Press Release
An already talented roster received an impressive upgrade as head men's basketball coach Jeremy Currier announced the addition of four newcomers in the 2024 signing class.
Justin Payne, Ryan Williams, Roderick Gardner, and John Maxwell will join Ernesto Almonte and Jack Oakley in the recruiting class. The recruiting class features skilled athletes at each position who will compete to play immediately in a variety of roles. The six incoming recruits will join four redshirt players from last season: Kennedy Willis, Kelvin Hunter, Maclean Hoekwater, and Brayden Baker as new additions to the 2024-25 roster.
Justin Payne, 5'11, Freshman, North Oconee High School
Justin Payne comes to Young Harris after leading North Oconee High School to a 30-3 record and the 2024 Georgia AAAA State Championship. A two-time all-state selection, Payne averaged 14 points per game, 6 assists per game, 4 rebounds per game, and 1.5 steals per game. One of the top playmakers in the state, Payne set the school record for assists in a season (190) and assists in a single game (12).
North Oconee head coach, and 2024 Georgia AAAA Coach of the Year Rick Rasmussen described the impact Payne had on the North Oconee High School program. "He is the most accomplished point guard in North Oconee history. Incredible floor general and made all the right plays when he needed them to help our team win a state championship."
Head Coach Jeremy Currier spoke highly of Payne. "Justin is the total package in that he is a great player, student, and person. He comes from a great family and was very well coached at North Oconee by Coach Rasmussen. He is a fierce competitor that can score, defend, and lead. We are very excited about what Justin can accomplish in his four years at Young Harris College."
Ryan Williams, 5'11, Freshman, Hiram High School
Ryan Williams comes to Young Harris College from Hiram High School, where he led the Hornets to the GHSA State Tournament with a 9-1 record in region play and an 18-10 overall record. Williams scored over 1,100 points in his high school career as a three-year varsity starter and two- year team captain. He was twice named First Team All-Region while averaging 15 points per game, 3.4 assists per game, 2.1 rebounds per game, and 1.6 steals per game.
Williams gained recognition at the Caycee Roundball Classic where the Hornets placed runner-up in a 4-point loss, and he was named to the all-tournament team. While competing at the Relentless Hoops Select 80 Camp, Williams received recognition as a top performer and earned All-Camp Team honors. He also competed in the Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) Showcase and received the award for "Best Floor General". SEBA Atlanta described Williams as one of GA's top point guards, stating that he is a dangerous scorer, facilitator, and a great leader. Williams was also recognized by Prep Hoops GA as a top-20 point guard in the state of Georgia.
Hiram Hornets Head Coach Keon Boyd on Williams, "Ryan comes with a tenacious work ethic and basketball IQ. He continues to get better every day on and off the court. A floor general that can get it done with no questions asked."
In addition to basketball, Williams excelled in the classroom and graduated with honors. Williams was also involved in the Student Athlete Leadership Team and routinely volunteered at Hiram Elementary School.
"I am ecstatic that Ryan is joining us at Young Harris. I have always loved his tenacity and competitive spirit," said Currier. "Ryan plays with a chip on his shoulder that we value, and he has a clear love for the game. Ryan fits perfectly into the mindset and culture that we are building at Young Harris."
Roderick Gardner, 6'6", Junior, Florida State College at Jacksonville
Roderick Gardner comes to Young Harris College after leading Florida State College at Jacksonville to a 26-10 record and a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament. The 6'6' forward is a weapon on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court, averaging 7.2 points per game on 53% field goal percentage and 6.7 rebounds per game. Gardner's 89 offensive rebounds placed him among the best in all of Florida Junior College. He had 11 games where he registered 10 or more rebounds in the contest.
Florida State College at Jacksonville coach John Putryski said, "Young Harris is getting an all-around great player in Roderick. They are getting an aggressive forward, whose high motor on both ends of the court impacts winning at the highest level. He is a selfless teammate who is going to excel in the classroom and always put his teammates first."
"Rod is a tough nosed forward that is a guy that every coach wants to have on their team. Rod is all about winning and doing whatever it takes to help his team win," said Currier. "He scores, defends, passes, screens, rebounds, and anything else that is needed. Rod has demonstrated he is a good student in the classroom and a great guy to be around off the court. We believe he adds so much toughness and leadership on the floor for us, so we are very excited to have him at Young Harris."
John Maxwell, 6'1", Junior, Patrick Henry Community College
John Maxwell comes to Young Harris College from Patrick Henry Community College, where he led the Patriots to a #15 ranking in the NJCAA national polls, and an appearance in the Region X Championship. The junior guard averaged 8.5 points per game while shooting 52% from the field. He averaged 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
He had outstanding games of 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists vs. Caldwell Community College, 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists vs. Sandhills Community College, and 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in the Region X Championship vs. Sandhills Community College.
Patrick Henry Community College coach Chris Mayshack described John as, "One of the most selfless young men I have ever coached. From the minute he stepped on campus, John has been all about the team and all about the work. He is a tireless worker, one of the fastest guards end to end, a great playmaker, finisher at the rim, and a ball hawk on defense. In the classroom, he was even better, carrying a 4.0 grade point average in all but one semester at PHCC." Mayshack continued, "John volunteered in the community with our reading program in the elementary schools in our Breakfast Buddies Program. You won't find many people like John Maxwell."
"My assistant coach Jerel Chavis did a great job with this recruiting class and took the lead on recruiting our two transfers, Roderick Gardner and John Maxwell, said Currier. "We feel like both young men fit our culture well, and help to add competitiveness, toughness and depth to our roster. We wanted to find an experienced guard that came from a winning program and would add speed, athleticism, and elite on-ball defense to our roster. John has all the intangibles to make a positive impact on our program immediately, and we are very excited that he will be a Mountain Lion."
Payne, Williams, Maxwell, and Gardner will immediately compete for playing time on a talented team that has high aspirations for the 2024-25 season after finishing last year 17-12 overall and 11-7 in conference play.
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