Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Meet the GAIS Eagles: Daquarius Johnson

Note:  The Eagles recently placed third in the NCHBC national championships.  This is the highest finish in program history.  Coach Will Avery and I have been so busy this season coaching and integrating new players into the program that we have not shared much about the great people and stories from this season.  The "Meet the GAIS Eagles" series and other stories from nationals and the season are attempts to share the news!



It is true that coaches can't teach height. Well, the kind of athleticism that NCHBC All American Daquarius Johnson possesses cannot be taught either. Add to that his 6'4" frame, soft shooting touch, soft hands, and physical toughness, and a very impressive picture is painted.
Johnson burst onto the homeschool basketball scene with an exclamation mark during the 2014 NCHBC national championships. Averaging 20 ppg and dunking no less than 12 times in five games created a buzz from many of the 9,000 players and spectators.
While Johnson's 360 degree game ending dunk in GAIS's 69-61 4A championship game victory and his insane dunk contest performance stole the show, I was most impressed with his consistently good shooting, his competitiveness, and his composure.
After trailing throughout much of the Class 4A championship game, Johnson stole the ball and was flagrantly fouled before finishing a breakaway that would have cut the opponent's lead to two points late in the fourth quarter. Daquarius kept his composure and eventually made two big free throws and made a phenomenally athletic play to put his team ahead for good.
Daquarius scored between 15 and 23 points in each of the five games and never got into foul trouble. He had virtually no turnovers, rebounded well, and was effective in the paint and on the perimeter.
Johnson will spend the spring and summer staying on track academically, developing his basketball skills and playing competitive AAU basketball. In addition to all of his obvious strengths, he is a good hearted young man who is a great teammate and a joy to coach. I especially enjoyed watching him interact with the young kids in Springfield, Missouri, seeking his autograph. Very neat stuff!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Meet the GAIS Eagles: TJ Massenburg

Note:  The Eagles recently placed third in the NCHBC national championships.  This is the highest finish in program history.  Coach Will Avery and I have been so busy this season coaching and integrating new players into the program that we have not shared much about the great people and stories from this season.  The "Meet the GAIS Eagles" series and other stories from nationals and the season are attempts to share the news!



Freshman center TJ Massenburg's basketball skill set is very much advanced given his age and size. And his rate of improvement has been astonishing.  The lone returning starter burst onto the homeschool national championship scene as an eighth grader with a thunderous dunk before a packed gym in 2013 NCHBC Sweet 16 round action.  But at the time, Massenburg's role was limited to finishing plays at the rim and defending in the post.

What a difference a year has made.  Likely due to his experience, TJ was probably the most composed of the 2014 Eagles in Springield last week.  He shot the ball well all week, making 2-3 jump shots from 17-20 feet out each game.  And these shots often came at crucial times.  He also showed the ability to create scoring opportunities facing the basket off the dribble.  He is getting more comfortable playing with his back to the basket and converting offensive rebounds into baskets by keeping the ball high and using his soft touch.  TJ scored 11 ppg during the tournament, including a 20 point outburst versus Saint John's (MI) in the 3rd place game.

One of my favorite moments in Springfield came at the end of the "round of 16" game versus the Noble Whitley Warriors (IN).  A former teammate of TJ's, Austin Crown, who assisted me during the tournament, suggested we inbound the ball to TJ during the game's closing minute because we were ahead and he would "catch the ball, get fouled, and make his free throws."  And TJ did all three things, making 4 of 4 free throws en route to an 11 point fourth quarter to seal the win.  It was nice to see Austin throw TJ one last assist, and even nicer to see TJ finish as he continues to take on more and more responsibility as a team leader.

GAIS Flashback: Middle Schoolers Take Tip-Off Crown... another viewpoint.

Note:  The Eagles recently placed third in the NCHBC national championships.  This is the highest finish in program history.  Coach Will Avery and I have been so busy this season coaching and integrating new players into the program that we have not shared much about the great people and stories from this season.  The "Meet the GAIS Eagles" series and other stories from nationals and the season are attempts to share the news!



