2005-2006 CLASS AA

[Guest catfish-hunter]

The season just ended last weekend and already there are those on here that can't wait for November to arrive. In AA, Bolivar will be attempting to 3-peat next year BUT there are several teams out there that want to spoil the Tigers quest to become a dynasty. I personally think that the Tigers top two contenders will be coming from the same part of the state as they are located. Liberty is a team that showed lots of promise throughout this past year, but one bad game against Humboldt in the district tourney cost them a legit shot at making it to the 'Boro. Liberty returns it's star player in Brandon Evans, so they are a contender in my opinion. Another team that can contend is gonna be Mitchell. Returning for Mitchell will be the AA Mr. Basketball award winner, Thad Young, and a very underrated star in Brandon Powell. Raleigh-Egypt loses quite a bit in Seay & Kinnard, but the Pharohs do return sharpshooting guard Maurice Miller to the lineup next year. The Pharohs still have what it takes talent wise to compete with the best in the west.

 

Who from the midstate and the eastern part of the state really looks as if they can contend for a state championship at this time next year???

[btowntigers]

AA should be the most competitve class next year. it should also be dominated by west tn teams once again. you know who im picking to win it all so i wont even make that prediction. its way to early for this but im gonna go ahead and predict a Bolivar/Haywood matchup and Mitchell/Liberty matchup in the semi's next year and a Bolivar/Mitchell slugfest for the state championship.

my top 5 in AA next year would be:

1. Bolivar- returning 3 starters Willie Kemp, Wayne Chism, Brandy Robinson, and Jeremy Rhodes could break out in his sophomore season and do a nice job of filling the shoes of Olajuwon Kemp. most importantly they bring back EXPERIENCE and great coaching.

2. Mitchell- Mitchell will have 3 of the top 10 seniors in the state next year with AA Mr. Basketball Thadd Young, Brandon Powell, and Andre Thornton all of which could be high major recruits next year. They will have the most talented team in the state but in my opinion lack of state tournament experience will be their downfall.

3. Haywood- return their 2 top guns Jarvis Varnardo and Lee Liggins and they are an experienced team as well, been to state the last 3 years, and a solid coach to go along with it.

4. Liberty- will be lead by senior Brandon Evans and a couple of solid juniors in Jewon Long and Devon Jones. lack of experience could hurt them down the stretch.

5. McMinn Central- had to show some love for someone not from west tn. Beau Brown will be one of the better seniors in the state next year.

 

sleepers- Kingsbury and Sheffield both from Memphis

[Guest catfish-hunter]

In the midstate (which is now districts 9, 10, and 11) basketball in AA appears to be looking down for next year. In 9AA, both David Lipscomb and MLK made it to the state semifinals last week. Lipscomb loses Brock, Mayes, Pharr, and Solomon off of that team and the ONLY main player remaining from this year's semifinal team that's returning next year will be Josh Slater. The Mustangs are gonna have to have some youngsters step up quickly if they want to even be considered as a contender next year. BIG BEN said on the other thread that MLK was not going to be as good as the team that has taken Bolivar to the wire the past two years. Graduation hits the Royals hard later this spring as 6 seniors (led by Johnny Lee) will depart. Like Lipscomb, Doc Shelton has got some major rebuilding to do to stay in contention next year. In district 10AA, there is Giles Co. & then there are the rest. Giles Co. gets hit hard AGAIN this year because now they are losing Tyler Smith, Channing Coffey, and Zach Holt. Losing players like Fletcher, Howard, Gentry, Shannon, Givens, Morris, and Carter did NOT seem to affect Giles Co. as far as the district was concerned the past two years and I still don't see it happening next year. Playing the likes of MLK & David Lipscomb in the regional tourney will be no easy task for the Bobcats (who will look to make a 4th straight trip to the substate next year). I personally think that with Darrin Holt, Tryce Nelson, and Deron Garrett returning next year, Giles Co. will get back to that point. I still don't think they'll get to the 'Boro however because both Bolivar and Liberty will be LOADED next year. In district 11AA (which used to be 10AA basically) Waverly loses a TON. Gone will be the likes of Rico Ralston, Curtis Reid, Ryan Hollis, Johnathan Leonard, and Trey Reeder. Second year coach Kevin Rawlings inherited a goldmine last year, but now there is serious rebuilding that needs to take place in Humphreys County. DJ Reid is the ONLY part of this year's Waverly team that's returning and that saw meaningful minutes this past year. The favorite in this district is going to be Harpeth. The Indians had a nice year this year and returning Erland, Davis, and Newton next year will help out alot. The youngsters in the backcourt for coach Jamie Wilson are gonna have to step up big next year if Harpeth is to have any success in the regional tourney. The Indians biggest challenge in the district next year is gonna be Sycamore. The War Eagles lose sharpshooters Watts, Barksdale, and Rives to graduation BUT the frontline next year will be as good as it's ever been. Moulton, Bullard, Scott, and Kinman are gonna have to play big for the War Eagles if they want to make some kind of run in next year's regional tourney.

