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Early AAA 2025 Favorites


knightsfan

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On 1/8/2025 at 6:40 PM, HonkyNinja12 said:

Solid list, 3A will definitely be interesting. Upperman Vs Stone tmrw night I believe should be fun. I see you’re a big HF fan so I gotta ask how you enjoy watching that style of basketball? they are just so bad at the fundamentals Its unbelievable. Given they are one of the most athletic teams in TN and big, but they can barely dribble and chew gum.  I watched several streams and its complete chaos of missed 5 footers and trying to put it back in 6x times in a row lol 

LOL, what is driving me crazy is they haven't been playing as well since the Mcadory game when they were missing a starter. If you want to see what blows my mind, then go watch their past 4 games against their rival MLK. We can NEVER make that game easy, no matter if we are double digit favorites. As for the dribbling, I like (and trust) a couple of our guards when it comes to dribbling and we have 4 to 5 guys that can shoot it, but lately they are in a funk.

I feel like you are overplaying the "bad at fundamentals" a little bit. There is 1 area in particular that they were much improved at in the first half of the season, but since the Christmas tournament has been shaky, and that is free throws. 

As someone who has been a fan since 2009 of a team that was in the hardest district in the state from 2010 - 2014 and could barely get 10 wins in a year, I am just trying to take in the moment and enjoy having a great team for once these past 2 seasons. 

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On 1/11/2025 at 11:28 PM, BallIsLife1 said:

North Side guards vs South Side bigs. Which coach will make the right adjustment. North Side guards can play, but if they can't stop South Side inside it'll be over early.

Perfect prediction on how this game went.

We called it on the Sports731 Network on YouTube. Over 1,500 views overnight.

Here is the link:

NS guards are top shelf. Especially Lincoln Woods, the coach's son. Woods is lightening quick, can pick your pocket without you knowing it, shoots 3's from the parking lot, drives to the hoop against players much taller & rebounds like he's playing a post position. This young man has it all. I believe he has D1 talent.

The other key player for the Indians is Javonte Smith. He's gotten offers from Tennessee, Miss St, Kentucky and others...in football! But as I said on this broadcast, he has D1 level talent in multiple sports.

The problem for NS is, South Side is loaded.

Robert Liggins played like a man possessed in this game. Christian Mitchell has next level talent as well.  SS has probably 3 seniors that can play on Saturdays. Cash 'Money" Mongomery acquitted himself well in guarding Woods in this game. South Side's pressure defense will make you lose sleep at night. They are faster than everybody in the area. And they are senior heavy.  This senior squad was the last team to go to the dance for Fuller. It's kind of like SS pushed all their chips in on the table this year. It's State Tourney or bust for the Hawks.

And they will be there. Bet the ranch.

#HereComesTheCloser

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Yea, they have the easiest route to state tournament,this might be fw year, they play a grueling schedule an I think it only helps them.winning a lot of games with weak competition is always a bad thing when it comes down to winning a championship,it usually doesn't pan out well

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1 hour ago, shawboy said:

Yea, they have the easiest route to state tournament, this might be fw year, they play a grueling schedule an I think it only helps them.winning a lot of games with weak competition is always a bad thing when it comes down to winning a championship,it usually doesn't pan out well

Just want to clarify if you are talking about Jackson South Side or Fayette Ware (FW)? In terms of roads to the state tournament, I think the winners of region 4 (Upperman/Stone Memorial) and Region 6 (Jackson SS and NS) will have the easiest sub state games. The loser of region 6 will have a tough game against region 5 winner (who right now would be Hume-Fogg, but still a long way to go).

If you are talking about Fayette Ware, I definitely agree on their grueling schedule. I would add in Greeneville as a team that has also had a grueling schedule.

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On 1/7/2025 at 8:29 AM, knightsfan said:

These are just my opinion on the current rankings. I had to use a lot of common opponents when looking at teams to get an idea on this, so it is definitely flawed. Also, I believe that teams 2 through 8 could beat each other on any given day, so I don't believe there is that much separating them.

