The most unusual Memphis pipeline continues to thrive with players from the Bluff City.

 

Pocatello, Idaho and Idaho State University.

 

The Bengals, who toil in the Big Sky Conference, currently have four players on their roster from Memphis and now will make it an even five with the signing of Nick Mason (Southwind).

Mason is an outstanding three point shooter and helped the Jaguars to a region final finish in the always tough Memphis hoops scene.

 

Mason brings court savvy and off the court is an outstanding young man which will certainly please his future mentor Joe O'Brien.

 

Mason becomes the 24^th player in the Class of 2010 to pledge his wares to a D1 school.

 

The Lions of Freed-Hardeman love recruiting in the state of Tennessee.

 

Yes, they are located in Henderson, Tennessee yet Coach Jason Shelton continues to stock his roster with players from the Volunteer state.

 

Loaded with names those of you who are familiar with this website can certainly identify with. Names like Teichman, Bingham, Haddix, and so many others you are sure to remember.

 

Reggie Gilmore (Tyner Academy) is the newest addition to the Trans-South powers stable. Gilmore, who helped lead the Rams to the Class AA state tournament this past season, is a powerful inside force that can score from the wing and is an athletic addition to the Lion's den.

 

Wait....there's more.

 

Quintin Lee (Ripley) is the fifth member of the Lion's signing class. Lee is a tough hard nosed point guard that will fit right in with Coach Shelton's emphasis on the lead guard.

 

Lee, who ran last summer with the Mid-State Ballerz, can score from the perimeter or driving hard to the hoop.

 

 

In recruiting everything works in cycles.

 

After the D1 schools have completed their work then the D2, NAIA, D3 and junior colleges get to work.

 

The snowball effect usually waits for a key commitment then the flood of others come rolling down the way.

 

Emmanuel Andrews (Shelbyville) broke the ice pledging to play for Bruce Stewart at Northwest Florida State College formerly Okaloosa-Walton.

 

On the heels of the Andrews commitment, Teraes Clemmons (Mt. Juliet) followed suit and will venture down south to also play at Northwest Florida State.

 

Staying out of state former Raleigh-Egypt front man Jimmy Adams pulls another Memphis area player over to his new gig at Northwest Mississippi Community College. A.J. Cunningham (Cordova) brings size and improving skill to the Mississippi junior college.

 

David Woodard (East Robertson) will take his game out of state as well as the combo guard goes down to Texas to play for the Navarro College Runnin' Bulldogs.

 

Moving back into the state, Jay Joyner is making his job easier for the next couple of years at Columbia State Community College. The second year mentor scooped up a couple of very good prospects with the signing of Carlos Denton (Hamilton) and Masceo Harmon (Memphis Central).

Denton gives Columbia an athletic power player who can run the floor and will score from the mid-range and Harmon who had a big year at Central controlling the ball and will be one of the best guards in the TJCCAA next season.

 

Columbia also added some local flavor with Lester Gude (Columbia Central).

Over in Memphis, Southwest Tennessee snatch one of the state's best unknown players in Rashaun Brown (Oakhaven).

 

The Eagles of Carson Newman didn't have to venture far from their Jefferson City campus to snare a potential backcourt of the future.

 

Tyler Smith (Anderson County) and Ish Sanders (Cleveland) will spend the next four years in orange and blue.

 

Venerable mentor Dale Clayton will love the intensity and effort of the 6'1 Smith. He brings a joy of playing the game combined with intensity and a willingness to be coached and to get better.

 

Sanders brings a sweet shooting stroke to the table, one of the best in the state. He will fill a valuable niche for the Eagles and their ascension back to the top of the South Atlantic Conference.

 

The two newcomers will join a healthy recruiting class that includes previous signees Julian McBee (Knoxville Central) and Levon Tate (Siegel).

 

If you have had the opportunity to watch some of the NCAA Tournament a little known fact definitely has not escaped your mind.

