Auburn commit Danjel Purifoy transfers to Hargrave
The most notable transfer is our #1 player in the class of 2015 Danjel Kevon Purifoy from Bibb County to Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. Purifoy has recently committed to Auburn under new head coach Bruce Pearl, who has made a splash on the recruiting trail here lately. It has been rumored that the move was for academic purposes while others say Purifoy's consistent traveling didn't coincide with Bibb County's basketball schedule during the off season causing conflict between his head coach. During the spring and summer players usually travel a lot for camps and tournaments which seems to be the reason high school and travel team coaches may have reoccurring conflicts. With the new move of Purifoy, we will have to remove him from our player rankings and this will be another top player that has transferred from the state to play elsewhere.
Dylan Smith is now a Hoover Buc
Another big transfer was Dylan Smith, who is currently ranked #5 in our class of 2015 player rankings. Smith was the 1-2 punch for McGill-Toolen last season alongside back court teammate and Auburn's TJ Lang. Smith was looked upon to play his last season with 2015 6-7 PF Deion Dozier and 2017 6-7 SF Allen Lang but decided to make the move to Hoover shortly after his junior basketball season. During the travel season he made a name for himself as one of the best shooters in the southeast but may have hurt his recruitment as he had to play a role as a spot up shooter instead of the play maker we know him as. The ball was taken out of his hands and Smith wasn't able to showcase his skill set. With the Bucs he should be able to show division-I programs his improved athleticism and full skill set as the 6-5 CG looks to have a superb senior season.
Reginald Todd has transferred to rival Blount
Todd's situation is very concrete and was more of an academic move more so than athletics. The dual-sport athlete was ruled academically ineligible this semester and was not able to compete in any football contest for the LeFlore Rattlers. His mother decided he needed a change, which was rival school Blount who sent all six seniors to college from their 2014 state runner-up squad. Todd is nationally ranked on the basketball end on major recruiting sites like Rivals and 247 Sports and holds offers from Illinois St and Middle Tennessee and is being recruited my majority of the SEC and several ACC schools.The move to Blount seems to be a good move as his grades have tremendously improved and looks to be a division-I qualifier in which one point he wouldn't have had a chance. Todd is our #2 player in the class of 2016.
Cletrell Pope is now at Tuscaloosa County
The Sunshine Tigers lost in the 1A semifinals and will be returning almost everyone except their most heralded player Cletrell Pope who is currently ranked #4 in our 2015 player rankings. Unsure if Pope's decision is academically or not but he will be teaming up with Murray St commit Justice Green and 2015 6-9 C Justin Guy at Tuscaloosa County. Murray St is also in the mix with Pope so his relationship with Green may have some type of spark to the move. The move definitely makes Tuscaloosa County a state championship contender for the new class 7A as they will have a long front court with Pope at 6-8, Guy 6-9 and Green at 6-3. Would be interesting to see how much Pope's division-I interest peaks moving from 1A to 7A especially if he has a big season.
Tommy Burton celebrates during state championship
Fresh off a class 1A state championship, St. Jude Educational Institute decided they had to close the doors due to financial woes. That forced several players to transfer including Tommy Burton, Jacob Winston, Rod Scott and Darrian Adams. All 4 are ranked in our player rankings in their respective classes. Burton and Scott will attend Robert E. Lee joining 6-9 PF Trenton Clayton in the new class 7A. They will also be a state championship contender with a large front court of Clayton, 6-8 Burton, and 6-5 F Dion Parks who transferred back to Lee from Carver-Montgomery. Rod Scott will run the back court for the Generals making them one of the favorites to win the state championship.
Jacob Winston will reclassify to 2016 after this season with Montgomery Catholic who also has 2016 Reginald Gee 6-2 PG who transferred in from LAMP last year and will be eligible to play this season. Winston and family haven't decided what school Winston will attend when he decides to reclass but his eligibility will be exhausted in the AHSAA.
2016 Darrian Adams 6-3 PG is now at power house Carver-Montgomery and will add a dimension at the point spot the Wolverines greatly needed last season. He will join up with Alabama commit Brandon Austin in the back court to go along with 2017 Jamal Turner 6-5 SF and 2015 6-10 Dominique Mitchell. Looks like the Wolverines will have another chance at the 6A state championship.
Jamal Johnson teams with Austin Wiley
Spain Park got a big lift with 2017 Jamal Johnson 6-4 CG who transferred in from Sparkman. Johnson's father who is former NBA player Buck Johnson took the AD job in Birmingham where the younger Johnson will team up with nationally ranked five star 2017 Austin Wiley 6-9 PF and 2018 Parker Boswell 5-9 PG who comes with a lot of hype from the middle school rankings. The trio will be a force in the future and may surprise 7A this year with more to come later. Johnson and Wiley have been travel team teammates for a couple years now and have some chemistry already there. The two will look great together as they both have size for their position and the addition of Boswell will allow Johnson to play more off the ball and take the scoring load off of Wiley who will draw double teams night in and out.
Blake Admire transfers to Spanish Fort
On the Gulf Coast area Blake Admire decided to transfer to Spanish Fort after the departure of UMS-Wright's former head coach Jimbo Tolbert. During the first half of last years season, Admire was the leading scorer in the state before he started drawing box-1 defenses. He won't be the lone transfer at Spanish Fort where 2017 Justin Thomas 6-5 F has also taken his talent. Admire, who stands at 6-4, will more than likely be the best player on the team will be able to pick his scoring game back up due to the fact the Toros have other scoring options with Thomas and 2017 Terrin Atkinson. Spanish Fort is known as a football powerhouse but has enough talent on the court since Jaleel Cousins to make a run in 6A where they will battle with Blount and LeFlore in the area.
Brontae Harris is now at Cullman
Other notable transfers are Terrell Guy and Brontae Harris. Guy transferred to 6A reigning champs Mountain Brook who will now compete in the new addition 7A. Harris has made the move to Cullman from rival Hanceville. Terrell Guy will add another playmaker and shooter for the Spartans who return state champion MVP Tawarren Grant. Guy will be a dimension we haven't quite seen from Mountain Brook which will make it even scarier for this pesky squad who is looking to claim the dynasty tag with a three peat this season. It won't be easy as it may have seemed from the jump now that a lot of key players have transferred to 7A schools. Brontae Harris is dual sport athlete who will more than likely play football on the next level but will definitely help 2015 Lawson Schaffer 5-11 PG who has really improved his point guard skills. Look for Cullman to make a deep run the playoffs with these two in the backcourt.