In this next piece highlighting November events, I am going to focus on some of the lesser known prospects who had strong performances before Thanksgiving. With all of the events around the Atlanta area, there was a full range of talent in action and more than just the top guys deserve to be recognized. Here are some prospects who made the most of early season events leading up to Thanksgiving.

6’7” Uche Iloh (2024/McIntosh)
I haven’t watched a more powerful Georgia prospect than Iloh through the first 3 weeks of the season. Although McIntosh fell to Chattahoochee in the game I watched, Iloh was a force throughout and there wasn’t much that could be done to contain him. With so many bigger guys wanting to show that they can shoot and operate on the perimeter, Iloh stayed committed to dominating the paint in this game. He is thick & bulky but is surprisingly mobile and light on his feet for a guy his size. Iloh was able to gain good positioning to receive passes and grab rebounds throughout the game because of his build. He was a factor on the offensive glass throughout the game and buried guys for finishes. Even when he wasn’t right at the basket, Iloh battled through defenders and showed quick, powerful leaping ability for multiple above-the-rim finishes. His motor ran high from start to finish even while having to deal with a lot of physical play. I appreciated his effort and he’s one I want to get another look at soon.

6’7” Julian Walker (2023/North Gwinnett)
I’ve talked about Walker’s abilities in the past and it looks like he’s getting close to putting it all together. That was most evident against Wheeler as he finished with 23 points & 16 rebounds. There just aren’t a lot of guys around who can run, jump, and move the way he can at his size. Multiple times during the event, he had people looking around after some of the athletic plays he made. Walker is very agile, quick off the floor, and can finish dunks in traffic with either hand. His 2nd jump is very impressive. He played as hard as ever against Wheeler, showing tenacity that I hadn’t seen from him before. Walker went to the glass with reckless abandon, swatted away shots, showed touch around the basket, and finished with force. He has to keep gaining experience and learn to bring the same mindset to each game, but if a college staff is willing to be patient with him & his development, I think it’ll pay off down the road.

6’3” David Burnett & 6’5” London Williams (2023/Buford)
Buford’s victory over Grovetown at the Jared Cook Classic has easily been the most notable early season win so far in Georgia and these 2 seniors were a huge part of that. Both Burnett and Williams brought their usual toughness & level of effort, but also showed significant improvement with their ability to make outside shots. They combined for an efficient 33 points & 6 made 3’s in the 80-56 win, giving Buford solid production in both halves of play. Williams has been producing since he was a freshman, but has now started to expand his game as an undersized forward. He hit 2 3’s and looked good doing so, providing valuable floor spacing. He also showed some passing ability and brought toughness & physicality in traffic down low both as a rebounder & finisher. Burnett impressed over the summer with Buford & Team Dickerson by playing extremely hard and making explosive athletic plays. Adding the 3-point shooting he showed against Grovetown makes him even more valuable. Burnett led the Wolves with 19 points on 4 3’s and had a presence for the entirety of the game. Repeating this type of production should result in college attention for both of them.

6’0” CJ Hyland (2024/Grayson)
Games of 30 & 20 points isn’t a bad way to start a season and that’s what Hyland did for Grayson in their matchups with Pebblebrook and Etowah. I watched the Etowah game and his 2nd half performance was key in helping them pull away and come out victorious. Having watched Grayson in the fall, it’s not surprising to see that Hyland is quickly finding his way with the Rams after transferring from Lanier. He fits in with their fast style of play because of his speed, quickness, and mentality. Hyland also hasn’t disrupted any chemistry or production of others because he doesn’t always need the ball since he’s a quality shooter and quick decision-maker. He showed the different parts to his game on both ends of the court against Etowah, being pesky on defense, getting into the paint, and hitting 3’s. He is constantly involved in the action and has continued to improve. The aggressive, chip-on-the-shoulder approach that Hyland brings paired with a well-rounded skillset has him trending upwards. 

6’7” Kelvin Hunter (2023/Chapel Hill)
The ability of Hunter has long been present and evident. At times in the past, he has gotten lost in the shuffle and would get caught settling for 3’s. That was not the case against Pace to begin the season a couple weeks ago. It was a slow start for Chapel Hill’s team in this matchup, but I thought Hunter’s effort and engagement were steady. He rebounded consistently and let scoring opportunities come to him. I liked how he grabbed boards in traffic and was physically working to secure them. Hunter has a very quick release on his outside shot and the ball gets good rotation out of his hand. He has good hands and his touch is effective inside the arc as well. He finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds on 3 3’s against Pace; he’d be worth following up on as the winter progresses.