SB1976

Jennings from defending AAA champ Blackman, and state tournament MVP, is back next year. Committed to play football for Tennessee. Keelon Lawson from Hamilton. Committed to Memphis. Those are just two off the top of my head who will be at the top of the Mr. Basketball tree. There are probably half a dozen others.

I'm sure the school and all involved wished for a smooth and seamless transition, but it is too bad it did not play out that way. Mike McPherson is a good guy and a good coach. I think he'll do fine there. He had success in the 4 years he coached at Lipscomb (certainly much better success than the current Lipscomb coach).

There were a number of worthy candidates in Div 2-A. I thought Moran should have at least been nominated. If they had voted after the tournament he would have been. Marberry, Wertner, Hertel, Moran, the 2 kids from Knox Webb - all good players. And Skai didn't even play this year. Div 2-A top players were actually better than Div 2-AA - which was very weak this year. Any of the top A players would have been worthy of winning the AA award this year.

Nick Marshall. Supposedly blowing up this Spring and getting big offers.

I haven't seen the Team Thad 17U team yet this year, but it doesn't look like they will be an elite national team this year - unlike last year's Leron Black/Chris Chiozza team that was one of the best teams in the country. Thad looks like it will probably be the second best team in the state - behind Team Penny, but in front of Nashville Celtics, Team Nashville, etc. Thad's 16U and 15U teams might be better for their age group.

Good post

Would have to favor Mitchell since they have played a much tougher schedule. Goodpasture hasn't played a good team in many weeks. Goodpasture has 4 players capable of scoring 20 points in a game, but I think they struggle a bit against higher level competition (particularly on defense) than they have been playing.

Include the blowout win over Oak Ridge among the best wins by CPA this year. Oak Ridge is a good AA team.

I guess CPA can only play the teams they have scheduled, but let's face it, high school basketball in middle Tennessee (and Tennessee, for that matter) is way down this year. There are very few elite teams this year. There were no elite teams in Division II this year. As Nerd noted, CPA beat both Ensworth and BGA so - so they would have won Division II easily. Frankly, the second best private school team this year was Lighthouse - they would have won either Division II classes as well. Ensworth deserves kudos for winning their 4th straight title, but they had trouble beating home school teams and would have been smacked by the better AA teams in the region. In my view, the best wins by CPA were the blowout of Mitchell (who should win A) and the close win over Brentwood. If CPA were in AAA this year, they and Brentwood would make the state tournament from the midstate region. How they would fare against White Station or Hamilton is anybody's guess. In terms of Cheatham, they are a notch below Brentwood, but better than Kenwood (since they have played), BGA and Ensworth. All just one man's opinion of course.

I think the CPA-CC game will be more interesting than the East-Cascade game. I think that East will handle Cascade rather easily. CPA is the prohibitive favorite over CC but it wouldn't surprise me if that game is a really competitive one. I did not see the game, but I heard that Creekwood hung with CPA pretty well. CC is better than Creekwood, and while Creekwood has some really good guards, as other posters have noted, CC has someone who can at least play Blackwell heads up (which most teams at this level cannot do). The key for CC is to beat the press and protect the ball. I've seen CC play sloppy at times and if they do so Monday night they will get hammered. I look for a 10-15 point CPA win.

The key for Goodpasture will be their draw. I don't think they have the horses to beat Humboldt and Mitchell most of the time. However, if they draw other teams in the tournament and one of those 2 teams is knocked out , they could get hot from 3 point land, and beat one of them in a one game scenario. I think Mitchell would be the toughest draw for them because they have not seen anything like the defensive pressure that Mitchell applies. Goodpasture has only played a few quality teams (Pearl Cohn being the best and closest comparison to Mitchell). However, Pearl is not as good defensively as Mitchell.

Hoping to make it to the game tonight. Have much respect for what the CC seniors have done for their program (turning it around from a team barely able to win a game to an undefeated team). Also have much respect for the East program and their fine coach. Should be a barnburner. Good luck to CC.

Wish I was in Memphis tonight (as opposed to Nashville) to watch one of those games. We only have one decent game here tonight.

In other words, in all likelihood the winner will punch their ticket to the state tournament and the loser will probably stay home. I think East and CC are 2 of the top 5 teams in AA and it's too bad they can't both go to the State tournament.

I think that if Goodpasture's 3s are falling they can beat the elite A teams from the west. If they aren't falling I don't think they have the defense or size to beat those teams. Their schedule has been so weak that I think they'll have a tough time with the step up in competition (if they encounter one of those 3 teams).

Kudos to Mr. Sizemore. Good player. More importantly, from observing him on the AAU circuit, he seems like a respectful young man.

About as expected. East Nashville and Pearl thump outmatched opponents. Harpeth takes care of Lipscomb. Only surprise was Cheatham's close margin over MLK. That doesn't bode well for Cheatham. They better pick it up if they want to get out of the region (against Pearl), to say nothing of handling East Nashville (assuming they take care of Harpeth).

MLK beating Cheatham? I don't see that happening at all. MLK is very average and if Cheatham shows up they should win easily. Lipscomb is also very average, but they could upset Harpeth (who seems to be playing well). I'd go with the home team in that one. Cheatham is unbeaten and has beaten East earlier this year, but something tells me that East prevails in the tournament and wins the region. Winning the region is important to avoid the matchup with CPA in the sectional.

Braxton Blackwell CPA Braxton Bonds CPA Barford JSS Others Saunders CC Holt East Nashville The kid from Haywood (blanking on his name)

I would have a hard time arguing against Bradford (Humboldt) and Woods (Meigs). Impressed by Bradford in last year's state tourney. Haven't seen Woods play high school game but he was really impressive in AAU play. The middle Tennessee players like Spears (MTC) and Lynn (Goodpasture) are a notch or two below those two.

Nate Moran BGA Clay Hertel DCA Rob Marberry FRA

I know this will be a stupid question, but how is it that Chester moves from Melrose to White Station and is able to play this year? I just don't get that. That kid is one heck of an athlete, that's for sure.

Barring some district and region surprises, Cheatham will need to beat Pearl and East to avoid drawing CPA in the sectional. I'm still not sold on Pearl but East is usually a tough out come playoff time. I'm curious as to the colleges who are looking at or offering Saunders and Darden. They're both excellent high school players - just haven't heard how they're projecting at the next level.

That was one sorry basketball game. Ensworth held the ball most of the game. I'm not sure I've ever seen them do that. This is the weakest Ensworth team I've seen pre-Corn. Their recruiting hasn't been up to their football standards.