Battle in the Peach: Top Performers
Marietta, Georgia – The 2023 Battle in the Peach was a two-day event at Marietta (GA) Wheeler High School. Twenty-two games took place in two gyms, featuring teams from Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Oregon. Numerous high-major, nationally ranked players took center stage at the Battle in the Peach.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl had an assistant with him, and they were joined by coaches from Georgia, Baylor, SMU, Georgia Tech, Tulane, Presbyterian, and others. The baseline was filled with cameras to capture every highlight that took place.
Let’s discuss the top performers from the 2023 Battle in the Peach.
On3 MVP: Five-Star SF Isaiah Evans (Duke)
It was the nightcap of the event, and Isaiah Evans put on a show. Even while a majority of the gym had already cleared out, many of those who stayed got on their feet for Evans’ scoring output.
Evans is a shot maker, and simply, that is his superpower. The 6-foot-7 wing put his shot-making skills on full display throughout the game. It started with a 19 points second quarter, where Evans buried four threes. It was a show because he went back and forth for a sequence of four possesses where he and Five-Star Plus+ junior power forward Caleb Wilson went back and forth, trading step-back threes. Evans has the ultimate confidence in his shooting, he plays on balance and his release point is high and quick. When he gets rolling, Evans has shown he can string together points quickly.
Evans, a Duke signee, finished with 36 points on ten made threes.
2. Three-Star SG CJ Brown (USF)
What a show that CJ Brown put on in the second half of his game. It was a battle of the Marietta high schools as Marietta (GA) Kell faced off against Marietta (GA) Wheeler High. The gym was lively, to say the least.
His explosion popped immediately. Brown attacked the basket and finished high above the rim. On multiple occasions, he brought the crowd to their feet with rim-rattling put-back dunks. Brown has the upside as a good defender. His motor mixed with his athleticism and instincts gave opposing guards fits in this one.
It was a rivalry game and when Kell needed a play, Brown made it. He had 25 points, 18 in the second half.
3. Five-Star Plus+ SF Derrion Reid
It is the instinct for me. Derrion Reid always seems to be in the right place and he always seems to make the right read.
Reid plays at a fast pace. He is always in attack mode, getting downhill toward the rim and guarding the ball. He has quick feet and excellent anticipation with a lengthy, 6-foot-7 frame. Offensively, Reid’s passing might not get enough credit. He is accurate off a live dribble, both hands, with touch. The jump shot is the swing skill for him, but he is taking it comfortably off the catch.
Reid, On3’s No. 13 player in the 2024 class, remains unsigned. Prior to the early signing period, he announced a final three that included Florida State, Alabama, and Georgia.
4. Four-Star F Tylis Jordan (2025)
When watching Tylis Jordan you immediately see the upside with his frame and length. He moves very well for a player who is in the 6-foot-8/6-foot-9 range, both fluidly and explosively.
When watching Jordan play in this setting, you are starting to see the player archetype that he is on. He played a lot out of the mid-post here, faced up and his team ran actions off him. He can put the ball on the floor for two or three dribbles in the half-court and he can push the break in the open floor. Jordan finished above the rim when he attacked and kept the defense honest by knocking down mid-range jumpers.
Jordan is the No. 48 player in the 2025 On3 150. Programs like Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and SMU were watching him on the weekend.
5. Five-Star Plus+ SF AJ Dybantsa (2025)
AJ Dybantsa is the No. 1 player in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-8 small forward is a very skilled player, with a natural scoring ability.
Dybantsa has an excellent feel and is capable of scoring any way you want. He has great size and length, as a true wing. His jump shot is consistent with great balance and an even load through his shot. He gets to his spots off the bounce, raising up after one and two dribbles in the mid-range. The Five-Star Plus+ wing is an explosive athlete, getting above the rim in transition. He has good instincts on defense, and when he locks in, can ring off a lot of points very quickly.
Dybantsa has taken one official visit, to Southern California.
