State Tournament A, AA, AAA

[kwc]

The AAA brackets for Friday's games are set ... Southwind vs Indy, Memphis East vs Oak Ridge

[kwc]

East High School routs East Hamilton in AAA quarters

 

John Varlas , USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee Published 3:12 p.m. CT March 15, 2017 | Updated 17 hours ago

 

East vs East Hamilton Highlights

 

MURFREESBORO â€” Just what the rest of the AAA state tournament field needs, an East High team that is playing with a chip on its shoulder.

 

Less than 24 hours after finding out they wouldn't be allowed to take part in the Dick's Sporting Goods national tournament later this month, the Mustangs showed they're still the team to beat in Tennessee, dominating from start to finish in a 76-56 victory over East Hamilton Wednesday at the Murphy Center.

 

East's pursuit of its second straight championship â€” and state-best eighth in the Memphis school's history â€” continues in the semifinals Friday at 11:30 a.m. against Oak Ridge, which eliminated Brentwood.

 

On Tuesday, East officials pleaded their case at the TSSAA's board of control meeting in hopes of allowing the Mustangs to travel to New York and compete against seven other elite high school teams for a mythical national championship starting on March 30. But TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress told The Commercial Appeal that the governing body's by-laws state that once a team's seasons are over, they're over.

 

“This is about more than basketball. Sports are supposed to enhance educational opportunities and that's why we've given the seasons a (defined) start and finish.â€

 

Bernard Childress, TSSAA executive director

 

And on top of that, the Dick's tournament isn't sanctioned by the National Federation of State High School Associations. NFSHSA schools aren't allowed to play in non-sanctioned events.

 

"Every state has pretty much the same rule," said Childress, noting that Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Utah and Washington are the only states that allow member schools to play in events like the Dick's tournament.

 

"This is about more than basketball. Sports are supposed to enhance educational opportunities and that's why we've given the seasons a (defined) start and finish. And we also don't want to appear like we permit specialization. We don't want coaches pressuring players and saying 'stick to basketball and you can play in this tournament."

 

Rather than being disappointed, East's Alex Lomax said he and his teammates will just use the decision as more motivation.

 

"It was kind of tough for the moment because we really wanted to go to that tournament and make a statement to the country," he said. "But it's over and we can't do anything about it now. We just have to focus on us for the state tournament now.

 

"It's just better motivation for us now. It's just another chip on our shoulder."

 

Said East assistant Robert Jackson, "We talked about maybe not telling them (until after the state tournament) but with social media ... We had goals on a grander scale and most teams aren't afforded this opportunity. But as soon as the team started group-messaging they had the muscle-arm (emoji, which signifies strength).

 

"Like A-Lo said, it's just another chip on our shoulder. We're going to level up and show them (the TSSAA) that they made a mistake."

 

The Mustangs (34-3 and ranked third in the USA Today national poll) made very few mistakes against East Hamilton.

 

East won the first quarter 22-6 and never looked back against the Hurricanes (25-11), who were making their first state tourney appearance in school history. The lopsided margin â€” the Mustangs led by as much as 35 at one point in the third quarter â€” left plenty of time for highlights.

 

Malcolm Dandridge had dunks on back-to-back possessions in the third on off-the-backboard passes from Moss and Lomax. And massive John Wrister, the all-state offensive lineman who is last man off the bench, got in for the final seven minutes and scored on his first touch.

 

Chandler Lawson had 17 points and 12 boards to lead East's typically balanced attack. Dandridge chipped in with 12, while T.J. Moss added 9. Lomax, the Mr. Basketball winner for the second straight year, had 11 points, four assists and â€” as he happily pointed out after glancing at the stat sheet â€” no turnovers.

 

"These guys are comfortable here," said Jackson of his team which is at state for the third year in a row. "We've played in two national tournaments this year, the Penny Hardaway Hoopfest ... they're used to the bright lights. These guys are studs."

 

Added Lawson, "It's fun. We like all the attention."

 

And if they keep playing like they did on Wednesday, they'll be getting even more.

Edited March 16, 2017 by kwc

[kwc]

Southwind advances over Oakland to AAA semifinals

 

John Varlas , USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee Published 1:05 p.m. CT March 15, 2017 | Updated 17 hours ago

 

Southwind vs Oakland Highlights

 

MURFREESBORO â€” It took some time â€” three quarters to be exact â€” for Southwind to get used to the bright lights of the state tournament. But once the Jaguars did, they were quick to turn out the lights on their opponents.

 

Tennessee-Martin signee Carlos Marshall scored 24 points as Southwind pulled away late to defeat Murfreesboro Oakland, 59-40, in the TSSAA BlueCross AAA state quarterfinals at the Murphy Center. The victory puts Southwind (32-6) in Friday's 10 a.m. semifinal against Independence, which defeated Bearden 63-48.

 

"We've been a second-half team all year long," said Jaguars coach Paul Edwards. "We just gotta be Southwind. Keep playing together, keep shooting when you're wide open ... just make plays."

 

Leading only 38-37 heading into the fourth against the pesky Patriots, Southwind was Southwind over the final eight minutes, outscoring Oakland 21-3 to win going away. The Jaguars held Oakland to 1 of 11 shooting in the fourth while connecting on 5 of 7 attempts of their own.

