FIRST48. PLAYER SPOTLIGHTS (I​ n Alphabet​ical Order.)

CARTIER “TURTLE” BEVERLY. Turtle has long been considered one of the best kids in the class of 2022 and that says a lot, especially for a guard. 2022 is loaded with talent and there are an abundance of guards to choose from. If there was ever any question as to where Turtle stood amongst his peers he answered that question over and over again in FIRST48. He was offensively dominant, 20 plus here, 30 plus there, game after game after game. He lead the league in scoring with 23.6 points per game. He’s one of those kids that you can’t stay in front of. Honestly I don’t think there are many, if any, kids in the class that can continuously stay in front of him. His quickness gets him past the defender, his speed keeps him in front of the defender, and his strength allows him to finish through most contact. “Pure Athlete” is an understatement. That same pure athleticism and his pitbull mentality would also explain why he’s considered “a dog” on defense. FIRST48 All-Star, Mr.FIRST48, and First Team All-FIRST48, yeah he did that. Turtle is TOUGH! NEVER STOP! KING BUTLER. King Butler is SPECIAL. He’s that perfect mix of point guard and scorer that is every coach’s dream. For a couple of years now King has been considered one of the best point guards in the class. Lately he has been looking like THE best point guard in the class. An excellent ball handler and facilitator King does a great job of taking care of the ball and finding his open man. AND he knows how and when to get a bucket. He’s a crafty slasher that’s known for making a way out of no way and finishing at the rim. His length suits him perfect at the point guard position for playing either end of the court. King ABSOLUTELY campaigned throughout the course of FIRST48. He averaged 13.8 points per game and in the final two games of the regular season he scored 19 and 18 points. Not only was he selected as a FIRST48 All-Star but he carried his team to the FIRST48 Championship Game and there his team ended their season as Runner-Ups. King was also selected as First Team All-FIRST48. Don’t be surprised if he’s one that goes D1. NEVER STOP!

JAYDEN FORREST. Big Jay was easily one of THE MOST DOMINANT players in 8th Grade Division. Height aside, Jay is definitely one of the biggest, strongest, most athletic players in the class. And it showed. He was already a beast in the paint. A tenacious defender, and relentless rebounder, that can jump out the gym and bang with the best of them. Unfortunately, for the guards in the class, jay has taken his talents to the wing where with his frame and athleticism he can abuse smaller defenders. And he has added a VERY consistent three point shot to his repertoire that makes him extremely deadly on offense with his newfound inside-outside game. Forrest averaged 15.0 points per game in league play and earned himself an invitation to the FIRST48 All-Star Game. With his name already ringing nationally it’s only right that we expect him to become one of a handful of local kids to be the face of the class for years to come. NEVER STOP!

REESE GARRISON. Reese Garrison IS THE TOP PLAYER IN THE CLASS OF 2025. This is not up for debate. In a class loaded with talent Reese is easily the most dominant player of them all. The reason why is easy, he’s a guard in a big’s body. Bigs are too slow to defend him. And guards are too small to defend him. Simply put, He’s A GROWN MAN! His accolades this season further proved his dominance; FIRST48 All-Star, FIRST48 All-Star Game MVP, FIRST48 Champion, FIRST48 League MVP, Mr.FIRST48, and First Team All-FIRST48.. If there were anymore awards to be gotten he would’ve probably gotten them too! During the regular season he averaged 19.5 points per game, this include a 28 point performance where he looked like an NBA player playing in a church league game. And he does absolutely everything. He rebounds, he defends, he blocks shots, he makes free throws, and he scores, and he scores, and he scores. The sky is the limit for this kid. NEVER STOP!

MASHAD “THA GOD” GRIFFIN. Unless you’ve been living under a rock I’m sure by now you’ve seen social media sensation Mashad “Tha God” Griffin at one of his many workout spots working on his craft. What you may not know is the kid does it when it counts too! Don’t worry Middle School coaches, you have 12 more months to gameplan for the kid. He’s ONLY a 5th Grader! The nationally ranked Griffin was one of a handful of Big Name 5th Graders that signed up for FIRST48 this season. Amongst all 5th Graders he was the 2nd leading scorer, averaging just shy of 10 points per game. His scoring consistency earned him an invite to the FIRST48 All-Star game and a Second Team All-FIRST48 honor. Griffin opened a lot of eyes when he dropped 18 points in a game late in the season. While his long range shooting is where he gets most of his notoriety, Griffin is nice with it when it comes to handling the rock. Judging by what he’s already doing on the court, and how hard he works off the court, it’s scary to think about what kind of Monster this kid is going to turn into. NEVER STOP!