6. Three-Star G Karris Bilal (Vanderbilt)
There is something to be said about a guy who can go out and create buckets. Karris Bilal flat-out stepped on the court and created offense.
Bilal showed a great mid-range game. Playing off of two dribbles, he attacked left and right and pulled up in traffic to knock down shots. He also showed deep range, consistently. Bilal stands in the 6-foot-1/6-foot-2 range, but he gets to his spots off the bounce with the utmost confidence. The range is real and the balance is excellent. He is also a twitchy athlete with the ball in his hands.
Jerry Stackhouse has had success with scoring guards similar to Bilal. He committed to Vanderbilt in September of 2022.
7. Three- Star C Mekhi Ragland (2025)
Mekhi Ragland is big. Listed at 6-foot-10 and carrying a large frame with long arms, Ragland is a physical presence on the floor. He also has great hands and good feet.
What intrigues the most with Ragland is his feel. His Lilburn (GA) Berkmar coach lined him up at multiple levels and ran some offense through him. He has excellent touch with great hands, and he sets up a big target on the block. His passing, however, is what sets him apart from his peers. He caught the ball facing from the high post and on the block and his team was able to run actions off of him. He is a strong area rebounder and a great outlet passer. There is a unique nature to his game and skill set. He has an old-school big frame but he produces numbers in a modern way.
Ragland’s last two offers were from Kennesaw State and East Carolina.
8. F Cedric Taylor (2025)
This was my first viewing of Cedric Taylor. I actually did not set out to watch him, I walked into the back gym as the front gym game had ended and there was some time. Immediately I saw a fluid 6-foot-10 player that passed the look test.
Once the game started, Taylor immediately put his prints on the game. At 6-foot-10, he has great length. He is a good athlete with fluidity and explosive pop. Defensively, I liked the upside. He slid his feet with perimeter forwards and he was a good weak-side shot blocker, understanding angles and showing great timing. Offensively, Taylor scored at each level. He showed wiggle off the bounce and touch, knocking down shots from beyond the arc and in the mid-range. He had 22 points in the win.
Taylor currently has no offers. That should quickly change. He is from Stockholm, Sweden.
Other Standouts
Three-Star SG JR Leonard (2025) has a scorer’s mentality. I liked the jump shot, and he was comfortable letting it fly off movement and off the catch. The release is a little low, but he had a good feel for getting open. Leonard finished with 15 points in the win.
Five-Star Plus+ PF Caleb Wilson (2025) put on a shot-making display in the first half of his game, showcasing range and the ability to create space. Wilson has good size and intriguing touch, footwork, and handle. He finished with 26 of his team’s 54 points.
Four-Star PF Josh Hill (Central Arkansas) carries a length frame. He is a very fluid athlete who runs well and has some pop. The touch and range intrigue for a player standing 6-foot-10. He finished off cuts to the basket, mid-range pull-ups, and spot threes.
PG Kota Suttle (2026) has the mentality pop quickly. You see soon after the ball is tipped that he has a tough mindset. Suttle touches the paint and he made plays here. He knocked down a couple of pull-up jumpers, he defended the point-of-attack, and he made good reads. A tough-minded lead guard.
Four-Star C Aidan Sherrell (Alabama) is big and fluid. The 6-foot-11 center moves very well and is capable of handling, shooting, and distributing. He has range that extends beyond the arc and can push the break under control and make a read—a lot of upside to like.
SF Sabree Scott (2025) is a physical and explosive wing. He attacked the basket, finished above the rim, and he showed some defensive upside. Scott is an intriguing prospect, spending his first season at Winston-Salem (NC) Quality Education Academy. He is one who should start to pick up Division One offers in time.
Five-Star Plus+ SF Tyran Stokes (2026) is a physical and explosive wing. He gets downhill in straight lines and attacks the basket with a purpose. He has good passing lane instincts and made solid reads off a live dribble. Stokes is still figuring everything out, but there is no denying his natural talent.