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football Edit

Prather: Friday action

ATLANTA, Ga. -- The first night of the Wallace Prather Memorial Classic at Georgia Tech is in the books. A couple of home town players stood out while a new name from the class of 2010 shined on opening night.
STAR POWER
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The connection between Mfon Udofia and Ari Stewart was evident in the Worldwide Renegades win over the Nashville Celtics.
Udofia, one of the top point guards in the tournament, found Stewart for a number of plays at and above the rim. The two connected for at least five highlight buckets.
Udofia's passing was the brightest overall skill set on display of any player we saw on Friday night. His pin point passes to all of his teammates was fun to watch.
Stewart made athletic play after athletic play. His midrange jumper, step back three and slashing stood out. He and Udofia combined for 35 points.
If and when he plays the point at the college level, it wouldn't be a major surprise to hear Lorenzo Brown's name pop up as a pro prospect at his position. The 6-foot-4 guard's game is so controlled, so smooth and so unselfish. That has been the description of his game ever since debuting his talent so many years ago at the Georgia Hoops Fall Showcase in 2006 as a freshman. He set the tone for his Lou Will Elite team in a win against the Georgia Tornadoes.
HI, MY NAME IS…
After suffering a knee injury that sidelined him for a year, class of 2009 forward Cameron Baskerville is back to normal for the most part and he's enjoying a strong spring season.
The 6-foot-6 forward shined as a pick and pop four man, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. He drilled a midrange jumper and rebounded in and out of his area. Offensively, he was the go-to player for Lou Will Elite inside the paint.
Baskerville said Marquette stopped by his school last week to see him. Wake Forest, Clemson, Cincinnati, Toledo (offer) and Georgia State (offer) are also in the picture.
Guard Tyshawn Good put up an impressive 19 points on the Atlanta Celtics in a night game. The 6-foot guard averaged 30 points a game as a junior at Darlington (Ga.) this season and showed his scoring touch in a tough defeat. He's one to keep an eye on for the mid-majors.
Center Raymond Gregory had good success for the Georgia Tornadoes in April and the 6-foot-9 big man from Redan (Ga.) High School has watched his recruiting take off. Schools from all levels have thrown a hat into the mix. Ideally, the low to mid-major schools would be best served to recruit the charismatic young man.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
There might not have been a more intriguing player from the class of 2010 on Friday night than DeAndre Daniels of the Nashville Celtics. The 6-foot-8 California native showed off a variety of intriguing things against the Worldwide Renegades. He worked the boards well, scored inside, blocked some shots and knocked down a three-pointer in the process. He matched up with Stewart, one of the top wing forwards in the 2009 class, very well.
Teammate Casey Prather faired equally as well, scoring 19 points before fouling out. The 6-foot-6 athlete played big, strong and tough around the basket. He's a big time finisher with a perimeter game that is improving.
EOTO/EATS opened the first game of the tournament with a 12-2 run against the Georgia Stars 16 and under team and looked to be in control of the action. Once the dust settled and some major substitutions, the Stars righted the ship thanks in large part to the play of point guard Shelden Strickland and center Tony Jacobs.
Strickland, a 5-foot-11 class of 2010 prospect, hit a three, defended well, rebounded , scored quiet but important buckets, made important passes and gave the game a calming effect on the action.
Jacobs, a towering 6-foot-8 big-bodied center, cleared space with his left tackle body. He was the only player to hit the boards in the comeback and grabbed seven boards in a six minute span in the first half. The class of 2010 prospect has a nice set of soft hands and a good touch for a player of his size.
The second half picked up for Chris Grier, a 6-foot-4 guard. The class of 2010 has a good feel for the game on the offensive end of the floor and his constant movement made it difficult to defend him. There was a four minute stretch in the second half where he hit a three, drove baseline and scored with a floater and made some key defensive plays.
Point guard DaVonta White, who is shaping up to be one of the top floor general's in Georgia's 2010 class, is about as tough as a player in the tournament field to defend because of his speed to the hole.
SCHOOL LIST CENTRAL
Things remain the same for four-star guard Lorenzo Brown. NC State, Memphis and Florida continue to sit high on his list.
Ari Stewart said West Virginia is the newest school in the mix for him. Virginia, Georgia, Oregon, Xavier, Miami, Wake Forest, Florida, NC State and Georgia Tech were also offered up as schools in the mix for him.
Class of 2010 guard Chris Grier said Xavier, Georgia, Clemson, Virginia Commonwealth and Virginia are in the picture.
DaVonta White said Clemson and Virginia Tech have recently jumped into the mix.
NOTES FROM THE NOTEPAD
Recent Kentucky commitment Jon Hodd is not in attendance this weekend.
Mario Vasser, a bouncy 6-foot-3 guard from Lou Will Elite had the dunk of the day on Friday when he went baseline and throw down a thunderous two-handed flush an a team full of defenders. The class of 2009 prospect said Tennessee Tech, Georgia State and Auburn are in the mix for him.
Atlanta native and new AAU team sponsor, Louis Williams, was on hand to support his Lou Will Elite team. Former Alabama and Wheeler (H.S.) star and current Charlotte Bobcat Jamaero Davidson was in the building to support his former club, the Worldwide Renegades.
Of all of Richard Howell's skills, passing might be his very best. The big man knows how to find his teammates.
The speed of two-sport star Russell Powell mixed with his high-level academics has the recruiters at the mid-level lining up now after an impressive April period.
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