tonybologna

I think Wooddale wins against South Gibson in pretty convincing fashion. Wooddale to me with their talent is one of if not the favorites to win the state title in Class AA. If South Gibson plays their absolute best game they might make it a close game but I just don't see them beating Wooddale.

OK. The will only lose by 19 then. LOL!

Austin-East @ Greeneville Johnson County @ Fulton York Institute @ Brainerd Howard @ Watertown Murfreesboro Central Magnet @ Pearl-Cohn East Nashville @ Nolensville Mitchell @ Crockett County South Gibson @ Wooddale Here are my picks:

I have the NFHS paid account so I've been able to watch most teams across the state of Tennessee at least once either in person, live from NFHS, or on demand. I've went to see 30+ games in person from my area. That's both boy's & girl's games included & mostly conference matchups except for all the Arby's Classic games. I got to see Bearden play twice there including the Arby's Championship Game. I've watched several Region 7 & Region 8 teams play online including Memphis East, Whitehaven, Franklin, & Bartlett from NFHS Network. I have not seen Bolton play any games though. All other teams in the Class AAA Sectionals I've seen play at least once though either in person or online. Class AAA has several teams that can win the state title. Bolton, Station Camp, Blackman, & DB I feel are the less likely teams to have a chance going all the way. Sevier County has shocked me. I seen them play once in person back in December & didn't think they would even make the Sectionals. I think the Top 3 teams that have the best chance at a state title are Bartlett, Bearden, & Memphis East. This will depend on how the state tourney bracket is paired though. Here are my picks for the Class AAA Sectionals:

I agree with you. I think Fayetteville will lose to Clay County by double digits for sure. Here are my predictions: University High over Harriman (close though) Cosby over Oneida Clay County over Fayetteville (pretty big, 12-20 points) Eagleville over Monterey Columbia Academy over Loretto (close game) McKenzie over East Robertson Humboldt over MAHS Manassas over Peabody (closer than most think)

Class AAA Maryville at Science Hill Dobyns-Bennett at Oak Ridge Oakland at Bradley Central Stone Memorial at Riverdale Ravenwood at Lebanon Mt. Juliet at Dickson Co. Whitehaven at Arlington Dyer Co. at Houston Class AA Gatlinburg-Pittman at South Greene Grainger at Northview Academy DeKalb Co. at McMinn Central Meigs Co. at Macon Co. Creek Wood at Cheatham Co. East Nashville at Marshall Co. Mitchell at Westview Jackson South Side at Covington Class A Oneida at Cosby North Greene at Midway Moore Co. at Clarkrange Clay Co. at Eagleville Summertown at Richland Jo Byrns at Loretto Hillcrest at Greenfield Memphis Business at Gibson Co.

Oak Ridge at Sevier Co. Dobyns-Bennett at Bearden Blackman at Cleveland East Hamilton at Oakland Brentwood at Station Camp Gallatin at Franklin Whitehaven at Bartlett Bolton at Memphis East

Harriman at University High-Johnson City Cosby at Oneida Fayetteville at Clay Co. Monterey at Eagleville Loretto at Columbia Academy East Robertson at McKenzie MAHS at Humboldt Peabody at Manassas

Here are the matchups for the Sectionals in Class AAA: Oak Ridge at Sevier Co. Dobyns-Bennett at Bearden Blackman at Cleveland East Hamilton at Oakland Brentwood at Station Camp Gallatin at Franklin Whitehaven at Bartlett Bolton at Memphis East I've got: Oak Ridge Bearden (BIG) Cleveland Oakland Brentwood Franklin (BIG) Bartlett Memphis East (BIG)

I was really surprised that Sevier County beat DB. I didn't expect that to happen at all. I think DB took them lightly but you can't do that this time of the season period. Sevier County is a lot better team than what I seen play back in late December of this season. DB really screwed themselves over. Now, they have to go on the road to face Bearden. They are done now! No state tourney appearance for them. Bearden will put it on them pretty good in my opinion. I don't even think DB can keep Bearden from winning by anything less than 12-18 points. The only chance DB has is for Marae Moreman & Charlie Browder both go off & score 25+ points each. DB is & has been a solid defensive team all season long but they are meeting an offensive juggernaut in Bearden on their home floor. Ouch! Yeah. I think Bartlett just might beat Whitehaven. Whitehaven got it put on them pretty good by Memphis East in the R-8AAA Championship game. That's after Whitehaven beat them by 5 points back a couple of weeks ago. I'm picking Bartlett in this one. I did state Whitevaen as one of the favorites to win the state but they needed to have favorable matchups & this one isn't favorable to them. I also said Bartlett could contend for the state title but wasn't one of my Top 3 favorites. Class AAA is loaded with teams that could win the state title. I wouldn't be surprised if any of the teams left were to win it all to be honest. However, I do think there are 5-6 teams that are much less likely to win it all of the 16 teams left. Those teams to me are Station Camp, Blackman, DB, Sevier County, Bolton, & Gallatin in no particular order. The remaining 10 teams really are capable of winning it all especially if they find themselves on the better side of the state tourney bracket.

