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TSSAA Basketball Brackets TSSAA Regional Boys brackets

I like that the Memphis area has a contender in every class, even in DII. I wonder how many of those schools bring home the gold ball? This is going to exciting to keep up with.

Final Tennessee high school boys basketball statewide Associated Press rankings Tom Kreager, The TennesseanPublished 3:39 p.m. CT Feb. 17, 2020 The Associated Press' Top 10 teams in each of Tennessee's three Division I non-financial aid classifications and in the combined Division II financial aid classification as selected by Tennessee AP-member sportswriters and broadcasters. With first-place votes in parentheses, records through February 17, total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 10th-place vote: Division I Class AAA Record Pts Prv 1. Cleveland (11) 28-0 128 1 2. Houston (2) 24-3 119 2 3. Whitehaven 21-3 95 4 4. Maryville 24-4 74 5 5. Mt. Juliet 22-3 71 3 6. Science Hill 27-3 67 7 7. Blackman 20-3 58 9 8. Memphis East 19-7 43 6 9. Oak Ridge 22-4 29 8 10. White Station 16-7 13 10 Others receiving 12 or more points: none. Class AA Record Pts Prv 1. Jackson South Side (10) 26-0 126 1 2. Wooddale (2) 21-6 107 2 3. Upperman (1) 25-2 97 3 4. Community 27-1 87 4 5. Tyner Academy 20-3 77 T5 6. Pearl-Cohn 19-3 72 T5 7. East Nashville 19-3 56 7 8. Covington 24-4 43 8 9. Howard 20-6 24 10 10. Sullivan South 25-4 13 9 Others receiving 12 or more points: none. Class A Record Pts Prv 1. Booker T. Washington (9) 21-4 122 2 2. Madison Academic (4) 25-2 114 3 3. McKenzie 23-3 99 1 4. Clay County 24-3 91 4 5. Loretto 21-5 77 7 6. Fayetteville 21-4 46 5 7. MAHS 16-6 45 8 8. Monterey 23-5 41 6 9. West Carroll 22-5 39 9 (tie) Eagleville 21-6 39 10 Others receiving 12 or more points: none. Division II Class AA Record Pts Prv 1. Briarcrest (10) 21-5 118 1 2. Knoxville Catholic (2) 21-4 110 3 3. Brentwood Academy 18-5 102 4 4. MBA (1) 19-6 92 2 5. Ensworth 19-6 91 5 Others receiving 12 or more points: none. Class A Record Pts Prv 1. Lausanne Collegiate (10) 21-5 124 1 2. Webb School (3) 27-2 117 2 3. Boyd Buchanan 23-4 79 4 4. Goodpasture 25-4 63 3 5. Knoxville Webb 22-6 61 5 Others receiving 12 or more points: Davidson Academy 34. First Assembly Christian 34. All Associated Press members in Tennessee are eligible to participate in the high school basketball poll. Those who voted for this week's poll are: The Daily Post-Athenian, Athens; The Leaf-Chronicle , Clarksville; Cleveland Daily Banner, Cleveland; The Daily Herald , Columbia; Herald-Citizen, Cookeville; The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro; The Tennessean, Nashville; State Gazette, Dyersburg; The Jackson Sun, Jackson; Johnson City Press, Johnson City; Times News, Kingsport; The Knoxville News Sentinel, Knoxville; WCMT, Martin.

I don't know how many games The Haven has for the 2020-2021 season. I don't know who we've talked to or who we haven't talked to. If coach wants to leave it at 9 for whatever reason, it's not like it hasn't happened before.

There is still a lot of basketball left to be played for all of Division I. Right now we know that Whitehaven and Central will represent 16AAA in boys. I figure Houston and Southwind will represent 15AAA in boys. I figure Arlington and Bartlett will represent 14AAA in boys. That leaves the 13AAA schools. I'm leaning towards Dyer County and Brighton. We will know who's in by Saturday eventhough the championship games will be played at a later date in some cases. When will the sub-state parings come out?

