Class AA Teams with strong ’21 Crews

Seniors win playoff games. Considering this maxim, the following deep ’21 classes constitute the best squads capable of making a run at state. 

Top ’21 Units

Mitchell

2019-20 season: Mighty Mitchell won 9 district games.  Several key players return.

Big district win for the Mitchell Boys tonight at Craigmont 48-44. Jamarious Horton quietest kept secret in Memphis.

— memphismitchellhigh (@memphismitchel3) February 1, 2020

Entire ’21 class 

• Jamarious Horton
• James Webb
• Elliot McGhee
• Jayveon Watkins

Head Coach: Andre Turner

District: 16 AA

Alcoa

2019-20 season: Choctawhatchee beat Crestview in the 7A-2 district championship, but it was Crestview who beat the Indians in the region semifinal before capturing the state title. Six Central Florida programs are now in 7A-2 with DeLand and Spruce Creek from 9A-1, Sanford Seminole, Lake Mary and Orange City University from 9A-2 and West Port from 

"With players coming back, Burden brings a consistent strong, athletic inside game on both ends of the floor and he is a phenomenal leader and teammate," shared departed senior Nick Roberts Nick Roberts 6'4" | SG Alcoa | 2020 State TN .  "Isaiah Cox and Ronald “Tank” Jackson bring lock down perimeter defense and a fire intensity when locked in."

Entire ’21 class 

• Camden Burden Camden Burden 6'3" | SG Sevier County | 2021 TN
• Nate Marsh
• Isiah Cox-Penson
• Ronald Jackson

Head Coach: Ryan Collins

Awards: Camden Burden Camden Burden 6'3" | SG Sevier County | 2021 TN (All-Region)

District: 4 AA

--Both Camden Burden Camden Burden 6'3" | SG Sevier County | 2021 TN and Isiah-Cox Penson started during their junior seasons. Nate Marsh average 7.8 ppg.  Expect both to play strong leadership roles next season.  

Carter

2019-20 season: Carter put together a dream season with 25 wins, only to be rudley interrupted that March 3rd evening at the hands of Alcoa High. Carter must replace CHS legend Ty Hurst Ty Hurst 6'3" | PG Carter | 2020 State TN and deliverer of victories Gabriel Harper.  Who will take over command of the scoring?  Tough to tell.  McK

eehan and Reynolds both average 7.3 ppg.  They get first crack at it.  The pair can hit the triple.  Brycen made 38 on the year and Colby dropped 29 through.  

Entire ’21 class 

• Brycen McKeehan
• Colby Reynolds
• Cade Ramsey
• Lane Webb
• Samuel Watson

Head Coach: Spencer Beaty

Awards:

District: 3 AA

Howard

2019-20 season: Both Kerrick Thorne Kerrick Thorne 6'5" | CG Howard | 2021 State TN and Meechie Bowens Meechie Bowens 6'0" | SG Howard Tech | 2021 State TN are potential District MVP players.  Thorne is a steadily improving scorer-rebounder while Bowens creates his own with brilliance.  

Entire ’21 class 

• Kerrick Thorne Kerrick Thorne 6'5" | CG Howard | 2021 State TN
• Meechie Bowens Meechie Bowens 6'0" | SG Howard Tech | 2021 State TN
• Marcus Reed
• Christopher Stinson
• Daniel Burkes Daniel Burkes 6'2" | PF Howard Tech | 2021 TN
• Christopher Hall

Head Coach: Walter McGary

Awards:Region Champs.

District: 6 AA

Howard lost by just two points, 44-42, to Upperman to end their season.  It will be very difficult to get back that far only because 6AA is a dogfight (Tyner Academy, Brainerd, Red Bank, Howard).

Wooddale

2019-20 season: Wooddale advanced to the state tournament again.  Lawson easily earned his first Mr. Basketball award.  