I hadn't forgot about Memphis East. When you have a James Wiseman on your team then you are capable of beating about any team in your Class(this case AAA). Whitehaven is good as well. However, I think Memphis East is going to beat them in the R8-AAA Championship Game with Wiseman going off & having a big game. Let me go ahead & get a team from my neck of the woods out of the way. Dobyns-Bennett although a good team doesn't have enough talent to beat most teams that are still left. They might win their Sectional game & make it to the state tourney but I say they lose the 1st game in the opening round/quarterfinals. Sevier County I say the same for. They are going to lose their Sectional game in my opinion & not make it to the state tourney. There certainly are a bunch of teams capable of winning the AAA crown but I feel like the best 4-5 teams are Memphis East, Bearden, Whitehaven, & either Bartlett or Cleveland. Then again, there are so many teams with a lot of talent & capable of making the state tourney that we can't count out any of the teams you have listed above to be honest. I do think the teams less likely to win it all are Sevier County, Bolton, DB, Gallatin, & Station Camp. I can go with your Top 3 but I would have Bearden 2nd favorite behind Memphis East. That would have me placing Whitehaven 3rd favorite which seems weird because they might just be the best team of the 3. LOL! I will say whichever 8 teams make it to the state tourney are capable of winning it all unless one/some of the less likely teams I mentioned above were to somehow advance past the Sectionals & make it. I just don't see no way teams like Bolton, Sevier County, Blackman, or Gallatin could win 3 games against these other squads that make it.

Well, I have gotten 3 out of 4 teams right in the Semifinals. Tipton-Rosemark was the exception. I'm not as familiar with the D-II schools in Tennessee but I certainly do follow the entire state of Tennessee in both football & basketball. I do in baseball as well but not as closely as both football & basketball. Since basketball was my top sport growing up & ended up playing high school & college basketball I guess that's why I would place basketball as the high school sport I follow the closest even though I love to watch a high school football game better than a high school basketball game.

That sure was a buzzer beater & from DEEP too. I see what you're saying but that shot was taken from way beyond NBA 3-pt. range too. I'm going with Manassas, Wooddale, & finally Memphis East pulling off a slight upset over Whitehaven. I think James Wiseman is going to go off & lead his team to the victory.

We have 4 of the Top 125 Rebounders in the Country right here in the state of Tennessee. They are the following players: 1. Ladarius Chigano- Calvary Christian High School- Chattanooga (18.1 rebounds per game, #5 overall in the country) 2. Catthadious Moore- Manassas High School- Memphis (15.3 rebounds per game, #34 overall in the country) 3. Anthony Smith- Brighton High School- Brighton (13.2 rebounds per game, #96 overall in the country) 4. Chandler Lawson- Wooddale High School- Memphis (12.9 rebounds per game, #125 overall in the country) I think Anthony Smith from Brighton is to me the most surprising one here of the group. He's a 6'2" SF so he's not a tall guy like some of the others listed above. I guess he kind of reminds me of a kid/player from my local area playing for Johnson County High School. That player is Class AA Mr. Basketball Finalist Blake Atwood @ 6'2". He averages 10.8 rebounds per game & puts up 26.5 points per game as well.

Well, looks like you went a perfect 6-0 predicting these games. Whitehaven just barely slipped by Southwind though by 1 point.

I think Bearden is just going to be too tough for Oak Ridge in the R2-AAA Championship Game. The backcourt of Glover & Stephney are just too good for Oak Ridge. I think Bearden takes the R2-AAA title & of course host the Sectionals. I don't think it's really going to matter that much who they face in the Sectionals either. I see them State Tournament bound with a solid chance of winning the title. Whitehaven might be their toughest test come state tourney time because I don't see them getting beat either in the Sectionals. The only other team in my opinion from AAA that could beat Bearden in the state tourney would be Bartlett. Cleveland is a really good team too but they just don't have the talent of Bearden. As for R1-AAA, Morristown East just about pulled it off against DB in the title game just like I thought they had a chance in doing so. DB made enough defensive stops down the stretch to win the game. The biggest surprise to me was how easy of a time Sevier County had with Science Hill. I predicted this game would be no more than a 1-5 point game. I have to give Dobyns-Bennett the edge vs Sevier County for the Championship. I just don't think Sevier County has the athletes to beat DB. If DB is on their game then I see a double digit victory for DB in the R1-AAA title game.