Memphis area high school basketball district tournament brackets Khari Thompson, The Commercial AppealPublished 5:35 p.m. CT Feb. 17, 2020 | Updated 9:40 a.m. CT Feb. 20, 2020 Division I Class A District 15 Boys Thursday: Soulsville 68, KIPP 64. Douglass 58, RISE 6 .Manassas 81, Compass-Midtown 44. Monday: B.T. Washington 97, Soulsville 55. MASE 66, Douglass 49. MAHS 71, Trezevant 56. Tuesday: Middle College 62, Manassas 53. At B.T. Washington Wednesday: B.T. Washington vs. MASE. 7:30 p.m. Thursday: MAHS vs. Middle College 7:30 p.m. Friday: Championship, 7:30 p.m. Monday: Consolation, 7:30 p.m. Girls Wednesday: Soulsville 65, Manassas 40. Monday: Soulsville at Memphis Business Academy. MAHS 65, Trezevant 21. B.T. Washington 91, Douglass 32. Tuesday: MASE 51, KIPP 36 At B.T. Washington Wednesday: MAHS vs. B.T. Washington. Thursday: Memphis Business Academy vs. MASE 6:00 p.m. Friday: Championship, 6:00 p.m. Monday: Consolation, 6:00 p.m. District 16 Boys Thursday: Oakhaven at Bluff City Tuesday: Power Center Academy 86, Bluff City 44. Freedom Prep 86, Fairley 71. Westwood, 59, Hillcrest 56. Memphis School of Excellence at City University At Hillcrest Friday: PCA vs. Freedom Prep 6:00 p.m. Westwood vs. MSE/City University winner, 7:30 p.m. Monday: Consolation, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday: Championship, 7:30 p.m. Girls Thursday: Bluff City at Oakhaven Tuesday: Oakhaven/ Bluff city winner at Westwood, 6:00 p.m. Freedom Prep at Power Center Academy, 6:00 p.m. Fairley at Hillcrest, 4:30 p.m. Memphis School of Excellence vs. City University, 6:00 p.m. At Hillcrest Thursday: Westwood-Oakhaven/Bluff City winner vs. Freedom Prep/PCA winner, 6:00 p.m. Hillcrest/Fairley winner vs. MSE/City University winner, 7:30 p.m. Monday: Consolation, 6:00 p.m. Tuesday: Championship, 6:00 p.m. Class AA District 15 Boys Monday: Ripley 79, Haywood 72. Tuesday: Bolivar 81, Bolton 67. At Bolivar Friday: Covington vs. Ripley, 7:30 p.m. Fayette-Ware vs. Bolivar 6:00 p.m. Monday: Consolation, 6:00 p.m. Championship: 7:30 p.m. Girls Monday: Bolivar 53, Millington 20. Haywood 64, Ripley 32. At Bolivar Thursday: Covington vs. Bolivar, 7:30 p.m. Fayette-Ware vs. Haywood 6:00 p.m. Saturday: Consolation, 6 p.m. Championship, 7:30 p.m. District 16 Boys At campus sites Wednesday: MLK Prep at Wooddale, 6:00 p.m. Raleigh-Egypt at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m. Sheffield at Mitchell, 7:30 p.m. Melrose at Craigmont, 6:00 p.m. At Melrose Friday: Wooddale/MLK Prep winner vs. Hamilton/Raliegh-Egypt winner, 6:00 p.m.. Mitchell/Sheffield winner vs.Craigmont/Melrose winner, 7:30 p.m. Saturday: Consolation, 4:30 p.m. Championship, 7:30 p.m. Girls At campus sites Wednesday: Mitchell 55, MLK Prep 12. Wooddale at Raleigh-Egypt, 6:00 p.m. Thursday: Hamilton at Craigmont, 6:00 p.m. At Melrose Friday: Craigmont/Hamilton winner vs. Melrose, 6:00 p.m.. Wooddale-Raleigh-Egypt winner vs. Mitchell 3:00 p.m. Saturday: Consolation, 3:00 p.m. Championship, 6:00 p.m. Class AAA District 14 All games are at Cordova High School Boys Tuesday: Bartlett 36, Cordova 32.. Arlington 61, Kingsbury 46. Boys and Girls Friday: Boys Consolation (Kingsbury vs. Cordova), 4:30. Girls Championship (Arlington vs. Bartlett), 6 p.m. Boys Championship (Bartlett vs. Arlington), 7:30 p.m. District 15 All games are at Houston High School Boys Tuesday: Germantown 53, Ridgeway, 52. Collierville 63, Kirby 61. Thursday: Germantown at Houston, 7:30 p.m. Collierville vs Southwind 6:00 p.m. Monday: Consolation, 7:30 at Houston Tuesday: Championship, 7:30 at Houston Girls Tuesday: Kirby 68, Southwind 30. Ridgeway 1, Germantown 0. Wednesday: Houston 62, Kirby 47. Ridgeway 43, Collierville 41. Monday: Consolation, Collierville vs. Kirby, 6:00 at Houston Tuesday: Championship, Houston vs. Ridgeway, 6:00 at Houston District 16 All games are at Whitehaven High School Boys Thursday: Central 66, Overton 61 Tuesday: Central 56, East 49. Wednesday: Whitehaven 66, White Station 45 Thursday: Consolation, East vs. White Station, 7:30 Friday: Championship, Whitehaven vs. Central, 7:30 Girls Thursday: Central, Overton Tuesday: Whitehaven 63, Central 34 Wednesday: White Station 49, East 48 Thursday: Consolation, East vs. Central, 6:00 p.m. Friday: Championship, Whitehaven vs. White Station, 6:00 p.m. Division II Division II-A West At campus sites Boys Saturday: Fayette Academy 62, Natchez Trace 32. Trinity Christian 80, Margolin Hebrew Academy 43. Monday: Jackson Christian 59, St. George's 51. Tipton-Rosemark 64, Fayette Academy 33. Sacred Heart 73, Trinity Christian 71. Harding Academy 66, USJ 48. Tuesday: FACS 70, Jackson Christian 35.. Tipton-Rosemark 45, Northpoint 38. Lausanne 69, Sacred Heart 48.. ECS 79, Harding 60. At USJ Friday: FACS vs .Tipton-Rosemark, 5:30 p.m. Lausanne vs. ECS 8:30 p.m. Saturday: Consolation, 5:30 p.m. Championship, 8:30 p.m. Girls Saturday: Sacred Heart at Margolin Hebrew Academy, 7:30 p.m. FACS at Westminster, 6 p.m. Monday: ECS 48, Lausanne 38. USJ 73, Sacred Heart 42. Fayette Academy 59, Westminster 26. St. George's 56, Jackson Christian 34. Tuesday, Feb. 18 Trinity Christian 68, ECS 30. USJ 40, Northpoint 36. Harding Academy 56, Fayette Academy 40. Tipton-Rosemark 79, St. George's 32. At USJ Friday: Trinity Christian vs. USJ 4 p.m. Harding Academy vs. Tipton-Rosemark 7 p.m. Saturday: Consolation, 4 p.m. Championship, 7 p.m.

