Top boys, girls players to watch

As the basketball season heats up, here's a list, in no particular order, of some of the better players in Class AA. This list is incomplete and other players will emerge to earn statewide recognition, so feel free to leave your picks for the best in AA in the comment section.

Braylon Sanders

School: Callaway

Class: 2017

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 6-2, 185

Notes: Sanders is a two-sport standout who will likely play football at the next level, with numerous FBS offers including one from Georgia. On the hardwood, he's the Cavaliers' top scorer and team leader. He was an AJC all-state honorable mention last year.

Reggie Perry

School: Thomsaville

Class: 2018

Position: Forward

Height/Weight: 6-9, 200

Notes: Perry, only a junior, is committed to play for Arkansas and led the Bulldogs to the AA quarterfinals last season. He was the only sophomore to be named to the AJC all-state first team last year. He is considered one of the nation's best players.

Isaiah Foster

School: Chattooga

Class: 2017

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 5-10, 180

Notes: Foster is a two-sport standout coming off helping the football Indians to a quarterfinals appearance. He's carrying that winning trend over to the basketball Indians, most recently guiding them to a title in the Cherokee Invitational. He was an AJC all-state honorable mention last year.

Kameron Pauldo

School: Dublin

Class: 2018

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 5-9, 140

Notes: The undersized Pauldo, only a junior, is averaging 28.5 points through 11 games, according to stats posted on MaxPreps. Pauldo was an honorable mention for the AJC all-state team last season.

Tyler Thornton

School: South Atlanta

Class: 2017

Position: Forward

Height/Weight: 6-7, 200

Notes: The Hornets are AA's top-ranked team, and Thornton is a big reason why. Thornton led the Hornets to a Peach State Classic championship over the Christmas holidays against a field with some of the state's best teams and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Victaria Saxton

School: Model

Class: 2018

Position: Forward-Center

Height: 6-1

Notes: Last season as a sophomore, Saxton led the Lady Blue Devils to a 28-0 start and a trip to the AA quarterfinals. She averaged 21 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.0 blocks and 2.8 steals a game and is the reason Model is ranked No. 2 this season. She was an AJC all-state first team selection last season and is one of the nation's top prospects.

De’Sha Benjamin

School: Laney

Class: 2018

Position: Guard-Forward

Height: 5-11

Notes: Benjamin was the only sophomore named to the AJC's AAA all-state first team last season. With Laney now in AA, she's guided them to a No. 1 ranking and an 11-1 start by averaging 21.8 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block according to stats posted on MaxPreps.

Savanna Scott

School: Rabun County

Class: 2017

Position: Guard

Height/Weight: 5-9

Notes: Scott, a senior guard, recently surpassed the 1,000 point mark for her prep career and is the leader of a Lady Wildcats team currently ranked No. 3. She was an AJC all-state second team selection last year.

Dynesha Brown

School: Swainsboro

Class: 2019

Position: Guard

Height: 5-6

Notes: Brown is the only sophomore on this short list and was an AJC all-state honorable mention after turning in a stellar freshman campaign after averaging 17.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5 steals and 1.1 blocks according to stats posted on MaxPreps. This season she's averaging 15.8 points, 7.8 points and 4.1 steals.

Alexis Powell

School: Early County

Class: 2017

Position: Guard

Height: 5-6

Notes: Powell has guided Early County to a 6-4 start and is averaging 18.1 points and 5 assists per game according to stats posted on MaxPreps. She was an AJC all-state honorable mention last year after averaging 17.3 points, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals.

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Credit: Stan Awtrey

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Credit: Stan Awtrey