BOYS BASKETBALL

H.S. BASKETBALL: TCA's Northcut, Smith end high school career together

Michael Odom
michodom@jacksonsun.com
Trinity Christian Academy's Alex Northcut (left) and Ryan Smith (right) practice for the West Tennessee All-star game that will be held Saturday.

Trinity Christian Academy's Alex Northcut and Ryan Smith have been friends since they met in kindergarten.

Little did they know back then the impact they along with the other seniors on this year's TCA team would have on the Lions' basketball program.

Northcut and Smith have helped TCA to winning seasons all four years with two District 15-A titles, four Region 8-A semifinal appearances and three sectional berths.

The Lions hadn't previously seen the type of success the program has had over the last four years.

Saturday, Northcut and Smith will combine for one final time in high school for the South team in the West Tennessee All-Star basketball game at Liberty.

Trinity Christian Academy's Alex Northcut practices for the West Tennessee All-star game that will be held Saturday.

"It is going to be fun," Northcut said. "We want to come out and enjoy the moment. This is our one final game together, so we want to enjoy it. This will be one more exclamation point on our career."

The girls' game begins at 6 p.m. with the boys' game following. The dunk contest and 3-point contest will precede the girls' game.

"We have been playing together since we started school and were playing in the yard," Smith said. "So one more game with him means a ton."

But knowing that this game will be the last is also bittersweet.

"Going our separate ways after this with the friendship we have built is going to be tough," Smith said. "We have done some great things together on the court.

"I am blessed to play in this game with guys of this caliber."

Trinity Christian Academy's Ryan Smith practices for the West Tennessee All-star game that will be held Saturday.

Being on a team with so many of the West Tennessee is an honor for Northcut.

"I think that West Tennessee has some of the best basketball the state has to offer, so it is a privilege to have the opportunity to play in this game.

The South team was originally loaded with District 15-AA players with two from Covington, two from Haywood, one from Ripley and one from North Side.

The South team has two players who have won a state title in South Side's Terrikous Smith and Haywood's Kyler Douglas.

Haywood's Jordon Varnado and Ripley's Chad Culbreath will not be playing in the game because they have already left for college.

Michael Odom, 425-9754

South All-Stars

Kyler Douglas - Haywood

Jordon Varnado - Haywood

Chad Culbreath - Ripley

Bobby Shanks - Covington

Tristan Anthony - South Gibson

Hayden Cary - Obion County

Alex Northcut - TCA

Latavvis Golden - Middleton

Terrikous Smith - South Side

Hunter Garner - Clarksburg

Jalen Claybon - Covington

Khylan Sullivan - North Side

Ryan Smith - TCA

Coach — Lonnie Starks (Ripley)