With mom now cancer-free and his wrist healing, Wooddale's Jalen Brown ready for postseason Khari Thompson, The Commercial AppealPublished 10:00 p.m. CT Feb. 18, 2020 As Wooddale embarks on its TSSAA high school boys basketball postseason run, its second-leading scorer is just getting back into the swing of things. Jalen Brown has missed five of the Cardinals last seven games battling a wrist injury. On top of that, his mother has recently battled cancer. "She had been diagnosed with cancer and since then she's had the surgery and had it removed so right now she's cancer-free," said Jalen's dad, Jeremiah Brown. "All this has happened throughout the season. And there's actually a happy ending to it and it's over now, but right now we're in the process of having Jalen get his minutes back." Brown scored 11 points in Wooddale's SCIAA Class AA championship win over Mitchell on Saturday. . "I’m still working stuff out and getting stuff right. I’ve been thinking about my mama a lot. I’m not 100 percent, but I’m almost there," Brown said of his mental focus. "It's been hard sometimes, but sometimes I get over it and realize I do this for my mama and keep going strong." The 6-foot-4, 165-pound guard is the No. 4 junior prospect in the state, according to the 247Sports Composite. He has offers from Clemson, Missouri, Ole Miss and North Alabama among others. Coach Keelon Lawson said that Brown's strength is his perimeter scoring and that he's one of Wooddale's better outside shooters. Thank you for being a subscriber. Your support allows us to write the stories that matter to you and our community. Brown is is averaging 12.4 points for the Class AA defending state champion Cardinals, behind only Mr. Basketball finalist Johnathan Lawson, who is leading the area in scoring at 26.9 points per game. "He’ll bring a lot. It’s another weapon we didn’t really utilize the whole year. He’s a combination guard," Lawson said. "His main asset to me is being able to score and give us that extra weapon we need as far as scoring. But also he can pass and defend and he’ll be another big guard that we have on the floor going into the state." Brown began his high school career playing for Penny Hardaway at East before transferring to Trezevant and averaging 20.4 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Bears as a sophomore. He transferred to Wooddale this year after his dad began working at the school. Wooddale’s Jalen Brown looks to passt the ball against Lausanne during the ARS National Hoopfest at Olive Branch High School on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. (Photo: Joe Rondone, Joe Rondone/The Commercial Appeal) Until recently, Brown's scoring wasn't the only thing that made him stand out on the court. He had long hair, which he estimates would have been about shoulder-length if he flat-ironed it. He said people had been telling him to cut it and he decided to finally go through with it while he was out. "I’ve been growing my hair since sixth grade. I saw a video of me getting interviewed and I was like. ‘Man, my hair is wild.' So the next day I cut it off," Brown said. It was just another transition for Brown in a year that has brought a new school and new challenges. He said he's happy to be back playing the game that he loves. "He's overcoming it man, and I know his bounce back game is going to be so aggressive," his dad said. "He's ready. It's almost like you have a pit bull when he's on the leash and you take the leash off of him. He's healthy again, he's motivated, he's working hard. He's just got to find his niche."

