Powder Springs, Georgia, sits roughly 26 miles west of State Farm Arena, where Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries' played Game 6 of the WNBA Finals in the heart of the vibrant city. But it seems like it's another country.
It's a diverse, family-oriented community where custom red-brick-lined sidewalks outline manicured lawns and winding roads serve up glorious old country town views where cows graze, deer prance and horses gallop in the brilliant abundance of prairies.
In the early 1800s, the area was a hotbed for gold seekers looking to hit the jackpot. That history is ironic on the overcast October Wednesday, since one lucky college basketball team is about to land its own pot of gold in the form of 6-foot-6 swingman Asa Montgomery.
"It's a big day," Montgomery says. "I'm excited for it. I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to say everything."
It's just past 5:30 a.m. and he's been up contemplating his decision for over a half-hour. The introspection makes sense, since he's eight hours from letting the world know during a news conference at the Hillgrove High School gym whether he'll pick Duke, North Carolina, LSU, Georgia Tech or UConn.
Still, by the time he hops into a silver Nissan Maxima to make a 6 a.m. practice, he tables the mental gymnastics to vibe out to Drake under the pale moonlight.
"Drake is just the best music to just relax and chill to," Montgomery says. "That's kinda what I'm on."
It's a stark contrast to the intense, sneaker-screeching sprints he runs just 15 minutes later, as Hillgrove coach Greg Moultrie runs the team through intense defensive drills.
Montgomery pumped in 19 points and 10 rebounds per game last season, but the Hawks fell to Pebblebrook High School in the state semis.
It's clear that they're a team on a mission.
"I love the process of getting better, so this is the best part for me," says Montgomery, a senior who checks in at No. 7 overall in the SCNext 100. "I already have my school picked, so I don't have the nerves with that. It's just about how I'm gonna tell everyone."
Two weeks ago, when Montgomery decided to make his commitment official behind the scenes, his father, Tremaine Montgomery, told him he'd have to personally call the coaches he turned down.
"I wanted him to get experience with uncomfortable but necessary conversations," Tremaine told ESPN. "That's part of being a man. Plus, this basketball world is small, you never know who you'll see again on this journey. It shows maturity and it's just the right thing to do."
Montgomery was initially apprehensive but said that, in the end, he was glad that he delivered the news.
"I feel good about that," he says. "It makes today easier."
He's intent on following the advice of his mother, Tamie Montgomery, advice to "live in the moment." "I don't want to think about anything but today," he says.
Still, distractions help the time pass, so Montgomery almost welcomed the challenge his second-block Honors Government test presented.
"Aced it," Montgomery says after the class is over. "Constitution, Declaration of Independence, yeah. I killed it!"
If queries about the country's founding document weren't enough of a mental load off, the constant barrage of "Where are you going?" questions between and during classes added much-needed comic relief, almost as if he were Jesus Shuttlesworth.
Even the bathroom wasn't off-limits.
"Come on man, where ya headed?" one student says.
"Duke? Carolina?" says another while looking under his hoodie to see if he's sporting the winning team's shirt.
Montgomery laughs and shakes his head before telling them they'll "just have to wait till 1:30!"
One more class, a quick bite for lunch and a sit-down interview for a documentary, and Montgomery notices that his big moment is coming in hot. He steps out into the gym foyer and disappears into the locker room as droves of students file into the gym.
Tremaine and Tamie walk onto the shiny hardwood floor with his sisters Kandace and Kayla and a host of other family members.
"Man, I'm nervous and I'm not even committing," one student says to Tamie as he walks in.
She laughs, hugs him and takes her seat at the table.
Montgomery's big day has even brought out his crosstown rival and fellow SCNext 100 prospect Chase Lumpkin, an Alabama commit who stars 3 miles away at McEachern High School.
"I don't even feel right being in here," Lumpkin quips.
By the time Montgomery takes his seat, more than 500 students have filled the bleachers, giddy and anxious for the news.
"Duke is about to drop that 'Another One' reel on IG, watch!" one student says. "He's gotta pick Carolina!" another shouts.
Montgomery grabs the mic and, after the customary gratitude doling, announces he's headed to Durham to play for Jon Scheyer at Duke.
The screams are deafening.
It's clear that the student body has an affinity for the darker shade of blue.
"My connection with Coach Scheyer was just different," Montgomery says. "When we took that visit and had the presentation, I just knew. We all did. It's such a relief to have this out. So many people have been texting me about this. Now, it's done. It feels great."
Hundreds of students linger for the next hour as Montgomery makes his rounds, posing for selfies and handing out an abundance of daps and hugs.
Even as a self-proclaimed "halfway introvert," it's clear that he's in his safe place. And, from his posture to his smile count, the proverbial load has been lifted.
"This was fun," Montgomery says. "It wasn't hard. I was overthinking it. Calling the coaches was hard. Like I had to call coach [Brandon] Chappell at Arizona on a Thursday, and I was supposed to visit that Friday, so it was kind of, like, awkward for me. Then the call to coach [Ira] Bowman from Auburn was tough because he's been around since the eighth grade, so there's a closeness. Those were tough, but this, this was just fun."
Eventually the gym clears.
The steady hum of hundreds of conversations fades to the mild buzz from the bleachers retracting as the team prepares for its second workout of the day.
No fanfare, no autograph seekers, no interviews.
Even though he's sporting the blue Duke T-shirt that he committed in, Montgomery is just a Hillgrove Hawk running through drills now, and he couldn't be happier.
"This is what I love, this right here," Montgomery says. "Today was a day I'll never forget, but I love the process of getting better. I want gains every day. This is what put me in position to have this day, so it just makes me want to take it to the next level."