MARTECHIO “MJ” HAYES JR. MJ was undoubtedly the most productive 5th grader in the entire 5th/6th Grade Division. Hayes was one of only four 5th graders to be selected for the FIRST48 5th/6th Grade All-Star team. In fact he was the 2nd leading scorer in the entire league. Hayes averaged 14.0 points per game. This included a 24 point outburst where he looked absolutely unstoppable. So of course he was selected as a First Team All-FIRST48. MJ is easily Top 3 locally in the class of 2026 and is considered by some to be the Top player in the class. His size and athleticism allow him to be a threat in countless ways especially with him being a guard. He’s a terror when attacking the rim and he finishes well. He’s a solid outside shooter and free throw shooter as well. He does an excellent job of rebounding and defending, you can also attribute that to his athleticism and length as well. Expect to hear his name for years to come. NEVER STOP!

COOPER HAYNES. A one man wrecking crew! Cooper Haynes is THE BEST PLAYER IN THE CLASS locally and one of the best players in the class nationally. Let’s get that understood first and foremost. The #8 player in the Class of 2024 proved game after game why his name is known across the country. He was absolutely dominant in FIRST48 this season. Check out his accolades; FIRST48 All-Star, FIRST48 Champion, FIRST48 League MVP (for the second year in a row), MR. FIRST48 (for the second year in a row), and First team All-FIRST48. Cooper averaged 24.0 points per game, including one 30 point show where he truly looked like a man amongst boys, he scored double digits in every single game, and he made 20 plus point performances look like another day at the office. He’s a guard. But he’s a BIG GUARD. He rebounds better than most bigs and is actually relentless on the boards. His offensive game is what’s head turning though. He uses his frame to get whatever he wants. He scores well in the post, makes free throws, and has has a pull-up jumper from the three point line that is becoming more and more deadly. Simply put, HE’S COLD! NEVER STOP!

DEMARIO “JUNIOR” JOHNSON. Everybody knows Junior can hoop. He’s been a mainstay on the scene for the past few years now. But this season in FIRST48 he solidified his spot amongst the top players in the class. And proved that as far as scorers are concerned he’s easily Top 5, if not top 2 or 3. He can play either guard position but with his scoring ability he’s probably best suited off the ball. He can score in several ways but he is absolutely deadly from long range. Junior was one of only a few kids in the division that averaged double figures. Aside from Junior’s skills it’s his mindset that separates him from most of his peers. His heart and determination is unmatched. He refuses to lose. In layman’s terms; HE’S A DOG! His play over the course of the league earned him an All-Star Game selection, All-Star Game MVP, and First Team All-FIRST48. NEVER STOP!

KAMERON JONES. I believe this kid walks around with buckets in his backpack. He started out as a shooter. But that was year ago. Now don’t get it twisted, he can still shoot it. But this kid has developed into one of the most well rounded point guards in his class. There no way you can leave him out when discussing the top guards locally in high school. That’s right, not top guards in his class, TOP GUARDS IN HIGH SCHOOL. Jones is highly skilled, very confident, and extremely efficient. He has nice size for a point guard and is a Grade A ball-handler. His scoring ability, specifically his shooting ability is what separates him from his peers at the one position. I think his 40 point outburst, including 8 three-pointers, in the FIRST48 All-Star Game was clearly a testament to how potent of a scorer he is. That performance earned him the FIRST48 All-Star Game MVP, and his performance over the course of the season earned him several other accolades FIRST48 League Champion, FIRST48 League MVP, and First Team All-FIRST48. Jones finished the season averaging nearly seventeen points per game (16.8). We see ya Kam. NEVER STOP!

BRAXTON JUMPER. In a class with a talent pool as deep as 2024 Braxton Jumper still stands out. Braxton is a special talent that is definitely top 5 and considered by some to be top 2 or 3. He’s a must have kind of player because he brings so much to the table. Braxton can play either of the guard spots and can even play the three. He handles the ball well and has good court vision. He doesn’t mind giving the ball up to his teammates in better scoring position. Of course he can score. He’s long been known as a three point threat, but now he has a nice floater and can get to the rim and finish as well. His size also separates him from his peers that share the same position. He’s got the height of a forward, with nice length, and a solid frame. One thing about Braxton that you can’t teach is his willingness and wantingness to take the big shots. He’s naturally clutch. Braxton was the league’s second leading scorer with 17.5 points per game, and he finished the regular season with 22 and 25 point performances. Brax accumulated several honors over the course of the season including; FIRST48 All-Star, FIRST48 All-Star Game MVP, FIRST48 League Champions, and First Team All-FIRST48. Need I say more? NEVER STOP!

ANTHONY MEDLOCK JR. Anthony Medlock Jr. was on a mission in FIRST48. He was going to demand his respect and earn his spot. And he did just that! Medlock was selected to the FIRST48 All-Star Game and was a First Team All-FIRST48 selection as well. Medlock’s campaign was was one of the most notable in his class. He was the league’s second leading scorer with 16.2. He even had two back to back games where he scored 22 points in each. He was even part of a huge victory in which his team upset the undefeated and eventual back to back league Champions Medlock’s size and versatility is what makes him so productive. He’s naturally more of a stretch four but can play the three, or even the five if push comes to shove. He rebounds, he defends, he blocks shots, and he’s highly competitive. As a scorer he’s just as versatile. Medlock can score from just about anywhere on the floor; inside the paint, mid-range, and free throw line. Now he has expanded his game beyond the three point line and that just makes him even more scary. I know he won’t, but I’ll say it anyway. NEVER STOP!