Commercial Appeal weekly boys high school basketball power rankings Khari Thompson, Memphis Commercial AppealPublished 4:32 p.m. CT Feb. 10, 2020 | Updated 4:59 p.m. CT Feb. 10, 2020 1. East (19-6): The Mustangs lost to Whitehaven by three, escaped with a two-point win over Central and beat Overton by eight. Last week: No. 1. 2. Briarcrest Christian (20-5): Five-star point guard Kennedy Chandler had 13 points and seven assists as the Saints beat rival Christian Brothers. Last week: No. 2. 3. Houston (23-3): The Mustangs picked up a 12-point win over Southwind and blew out rival Collierville 82-44. Last week: No. 3. 4. Whitehaven (21-3): The Tigers picked up a big win over East but fell to White Station, which it beat by 53 earlier in the season. Last week: No. 4. 5. Arlington (20-6): The Tigers have won their past three games by two points or fewer, beating Olive Branch, MUS and Bartlett. Last week: No. 6. 6. Lausanne (20-5): The Lynx rolled to double-digit victories over Harding and Northpoint. Last week: No. 5. 7. Olive Branch (19-5): The Conquistadors beat St. Benedict by 22 in their regular-season finale. Last week: No. 7. 8. Wooddale (17-6): The Cardinals scored 112 in a win over Hamilton in their highest-scoring performance of the season. Johnathan Lawson had a triple-double with 50 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Last week: No. 8. 9. B.T. Washington (20-5): The Warriors completed a 14-0 district record with a win over MASE. Last week: No. 10. 10. Center Hill (20-8): The Mustangs beat Horn Lake by 25 but were upset by Southaven. Last week: No. 9. 10. Center Hill (20-8): The Mustangs beat Horn Lake by 25 but were upset by Southaven. Last week: No. 9.

It's good to see Bigbaby working out. Keep grinding BB! We missed you in the3 backfield last year. Working with Shabazz will get you there.

Congrats to Antonio Hall. Keep grinding young man!

Basketball recruiting: Updates on Houston's Mason Miller, Alden Applewhite, TJ Madlock KHARI THOMPSON | Memphis Commercial Appeal Houston blew out rival Collierville with an 87-59 home win Friday night. The Mustangs had five scorers in double-figures and were led by forward Alden Applewhite, who scored a game-high 25 points. According to the 247Sports Composite, Houston has three of the state's top 10 junior prospects in Applewhite, forward Mason Miller and guard TJ Madlock. The Commercial Appeal caught up with each of them after the game for a recruiting update. Mason Miller Height: 6-foot-9 Position: Forward Ranking: No. 3 in Tennessee Offers: Ohio State, Florida, Texas Tech, Memphis, Creighton, among others. Recruiting update: "Recruiting is going good. I've got a few schools looking at me, (I'm most interested in) probably Ohio State, Florida, Memphis and Indiana." Scouting report: "Long, rangy, and he can shoot it. He can shoot it from the same place that Alden can. He's athletic as all get out. He's just a little bit of strength from Mother Nature away from being really special right now," — Houston coach Charlie Leonard. Alden Applewhite Height: 6-foot-6 Position: Forward Ranking: No. 5 in Tennessee Offers: TCU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Recruiting update: "I've got a few schools recruiting me pretty hard right now. TCU has been recruiting me real hard, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Those are the schools that are talking to me every day, calling me, texting me, always hitting me up." Scouting report: "He's a big guard. He can score all over the floor. He rebounds well. He's unselfish and strong enough to make some passes that people his size normally don't make. It's nice to have him on the wing, but his background is being a point guard." — Leonard. TJ Madlock Height: 6-foot-1 Position: Guard Ranking: No. 8 in Tennessee Offers: Arkansas-Little Rock, Florida Atlantic Recruiting update: "Little Rock and Florida Atlantic are probably after me the hardest." Scouting report: "He's a two-year starter since he's been here. He was runner-up for MVP of the league last year. He's got more tools around him and some guys that have matured. He doesn't have to carry the same load but he's capable of a lot of things." — Leonard.

