last year, subbing in mostly on passing downs and recording two sacks. His role on defense was expected to be much bigger this year, as he fully integrated into …

Continue reading Alabama football recruit transfers to Georgia for senior year (UPDATED) ** »

The lovefest between Derrick Favors and the New York area media officially tipped off when Favors was drafted No. 3 overall by the New Jersey Nets on Thursday. Favors, who turns 19 years old on July 15, projects to earn $19.3 million over five years, according to the NBA rookie salary scale.

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Here are some highlights:

• The New York Times had a bunch of one-liners on Favors, who is the first player addition under the new owner of the Nets, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorow. Wrote the Times: “‘I’m open to learning Russian,’ Favors said, letting everyone know what he didn’t study during his one year in college.” The Times also explained the New Jersey draft logic, saying “the Nets opted for the most athletic frontcourt player available but the one considered the least NBA ready.”
• ESPN gave major …

Continue reading NBA lottery pick Derrick Favors to get $19.3 million over four seasons — one year out of South Atlanta High »

Happy Birthday to the NBA’s “one-and-done” rule at five years old.

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But is it really working? Some of the biggest names in college basketball have let it be known they don’t like the rule, including Kentucky coach John Calipari — the czar of one-and-doners. Calipari could have four freshmen off this year’s team drafted in the first round.

South Atlanta High’s Derrick Favors, who prepped for one season at Georgia Tech, could go as high as No. 3 overall in the draft.

“These kids should be able to go right to the league if that’s what they choose to do . . . or they should go to college for two or three years,” Calipari told the Birmingham News. “The way this is right now makes it hard. A kid has to be a really …

Continue reading Happy Birthday to the NBA’s ‘One-and-Done’ rule — Is it HELPING or HURTING the NBA, NCAA and players? »

Will it be South Atlanta High legend Derrick Favors OR Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins to the New Jersey Nets at No. 3 overall in Thursday’s NBA Draft? Which teenager will get his named called out first?

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The Nets appear to be favoring Favors, who prepped for one year at Georgia Tech.

Cousins, 19, worked out for the Nets on Monday and “he failed to prove that he is better equipped and contoured to play the power forward position than the more athletic and equally promising Derrick Favors,” according to The Star-Ledger’s Dave D’Alessandro.

Favors also went through drills the same day for Nets officials.

The newspaper also pointed out “the 18-year-old from Georgia Tech also put on a representative show, but when the media was allowed to watch one catch-and-shoot drill at the end of an exhausting morning, he missed a dozen in a row from 16-foot …

Continue reading Battle of teen NBA stars: DERRICK FAVORS or DeMarcus Cousins at No. 3 overall in NBA Draft? »

Where did Harrison High go after winning the baseball championship in Georgia’s largest classification? Disney World?

No, the team went to a Braves game.

Harrison High got to sit in the owner’s box during batting practice this past weekend and was recognized on the big screen during the game. It was courtesy of Comcast and the Braves.

You can watch TV highlights of Harrison’s win over Cobb County rival Lassiter for the Class AAAAA title at Comcast On Demand. [Note: To view the championship game, go to Channel 1 -> Get Local - > Top Picks -> GHSA On Demand]

Or you can see it on your computer at GHSA.tv

Continue reading State champs meet with the Atlanta Braves »

The Atlanta Rangers … I mean, Arizona Rangers had two of the state’s top football recruits in the lineup for Monday’s season-opener. Arizona is the rookie-league team for baseball’s Texas Rangers.

The headliner was ex-Georgia Tech football recruit Jake Skole, who was drafted No. 18 overall. The Blessed Trinity graduate started in center field and batted third, collecting one hit in two plate appearances in the 7-4 loss. Ex-Central Florida football recruit Jordan Akins, who was drafted in the third round by the Rangers, entered the game late as an outfielder and was hitless in two plate appearances

Jordan Akins, who graduated from Union Grove High, and Jake Skole have a lot in common: Both are from the Atlanta area and gave up major-college football scholarships after signing with the Rangers. The Central Florida signee came to terms on a contract within hours after being drafted last week. Akins and Skole knew each other through summer baseball, and spent the first week in …

Continue reading Two Georgia ex-football recruits make baseball debut with Rangers »

Georgia basketball Mark Fox gave away a Father’s Day gift worth thousands of dollars on Sunday.

YouTube rock star gets SEC basketball schollie (UGA SID)

Fox told walk-on Connor Nolte on Sunday to call his dad with the surprising news that he would be put on a basketball scholarship at Georgia.  Connor’s father was at UGA basketball camp on Sunday with another son, Milton High’s Evan Nolte, who is one of the state’s top prospects for 2012.

Here’s the story: Fox huddled with Evan, and he sent a text message to Connor, asking what he did for his dad on Father’s Day. Connor, who is out of town for the summer, replied that he had called his dad earlier in the day to wish “Happy Father’s Day.” Then Fox told Connor he could call again with some great news — that he was being rewarded with an UGA basketball scholarship.

