1/26/2015 football Edit

Hilton Invitational: Walker shines

Dan McDonald

Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Contributing National Analyst

THE RIVALS150: 2015 | 2016

NORCROSS, Ga. -- The Hilton Invitational takes place every year in late January at Norcross High School just outside of Atlanta, and the event seems to get stronger every year. This year's field was the best yet. Seven teams from different states came to Georgia to face seven of the best teams in Georgia, and it led to a fun day of hoops and many outstanding performances.

Jonesboro holds off Spain Park

The final game of the day at the Hilton Invitational may have been the best. Two top programs in their respective states competed for 32 minutes, but Jonesboro (Ga.) was able to make a late run to seal the victory over Hoover (Ala.) Spain Park behind sophomore shooting guard M.J. Walker.

Walker, ranked 13th overall in the class of 2017, pumped in 16 points, and did so in spectacular fashion. While it wasn't the most efficient night for the Georgia native, he certainly had several "wow" moments, including one particular play where he came out of nowhere to catch an alley-oop thrown from a teammate nearly at half-court. At 6-foot-6 with good athleticism, Walker is able to rise above defenders and hit contested jumpers.

For Hoover (Ala.) Spain Park, its sophomore duo of Jamal Johnson and Austin Wiley didn't disappoint. Wiley, who sits just ahead of Walker in the class of 2017 rankings at No. 12, patrolled the paint all night on both ends of the floor. On defense, he had Jonesboro afraid to come into the paint and attack him, and still managed to block almost 10 shots. Offensively, with defenders hang all over him the whole, Wiley finished through contact all game long. He possesses great hands, soft touch, and already has some go-to post moves you don't often see in high school sophomores.

Johnson, a 6-foot-5 combo guard, is the primary ball-handler for Spain Park and does a great job of keeping teammates involved while also carrying the scoring load. His pull-up jumper is a thing of beauty and he's very explosive going to the rim. What makes him even more valuable is his willingness to battle on the boards. Johnson is currently a four-star prospect, and he more than justified that rating on Saturday.

Moore leads Montrose

Montrose Christian (Md.) didn't get off to a great start in their afternoon matchup with Covenant Christian (Ga.). They even trailed at the half. That all changed pretty quickly once the third quarter got underway when junior point guard Alani Moore decided to make his mark on the game.

Despite being the smallest player on the court, Moore was easily the most productive player in Montrose's victory. Currently ranked 138th in the 2016 Rivals150, the 5-foot-9 point guard tallied 25 points and dished out eight assists. For a stretch in the second half, it seemed like Moore had a hand in every basket scored by Montrose. His size will scare a lot of coaches at the next level, but he's a rare talent these days in that he's a pure floor general.

After the game, Moore said he just recently picked up an offer from High Point. Among the other schools involved in his recruitment are SMU, Tennessee, Penn State, UMass, Towson and Rhode Island.

Hammonds emerges for Norcross

Norcross (Ga.) has been one of the best basketball programs in Georgia for over a decade now, and they once again look to be a state title contender this year. Matched up with Madison Academy (Ala.), it was able to hold off a late run and add another impressive win to their resume'.

Four-star wing Joshua Langford came into the game as the player many in attendance wanted to get a close look at, and while he did play very well, it was Norcross sophomore forward Rayshaun Hammonds that had people in the gym buzzing about his play and long-term potential after the game. At 6-foot-7, maybe closer to 6-foot-8, and only around 200 lbs., Hammonds was a monster on the glass all game for the Blue Devils. Even if he didn't get the rebound himself, he at least cleared the way or deflected it to a teammate.

Offensively, Hammonds has great versatility. Despite being very thin, he's a very tough finisher in the paint. He's also able to put the ball on the floor out on the perimeter and create his offense. At this point, the three-point shot isn't a strength of his, but he's more than capable of knocking down mid-range jumpers.

Word is just recently beginning to get out about Hammonds. Stanford, Georgia, George Mason, Tennessee and Georgia State have expressed interest in him to date. He's hoping to eventually hear from North Carolina and Kentucky.

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