Eastside’s boys basketball team took home the first place trophy last week at Swish Scout’s June Jam with wins over other quality teams from the state.
The Eagles have stayed busy over the summer, and the team held a 9-0 record this offseason after finishing the June Jame 4-0.
With a young team on the floor, head coach Dorrian Randolph was ecstatic with how the team has performed so far into the offseason.
“I have to be honest I am kind of elated with how we are playing with such a young group being that we are trying to put in a new offensive system,” Randolph said. “Of course the defense always stays what it is, it just requires that energy and effort — that selflessness. I am really proud of the guys. I think we are 9-0 in the summer.”
Eastside began the two-day event with back-to-back wins over Heritage and Eagles Landing.
On day two, the Eagles defeated Woodland to earn a spot in the championship against a Columbia team that finished 23-5 last year with a region title.
In what was Eagles against Eagles, Eastside pulled through with the victory to win the entire event.
Outside of 6-foot-3 forward Kendall Bryant who is fresh of a state title for track and field, the Eagles played with a full roster.
“We are missing Kendall, he is working on track stuff because that is going to be his ticket to college. He is taking the summer off to perfect his track skills,” Randolph said. “From last year, he is the only person that we are missing, but we have had some guards step up and play just as tough.”
One player who had a big impact on the championship win was 6-foot-5 forward Christian Gatewood, who was named as the 2024-25 All-Cov News Boys Basketball Big of the Year.
Although Gatewood plays in the role of a “big” for the Eagles, Randolph expects the upcoming senior to have a few more tools in the bag this season.
“We are trying something a little different with him, as far as his projections for college. But defensively, he is always going to guard the bigger person,” Randolph said. “Offensively, we are working on stretching him out because in our region we have some tall guys, so we are looking to spread him out and see if they will come away from the basket which also helps out the other guard in trying to penetrate and get the basket.”
“He definitely fits the mold of an Eastside big, but we are looking to expand his role from the inside to be a triple threat. To be able to score from the outside, the mid-range, and in the post.”
Randolph noted how the senior has embraced the change.
“He is one of those kids that always asks questions about how to get better. He is always working outside of practice and he is definitely excited,” Randolph said. “College coaches are now contacting him and talking to him from the standpoint of playing the forward position and kind of stretching. He is excited for the role, he is in the gym everyday.”
Another bright spot for the Eagles in the June Jame was guard Jordan Poole.
After a junior season that saw him be a big part of the JV team, Randolph noted how Poole has been a welcomed surprise for varsity over the summer.
“The thing with Jordan is that we always knew he could shoot the ball, he just needed consistency,” Randolph said. “I told him that definitely needs to work on it for the varsity level, but he has been the MVP of the JV [team], but he is starting to come into his own. He is starting to knock down shots, he is buying into the defensive end.”
In Eastside’s opening game against Heritage, upcoming junior Iverson Freeman showed what he could do as he helped lead the Eagles to a 49-30 win with quality shooting from the perimeter.
Freeman is another name that Randolph expects to see consistent minutes in 2025-26.
“He had a lot of minutes last year so the thing with him is just consistency,” Randolph said. “His jump shot, he has been working on that in the summer — learning how to shoot from the chest-area up instead of dropping down to bring it back up. So we have been working on that. He has always been crafty in getting to the basket. We are still looking to out a little more weight on him but we have two years to get him up to a heavier-size guard. He is a hard worker, he doesn't like letting you down, he doesn't like losing and he doesn't like missing shots.”
Randolph knows the team is young, but he expressed how he has already noticed the strides that the team has made so far into the summer.
“They are starting to recognize the bad habits and they are like, ‘Coach, by mad’ and they are looking to improve on those,” Randolph said. “And just to play at a consistent, high-energy level. They know one of my favorite college teams besides Florida is the other team in the championship and that was Hosuton — that’s the model. Everytime Houston comes out, everyone knows they are going to be in for a battle, at least on the defensive end with the energy and effort that they have.”
As the Eagles prepare for more events throughout the remainder of the offseason, Randolph shared what else he wants to see outside of just the wins.
“A consistent championship-level,” Randolph said. “What I mean by that is just being able to come out regardless of the opponent and compete and work on the habits that we expect going into the season.”
Eagles have more success at Hardwood Classic
After winning Swish Scout’s June Jam just last week, Eastside’s boys basketball team stayed in its winning ways as it took home first place in the Hardwood Classic.
The Hardwood Classic was hosted by Swish Scout, the same organizers that hosted the June Jam the week prior.
Similar to the win at the June Jam, Gatewood and Poole continued to generate buzz as two of the Eagles’ top playmakers through the summer.
Poole has impressed as he garners more minutes at the varsity level.
“He is buying into the whole culture that the varsity team has,” Randolph said.
Gatewood, who has climbed the prospect ranks for the Class of 2027, has continued to spread his name as Randolp and the Eagles’ staff look to increase his role in 2025-26.
The forward put down a slam dunk in the team’s win over KIPP Atlanta that put a jolt of energy into the gym at Griffin High School.
With the conclusion of the team’s second Swish Scout event, the Eagles head into the rest of the summer with wins over team such as KIPP Atlanta, Columbia, Woodland, Heritage, Eagles Landing, Colquitt County, Jonesboro, Luella, Dutchtown and Miller Grove.