 

I might be leaving a couple of midstate teams out, like Ezell-Harding (9AA), who made a run deep into the A state tourney this past year.

Edited March 22, 2005 by catfish-hunter

[shredded cheese]

In the midstate (which is now districts 9, 10, and 11) basketball in AA appears to be looking down for next year.  In 9AA, both David Lipscomb and MLK made it to the state semifinals last week.  Lipscomb loses Brock, Mayes, Pharr, and Solomon off of that team and the ONLY main player remaining from this year's semifinal team that's returning next year will be Josh Slater.  The Mustangs are gonna have to have some youngsters step up quickly if they want to even be considered as a contender next year.  BIG BEN said on the other thread that MLK was not going to be as good as the team that has taken Bolivar to the wire the past two years.  Graduation hits the Royals hard later this spring as 6 seniors (led by Johnny Lee) will depart.  Like Lipscomb, Doc Shelton has got some major rebuilding to do to stay in contention next year.  In district 10AA, there is Giles Co. & then there are the rest.  Giles Co. gets hit hard AGAIN this year because now they are losing Tyler Smith, Channing Coffey, and Zach Holt.  Losing players like Fletcher, Howard, Gentry, Shannon, Givens, Morris, and Carter did NOT seem to affect Giles Co. as far as the district was concerned the past two years and I still don't see it happening next year.  Playing the likes of MLK & David Lipscomb in the regional tourney will be no easy task for the Bobcats (who will look to make a 4th straight trip to the substate next year).  I personally think that with Darrin Holt, Tryce Nelson, and Deron Garrett returning next year, Giles Co. will get back to that point.  I still don't think they'll get to the 'Boro however because both Bolivar and Liberty will be LOADED next year.  In district 11AA (which used to be 10AA basically) Waverly loses a TON.  Gone will be the likes of Rico Ralston, Curtis Reid, Ryan Hollis, Johnathan Leonard, and Trey Reeder.  Second year coach Kevin Rawlings inherited a goldmine last year, but now there is serious rebuilding that needs to take place in Humphreys County.  DJ Reid is the ONLY part of this year's Waverly team that's returning and that saw meaningful minutes this past year.  The favorite in this district is going to be Harpeth.  The Indians had a nice year this year and returning Erland, Davis, and Newton next year will help out alot.  The youngsters in the backcourt for coach Jamie Wilson are gonna have to step up big next year if Harpeth is to have any success in the regional tourney.  The Indians biggest challenge in the district next year is gonna be Sycamore.  The War Eagles lose sharpshooters Watts, Barksdale, and Rives to graduation BUT the frontline next year will be as good as it's ever been.  Moulton, Bullard, Scott, and Kinman are gonna have to play big for the War Eagles if they want to make some kind of run in next year's regional tourney. 

 

I might be leaving a couple of midstate teams out, like Ezell-Harding (9AA), who made a run deep into the A state tourney this past year.

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Giles Co. little run at state is over. I hope that they enjoyed the ride, cause that bus won't come back around there for a long time.

[MentalTownBaller]

AA should be the most competitve class next year. it should also be dominated by west tn teams once again. you know who im picking to win it all so i wont even make that prediction. its way to early for this but im gonna go ahead and predict a Bolivar/Haywood matchup and Mitchell/Liberty matchup in the semi's next year and a Bolivar/Mitchell slugfest for the state championship.

my top 5 in AA next year would be:

1. Bolivar- returning 3 starters Willie Kemp, Wayne Chism, Brandy Robinson, and Jeremy Rhodes could break out in his sophomore season and do a nice job of filling the shoes of Olajuwon Kemp. most importantly they bring back EXPERIENCE and great coaching.

2. Mitchell- Mitchell will have 3 of the top 10 seniors in the state next year with AA Mr. Basketball Thadd Young, Brandon Powell, and Andre Thornton all of which could be high major recruits next year. They will have the most talented team in the state but in my opinion lack of state tournament experience will be their downfall.

