New Names, New Faces at CCS Open Gym

With coaches on the road visiting prospects and evaluating players in open gym settings, there is a lot to see on the hardwood. Rivals.com decided to get in on the action and took in a day’s work at Community Christian School in McDonough, Ga.

There were a couple of new faces that impressed and made their names on our to-watch list for the upcoming season.

Billy Humphrey - He was one of the big surprises on the AAU circuit with the Georgia Stars and the 6-foot-3 guard from Dacula (Ga.) High School kept his rep intact as one of the top shooters in the South. He has a smooth shot and didn’t deviate from his strengths, staying on the perimeter for the good part of the day. Humphrey said he’s still considering Arkansas and South Carolina and could visit the two schools in the fall while College of Charleston and Tulane are also in the picture.

Chris Williams - The 6-foot-6 power senior forward from Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., will be visiting Oral Roberts this weekend. The active big man has added muscle over the summer and continues to improve as an interior player. Williams said he’s heard from Georgia State, Lamar, UNC-Wilmington, Stetson, Arkansas State and Arkansas Little-Rock.

Aleksander Mrozik - Out of all of the players at the event, this 6-foot-6, 165-pound prospect from Lublim, Poland was the most intriguing. The class of 2006 product played sparingly last season at Reserve Christian in Louisiana. This season at Community Christian, he should play a lot. He’s smart with the ball, doesn’t force the issue, his shot from deep is dependable and he knows how to use the glass. Don’t be surprised to see him run the point as well. Mrozik has high-major potential and definitely worth the look.

Petras Balocka - This 6-foot-6, 230-pound power forward from the class of 2006 was one of the top players at the open gym event. He’s one of the many new faces at Community Christian and he’ll be asked to control the glass and maintain a level of intensity. He’s limited inside with his size but the Lithuania native empties his tank on the court. Balocka showed off his range with a side-spinning rotation on his jump shot. He squeezes the air out of the ball with rebounds and fights hard inside. He’ll earn a college scholarship. He said he’s heard from Southern Cal, South Alabama, Virginia Commonwealth, Austin Peay and Belmont.

Solomon Tat - The class of 2006 prospect did a great job of penetrating to the basket and he played the best defense we’ve seen him play but in terms of running the offense and setting his teammates up, there is still room to improve. The muscular Nigerian will be the featured player at Community Christian School this season.

Aaron Gilstrap - Marietta (Ga.) High School has produced a number of prospects that have gone onto major programs over the last 10 years and it looks like head coach Charlie Hood has another big timer. The 6-foot-3, 165-pound shooting guard has excellent athleticism and a world of potential. The class of 2007 prospect has plenty of time to develop his perimeter game as well as ball-handling skills.

Christopher Barnes - Community Christian School will be known for intriguing international prospects but don’t overlook the home grown products. This well-built 6-foot-7 forward loves to play above the rim and goes high for rebounds. Only in the class of 2007, Barnes has plenty of time to develop his offensive skills. As a raw prospect, there is plenty to like.

Olu Ashaolu - The young phenom from Canada didn’t have much of a challenge in the younger group so instead of wasting the time away, he showed off his expanding game. The 6-foot-6 class of 2008 prospect has been playing at a high level since coming to the United States last year. Always quick to conversation, Ashaolu said he’s favoring LSU over Texas, Michigan State, Southern Cal, Arizona, Memphis, Florida and Georgia Tech. With four years of high school to go, that list will certainly see some changes.