Above are highlights from Eagles coach Will Avery's first official outing with the 2013-14 GAIS middle school team.  Avery led his group to the championship of the NCHBC National Tip-Off tournament in Springfield, Missouri, last November.  The Eagles built on their early success, playing a 30 plus game schedule versus public school, private school, and homeschool junior varsity and middle school competition and ending the season with a Southeast Regional Homeschool tournament championship.

Although the story of the Eagles' early season tournament title is familiar to most within our program, I have yet to share the view from which I experienced the exciting moment.  Having coached a varsity game that started across town just before the tip off of the middle school game, my players, their parents and I raced over to Baptist Bible College to try to catch the ending of the middle school championship game and cheer on our guys against the heralded Oklahoma City Storm.  We knew by following updates from hslive365.com during the ride that the Eagles were tied with less than 2 minutes remaining and that Trent Bowdre had been on fire from three point land.  So when the bus pulled into the parking lot of Baptist Bible, the scene unfolded as follows...

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Eagles Finish as the Nation's Third Best Homeschool Team



After losing four starters and 90%+ of the scoring output from the past four seasons, Hslive365.com's national homeschool preseason #3 ranking of the GAIS Eagles seemed like lofty expectations, to say the least.  But these expectations fit our philosophy quite well.  We Eagles aim for "extraordinary" results because we figure we may just reach our goals.  And if we don't, we are likely to land in a much higher place than had we had more "reasonable" expectations.

Forty games later, the 2014 Eagles finished 3rd (its highest ever finish) in the NCHBC national championship tournament, fulfilling the extraordinarily high pre-season expectations.  The line to the finish was not always straight.  The Eagles began the season where it ended it, in Missouri at the NCHBC Tip-Off tournament, earning impressive wins over national power Tulsa NOAH (OK) and the Lakeshore Thunder (WI).  And a November win over the highly respected Central Park (AL) added confidence early.

From Left: TJ Massenburg, Jordan Pye, Malik Welch, 
Corey Hughes, Kyle Brown, Sam Culbertson, Jaylan Robinson,
Jonathan Pye, Daquarius Johnson, Taylor Murdock
But the beginning of the season also had its bumps in the road.  Two losses (one an embarrassing blowout) to eventual South Carolina Independent School state champion Augusta Christian and a short handed loss to Georgia homeschool rival New Faith caused early concerns.  But the January 3rd blowout loss to Augusta Christian focused the minds of Eagles players and coaches.  And the team rebounded with an encouraging 69-50 win at southeast regional and national homeschool power Nashville Christian a week later.  And after two wins over the post graduate Orangeburg Calhoun team and a southeast sub regional tournament championship, the Eagles looked much more likely to have success in Springfield, Missouri, at the National Homeschool Basketball Championship (NCHBC) tournament.

The Eagles finished 9th and 7th at nationals during the two most recent seasons.  And the new format, which features four classes of eight teams in the tournament's Division 1 bracket, promised to test the Eagles early.  New to the tournament, the Eagles were unable to simulate the intensity and the atmosphere of the 24 year old tournament that is the season's feature event for 325 homeschool teams nationwide.  The Eagles' promising run was almost cut off before it started as Class 4A's 8th seeded SWCHA Saints (WI) buried 11 threes against GAIS in the opening round and held a 5 point fourth quarter lead before GAIS came storming back to survive with a 71-61 victory.  NCHBC All Southeast Region performer Jaylan Robinson provided the late game heroics, scoring a team high 23 points in the win.  Teammate Daquarius Johnson added 19.

The second round win over the Indiana based Noble Whitley Warriors began as a sort of highlight reel for GAIS's Johnson, who finished with a game high 23 points, threw down six dunks (four in the first half) and led GAIS to a double digit half time lead.  But the Warriors came roaring back, forcing the Eagles to play from behind again. Senior Kyle Brown (16 points) and freshmen TJ Massenburg (13 points, 11 in the fourth quarter) provided the late game heroics in this game, propelling GAIS to a spot in the tournament's round of eight teams and the Class 4A "Gold Ball" championship game.

