This Week at Tennessee Prep Hoops (January 21-26)

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Welcome to our newest weekly feature. This segment will be called This Week at Tennessee Prep Hoops and will feature what's happening in the hoops world in our state information on upcoming tournaments, commitments, future showcases, unsigned senior events and more.

 

THIS WEEK AT TENNESSEE PREP HOOPS

On Tuesday I was off to Knoxville Catholic as the Irish tangled with Maryville in a district clash. Maryville got 29 big points from senior forward Clark McCall (Maryville) as they took care of the Irish. Chris Cox (Knoxville Catholic) had a good game for the Irish. Weather took most of the Friday games away but Saturday I was headed to watch the showdown in Nashville between CPA and Ensworth.

A huge crowd had the gym filled two hours before tip-off with coaches from Tennessee and Purdue in the arena CPA used its depth and 22 points from junior Jake Allsmiller (CPA) to overcome a tough and determined Ensworth ball team. Jalen Lindsey (CPA) finished with 18, including 15 in the second half while Ensworth was led by senior stalwart Corn Elder (Ensworth) who led all scorers with 25.

 

A.P. STATE BASKETBALL POLL

Here is my ballot for the A.P. State Boy's Basketball Polls this past week which were released on Tuesday.

 

Class AAA

  1. Blackman
  2. Southwind
  3. Science Hill
  4. Ridgeway
  5. Brentwood
  6. Siegel
  7. Hamilton
  8. White Station
  9. Dyer County
  10. Maryville

 

Class AA

  1. CPA
  2. Jackson Southside
  3. Covington
  4. Sheffield
  5. Giles County
  6. Waverly Central
  7. Fulton
  8. Cheatham County
  9. Fayette-Ware
  10. Mitchell

 

Class A

  1. Wartburg Central
  2. BTW
  3. Watertown
  4. Mt. Pleasant
  5. Columbia Academy
  6. Clay County
  7. TCA
  8. Union City
  9. Cloudland
  10. Richland

 

DII/ Class A/AA

  1. Briarcrest
  2. Ensworth
  3. CBHS
  4. FRA
  5. Knoxville Webb
  6. PJPII
  7. Father Ryan
  8. MUS
  9. St. George's
  10. DCA

 

D1 PLAYERS FROM TENNESSEE

As we do each and every season I will look through the rosters of all the D1 teams from around the country and list the players from the state of Tennessee who appear on those respective rosters. Some players may be walk-ons or scholarship athletes. Look for that in the coming weeks.  

MY MR. BASKETBALL BALLOT

I will have my nominations for Mr. Basketball posted on here next week.

 

KEEP AN EYE ON THESE GUYS

East Tennessee

Will Adams (Science Hill)

Way up in the upper part of East Tennessee lives the Hilltoppers of Science Hill. The Toppers are again state relevant at 25-2 and are led by a gaggle of senior including point guard Will Adams. A dynamic defender at 5'10, Adams is football tough and relishes the role of stopper. Don't think he has no offensive skills however as Adams can knock down the long ball and uses his thickness to finish at the rim.  

Middle Tennessee

Jacob Saunders (Cheatham County)

Junior shooting guard is playing some of his best basketball at this juncture and has his team state ranked and vying for a serious playoff run at the end of the month. Saunders, who surpassed the 1,000 point plateau earlier in the season, is a competitor and will be fun to watch as the Cubs make their move in the postseason.  

West Tennessee

Zamarlus Griffin (BTW)

Who leads the greater Memphis area in scoring as we speak, I bet you could come up with a dozen names right off the top of your head but you may be wrong because Mr. Griffin stands atop the city scoring list as we speak. Griffin, who has Warriors atop the Class A polls, is waiting for his chance to be seen by the masses come March at the state tournament.

 

TEAMS TO WATCH

 

East Tennessee

Powell

The top dawg in District 3AAA, the Panthers are proving they are the team to beat in this district. A group of tough kids led by some serious shooting guards including Clay Payne (Powell), Jake Rase (Powell) and Dallas Fields (Powell), has the Powell community on the brink of excitement as we roll into February action. At 16-1 they cracked the A.P. Class AAA state rankings this week at #10.

Middle Tennessee

DCA

Under the radar, the Wildcats of DCA are making waves in the mid-state DII hoops arena. State ranked and looking to have another fine run in the postseason, the Wildcats are led by senior guards Joshua Joy (DCA) and Carson Outlaw (DCA). Stalwarts of the Tennessee Prep Hoops Nashville Fall League since our inception, these guys stir the drink for the Cats. Look for continued big production from junior wing man Clay Hertel (DCA) as the playoffs loom around the bend.

West Tennessee

Trezevant

Quietly taking charge in District 16AA, the Bears of Trezevant are unblemished in district action and are looking to take this all the way to the ‘boro come March. Led by a pair of talented seniors in shooting guard Tyrone Wooten (Trezevant) and athletic, undersized post player Tedarious Neely (Trezevant) this clan of Bears is willing and able to make some noise on the Bluff City hoops scene.