Much of the early trouble was down to Oakland's pesky 1-3-1 zone defense.15

Said Edwards, "All credit to Oakland. They came out very aggressively defensively and showed us something that we haven't had a lot of experience against."

 

Added standout junior guard Mark Freeman, "That's something we never see in Memphis. It took us a little minute to get adjusted."

 

Once they did though, they looked much like the team that played so impressively in the sectional round against Cordova. Marshall â€” who is looking like a major steal for the Skyhawks â€” had 37 in that one and was excellent again Wednesday, hitting 8 of 13 from the floor and 8 of 12 from the line.

 

"My mindset was just to go out there and do whatever was needed to get the win," he said. "That's all. Just win."

 

Marshall and Quentin Williams (nine points) each hit jumpers early in the fourth to extend Southwind's lead 42-37 before Marshall threw one down in transition to make it a 7-point advantage. Andrew Anderson then hit a pair of free throws before Williams followed with a putback that essentially finished off Oakland, which didn't score in the fourth until Ta'von Jelks hit a lay-up with 2:18 remaining.

 

"We did a great job in the first half," said Oakland coach Troy Bond. "We just couldn't score."

 

Southwind â€” which won the title in its only other appearance in the Boro in 2013 â€” is now 4-0 all-time in state tournament games. Freeman also had nine points, along with Christian Jones, who was 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

 

Michael Hayworth scored 10 points to lead Oakland, which finishes the year 24-8.

Edited March 16, 2017 by kwc

[kwc]

Sheffield falls in AA prep basketball quarterfinals

 

John Varlas , USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee Published 7:33 p.m. CT March 15, 2017 | Updated 3 hours ago

 

MURFREESBORO â€” Looking at his team's schedule before the season started, Sheffield coach Clyde Delamar thought the last place his team would finish would be the AA state tournament.

 

But not only did the Knights advance to the Murphy Center, they gave a very good Whites Creek team all it could handle in the quarterfinals Wednesday before bowing out, 60-50. It was the second state tournament appearance in school history for Sheffield, which also lost in the quarterfinals in 2009.

 

"This is really a group of overachievers," said Delamar. "We only had three players with varsity experience coming back; the rest were JV players. And we had to play Craigmont, Douglass, some incredibly talented teams.

 

"I thought we'd be lucky to win maybe six, seven games."

 

Instead they won 21 and could have very easily made it 22 if the shots had been falling. The Knights finished the game 15 of 55 from the floor, a frigid 27.3 percent. They were just 2 of 15 in the decisive fourth quarter.

 

The biggest problem â€” literally â€” was 6-9 Whites Creek senior Ruot Monyyong, who had 25 points, 18 rebounds and 8 blocks against the smaller Knights.

 

"He's a great shot blocker," said Delamar. "He forces you to miss shots and then you kind of start looking for him ... it's the intimidation factor.",

Despite their shooting woes, Sheffield was able to keep it close thanks to a relentless defensive effort. The Knights forced 20 turnovers and came up with 15 steals, including eight by William Edwards.

 

"Defense pretty much turned our season around," said Delamar, whose team was 5-4 on Dec. 13 before winning 15 of its next 17 contests.

 

"We were really just an average team but then we won 10 in a row ... we're not a very deep team, though, and it's very tough when you're not making shots."

 

Sheffield's woes were summed up on a fourth-quarter possession after a Kavion Hancock 3-pointer had cut Whites Creek's lead to 49-46 with 4:05 to go. After a missed Whites Creek free throw, Hancock missed two lay-ups inside against Monyyong, who was a full foot taller.

Edwards then came up with a steal but missed the dunk, Quarterrick Rhodes missed a 3 after getting the rebound and Edwards missed another lay-up after Rhodes' miss. Five chances — four from point-blank range — to pull within one.

 

Hancock led Sheffield with 22 while Tim Williams added 15 before fouling out in the fourth. Edwards contributed eight points to match his eight steals.

 

Whites Creek will play Knoxville Catholic (30-1) in a semifinal Friday at 1:15 p.m.

Edited March 16, 2017 by kwc

[toinemac]

Haywood beat Chattanooga Brainerd in a very entertaining game 82-72. 33 points for Dedric Boyd and 23 points 11 boards for Tristan Jarrett

Brainerd was led by Kentrell Evans with 21 points and Jesse Walker who had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

[toinemac]

End of the first Sullivan East leads Maplewood 17-15 Cole Green for SE has 13 points. Bo Hodges spent most of the 1st on the bench after getting 2 fouls early and has yet to score.

[toinemac]

End of 3 Maplewood leads 49-37

[TheTruthHurts22]

Hodges heated up and got his teammates involved, 57-43 Maplewood 4:00 minutes left. SE lives and dies by the 3 ball.

[toinemac]

71-55 Maplewood Hodges took the game over after the half finished with 22 points and 8 boards. Wilcox added a double double for Maplewood with 16 and 11

[RaisedEmRightNStillPraying]

BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!! GCA RAMS KNOCK OFF HUMBOLDT!!!!

[BlackHavenSenator]

BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!! GCA RAMS KNOCK OFF HUMBOLDT!!!!

Too bad. I was looking forward to seeing Humboldt on TV

[kwc]

BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!! GCA RAMS KNOCK OFF HUMBOLDT!!!!

 

Whoop! ... There it is!