The elite 8/gold ball game is as far as any GAIS, or any Georgia based team for that matter, has ever finished.  And after rushing out to a 25-16 2nd quarter lead, the Eagles once again fell behind, this time to the Saline County Warriors, Arkansas' best homeschool team.  Kyle Brown (19 points), Jaylan Robinson (18 points), and Daquarius Johnson (20 points) led another furious second half comeback, turning a 10 point deficit into a 8 point win that was punctuated by Johnson's amazing 360 degree dunk just before time expired.  The Eagles had reached a new milestone, and gold ball championship and a spot in the tournament's final four against the gold ball winners from the other classifications.

GAIS's successful run ended in the tournament's semifinals, or "Gold Ball Championship Series," against the eventual "undisputed national champion" Oklahoma City Storm.  Six three pointers and 33 total points from Storm guard Chauncey Collins (Texas Christian signee) was too much for GAIS.  The Eagles were paced by Robinson's 17, Johnson's 15, and Brown's 13.

Being new to NCHBC tournament play and having played from behind in all four of its games, the Eagles seemed to cherish the relief of pressure in the tournament ending third place game versus the NCHBC Midwest Regional tournament champion St John's Warriors.  Johnson led the way with 21, and TJ Massenburg poured in a personal tournament high 20 points.  Brown and Robinson contributed 13 and 11, respectively.  The Eagles held a double digit advantage through much of the second half before a fourth quarter St John's rally reduced the deficit to as little as three before GAIS earned a 74-70 win and a 3rd place overall finish.

This result is truly extraordinary considering GAIS had never participated in an NCHBC national or regional championship tournament prior to this March.  Daquarius Johnson (20 ppg tournament average) was named to the NCHBC All American team and crowned the slam dunk champ after sending the 9,000 plus Hammons Center arena crowd into a frenzy with his 360 degree dunk that began with a toss off the side of the back board from teammate Jaylan Robinson.  Robinson (15 ppg tournament average) and Kyle Brown (14 ppg tournament average) were named NCHBC All Southeast Region performers.  TJ Massenburg (11 ppg tournament average) was named to the All Tournament team, as was senior Jonathan Pye and sophomore Malik Welch.  Welch contributed greatly throughout the week, guarding the opposing teams' best guards and distributing the ball from the point guard position on offense.

The week also had many intangible benefits.  The bond between the players, and between current and former Eagles, strengthened considerably. And the composure needed to be successful can only be learned in such an atmosphere.  And the players had the pleasure of relaxing, having won its third place game, and watching homeschool's two best teams, and two best players, battle in the championship game before 9,000 plus fans.  41 points from McDonald's All American and future UNC Tar Heel Justin Jackson was not enough for the HCYA Warriors (TX) to overcome 58 points from future Texas Christian Hornfrog Chauncey Collins, and the OKC Storm claimed its second consecutive "undisputed national championship" with Eagles players sitting in the front row, hopefully making plans to participate in the future!

Meet the GAIS Eagles: Jaylan Robinson

Note:  The Eagles recently placed third in the NCHBC national championships.  This is the highest finish in program history.  Coach Will Avery and I have been so busy this season coaching and integrating new players into the program that we have not shared much about the great people and stories from this season.  The "Meet the GAIS Eagles" series and other stories from nationals and the season are attempts to share the news!



NCHBC All Region performer Jaylan Robinson entered the national tournament with a sore ankle. Because Jaylan is our most dangerous guard, I worried about the effect this could have on our team. But Jaylan scored 24 points in the opening round come from behind win over a red hot shooting SWCHA Saints (WI), and he proceeded to play his best week of basketball this season.
Jaylan is an explosive guard who attacks the basket and finishes well in the paint and plays good on ball defense. But two things he did in Missouri particularly stood out and helped to propel his team to its highest ever national tournament finish: he consistently made mid range jump shots and he made tough plays at big moments.
In fact, Jaylan has formed a habit of this. He gets "rebounds he shouldn't get" and often runs off a timely string of baskets in big moments. Our first game at nationals was one of those times. He scored 23 points to propel us past the opening round. His 16 ppg during the tournament, his toughness, and his ability to make big plays were all deciding factors in his team's success throughout the tournament.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Kat Johnson: NCHBC Dunk Champ



Note:  The Eagles recently placed third in the NCHBC national championships.  This is the highest finish in program history.  Coach Will Avery and I have been so busy this season coaching and integrating new players into the program that we have not shared much about the great people and stories from this season.  The "Meet the GAIS Eagles" series and other stories from nationals and the season are attempts to share the news!

