16 and under action at the Tennessee Prep Hoops Best in State featured some of the top players in the Class of 2017 from around the state. The event was designed to give everyone three solid games of competition in their respective age brackets and get them ready for the all important July run. Lets check out how the game action unfolded.
CHATTANOOGA ELITE 16s
The Chattanooga Elite 16s came out of the gate firing taking all three of their games in convincing fashion starting with a 65-52 win over the Tennessee Fury. Malik McConnell (Red Bank), who finished as the leading scorer in the division, led the charge with 21 in this contest. Kevin Cameron (Tyner Academy) added 17 in the win.
McConnell continued his scoring outburst dropping 26 and Cameron added 20 as the Elite bested the Tennessee Tigers 57-49 to move to 2-0 for the event.
McConnell dropped 16 and C.J. Massengill (Hamilton Heights) added 14 as the Elite moved to 3-0 for he event with a 58-39 win over the Tennessee Vision. Juwan Hill (Howard) had his best game of the event scoring 10 points in the win.
NASHVILLE CELTICS 16s
The Nashville Celtics represented themselves very well at Best in State finishing 2-1 and competing in what was without question the toughest game of the weekend a 96-92 overtime loss to the Tennessee Fury.
The Celtics came out ablaze stopping the Tennessee Vision 75-64 behind 23 markers from John Carter (Summit) and 14 from Isaiah Crawley (Ripley). Geordan Reed (Jackson Southside) chipped in with 12 markers in the win.
The aforementioned overtime thriller with the Fury was one of the best games of the day in any age group. Reed set the standard with a 28 point effort followed closely by Crawley who pitched in with 24. Tristan Jarrett (Haywood) added 14 points and Michael Parker (Maplewood) chipped in with 10 in the narrow loss. Parker was solid the entire event running the offense and getting easy looks for shooters and interior players alike.
Crawley took scoring honors in Game #3 with 18 in a hard fought 61-52 win over the Music City Stars. Carter was fantastic finishing with 13 markers and Reed his job adding 12.
MUSIC CITY STARS 16s
The Music City Stars finished the Best in State with a very solid 2-1 record starting with a 48-31 win over the Tennessee Vision behind a balanced attack led by 11 from Jontae Brown (Northeast).
The Stars defeated the Tennessee Tigers 64-52 behind 19 points from one of the top shooters in the event Hunter Vick (Camden Central), who scored 19 in the win. Diego Womack (Jackson Northside) added 12 in the win.
Womack scored 14 and Vick added 13 as the Stars fell to the Nashville Celtics 61-52. On the outside Clay Washburn (CPA) had a solid tournament scoring the ball while on the interior the combination of Tariq Silver (Northwest) and Kameron Rose (Jackson Southside) did an outstanding job on the boards and getting easy buckets.
TENNESSEE FURY 16s
Hyped and ready to play the Tennessee Fury took to the court for what would prove to be the best game in any age bracket of the day at Best in State. Josh Releford (David Crockett) scored 19 and Mac Brower (Georgia) added 18 including a game tying runner at the buzzer to force overtime as the Fury got past the Nashville Celtics 96-92.
The Fury had balanced scoring in the big win with Tyrone Patterson (Knoxville West) adding 17, Phoenix Reynolds (Knoxville West) with 12 and Blake Grindstaff (Science Hill) and Bowden Lyon (Science Hill) chipping in with 11 each in the big win.
Brower continued to have the hot hand with 17 but the Fury suffered their only blemish of the day with a 65-52 loss to the Chattanooga Elite. Reynolds added 14 in the tough loss.
The Fury got things on the right path to conclude the event with a 66-59 win over a surging Tennessee Tigers squad. Releford led the scoring with 18 as the Fury rang up a big lead only to see it evaporate at the end before some big shots down the stretch brought them the win. Brower finished with 14 and Grindstaff added 10 for the Fury.
The Fury played early without Connor Arnold (Grace Christian) one of their top scorers who came back from his Elite Camp appearance to play in the final game of the day, the win over the Tigers.
Inside the Fury got an outstanding effort from Grindstaff and Spencer Lowe (Maryville) often manning the post again bigger players throughout the event.
TENNESSEE VISION 16s
Playing without their leader and one of their best shooters the Vision found themselves in every game at Best in State yet couldn't turn the corner to grab the win.
The Vision opened with a 48-31 loss to the Music City Stars as some new players worked their way into the lineup.
Justin Barnett (Sevier County) led the scoring with 19 as the Vision held their own with the powerful Nashville Celtics but fell in the end 75-64. Kese Sheely (Fulton) added 15, Davari Reeder (Knoxville Catholic) scored 14 and Donavan Filer (Fulton) finished with 12 in the hard fought loss.
Barnett again led the scoring charge with 18 as the Vision fell to the Chattanooga Elite 58-39 in their final contest of the day.
TENNESSEE TIGERS 16s
Gray Michael (Franklin Classical) led everybody at Best in State know he is to be taken seriously as one of the best shooters in the Mid-State area. The rising sophomore guard had a fine weekend leading the Tigers in scoring and keeping them close in every contest.
Micheal scored 14 as the Tigers fell to the Chattanooga Elite 57-49. Stacey Tindall (West Creek) added 12 markers while Nate Boyd (Cleveland Christian) chipped in with 9.
Boyd was the go to man in this contest as the Tigers fought hard but fell late to the Music City Stars 64-52. Michael added 14 in the loss.
Michael took game scoring honors with 19 as the Tigers made a furious comeback only to fall just short late in a 66-59 loss to the Tennessee Fury. Boyd added 13 in the comeback attempt.
TOP INDIVIDUAL GAME SCORERS
Geordan Reed (Jackson Southside) 28pts (Nashville Celtics)
Malik McConnell (Red Bank) 26pts (Chattanooga Elite)
Isaiah Crawley (Ripley) 24pts (Nashville Celtics)
John Carter (Summit) 23pts (Nashville Celtics)
Malik McConnell (Red Bank) 21pts (Chattanooga Elite)
Kevin Cameron (Tyner Academy) 20pts (Chattanooga Elite)
Justin Barnett (Sevier County) 19pts (Tennessee Vision)
Gray Michael (Franklin Classical) 19pts (Tennessee Tigers)
Josh Releford (David Crockett) 19pts (Tennessee Fury)
Hunter Vick (Camden Central) 19pts (Music City Stars)
TOP SCORING AVERAGES
Malik McConnell (Red Bank) 21.0 (Chattanooga Elite)
Isaiah Crawley (Ripley) 18.7 (Nashville Celtics)
Geordan Reed (Jackson Southside) 17.3 (Nashville Celtics)
Mac Brower (Georgia) 16.3 (Tennessee Fury)
Gray Michael (Franklin Classical) 15.7 (Tennessee Tigers)
Josh Releford (David Crockett) 15.0 (Tennessee Fury)
Kevin Cameron (Tyner Academy) 14.7 (Chattanooga Elite)
John Carter (Summit) 14.7 (Nashville Celtics)
Nate Boyd (Cleveland Christian) 13.3 (Tennessee Tigers)
Hunter Vick (Camden Central) 13.3 (Music City Stars)