Elite Eight: Why Olive Branch's Cameron Matthews calls this his 'redemption year' KHARI THOMPSON | Memphis Commercial Appeal Olive Branch's Cameron Matthews is a 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward who is ranked No. 2 overall in Mississippi according to the 247Sports Composite. The Mississippi State signee is the only Memphis area boys basketball senior who has committed to a Power Five school. "When you combine his athleticism with his skill set, he's just a fun player to watch. He's a great ball-handler for his size, he handles it as good as a lot of guards do," Olive Branch coach Eric Rombaugh said. "A lot of times he'll start the break and start the offense for us. But he's also a mismatch down low posting up. He's really a three-tier scorer, from the perimeter, mid-range and finishing at the rim." Matthews is also No. 1 on The Commercial Appeal Elite Eight, a collection of the area's top high school senior basketball prospects. His other offers include Memphis, Florida and Ole Miss. Matthews helped Olive Branch win the 2018 MHSAA Class 5A state title as a sophomore. The Conquistadors returned to the title game last year but fell to rival Center Hill by two points. Matthews got into foul trouble early and wasn't able to impact the game the way he normally does. "I played a total of like eight minutes due to foul trouble. I didn't score, I think I got like a couple rebounds, that's really it," Matthews said. "I didn't do much on the stat sheet. I just think that we got the bad end of the stick and that this year will be my redemption year." Olive Branch is 13-4 with wins over Briarcrest and Houston among others. "We look for him more on offense now. Sophomore year, he was our defensive stopper," Rombaugh said. "We had (current Memphis freshman) DJ (Jeffries) and we had some offensive guys around him so he really concentrated on his defense and did everything he could to help us." Matthews is averaging 16.2 points, 14.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3 blocks. He signed with Mississippi State in November. "They were after me the hardest, calling me a couple times a day, calling Coach Rombaugh," Matthews said. "And when I set up my visit and went down there I liked the vibe down there and the feel, how they ran their practices. The whole program felt like family. And I didn't feel like wasting any time because why would I wait when I could get it over with. So I committed when I left the campus." Rombaugh said that Matthews typically guards the opposing team's best player across a variety of positions. Olive Branch has matched him up with Oklahoma State signee Cade Cunningham, North Carolina guard Cole Anthony and LSU forward Trendon Watford. "He's able to guard multiple positions, but at the next level he'll probably be a three. As his shot gets better and better we'll be able to play more outside," Rombaugh said. "But defensively, he's guarded some of the biggest kids in the country and he's switched to guard some of the best guards in the country. Offensively I think he's best on the wing, attacking the rim, and posting up here and there."

Elite Eight: Marcellus Brigham brings defense, shooting to defending state champ Briarcrest KHARI THOMPSON | Memphis Commercial Appeal Marcellus Brigham is a 6-foot-6 wing player who has signed with Jacksonville State. He helped lead Briarcrest to its first DII-AA state title since 2008 with a win over Brentwood Academy last March. "He’s a very good defensive player and an excellent rebounder. He’s got a real high motor most nights," Briarcrest coach John Harrington said. "Last year he was our best 3-point shooter at 39 percent. He guards the other team’s best post — not a five man but a swing three or four man he’ll guard them." Brigham is No. 2 on The Commercial Appeal Elite Eight, a collection of the area's top high school senior basketball prospects. His other offers include include Troy, Kent State, Georgia Southern and East Tennessee State. He is averaging 12 points and 8.2 rebounds. "He can really shoot the basketball from the 3-point line. He can really guard," Harrington said. "He’s very athletic and there’s not a reason why he couldn’t go and play professionally whether it’s overseas or whatever the case may be because he’s got the perfect body for it. He’s 6-foot-6, he can handle it and shoot it. If you go back and watch our state tournament he’s making left-handed eight-footers." Brigham committed to Jacksonville State on Nov. 22 and signed on Dec. 2. He said he took his visit before the season started. He said that he enjoyed the environment on campus and trusts the coaching staff's plan to develop him as a big guard. "I love the coaching staff, mainly how they can make me better as a player and as a person," Brigham said. “Being able to play guard and when I have a different matchup be able to post up smaller guards and stuff like that and I think Coach (Ray) Harper is a great role model." Brigham, along with junior five-star point guard Kennedy Chandler and senior guard Micheal "Scooter" Malone have led Briarcrest to a 13-3 start with wins over Male (Louisville), Callaway (Jackson, Mississippi), and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida). Harrington said the biggest thing he's working with Brigham on this season is bringing a consistent level of sharp focus. "With Marcellus it's a matter of staying focused the entire time. He’s got all the tools to be a special, special player," Harrington said. "(Auburn coach) Bruce Pearl was at one of our games watching Kennedy play and he goes, ‘I like the 6-foot-6 kid.' He goes, ‘I’m intrigued by that.' Tennessee was here and one of the first people they wanted to talk to me at our practice about is Marcellus. He stands out to a college coaches. He’s not an under-the-radar type guy."