“So I’m standing about 10 feet away from Coach Fox and Evan, they walk up with smiles on their faces, and my cell starts ringing,” said the father, Kurt Nolte. “It’s …

Continue reading UGA’s Mark Fox gives FATHER’S DAY gift: Rewards walk-on with SEC basketball scholarship (UPDATED*) »

Blessed Trinity graduate Jake Skole will start in center field in Monday night’s season opener for the Arizona Rangers, the rookie-league baseball team for the Texas Rangers.

Skole bypassed his football scholarship to Georgia Tech after he was drafted No. 15 overall by the Rangers, signing for a bonus of $1.577 million.

“I like the way things worked out,” Skole told the AJC. “The Rangers signed a lot of guys early. It’s better to be here working hard to make it to the big leagues rather than staying at home and waiting out a contract. For me, this way is better.”

Before reporting to Arizona, Skole hung out for a few days with his older brother, Georgia Tech All-ACC third baseman Matt Skole. Matt is a top prospect for next year’s draft and left this weekend for the Cape Cod summer league.

“I can’t wait to play … I haven’t played in a game since the high school season ended. I’m ready to get some [plate appearances],” Jake said. He will bat in the No. 3 spot for the …

Continue reading Ex-Georgia Tech FOOTBALL recruit on the brink of baseball debut (Updated) »

It would take a lot of guts (and some would say, a lack of smarts) to turn down a $1 million signing bonus from a major-league baseball team. We’re not endorsing for high school baseball players to go pro over college, but that’s what happens with the majority when they are drafted in the first round. Click here to read Georgia Tech coach Danny Hall on HS first rounders.

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Back to the story: Florida State has never had a baseball recruit drafted in the first round and report to college, according to Tallahassee.com.

Cook High’s Kaleb Cowart, drafted No. 18 overall by the Los Angeles Angeles, could be the first to bypass seven digits to be a Seminole.

Why do I say that? It’s just a …

Continue reading Will Georgia first-rounder turn down big buck$$ from LA Angels to play for Florida State? What??? (UPDATED) »

Georgia Tech has told Evan Nolte that he is the No. 1 target for its basketball recruiting class of 2012, according to his coach.

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The 6-foot-8, 190-pound Nolte is a junior swingman at Milton High, which won the state championship in Georgia’s largest classification last March. He averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds last season.

“Georgia Tech said they really like Evan because of the following: he is a very skilled player who has NBA range on his 3-pointers, he is 6-8 and still growing, he plays on a championship high school program, he’s a great student (with a 3.7 GPA), and he loves to compete,” Milton coach David Boyd said.

Evan also has an older sister who attends Georgia Tech. He also has an older brother, Connor Nolte, who is a member of UGA’s basketball team. Evan has early offers from both Georgia Tech and UGA, along with Auburn, Alabama, Oklahoma, …

Continue reading Georgia Tech has Milton junior as No. 1 target for 2012 recruiting class (UPDATED) »

The USA Elite National Team, which included four of Georgia’s top high school basketball players, won the Under-17 championship while also finishing fourth overall in the Under-19 division at the FIBA Americas Tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

UGA likes 6-8 Willie Clayton (Courtesy of Linzy Davis)

Here are quick hits on the Georgia players:

Willie Clayton, Thomasville: The 6-foot-8 junior averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds, and he is being recruited by UGA, Florida State, Auburn, Memphis and Stanford. Clayton has a 3.8 GPA. “He really caught everyone’s attention with a strong performance against a 7-footer from Brazil who I think could one day be an NBA lottery pick if he comes to the U.S.,” Elite coach Linzy Davis said. Clayton squared off against Greater Atlanta Christian’s Malcolm Brogdon — arguably Georgia’s No. 1 rising senior basketball prospect, ahead of the Milton trio — in this past season’s Class AA state championship. Clayton finished with 12 points, while …

Continue reading Four Georgia basketball prospects join together to go overseas and win championship »

Are you having a great summer? How was vacation? Do you need to catch up on sports? We’ll help you. Here are some of the MOST POPULAR blogs over the last week or so, based on reader comments. Feel free to share your opinion:

• UGA recruiting target is top contender for Mr. Georgia Basketball 2011 (Click here)
• Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford — former college rivals — grow close in offseason (Click here)
• All five starters for Milton’s state championship team earn Div. I basketball scholarship offers (Click here)
• Ex-Georgia Tech football recruit gets promotion from Texas Rangers (Click here)
• Alabama football commitment transfers to Georgia for his senior year (Click here)
• UGA’s “Dream Team” sales pitch gets mixed reviews from state’s top uncommitted football prospects. Is it a dream? Or reality? (Click here)
• Tennessee recruit Da’Rick Rogers, AJC’s No. 1 prospect for state, had “a lot of bad dealings with UGA coaches” before switch, says Nash Nance (Click here)
• Former UGA and …

Continue reading MOST POPULAR TOPICS … ALL THE LINKS HERE »