Johnson and teammate
Jaylan Robinson
sign autograph
in Springfield
GAIS forward Daquarius "Kat" Johnson took Springfield by storm with a barrage of dunks (12 in 5 games) that ranged from powerful, to acrobatic, to spectacular!  After the word of his highlight making prowess spread throughout the 9,000 plus players and fans in Springfield, every GAIS game became a "must see."  And after the last game, he disappointed none in attendance at the jam packed Hammons arena (home of Missouri State University basketball) with two impressive dunks that earned him dunk champion honors.

It was especially neat to see the youngest fans getting pictures and autographs from Daquarius. Anyone who knows Kat will not be surprised to know his personality endeared him to his admirers.  I will follow up with a comprehensive post highlighting Johnson's many accomplishments during the tournament.  He is much more than a dunker.  But today is all about the high flying stuff!

Meet the GAIS Eagles: Kyle Brown

Note:  The Eagles recently placed third in the NCHBC national championships.  This is the highest finish in program history.  Coach Will Avery and I have been so busy this season coaching and integrating new players into the program that we have not shared much about the great people and stories from this season.  The "Meet the GAIS Eagles" series and other stories from nationals and the season are attempts to share the news!

The lone senior starter on this year's team, Kyle was the consistent leader every good team needs. After playing a limited role during his junior season, Kyle took advantage of every opportunity to put his team in position to be successful during the preseason, the long regular season, and the recent post season. Always eager to do what was needed to win, he scored, distributed the ball, defended, rebounded, and encouraged, depending on the team's most urgent need at the time.
The only Eagle to start every game was instrumental in GAIS's successful post season run, which began with a southeast sub regional homeschool championship and ended with a 3rd place finish in the 2014 NCHBC national championship tournament. Kyle played in all but 5 of the 160 minutes of national tournament play, averaging 14 ppg and consistently making the big plays his team most needed.
Kyle's leadership during the national tournament encapsulated his strengths of character and kindness, not to mention his high level of basketball skill. The Eagles played from behind during much of the first three rounds of tournament play. Kyle's spirit and composure never wavered. He encouraged teammates and led by example. When teams packed in a zone and allowed perimeter shots, he took and buried them. When teams applied pressure, he attacked the basket and finished at the rim and at the foul line. And when the defenses focused specifically on stopping him, he found his teammates for easy opportunities.
Brown encourages teammate Kat Johnson Friday
at Missouri State
Two moments from the tournament stand out most in my mind. During the Class 4A championship game, the Eagles fell behind by 10 points early in the third quarter. Facing a tight 2-3 zone, the Eagles had trouble scoring. Kyle turned the momentum back in his team's favor by taking and making two deep three pointers when things were most bleak. After getting the attention of the defense, he proceeded to attack the basket throughout the second half, making 8 of 10 free throws and feeding teammates for open layups. His biggest assist came when he found Daquarius Johnson for the go ahead layup with just under a minute remaining.
The second moment was more emotional. After losing to the eventual national champion Oklahoma City Storm in the national semifinals, Kyle's eyes were full of tears. I don't think the loss bothered him nearly as much as the thought that his time with his teammates was officially over. Of course, Kyle will have to try very hard to shake us Eagles. A person with his character is one no one will want to lose touch with.

An NCHBC All Southeast Region performer, Kyle wishes to continue his education at a community college or four year school next year. He also wants to play basketball. During the Spring, he is applying to colleges and looking for chances to show coaches in the region what he can do. If any get a chance to know what is in his heart, they will add that to what they see on the court and find a special young man.