Elite Eight: How Duane Posey went from breaking skateboards to crashing the boards in basketball KHARI THOMPSON | Memphis Commercial Appeal Before he grew to be a 6-foot-6, 210-pound forward and the only boys basketball player in the city of Memphis ranked by 247Sports for the Class of 2020, Duane Posey was an avid skater. "I used to go with my godbrothers to the Cordova skating rink and skate a lot on the weekends," Posey said. "It really was a leg exercise, but I wasn’t really thinking of it like that. We used to race. We were real competitive and I loved being up there with them." The East standout is No. 3 on The Commercial Appeal Elite Eight, a collection of the area's top high school senior basketball prospects. He says can skate backwards, cross his skates, spin and skate on one leg. He can skateboard, too. He estimates that he's owned 17 and has gone through as many as four in a year. "Every Christmas I wanted a skateboard because I used to break my other skateboards in half trying to do tricks," Posey said. "I started off with the Walmart skateboards at first, but I ended up going to the Zumiez and stuff and the good skateboards, and I started doing really good. I started putting my friends on skateboarding." One of the harder tricks Posey learned is the dolphin flip, a combination of a kickflip and a 360. He says he still skates when he gets a chance but has less time because he's focused on basketball. He started playing competitive basketball in the ninth grade when he got to East. He said he grew three inches that summer and it brought him extra attention. "I picked up basketball because I really started hitting my growth spurt and people kept telling me to play, but I really wasn’t interested in it until I finally got my first dunk," Posey said. "It was in the ninth grade before I transferred (to Melrose). I was in a community center in Raleigh and I got my first dunk. I just started hooping after that, and then it became fun to me." He transferred to Melrose after playing JV for East during his freshman year. East went 33-3 that year and won the second of three consecutive state titles. Posey returned to East for his senior season after moving back into East's zone, coach Jevonte Holmes said. "This is where I started. When I played my ninth grade year, I played JV," Posey said. "I wasn’t really that good, but I felt like I could come back and have a good chance of playing for East my 12th-grade year and I got way better so I just wanted to come back." Posey, who is No. 6 in the state in the 247Sports rankings, has led East to a 12-3 record with wins over Wooddale, White Station, Bartlett, and Center Hill. "He can jump off of either foot," Holmes said. "He’s just so good laterally. He can get up and down the floor." "I mess with him all the time that when he gets done with basketball he could go play football and be Megatron. He’s just that physically gifted with his size, leaping ability, the way he runs and great hands." Posey said he has an offer from Georgia Southern, but that he is trying to raise his ACT score so he can be eligible. Holmes said the plan is for Posey to attend junior college if he doesn't raise his score.

Elite Eight: How one breakout summer made Lausanne's Johnathan DeJurnett a Division I prospect KHARI THOMPSON | Memphis Commercial Appeal Johnathan DeJurnett is a 6-foot-8 forward who has signed with Evansville, which upset Kentucky earlier this season. He's an athletic wing who Lausanne coach Marvis Davis said the Evansville coaching staff sees as a potential stretch-four at the next level. "Right now with us having the big fella (five-star center Moussa Cisse) he's been playing more of the three and four," Davis said. "Evansville wants him to be able to be a stretch four and be able to run. On that level in their conference I think he'll be fine being a three or a four." DeJurnett, who is averaging 14.8 points and nine rebounds, is No. 4 on The Commercial Appeal Elite Eight, a collection of the area's top high school senior basketball prospects. DeJurnett signed with Evansville on Dec. 2, and the university announced Dec. 27 that coach Walter McCarty was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into alleged violations of the school's Title IX policy. "I've already talked to (assistant) Coach Logan (Baumann) about it," DeJurnett said. "I haven't talked to Coach McCarty about it. He told me that everything is fine and that I still have my scholarship and everything. I'm still committed at this point right now, but my options are always open." He's a three-year starter at Lausanne who has scored over 1,000 points and was on the Lynx's 2017 DII-A state title team. Davis said that most of the attention from college coaches came this summer. "He made the biggest jump this summer of a kid that I've ever seen," Davis said. "He was playing on the national level guarding some of the best kids in the country and making some terrific plays and he started getting some DI attention. It was a whirlwind after that. We looked up and said 'wow' all of a sudden he has 8-10 offers." DeJurnett said he'd shoot around 500 jump shots in his backyard in the morning before hitting the gym to work on ball-handling and conditioning. "At first I really didn't like it a lot, but I knew I had to do it to get where I wanted to go. I kept doing it and it paid off," DeJurnett said. "It really surprised me how I was playing. It kind of shocked me also. I didn't think I would be able to do some of the things that I'm able to do, but it all came together." DeJurnett said that Davis, who also is his uncle, helped craft his workout plans with an emphasis on attacking the rim. "He put a big emphasis on my game to make sure I dunk everything, so that when I get to the next level it's second nature," DeJurnett said. "It really shows now where when I go to the basket I'm looking to dunk every time. That sets me apart because people aren't expecting that." Davis said that he wants DeJurnett to continue to add strength and refine his jump shot. "I want him to get a little stronger. He's fine for us in the high school level, but to compete in the college level he has to get a little bit stronger," Davis said. "Obviously his shooting needs to be a little bit more consistent because he won't be able to run and dunk on everybody in college. Just keep improving, keep improving every day."