Entire ’21 class 

• Johnathan Lawson Johnathan Lawson 6'8" | SF Houston | 2021 State #112 Nation TN
• Jalen Brown Jalen Brown 6'4" | SG MASE | 2021 State TN
• Shawn Brown
• Coland Carr
• Desmond Bratcher
• Sunterrio Brown

Head Coach: Keelon Lawson

Awards: Johnathan Lawson Johnathan Lawson 6'8" | SF Houston | 2021 State #112 Nation TN (Mr. Basketball)

District: 16 AA

-- Jalen Brown Jalen Brown 6'4" | SG MASE | 2021 State TN is also a star now, certain to embarrass plenty more foes in 2021.

Upperman

2019-20 season: The Bees of Upperman advanced to the Class AA State Tournament on the backs of their ’21 group.  Collin Gore Collin Gore 5'11" | PG Upperman | 2021 State TN led the team in scoring versus an exceptionally athletic and dynamic Howard team.  Isaiah Allen Isaiah Allen 6'0" | PG Upperman | 2021 State TN hit the game-winning free throws.  Alex Rush Alex Rush 6'7" | PF Upperman | 2021 State TN held his ground in the paint.  In all, the ’21 bunch of Bees is right up there with the best in the state.

Entire ’21 class 

• Alex Rush Alex Rush 6'7" | PF Upperman | 2021 State TN
• Collin Gore Collin Gore 5'11" | PG Upperman | 2021 State TN
• Isaiah Allen Isaiah Allen 6'0" | PG Upperman | 2021 State TN
• Jace McWilliams Jace McWilliams 5'10" | PG Upperman | 2021 State TN
• John Alexander
• Jaxon Fox
• Kason Grissom

Head Coach: Bobby McWilliams

Awards: Alex Rush Alex Rush 6'7" | PF Upperman | 2021 State TN (District MVP)

District: 8 AA

Alex Rush Alex Rush 6'7" | PF Upperman | 2021 State TN is destined to vault himself into a college basketball recruit this year. Division II University of Alabama-Huntsville is in frequent contact.

'21 F Alex Rush (@uppermanhoops , TN) is a player that AAU really, really would have helped. He needs more exposure and college coaches need to see him. Still, he is destined for college basketball. pic.x.com/STubOuswWn

— Andrew Force (@AndrewForce8) June 5, 2020

East Nashville

2019-20 season: Advanced to the Class AA State Tournament without much senior influence.

Entire ’21 class 

• Isaiah Jones Isaiah Jones 6'8" | SF Arlington | 2021 State TN
• Josh Cole Josh Cole 6'1" | SG East Nashville | 2021 State TN
• Donnie Holiday
• Nicholas Thompson
• Korion Turentine

Head Coach: Avery Patton

Awards:

District: 10 AA

---East Nashville is always a tough team.  Brothers Jaylen Jones (’23) and Isaiah Jones Isaiah Jones 6'8" | SF Arlington | 2021 State TN (’21) will make them ferocious once again.  Isaiah is now a top 10 player in the state and he will challenge Johnathan Lawson Johnathan Lawson 6'8" | SF Houston | 2021 State #112 Nation TN for Mr. Basketball.

Fayette Ware

2019-20 season: Taki Walker Taki Walker 6'3" | PG Fayette Ware | 2021 State TN was wonderful last season.  He averaged 10.5 ppg with 15 made 3-pointers.  Tyler Fitzpatrick Tyler Fitzpatrick 6'5" | SG Fayette Ware | 2021 State TN managed 9.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg.  He scored 20 points twice.

Entire ’21 class 

• Tyler Fitzpatrick Tyler Fitzpatrick 6'5" | SG Fayette Ware | 2021 State TN
• Trevorius Henderson
• Taki Walker Taki Walker 6'3" | PG Fayette Ware | 2021 State TN
• Tyrese Morrow Tyrese Morrow 6'5" | PF Fayette Ware | 2021 TN
• Maquavis Worles
• Antavious Williams
• Marquez McNeal
• Gabriel Ingram

Head Coach: Demarius Chearis

Awards:

District: 15 AA

The Wildcats currently have the deepest ’21 class in the state among the Class AA teams.  Who knows where the transfer dominoes will land at those constantly "evolving" basketball programs though?  This roster will be very stable, but as we all know there are several schools who maintain very fluid rosters to put it mildly.   These schools might enter the season with a better ’21 class.  FW is loaded though.

Follow @AndrewForce8.