The 411 on Class A Teams

[CCoriginal]

OK... we know all the teams that will comprise the single A tournament and who everybody thinks will win. For all you out there in the know, how about a little 411 on each team. Senior laden team? Leading scorer? Small but quick? Big and slow? How deep is the bench?

 

I haven't seen Hampton play this year but my nephew says Hughes is sick! Don't know if that's good or bad the way younguns talk these days! He said Cloudland is scrappy.

 

Haven't heard much about the team from Chattanooga?

[alexthegr8]

OK... we know all the teams that will comprise the single A tournament and who everybody thinks will win. For all you out there in the know, how about a little 411 on each team. Senior laden team? Leading scorer? Small but quick? Big and slow? How deep is the bench?

 

I haven't seen Hampton play this year but my nephew says Hughes is sick! Don't know if that's good or bad the way younguns talk these days! He said Cloudland is scrappy.

 

Haven't heard much about the team from Chattanooga?

 

 

The team from Chattanooga? That would be CSAS. The only team to return back to the state. Lost to CA in the state semis last year in a game in which they won every statistical way except the score board (missed wide open shots)All year they were looking forward to a rematch but I'm sure they appreciate what Perry County did. Anyway, they return 7 seniors. Very quick. Very atheletic. Defensive oriented team. Can play multiple styles. High basketball IQ and well prepared. Played and was very successful against a heavy AA schedule this year. That being said, it all comes down to matchups and how high school kids will perform under the bright lights. I haven't seen the rest of the field but from reading these boards, seems like this may be the most competitive tournament in a while. I'm looking forward to how the teams draw this weekend and and the March madness!

[JPII]

Hampton

 

1 Tyler Street SF 6'1 165 So. : up and coming

3 Cody McClain* PG 5'10 135 Fr. : Very good Freshman

4 Jacob Jones* PG 5'10 150 Sr. : Floor General since soph.

5 Nathanael Hughes* PG/SG 6'2 160 Sr. : Mr. Basketball Finalist

12 James Hassett PG 6'0 160 Jr. : Very good at 3's and on D.

13 Dylan Ward* SF 6'3 170 Sr. : Pure 3 pointer and on D.

14 T.J. Lyons* PF 6'0 235 Sr. : HEART,every loose ball.

21 Wesley Murray SF 6'3 155 So. : Solid player

33 Tyler Trusler* PF 6'2 190 Jr. : SMART, Plays BIG.

44 Dylan Hill* C 6' 7'' 245 Sr. : Smart, pure shot, BIG

50 Johnny Fields C 6' 6'' 200 So. : up and coming

 

(*) Starters.

Edited March 9, 2011 by JPII

[Lord Vader]

Hampton starts 4 seniors who are all 3 year starters (Hughes, Ward, Hill, Jones) and 1 junior (Trusler).

 

Hughes led all of District 1 (that means A, AA, and AAA) in points per game, assists per game, steals per game, and free throws made. He averaged something like 22ppg, 7 apg, 6 rpg, and 5 spg. He put up 40 points in the sub-state victory over Harriman in which the Dogs won by 22 against a team that went to state last year.

 

Ward averages something like 15ppg and was the regional tournament MVP. Ward and Hughes both hit the 1,000 point mark during their junior seasons so they obviously can both fill it up. Hill and Jones average around 10ppg and Trusler has really come on as of late.

 

Hampton played much tougher teams in the Arby's classic than they will face at state. That's a fact. In the 1st round Hampton beat the defending AAAA Alaska State Champions by 14. The Alaska team returned their 2 leading scorers from the year before and they both stood 6-9.

 

They lost to AAA sub-state team Science Hill in a game where they were only down 1 going into the 4th qtr. In this game, Hampton held 4star Alabama commit 6-8 Shannon Hale to only 6 points.

 

Also in the Arby's, Hampton lost to Hunter Huss, NC who is now in the NC AAA championship game and has not lost a single game inside the state of NC. Hampton was actually leading Hunter Huss at a couple points in the 3rd qtr. This may have been Hughes best game all year. He had something like 30 pts, 10 rebs, 8 asts, and 7 steals against top notch competition.

 

Hampton played another state tourney team, Cloudland, 4 times and went 3-1 against them. They had 2 very impressive wins over the Highlanders, once by 22 and then by 15 in the regional championship.

 

 

2 keys for Hampton in my opinion are:

- They have to play with the same composure and intensity they had in the Arby's. They really surprised me at how they were not scared at all of those teams. They have to do the same in the Boro. They can't have the state tourney jitters.

- Dylan Hill has to control the paint the way he did against Shannon Hale, the 2 Alaska 6-9 guys, and the multiple 6-7 guys that Hunter Huss had. If he plays like he did in the Arby's and stays out of foul trouble, Hampton will make a real run at the gold ball.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Lord Vader