Elite Eight: Bo Montgomery's jump shot is the key to his recruitment KHARI THOMPSON | Memphis Commercial Appeal At 6-foot-5, Jalen "Bo" Montgomery is a tall combo guard who recently passed 1,000 career points. He primarily plays point guard at Lausanne, but coach Marvis Davis said that Montgomery's size, athleticism and slashing ability make him a natural fit at shooting guard in college. "Pound for pound, he’s the most explosive player in the city of Memphis. He will dunk on you, and he’s fast, he’s fit, he’s strong," Davis said. "He’s 6-foot-5 and can play the point guard spot. He plays the 1-3 but really in high school he could play the 4 or 5 if we needed him to, but we’re just fortunate that we don't." Montgomery is No. 5 on The Commercial Appeal's inaugural Elite Eight, a collection of the area's top senior high school basketball prospects. He's averaging 16 points 7 rebounds and 4 assists Davis said that there was a sequence against Memphis Catholic last year that sums up the kind of explosiveness that Montgomery has. "There were just four plays in a row where he took over the game," Davis said. "He got a steal, went up and 360 dunked. Then he came back down and ripped baseline and dunked on a kid, and then he came down and leaned over. It was just four back-to-back plays that you would see in Division I college or the NBA. That’s how explosive this kid is." Montgomery has offers from Holy Cross, Southern Illinois, Dartmouth, Columbia and Howard, among others. "A lot of people don’t know how smart he is and how big education is for him," Davis said. "He’s definitely entertaining the Ivy League schools." Montgomery said that he's looking for a school where his game will fit and where he can get a strong education in an environment he feels comfortable with. "I want to be a basketball player. I want to keep playing basketball as long as I can. I just love the sport," Montgomery said. "It doesn’t really matter, NBA, overseas, as long as I keep playing basketball. But if that doesn’t work out I’m going to try to be a dentist in college and study orthodontics." Montgomery said he spent this summer taking between 700 and 800 jump shots a day because shooting is the biggest thing college coaches want him to improve on. "I knew that’s what I needed. A lot of high-major coaches said I was a good player, but I couldn’t shoot as well as they wanted," Montgomery said. "So I took that to heart and just kept on working and working so I could show them that I could shoot." Davis said that Montgomery's jump shot has gotten better and that he's showing that he can knock down 3's this season. He said that Vanderbilt has come to see Montgomery play and that Ole Miss and Tulane have expressed interest. Davis said continued improvement on Montgomery's jump shot will be crucial for picking up higher level offers. "A comparison would be like a Matthew Murrell-type athleticism, and that’s no exaggeration," Davis said, referring to the Ole Miss signee who played at Whitehaven and is now at IMG Academy in Florida. "He definitely has that type of athleticism, but a lot of colleges wanted to see if he can shoot. That’s the difference between him going high major and mid-major."

Thats nice to imagine but the general public could care less and the college coaches just don't have the time nor the inclination to hope they find a star someplace that noboday else has seen or heard of. Too much money on the line for all involved. The Kentucky's and the Louiville's of the world dominate the sport because that's what the mass public wants. And, of course the shoe company's make money off of the kids. In return, the kids get to play against other kids of their caliber. The shot clock is coming ... needed or not. The sport has evolved and it's going to drag the HS level into it, even if it it to go kicking and screaming.

The statement is not a slight against Maryville MLREB. I'm also NOT saying that it isn't important to Maryville, bercause it is. However, It's not Maryville's focus like it is at WH is all i'm saying. Just go look at anything the Whiethaven football system states in-house or in public and it's included in the language and message. It's the driving force behind the program.

And Maryville, Oakland, and Ravenwood don't send players to D1 Schools? Don't get it twisted. Yes, WH has sent players to D1 schools. No more then Oakland or Ravenwood each year. We also focus on D2, D3, and the like. WH has built a rep with the UT Martin's of the world, as well, by the hustle of the WH HC. You don't have to buy it but do some research and discover how the man operates ... You will be amazed. Maryville does what they do as a result of talent and coaching. You don't do what they've done without it. They don't have the amount of kids going to the next level like WH because it is not that high of a priority for them, like it is at WH. It just isn't even close. That being stated, I don't think that there is going to be a change at the OC position at WH.