Not offended at all. No apologies needed sir. You are right! This is a thread for the entire Class of AAA so it was definitely within the thread topic. My apologies if I made you feel bad about your post. Thanks. I've already stated in a prior post that I personally think Morristown East matches up well with DB & they could pull the game off this time around. If both Connor Jordan & Cameron Rymer have really good games plus they get some help from someone like Brandon Ilic on the inside then they have the capability of knocking DB out of the playoffs. Of course, DB counters with Foreman, Wadworth, & Browder as their Big 3. Foreman has been basically unstoppable lately but Wadsworth has really been the key for this team especially the last few games. He is a terrific defender. He is a solid rebounder, & he can score in a lot of ways. Browder is strictly an inside player & can play both ends of the floor but Ilic for ME counters Browder pretty well & actually has a bit more offensive game because he can face up & take the ball to the basket. Browder is more of a back to the basket type player on offense. The other semifinal is really a toss up. Science Hill is very well capable of beating Sevier County as the higher seed. Science Hill has really came on strong in the postseason so far. I have thought all season long that Sevier County was a bit overrated & probably hasn't been tested quite as much as Science Hill but they both have had tough schedules. The game being played @ Daniel Boone High School is more of a home game for Science Hill because it's a short drive for the team & their fans to Gray, TN. Sevier County has a decent little travel up I-81. I really don't see either team running away with this game. I think it's going to be a 1-5 point game. I'm giving Science Hill that slight advantage due to the game basically being almost like a home game for them.

What in the world does my replies & explanation have to do with Memphis area basketball? This is a human being thing. Not a Memphis area basketball thing. I find it hard to believe you don't get that & ask me if I'm not familiar with Memphis area basketball when my posts have had NOTHING to do with just a Memphis area basketball thing. Wow!

Not trying to be a pain or sound smart but why did you quote my post that was about Region 1-AAA when you posted scores & upcoming games from Region 2-AAA? Just curious as to why my post was quoted when your post really had nothing to do with my post. Not a big deal but just find it interesting for you to quote my post. LOL!

I understand what you're saying. My point was emotionally/mentally they thought they had the chance taken away for postseason play when they knew they had a great chance at making a state title run. Had nothing to do with whether they wouldn't have played in the district tournament. These are kids/teenagers & you just never know how they might handle something like they were facing. I remember my days as a high school & college basketball player back from the 1985-1992. Mentally might be the toughest part of the game. This was a a totally different type of mental/emotional facet they were looking at for a short while facing the possible postseason ban. That could be hard to get over even though it was overturned. One minute they were thinking/looking at being a possible state title contending team & the next thing they know it's news of the team being banned from postseason play. How can that not have some type of mental/emotional effect especially on teenage kids? Also has nothing to do with them not having the talent & I already stated that too. They have plenty of talent. My focal point was the mental/emotional part on these kids & whether they were going to handle things properly. That was all! Thanks.

I was thinking maybe the players got down for a while thinking they wouldn't have a chance at the postseason & therefore a shot at a state title. I don't know the makeup of the Wooddale players or coaches though. I think it would be a pretty hard job for a head coach to emotionally coach these kids up now after what they went through with the team suspension. Yes, they appealed & had that suspension removed but these are teenagers. If they have a true leader on that team plus a head coach that can keep ALL of the players together then it won't have an effect. We are going to find out soon because Wooddale talent-wise certainly has the team to make a state title run. Thanks.

I honestly think Morristown East has a real solid chance to beat Dobyns-Bennett in the R-1AAA Semfinals. This is going to be a really tough test for DB. The backcourt for Morristown East in Cameron Rymer & Connor Jordan are going to be tough to handle for Marae Foreman & Chase Jenkins. Plus Brandon Ilic will matchup well with Browder for DB @ the Center position. This game could be a barnburner! The sad thing is whichever team loses & their season is over. Both teams are good enough to make the State Tourney. If Morristown East were to pull off the victory I predict them to meet Science Hill in the Regional Championship Game with Morristown East taking the title & hosting for the Sectionals. If DB were to win then I think they play Science Hill in the Championship Game & win to host in the Sectionals. What I'm basically saying is that whoever wins the DB-ME game is going to win the Regionals & have a home game for the Sectionals.

Yeah, many would put Wooddale up there as contenders but I feel like the suspension they ended up having removed might have an effect on them even though they took care of business today against Haywood. They certainly have the talent/team to make a run for the AA state title. I left them out on purpose myself though strictly because of the suspension that was looming over the team. Maybe it won't effect them at all. We will see in the coming days ahead.

I ate crow on that pick. Game wasn't even close. I can say that the game I seen University High play earlier this season they didn't look that good. They had played better since then but I still didn't think they were a better team than Greenback but I was wrong! Yeah, I'm 1 out of 3 on my picks for Region 1-A so far. If Hancock County can beat North Green then I will earn a split. Even though I did say that District 2-A teams were stronger teams than Disctict 1-A that didn't mean that I was saying it's a given that District 2-A would sweep all 4 Quarterfinal games. I did think though they had a chance in doing so.