CARTERSVILLE, Ga.- The second Live Period of the summer kicks off this week, and we are previewing the Georgia Basketball Coaches Association (GBCA) Live Period, where nearly 150 teams across the Southeast Region will take the stage at the 12-court facility at LakePoint Sports. Here are ten (10) rising juniors to watch throughout the event:
By: Ross Van De Griek
6-5 SG Myles Hayes, Woodward Academy HS (GA), Atlanta Xpress UAA- 2028
The 6-foot-5 rising junior guard brings a unique skill set with good size, length, and athleticism on both ends of the floor. His high IQ allows him to operate as the primary ball handler, as well as getting to his spots where he is efficient in being a scoring threat off the ball. He is also a capable guard who can create shots for himself as well as his teammates, and his energy continues to be a huge focal point in his overall game. Hayes led Woodward Academy to a Class 5A runner-up finish during his junior season. He averaged 14.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this past season while shooting 47% from the field.
6-4 PG Kaharri Coleman, West Charlotte HS (NC), Team CP3 EYBL 16U- 2028
The 6-foot-4 rising junior guard has made significant strides, and he has solidified himself as both a playmaker and a scorer. He has proven himself to be a primary threat when playing off the ball, where he can be a threat scoring on all three scoring levels. On the defensive end, Coleman is fearless whether it’s guarding on the ball or utilizing his athleticism to be efficient in the passing lanes. His speed allows him to apply pressure on the defense where he can finish at the point of attack as well as shoot from well beyond the arc. Overall, Coleman is a dynamic guard who has a combination skill set of speed and athleticism where he can head into his junior season being one of the top two-way guards in the state.
6-2 PG Johnas Maurice II, Oak Ridge HS (FL), Florida Rebels EYBL 16U- 2028
The 6-foot-2 rising junior guard is quick and shifty, and he can operate as the lead ball handler or get to his spots off the ball and still be effective. While he is still transitioning into a new system after coming to Oak Ridge from Lake Howell earlier in the summer, Maurice is a bucket-getter who can score in a variety of ways on the offensive end. On the defensive end, he uses his speed and athleticism to his advantage when it comes to cutting off the passing gaps, snatching timely rebounds, and forcing turnovers, leading to transition-scoring opportunities. Expect Maurice to have a strong second half of the summer where he could end up getting a handful of major offers heading into his junior season.
6-1 PG James Ratteree, Bartow HS (FL), Florida Rebels EYBL 16U- 2028
The 6-foot-1 rising junior point guard is aggressive on both ends of the floor. On offense, he uses his burst of speed and quickness to get to the rim, where he is unafraid of finishing through contact. He has become more adaptable and confident in the open court, where his smooth handle doesn’t rattle him when defenses continue to apply pressure on him. On defense, he is a true competitor, where he is a high-level rebounder and is unafraid when it comes to pushing tempo in transition scoring opportunities. Expect a huge leap in Ratteree’s overall game where he continues to climb the rankings as he has received interest from several mid-major programs this summer.
6-5 SG Gavin Gorman, North Broward Prep HS (FL), BallByDesign- 2028
The 6-foot-5 rising junior guard plays bigger than his size indicates, where he can play above the rim, guard bigger opponents, and show his true athleticism. On offense, he has a high IQ where he can read the defense and make strong passes to his teammates on the move. He has also become more comfortable when handling the basketball from the lead guard position, where he applies heavy pressure on the defense with his strong knack for scoring on all three levels. On the defensive end, he plays with length, athleticism, and versatility, where he can play multiple positions, rebound at a high rate, and push the tempo in transition. Don’t be surprised if college coaches start contacting Gorman in the next few weeks as he heads into his junior season.
6-5 SF Tyson Matta, North Cobb Christian HS (GA), SEBA Atlanta- 2028
The 6-foot-5 rising junior wing plays with good size and is known for being a perimeter scoring threat on the offensive end. He also adds good length, which allows him to crash the glass against multiple defenders and come away with timely rebounds on both ends of the floor. Matta shot nearly 40% from behind the arc during his sophomore season, when he earned All-Region honors. Overall, the 6-foot-5 rising junior guard is a high-level shotmaker and creator as well as a pest on the defensive end, where he continuously applies pressure on opposing ball-handlers. College coaches will be getting a real deal prospect in the upcoming junior class once his recruitment officially gets started.
6-2 PG Brielen Craft, Pace Academy HS (GA), JET Training Academy- 2028
The 6-foot-2 rising junior guard continues to add strength and muscle to his frame, where he has become more adaptable into being a three-level scorer on the offensive end. He also does a great job of finding open teammates on the move offensively and adding creativity to finishing tough shots in the paint while absorbing contact. Coming off a sophomore season where he averaged 11.1 points and 4.4 assists per game, expect Craft to become more confident in his overall game heading into his junior season. Craft can also impact the game on the defensive end, where he cuts off the passing lanes at a high rate, forces turnovers, which lead to transition scoring opportunities, and uses his length to alter shots around the rim.
6-4 CG Greg Dauer, Sarasota HS (FL), Austin Rivers SE Elite 3SSB- 2028
The 6-foot-4 rising junior combo guard has looked to be one of the lead catalysts for the Sailors’ offense since their playoff run came up short of a state championship this past season. Dauer has been asked to be the secondary option running alongside sharpshooter Johnny Lackaff, where they look to be the Modern Era Splash Brothers with their willingness to be a dangerous threat from the perimeter. The rising junior has great positional size where he can play off the ball as a two-guard, where he doesn’t need the basketball in his hands in order to make an impact offensively. On the defensive end, he is an above-average athlete, where he is a high-level rebounder for his size and is unafraid when it comes to pushing the pace in transition-scoring opportunities.
6-5 SF Cortez Hudson, Mae Jemison HS (AL), Alabama Flight- 2028
The 6-foot-5 rising junior wing plays with a ton of energy on the court that continues to feed off his teammates. He can showcase his overall game in multiple ways, whether it’s his length or athleticism by snatching down timely rebounds, playmaking for his teammates, and limiting second-chance scoring opportunities for the opposition. Hudson’s mobility, multi-level scoring arsenal, and playing with a change of pace could provide a huge boost for college coaches to start showing interest in the rising junior.
6-1 PG Jahmar Maurice, Woodstock HS (GA), Atlanta Xpress UAA- 2028
The 6-foot-1 rising junior guard had a strong showing in Session 1 of the Georgia Basketball Coaches Association (GBCA) Live Period, where he averaged nearly 30 points per game. He is a strong and lethal guard who can hurt you in a variety of ways, whether it’s stopping on a dime, where he can shoot from the perimeter at a high rate, or getting to the front of the rim while absorbing contact. During his sophomore season, Maurice averaged 24.4 points per game for Woodstock, where he earned the AAAAA Region 6 Player of the Year honors. Overall, he continues to grow his game as a true point guard where he could be poised to have a strong second half of the summer and go into his junior season on a strong note.
Ross Van De Griek has been a Southeast Region Scout for On The Radar Hoops since 2024 and has been the Owner/Founder of Southeast Hoops Report since June 2026. You can follow along with his work on X (@SEHoopsReport), Instagram (sehoopsreport), and Facebook (@sehoopsreport).