Breaking: Benedictine’s Williams and Johnson’s Baker Make Surprising College Commitments That Could Shake Up the Season

The standout senior defensive back made news last week as he announced a commitment to James Madison University, before switching up a few days later and committing to play for Appalachian State.As a senior at Johnson, Baker earned All-Greater Savannah first-team honors when he averaged 20.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.0 steals and earned Region 3-3A Player of the Year honors for a team that lost to eventual state champ Sandy Creek in the state quarterfinals. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game at Chipola last season.Bass, a 6-foot-6 guard, played at Alabama State the last two seasons (he only played in two games in the 2023-24 season). Last year he averaged 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, and entered the transfer portal after Alabama State reached the NCAA Tournament and won a game in the First Four.

Micah Williams, Benedictine

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at [email protected]. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN“I really like the coaching staff at Cornell and the culture there seemed different,” said Hockman, who said Harvard and RIchmond were also in his top three schools. “And I love the offensive scheme — they are throwing the ball like 70% of the time so that made it a perfect fit.”

“Tony went to this JUCO Showcase and a FAMU assistant coach was there and saw that Tony played the game the right way with his ability to score, rebound, pass and play defense. They saw he was the most complete player on the floor and offered him the scholarship.”

Ben Hockman, New Hampstead football

Bass was the All-Greater Savannah Player of the Year in his senior season of 2022.As a junior, Hockman had 35 catches for 771 yards and seven scores. As a sophomore, he finished fifth in the Class 4A 200 meters (21.69) and eighth in the 100 meters (10.79). A hamstring injury sidelined him as a junior at the end of the season.

The former Lion standout is also headed to play at Charleston Southern after entering the transfer portal after two seasons at Covenant College. Last year, the 6-foot-1 guard averaged 6.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and led the team with 48 assists.”I was ecstatic when I heard he committed to Florida A&M — I knew Tony would end up playing Division I ball because he’s so dedicated to the game,” Johnson coach Chuck Campbell said. “He’s in the gym up to 12 hours per day, and I’ve never coached a kid like that.Here’s a look at some of the recent news in the college recruiting world involving athletes from the Greater Savannah area.

Antonio Baker, Johnson basketball

Williams is also a standout guard on the Cadet basketball team.The former Atom Smasher star graduated from Johnson in 2023, and enrolled at Chipola College, a junior college in Florida. Now he’s headed to play at the Division I level after committing to Florida A&M.

As a junior, Williams had 74 tackles, with five passes defended and four interceptions. He also had five receptions for 100 yards and a pair of scores and earned All-Region 1-4A first-team honors as a defensive back.Hockman said he plans to major in foreign relations and hopes to pursue a career in international labor relations.

The former Windsor Forest basketball star started his college career at Georgetown, but transferred to Alabama State after one year in Washington D.C.

D’Ante Bass, Windsor Forest basketball

Now he’s set to continue his college career at Charleston Southern, where he will be a redshirt junior.Summer is here, and the recruiting action has been heating up along with the temperatures in the Coastal Empire.

Now he’ll he playing for Florida A&M head coach Charlie Ward, the former two-sport star who won the 1993 Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at Florida State, before going on to an 11-year career in the NBA.The senior receiver is known for his lightning speed, excellent hands and route running ability. Also a standout in the classroom, as he maintains a GPA of 4.30, while taking advanced classes at New Hampstead.

Kaleb Lofton, St. Andrew’s basketball

The summer’s sizzle isn’t just about the weather in the Coastal Empire—the heat’s equally palpable on the recruiting trail as standout athletes from the Greater Savannah area make headlines with their college commitments and impressive performances. Among those turning heads is Micah Williams of Benedictine, who recently shook things up by switching his college choice to Appalachian State after initially pledging to James Madison University. Meanwhile, speedster Ben Hockman from New Hampstead is gearing up for a new chapter at Cornell, blending athletic prowess with academic excellence. Across the hardwood, former Johnson star Antonio Baker’s journey takes him to Florida A&M, ready to make his mark on the Division I stage. And not to be overlooked, Windsor Forest’s D’Ante Bass and St. Andrew’s Kaleb Lofton are both reloading for new challenges at Charleston Southern. These stories and more offer a compelling glimpse into the vibrant world of local talent carving out their futures. LEARN MOREThe combination drew the interest of Ivy League schools and Hockman, the nephew of New Hampstead head coach Kyle Hockman, looks to be headed north to play college football after recently committing to play at Cornell.