#BrandonClayScouting: McEachern Hosts Mayfair

POWDER SPRINGS, Georgia – Held at McEachern High School, Mayfair High travelled in from California to face the home team. With three prospects in the Top 20 in their respective classes on the floor, the excitement was palpable. The gym was as packed as any that I can remember in recent memory.

1: Sharife Cooper is NOT here for playing games.

An Auburn signee, Cooper came out here with a laser focus. There might not be another guard in the class with Cooper’s smooth yet constantly dialed in demeanor. He finished with 43 points here getting to the free throw line early and often finishing with 22 of those from the charity stripe. Cooper’s ability to produce in clutch situations at the point guard places him amongst the elite in recent Peach State memory including current NBA standouts Jaylen Brown, Dwight Howard and Lou Williams. It’s easy to envision Cooper having a chance to impact Auburn next season the way that Cole Anthony is at North Carolina right now.

2: Josh Christopher is a tough matchup.

Like Cooper, Christopher is a five-star prospect in the senior class. Unlike Sharife, Josh is still open in his recruitment. Whatever program lands Christopher will get a bigtime guard with a high motor to match his athleticism. His ability to make plays on both ends was noteworthy. Offensively, his jumper came alive during the second half which was right on time for Mayfair as they pushed McEachern to the limit. Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin was on hand to see Christopher drop 35.

3: The West Coast is in good hands on Dior Johnson’s watch.

Class of 2022 guard Dior Johnson is already a household name worldwide due to his highlights being all over social media. Johnson is positioned to be the face of the Left Coast for the next couple of years after the current senior class of BJ Boston, Christopher, Jalen Green and Zhaire Williams all head to college next season. Johnson showed that he’s more than up to carrying the mantle with a 30 plus point showing here. In a tightly called game, Dior picked up his fourth foul midway through the third period but managed to finish the remainder of the game without committing his fifth. Johnson’s explosiveness at the rim and creativity off the bounce caught my attention.

Brandon Clay is the owner of the JumpOffPlus.com International Report, Peach State Basketball, Inc., and ProspectsNation.com. The JumpOffPlus.com is picked up by more than 200 colleges and universities nationwide. In addition to serving as ProspectsNation.com WNBA Director of Scouting, Clay serves as the Executive Camp Director for the BrandonClayScouting.com National Training Academies. He is a McDonald’s All-American Game Selection Committee member. Clay serves on the Naismith Trophy Men’s / Women’s College Player of the Year Academy and is the National Coordinator of Voting for the Boys / Girls All-American Teams. He has been involved in the community since 2001. You can reach Clay at [email protected]