Doesn't matter why the NBA put it in. It's there and it's a vital part of the NBA game. College ball now has it as an intrical part of the game. HS is next. So, teaching the game properly will change. Coaches will incorporate time management when they teach BBal in HS. They will adapt. Until the NCAA can come up with a better way to expose the cream of the crop HS basketball players to college coaches in one setting events by actually having them play against other ... AAU is here to stay. No college coach wants to spend valuable time scouting an event and have to be subject to Briarcrest vs IMG. It's a waste of their time. The EYBL Peachjam and events like it aren't. Folks hate AAU but it's meeting needs that HS just can't. The shoe companies are getting a return on their investment. It's a perfect marriage for them. I don't see it going away anytime soon.

Records are how you keep score. Sure, there are other metrics, but everything else is just subjective impressions that can be twisted to best fit the POV of an argument being made. Talent levels being what they are ... Whitehaven has had it's fair share, but they are never alone. However, I've said this a thousand times and I will continue to say it ... Whitehaven has sent a lot of players to next level because of the process in place to do so. It is a deliberate goal and the work involved is more then most coaches want to commit to doing. It's just convenient to make a statement like that about a coin flip, but in actuality, when you get to the top level of 6A ... everybody has talent and good coaching. That's why you see the same teams in the end. It's always going to be a battle from the quarters on in.

First, I'm just answering for the sake of argument's sake. I'm not the OC's advocate nor am I his detractor. I'm just looking at this from a different perspective. Whitehaven has lost two championship games to Oakland and Maryville. Whitehaven has won two championship games against Oakland and Maryville. Whether or not Whitehaven SHOULD have won three and lost one or undefeated or been in more championship games are all debatable points, but the facts are the facts. I don't think the HC is going to dump the OC because other folks think that he should with the track record they have. I'm not at practice everyday. I'm not in the locker room and I'm not in the meetings with the coaches. I just attend games on Friday nights. Yes, I hear folks complain, but there is always going to be someone, for whatever reason, that is going to be unhappy about something. I just don't get the impression that the HC is going to throw away years of working side by side with someone easily. There are always going to be disgruntled fans and parents, it comes with the job. Like I said, I'm not at the school everyday, so I don't know the inner workings. But I don't see the HC firing the current O.C. because they lost in the quarterfinals or for whatever reason folks are complaining about the O.C. It may happen, and if it does, I'll be shocked.

I will believe it when I see it.

Elite Eight: What makes Rodney Mason II the Batman of Bartlett basketball KHARI THOMPSON | Memphis Commercial Appeal If you glance at Rodney Mason II's left leg, you'll find a series of building-themed tattoos. He has the Pyramid on the inside of his leg to represent Memphis. He has the Seattle Space Needle on his calf because he thinks it looks cool. He went with the building theme because he's 6-foot-5 and has long legs. Plus, he wanted something different. Not many high school seniors are constructing cities of ink on their bodies. "Everybody gets the same stuff like a clock or some roses, prayer hands or a lion. I wanted to be different," said Mason, who is No. 6 on The Commercial Appeal Elite Eight, a collection of the area's top senior high school basketball prospects. Then, on his shin, there's a tattoo of the Sears Tower, where the movie "The Dark Knight" was filmed. To Mason it represents Batman, the superhero with many gadgets but no defined superpower. "Everybody has all those superpowers, but if you take it to the streets you don’t want no smoke with Batman," Mason said. "Batman is going to hit you with something. You don’t know what it's going to be, but he has a lot of stuff in his bag. That’s how I am. You could go with that. Rodney Mason, the Batman." Mason is a forward who can guard all five positions at the high school level, but he doesn't quite have a defined position at the college level. "Size-wise he’s a tweener, and someone that’s recruiting him is going to look and say, ‘What is he going to play for us? Is he a two, three, a four?'" Bartlett assistant Tim Allen said. "The really good coaches don’t care; they take the best players. But some coaches get players to fit their system. The thing that may hold him back is ‘what is he?’ I don't know what he is at this point. I think he’s probably a three or a four." Mason has an offer from UT Martin. He is averaging 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 steals. "Rodney is very driven. Rodney is a great teammate and leader. He works harder than anyone we have," Allen said. "He’s not the most gifted or the most talented, but he’s our toughest kid. He’s always concerned about rebounding, assists and steals way before points. He puts the team above himself." Mason helped Bartlett reach the sectionals last year. This year, Bartlett is off to a 10-5 start with wins over Houston, White Station and Ridgeway. "He does the little things like setting screens, boxing out and talking on defense. Rodney is our best talker because he’s always talking on the defensive end," Allen said. "He’s always got his teammates' back. He understands all five positions on the floor, and he can guard all five positions. Offensively he can play all five. He’s very versatile."