3. Haywood- return their 2 top guns Jarvis Varnardo and Lee Liggins and they are an experienced team as well, been to state the last 3 years, and a solid coach to go along with it.

4. Liberty- will be lead by senior Brandon Evans and a couple of solid juniors in Jewon Long and Devon Jones. lack of experience could hurt them down the stretch.

5. McMinn Central- had to show some love for someone not from west tn. Beau Brown will be one of the better seniors in the state next year.

 

sleepers- Kingsbury and Sheffield both from Memphis

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Brandy Robinson will not be able to play next season as he will be too old. I wish him the best and hope that he will still receive a basketball or football scholarship somewhere!

[bulldog12]

Siegel.... They got Jimmy Keith Darius and Rod Alexander back.

[btowntigers]

Brandy Robinson will not be able to play next season as he will be too old.  I wish him the best and hope that he will still receive a basketball or football scholarship somewhere!

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man i forgot about that. oh well....add him to the list of role players we're losin. it doesnt matter who fills the other spots really cause Willie Kemp will make everybody else better as the season goes on...just as he did this year.

[btowntigers]

Siegel.... They got Jimmy Keith Darius and Rod Alexander back.

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ummmmmmmm they're AAA....this thread is about AA next year.

[btowntigers]

by the way catfish Raleigh-Egypt is moving up to AAA next year.....

[Guest catfish-hunter]

by the way catfish Raleigh-Egypt is moving up to AAA next year.....

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I did not know that man thumb I wish that a few more of those powerhouses from out west would move up to AAA. It wouldn't matter to me if a couple of them moved down to A (ie Humboldt). I really do hate to see that when the district tourney ends for the local teams from around here, then the reward for those teams that advance to the regional tourney will be to play the likes of Bolivar and Liberty. Folks thought that playing Giles Co. in the regional tourney the past three years was tough, but the truth is that it's only gonna get tougher.

 

How will Jackson South Side, Lexington (who I know returns Gardner), McNairy, and Chester Co. be next year btown??? I remember that both Chester Co. and South Side were pretty good last year and as much as you do clown on the Lexington fans they have won quite a bit of basketball games over the past couple of years.

 

Finally, if losing players like Lake, Becton, and Walker didn't hurt Bolivar then I seriously doubt losing O. Kemp, Griggs, Murrell, and Robinson will affect them very much. Kemp is back at the point & Chism and Rhodes inside are gonna be a tough matchup for anyone. Just like last year, Bolivar is gonna have to find those guys outside who can both defend as well as knock down the long range shot.

[bulldog12]

Dang I aint even see that my bad all I saw was contending for next years state title my fault

[btowntigers]

I did not know that man thumb  I wish that a few more of those powerhouses from out west would move up to AAA.  It wouldn't matter to me if a couple of them moved down to A (ie Humboldt).  I really do hate to see that when the district tourney ends for the local teams from around here, then the reward for those teams that advance to the regional tourney will be to play the likes of Bolivar and Liberty.  Folks thought that playing Giles Co. in the regional tourney the past three years was tough, but the truth is that it's only gonna get tougher. 

 

How will Jackson South Side, Lexington (who I know returns Gardner), McNairy, and Chester Co. be next year btown???  I remember that both Chester Co. and South Side were pretty good last year and as much as you do clown on the Lexington fans they have won quite a bit of basketball games over the past couple of years. 

 

Finally, if losing players like Lake, Becton, and Walker didn't hurt Bolivar then I seriously doubt losing O. Kemp, Griggs, Murrell, and Robinson will affect them very much.  Kemp is back at the point & Chism and Rhodes inside are gonna be a tough matchup for anyone.  Just like last year, Bolivar is gonna have to find those guys outside who can both defend as well as knock down the long range shot.

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to be honest dude SS and Chester County wont be too much better next year, bottom feeders of district 12 is in their near future. you dont have to believe me but Lexington is not a great team and it will show in district play next year, Mack is decent(not great like they make it seem) and then that Keck dude is ok in the post....he's good at baseball so i doubt he will work on basketball much over the summer. however our good buddy andonetiger said they been recruitin hard and got someone comin next year....i think he's full of it but i guess we'll see when the season gets here....put it this way, unless they schedule 35 games next year they wont get 20 wins in our district. McNairy's Ken Bingham is awesome but he doesnt have any help....if he had a big man to work with they could do some damage BUT they dont. Bolivar and Liberty will play for the district title, region title, win substate, but if state is set up the same way it was this year Liberty will have to play Mitchell in the first round of state unless they win region....which aint happenin!!!