That Cornell squad is pretty good after disposing of Big Ten power Wisconsin to earn themselves a spot in the Sweet 16.

Dwight Tarwater (Knoxville Webb) was surely one of the onlookers as the Big Red kept on moving on.

The 6'5 senior wing/power forward ended his lengthy recruitment with a pledge to join the Ivy League champions.

Tarwater, who was selected as Mr. Basketball this season, in DII/Class A, is the type of player that makes your program successful with hard work and the ability to adapt to any and all situations.

He helped lead the Spartans and first year coach Ricky Norris to a spot in the DII/Class A state semi-finals this past season.

His ability to score from the perimeter and his above average athletic skills make him a perfect four man for Coach Steve Donahue and the Big Red.

Congrats are in order for My man Tarwater and I wish you nothing but the best of luck.

A perfect fit is how I would describe this situation.

A team that shoots the three with a great deal of success gets a player who also makes the three with a great deal of success.

Tyler Vittetoe (Union County) will take his game down the road to Tusculum College and venerable coach Jim Boone.

The Pioneers are standing at 10-8 right now but remain near the top of the conference standings in the South Atlantic Conference.

Vittetoe, who became his schools all-time leading scorer last week, is currently pushing 24.6 points per game and adding 5.4 assists.

Blessed with a stroke that can be a game changer, the 6'2 shooting guard is creative enough with the ball and has the saavy to become a playmaker at the next level.

He feels the game very well and has outstanding vision. Tyler has incredible anticipation on the help side and gets numerous deflections and steals by playing the passing lanes with his length.

I am happy for my freind Tyler and wish him nothing but the best of success the remainder of the year and for years to come.

 

It's about time!!!

 

I'm sure that's the feeling in Knoxville and inside the basketball offices as "Mighty" Chris Jones (Melrose) ended his recruitment choosing the Volunteers.

 

Jones marks the first significant Memphis area player to matriculate to Knoxville in the Bruce Pearl era.

 

Jones is the heart and soul of one of the most talented squads in Tennessee High School history. The mighty one is a point guard who depending on the flow of the game can score or distribute equally well.

 

One of the best rebounding small guards I have ever seen, the diminutive Jones is among the top rebounders in the city.

 

Jones chose the Vols over numerous offers from the SEC and other schools in the Southeast.

 

Jones, who is 19, is petitioning the TSSAA for a hardship year. If this fails he will attend Hargrave Military Academy next season.

 

Jones caught everyone's attention last season leading the prestigious Bob Gibbon's Tournament of Champions in scoring and continued his torrid pace throughout the summer.

 

It's been a joy watching Chris grow and transform into a complete player and now his focus will be on leading the Golden Hurricanes to a state championship.

 

 

 

 

 

Let's examine the facts, he's athletic, can play either guard spot offensively, can defend up to three and maybe four spots defensively and is a good kid. He works tirelessly and is a good teammate.

 

Sounds like a no-brainer to me and that is also the consensus for Coach Scott Sanderson and his staff with the Bison of Lipscomb.

 

Demarius "D.D." Smith (Kenwood) made it official today choosing the Atlantic Sun stalwarts over Austin Peay and several others for the services of the talented Mr. Smith.

 

A superb athlete with length and an aggressive demeanor, Smith is comfortable running the lead guard and has improved his outside scoring to be a threat. He is at his best in transition either leading the break or filling a lane and flushing the finish.

 

He will get immediate playing time for his ability to guard the ball on the perimeter as he did these past few summers as a member of the Mid-State Ballerz.

 

Smith told us, "I love the way they play and it was close enough to home, to be away but not to far away".

 

Now with his commitment Smith becomes the 17^th member of the Class of 2010 to pledge. He joins Robert Boyd (Fulton) as Tennessee members of next year's incoming recruiting class.

 

Now Smith can concentrate on leading Kenwood as far as they can go in his senior campaign.

 

Smith is a great young man who has a chance to be a very good player on the next level. I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.