CATTHADIOUS “BIG CATT” MOORE. I’m sure you’re familiar with his sharpshooting little brother “Lil Catt”. But Big Bro’s got game too! Big Catt was easily THE MOST DOMINANT big in the entire league. In fact Catt was probably the most dominant player in FIRST48 period! He lead the league in scoring with 19.0 points per game, including one game where he dropped 36 points. A post presence to say the least. More accurately put, HE’S A BEAST, a 6’6 beast that runs the floor, defends and blocks shots, rebounds, and scores well around the rim. Big Catt was selected to play in the FIRST48 All-Star Game, was named Mr. FIRST48, and was selected First Team All-FIRST48. Big Catt is a BIG DOG! NEVER STOP!

LADRICUS PITTMAN. Ladricus Pittman has been around FOR YEARS! Since he was the smallest kid on the court with those long dreads shooting those long threes. A lot has changed since then. Dricus has stretched out and even though he can still shoot it. He brings more to the table than just an outside shot. He’s got nice handles and he’s highly confident. When it comes to scoring he can do it several ways. He’s definitely still lethal from the three, but his pull-up and floater games are nice too. He handles the ball well enough to run point, but scores so well you’d consider playing him at the two. Not a bad dilemma for a coach to have. On a team full of scorers Dricus averaged 12.4 points per game, but in a game late in the season he showed that he could take over when he wanted to, scoring 24 points. Aside from being a back to back FIRST48 League Champion, Dricus was selected to the FIRST48 All-Star Game, was named FIRST48 MVP, and First Team All-FIRST48. Be on the lookout for Dricus, not that you won’t be hearing about him, but you don’t wanna miss out on what he does next. NEVER STOP!

ERNEST “EJ” SMITH JR. He’s A SCORING MACHINE. I think it’s safe to say that EJ is undoubtedly the best scorer in the class. I don‘t think I’ve seen a kid at any level score so much so consistently. He’s long been considered one of the best players in the class, Top 3 is definitely not a stretch, and lately it seems like he’s making a case for the Top Spot. Double-figures is easy for him and twenty-plus point performances are the norm. He led the 8th Grade Division in scoring from Week 1 until it was all said and done. His scoring dominance has to be attributed to fact that he has an arsenal of ways he can put the ball in the hole. He has proven of late that he is deadly from the outside, plus he has a mid-range pull-up and free throw line floater that are both equally effective. And then he’s automatic from the free throw line. He’s lethal. His offense is so potent that it actually hides the fact that he’s an above average defender. He’s a sneaky methodical defender that can get a steal, tip a pass, or force a turnover, and be gone the other way to of course… SCORE. Just check out his 2018 FIRST48 resume; FIRST48 All-Star, FIRST48 All-Star Game MVP, FIRST48 League MVP, Mr. FIRST48, and First Team All-FIRST48. Legit is an understatement. We can only expect more and more from a kid that has already shown that too much just isn’t enough. NEVER STOP!

FRED SMITH JR. It was more than a pleasure to have one of the most coveted kids in the class rocking those MBA logos on his chest. 5th Grader Fred Smith Jr. proved that sometimes you have got to believe the hype. Big Fred proved that he was more than ready to play against anybody on any stage. Throughout the course of the league Big Fred showed off a wide array of attributes. Even though he rebounded well, blocked shots, and defended bigger, older opponents he showed that he was more of a stretch four than a big. He put the ball on the floor and he shot well from inside and out. Fred was selected to the FIRST48 All-Star Game and was a Second Team All-FIRST48 selection. He was one of very few 5th graders to be selected for either of these honors. Yea, he’s kind of a big deal. And we’re expecting very big things in the future for Big Fred. NEVER STOP! JULIUS “KING” THEDFORD. I absolutely love the way this kid plays. King has been one of the most coveted kids in the class for the past few years. I must say that in the last couple of months King has shown that not only is he elite, but he is no doubt Top 3, if not Top 2 in the class. Not only does he do everything. But he does EVERYTHING GOOD! He rebounds, he defends, he can handle the ball AND HE CAN SCORE. He averaged 17 points per game this season in FIRST48. King can kill you in several ways but he is most deadly at the rim and behind the arc. He has a football frame, that teamed with his strength and athleticism makes it hard for defenders to keep him from getting to the rack. His outside shot is SO consistent that I would consider him to be one of the top shooters in the class. He never takes a play off and he gives 100% every moment he’s on the court. His hustle, tenacity, and hard-nosed play is something else that separates King from most of his peers. King is a kid that we expect to rack up all kinds of awards and achievements throughout his basketball career. This year alone in FIRST48 he was selected to the All-Star Game and selected as First Team All-FIRST48. NEVER STOP!