1. Stone Memorial

2. Hume-Fogg

3. Tennessee High

4. Fayette Ware

5.  Jackson South Side (Have only played 9 games, otherwise I would have them in the top 3)

6. Jackson North Side

7. Upperman (I expect them to move back up, but that loss to Stewarts Creek is why they are down here for now)

8. Greeneville (Record doesn't show it but look at common opponents within East TN and I think they are next best team out east after TN High)

Just missing: Fulton, David Crocket, Dyersburg, Haywood, Station Camp, Sycamore

We will know a lot more with district play starting up for most of these teams. 

If I missed anyone people think should have been mentioned I would love to know!

My updated personal opinion rankings, I still believe any of these teams could win against the other on any given day:

1. Upperman (big win over Stone Memorial. Was closer than score indicates, but still a big win none the less. I personally value good wins more than bad losses, and Stewarts creek is looking more and more like a team whose better than their record indicates. Livingston gave them a little bit of a scare, but I believe that is a big rivalry game for these 2 and weird things can happen in those.)

2. Hume - Fogg (unfortunately Lipscomb had to cancel their game vs Hume-Fogg due to rescheduling from the prior weeks snow day; otherwise status quo for Hume-Fogg. Like Upperman they had trouble against their biggest rival in MLK, but did end up winning it without their top 2 scorers in the game in the final clutch moments. Fun fact: This senior class now has 2 1,000 point scorers)

3. Jackson South Side (big win on the road over Jackson North Side, which moves them up for me)

4. Greeneville (scores indicate that they have their players back and acclimated. Since Dec. 28 they have won every game, except for 2, by double digits, including against 4A schools. Those 2 losses are very impressive too, lost in OT by 2 to Bearden, and lost by 1 to Knox Webb. Those are arguable the 2 best schools in East TN, and Knox Webb can be argued as one of the best in the entire state. They have played a tough schedule and if they continue their current trajectory they will move up even more)

5. Tennessee High 

6. Fayette Ware

7. Stone Memorial

8. Jackson North Side (They lost to their rival, but they still beat a very good Peabody team. Otherwise I would say a toss up between them and David Crockett for 8th.)

Just missing: David Crockett, Station Camp, Red Bank, Tullahoma, Lawson, Haywood, and Fulton.

Would love to know everyone's thoughts. Let me know if I am missing anyone. 

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2 hours ago, knightsfan said:

My updated personal opinion rankings, I still believe any of these teams could win against the other on any given day:

1. Upperman (big win over Stone Memorial. Was closer than score indicates, but still a big win none the less. I personally value good wins more than bad losses, and Stewarts creek is looking more and more like a team whose better than their record indicates. Livingston gave them a little bit of a scare, but I believe that is a big rivalry game for these 2 and weird things can happen in those.)

2. Hume - Fogg (unfortunately Lipscomb had to cancel their game vs Hume-Fogg due to rescheduling from the prior weeks snow day; otherwise status quo for Hume-Fogg. Like Upperman they had trouble against their biggest rival in MLK, but did end up winning it without their top 2 scorers in the game in the final clutch moments. Fun fact: This senior class now has 2 1,000 point scorers)

3. Jackson South Side (big win on the road over Jackson North Side, which moves them up for me)

4. Greeneville (scores indicate that they have their players back and acclimated. Since Dec. 28 they have won every game, except for 2, by double digits, including against 4A schools. Those 2 losses are very impressive too, lost in OT by 2 to Bearden, and lost by 1 to Knox Webb. Those are arguable the 2 best schools in East TN, and Knox Webb can be argued as one of the best in the entire state. They have played a tough schedule and if they continue their current trajectory they will move up even more)

5. Tennessee High 

6. Fayette Ware

7. Stone Memorial

8. Jackson North Side (They lost to their rival, but they still beat a very good Peabody team. Otherwise I would say a toss up between them and David Crockett for 8th.)

Just missing: David Crockett, Station Camp, Red Bank, Tullahoma, Lawson, Haywood, and Fulton.

Would love to know everyone's thoughts. Let me know if I am missing anyone. 

Great job and a fun insightful read.

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Maybe I'm out of the loop on the boys side but I didn't realize Jackson South Side boys were as good as I've heard people talk about. Upperman boys are playing really well. Cobb is a player. Chaffin just makes Cobb that much better and Johnson is really finding his way around this year. 

Even though UHS handled Stone fairly well on the scoreboard, the game itself seemed much closer. I wouldn't count Stone out of making a deep tourney run. I'm just not sure I  see them competing for the gold ball. 

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