Haywood's Jarrett named Boys Hoops Player of the Year

After winning a state championship two years ago, this was the year for Haywood to make another run. The Tomcats had two NCAA Division I level guards and the pieces around them to make the team complete.

But when Dedric Boyd went down with a knee injury with six games remaining in the regular season, ideas about the postseason changed.

Haywood senior Tristan Jarrett made sure those ideas didn't come to reality though.

Jarrett averaged 21.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game to help lead the Tomcats to a District 15-AA and Region 8-AA championship along with a berth into the Class AA semifinals to be named the 2017 All-West Tennessee Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

"I knew I had to be a beast now when Dedric got hurt," Jarrett said. "My partner went down, so I knew that I had to put the team on my back."

"I had to do start doing it all on the court - rebound, score, assist, defense."

Jarrett had to change his game on the court to help the Tomcats fill the shoes of Boyd, and he made sure the goals of the team didn't change.

"That was our goal to just get to the state tournament," Jarrett said. "When we went to practice up there, our next goal was to win the championship, but we fell a little short."

Haywood did lose the game Boyd got hurt in to Ripley, and the Tomcats lost once more to Liberty. But that was the end of the losing for the team.

"We had a meeting at practice, and after that, the level went up each and every day," Jarrett said.

Jarrett will always remember both of his trips to the state tournament, especially the gold ball that the Tomcats brought home in 2015.

"The state championship my sophomore has meant the most to me, and then getting back this year," Jarrett said. "I wanted to show the younger guys what it felt like my sophomore year."

Jarrett is still trying to figure out where he wants to play on the next level. He has offers from Kennesaw State, Middle Tennessee State, Arkansas-Little Rock and Tennessee State, as well as some junior colleges, and he hopes to have a decision made soon.

Reach Michael Odom at michodom@jacksonsun.com or 731-425-9754. Follow him on Twitter @JSWriterMichael.