Class AAA: Potential Mr. Basketball candidates

<p>Outside of both private school leagues (Division II-A and -AA), TSSAA Class AAA will have the most talented players at different positions.</p> <p>Class AAA is expected to be competitive and fun to watch. This will be the 2021 class’ final curtain call, and I’m sure all of the upcoming seniors have Murfreesboro, Tennessee as a final destination.</p> <p>Some may have in mind to win Mr. Basketball.</p> <p>It’s wide open this upcoming season, and each potential candidate will have a chance to impress voters.</p> <p>Here are the players I feel are potential Mr. Basketball candidates.</p> <p><strong>Kley</strong> <strong>McGowan</strong>, <strong>Cleveland</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id="537125" first="Jacobi" last="Wood"] is gone, which means the Blue Raiders are going to need someone to fill it up every night. McGowan has the shooting range to do so. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard can score from different areas on the floor. McGowan takes a lot of great shots and each shot he puts up feels like it’s going to go in.</p> <p><strong>Jonathan</strong> <strong>Milloway</strong>, <strong>Oak</strong> <strong>Ridge</strong>: The 6-8 forward is a true stretch four with a nice shooting touch and un-guardable post moves. Milloway averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game last season. If his numbers slightly increase, there’s a great deal of optimism for Milloway to be a finalist at the end of the season.</p> <p><strong>Matthew</strong> <strong>Schneider</strong>, <strong>Siegel</strong>: The 6-5 shooting guard will be playing with one of the best point guards in 2021 in [player_tooltip player_id="775545" first="Zion" last="Swader"], and he’s great at finding the open man. Swader will definitely look for Schneider on the wing, because he knows how great of a scorer he is. Schneider knows how to create separation between his defender. He’s solid at picking his sweet spots. Schneider averaged 17.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game a season ago. Those numbers should increase.</p> <p><strong>Cedquavious</strong> <strong>Hunter</strong>, <strong>Cordova</strong>: The 5-11 combo guard has already scored over 1,000 points in his high school basketball career. Hunter put those numbers up at North Panola High School. His new coach, Terrance Scales, will definitely put him in position to be one of the best guards on the floor every night. Hunter will most likely have the ball in his hands a lot, because he’s – as of right now – the Wolfpack’s best guard.</p> <p><strong>Tadarius</strong> <strong>Jacobs</strong>, <strong>Memphis</strong> <strong>East</strong>: I have asked Mustangs head coach Javonte Holmes about the importance of Jacobs being the No. 1 scoring option next season. Holmes has said to me multiple times that the offense will have to run through Jacobs after losing forwards [player_tooltip player_id="546274" first="Duane" last="Posey"] and [player_tooltip player_id="954780" first="Kylan" last="Haywood"] to graduation. Jacobs averaged 15 points a game last season and didn’t break a huge sweat doing so. He’s one of a few guards in the 2021 class with a close-to-perfect mid-range game. Jacobs loves to run off screens. That’s his specialty.</p> <p><strong>T</strong>.<strong>J</strong>. <strong>Madlock</strong>, <strong>Houston</strong>: With the departure of 6-7 combo guard Alden Applewhite, Madlock’s responsibilities have increased on the offensive end. Now, Madlock will still have [player_tooltip player_id="548394" first="Mason" last="Miller"] and [player_tooltip player_id="775539" first="Zander" last="Yates"], but he’s the most important piece to the Mustangs’ state title hopes. At 6-2, Madlock is a solid slasher and has made the necessary strides with his jump shot.</p> <p><strong>Riggs</strong> <strong>Abner</strong>, <strong>Green</strong> <strong>Hill</strong>: Abner is a dark horse candidate and can sneak into the conversation before the postseason arrives. Abner is very similar to Schneider in terms of scoring ability. He’s also a lengthy wing at 6-6. There are other players that will get more attention than Abner, but it’s very uncandid to just write him off.</p> <p><strong>JP</strong> <strong>Pegues</strong>, <strong>Hillsboro</strong>: The 6-2 point guard led his high school to a state tournament appearance last season. He knocked down one big shot after another to get the program there. Statistically, Pegues had a solid junior season, averaging 18 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He’s another kid people shouldn’t forget about in Class AAA.</p>