Class AA Rankings (New Year’s Edition)
Class AA is deep and crawling with athletic, consistent teams. Jackson South Side still resides atop the PrepHoopsTN Team Rankings after winning a historically loaded event in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. By the way, South Side took down the hosts by…
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Continue ReadingClass AA is deep and crawling with athletic, consistent teams. Jackson South Side still resides atop the PrepHoopsTN Team Rankings after winning a historically loaded event in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. By the way, South Side took down the hosts by 11 in their own gym! Wooddale is playing heavyweights weekly and will be judged harshly only by readers of their loss column. The Cardinals are good enough to repeat in 2020, but both East Nashville and Pearl Cohn feature gifted teams. Fayette Ware is no longer in the top two. Just three teams have claimed the #1 spot so far and it appears unlikely South Side will fall anytime soon.
Early December AA Team Rankings.
Mid December AA Team Rankings.
Think you have a better Top 10? DM @PrepHoopsTN now!
1. Jackson South Side (12-0)
Last week: 1
Peak: 1
Deep team with an exciting mix of athleticism and defensive investment. Certain opponents will simply crumple to them. When they are in tougher games South Side is able to make key baskets. There is not a chasm between South Side and the field, but there is nobody else worthy of consideration for #1 again this week. Will lose no more than 4 games this entire season.
2. Wooddale(9-4)*
Last week: 3
Peak: 1
Key wins over Jacksonville (AR), Bryant (AR), Parkview (AR), Christian Brothers, and Olive Branch (MS). Wooddale dropped two to Memphis East and unquestionably faced the most challenging schedule in the state. Defending State Champions. Johnathan Lawson welcomes longtime AAU teammate and friend Jalen Brown to an already strong team. Defeated by Memphis East (@PrepHoopsTN AAA#2), 90-79. Wooddale and South Side played this past Summer and Wooddale won by 3 or 4. They were both missing key players.
3. East Nashville (9-1)
Last week: 5
Peak: 3
Edged Pearl simply because East Nashville defeated Cane Ridge on a neutral floor and the Firebirds let their game against the Ravens slip away. Worth mentioning Brandon Miller was not healthy for the East Nashville game. Easily handled Stratford and RePublic. Check out their wins: Franklin, Sycamore, Cane Ridge, Hillsboro, Stratford, RePublic! Lost to Mt. Juliet (@PrepHoopsTN AAA#4), 79-66.
4. Pearl-Cohn (5-1)
Last week: 4
Peak: 4
Crushed Tyner Academy at the Henry Bowles Classic at Howard High. Stuffed with talent and speed at every position. Cane Ridge clipped them in overtime thanks to a Brandon Miller 3-point buzzer beater to end regulation. Pearl is a program on the cusp. Don’t be surprised if they challenge for a district and region title.
5. Fayette-Ware (6-2)
Last week: 2
Peak: 1
Won at Ripley High, but dropped to MAHS (PrepHoopsTN #while only shooting 29% from the floor. Their best win was over South Gibson, 83-76.
6. Community (15-1)
Last week: 9
Peak: 6
7. Tyner Academy (8-2)
Last week: 6
Peak: 6
Fell by one point to top 3 Class AAA team Cleveland High and lost to Pearl-Cohn (#4) handily. Demolished Brainerd, 70-46.
8. Sullivan South (11-1)
Last week: NA
Peak: 8
Split the two championship games already finished. Sullivan South lost to hosts David Crockett in David Crockett’s Hardee’s Classic, but caught revenge days later in Kingsport. This week Sullivan South overmatched Sullivan North in the Action Athletics Christmas Tournament Championship Game, 62-47.
9. Scott (13-0)
Last week: NA
Peak: 9
Scott defeated Livingston Academy for their 13th win of the season. South Fork Physical Therapy Christmas Classic Champions.
T10. Dyersburg (11-3)
Last week: NA
Peak: 10
No wins versus Top 10 teams though Tipton-Rosemark is a challenging game from which the Trojans emerged victorious. Dyersburg defeated Mt. Pleasant last week and dropped the final to Page High at Hickman County’s Above the Rim Tournament.
T10. Upperman (11-2)
Last week: 10
Peak: 10
Dropped two at Zaxby’s Christmas Classic (Blackman, MBA). Both opponents are well-respected. District play will be challenging though the Bees enter as favorites. Knocked off one of the toughest District 8AA York Institute. Three Upperman players have been ranked for the last year+: Alex Rush (PrepHoopsTN #62), Colin Gore (#115), Jace McWilliams. Fellow ’21 Isaiah Allen is very capable of scoring in bunches and senior Filip Babic is a lower block behemoth.
Newcomers: Scott, Sullivan South, Dyersburg
Drop Zone: Fulton, Maplewood, Greeneville.
Considered (in descending order of strongest case for inclusion): Howard (7-1), Fulton (7-3), Ripley (13-4), Austin-East (4-2), South Greene (13-4), Covington (11-3), Sweetwater (10-2), South Gibson (10-4), Greenbrier (8-2), Greeneville (6-3), Carter (10-4), Polk County (9-2), Alcoa (8-4), Fairview (8-4), Watertown (11-3).
*2019 AA State Champion
Think you have a better Top 10? DM @PrepHoopsTN now!