AAA Dark Horse Candidates: Fayette-Ware, Greenbrier
The Class of AAA will have a fascinating State Tournament. The two finalists from the 2001 AA State Championship, Jackson South Side and Greeneville, ascended to this larger classification. Chattanooga and Knoxville both brought historically powerful programs along: East Hamilton,…
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Continue ReadingThe Class of AAA will have a fascinating State Tournament. The two finalists from the 2001 AA State Championship, Jackson South Side and Greeneville, ascended to this larger classification. Chattanooga and Knoxville both brought historically powerful programs along: East Hamilton, Fulton, Chattanooga Central, Austin-East, Clinton.
The AAA Championship will be in a word, tough.
Team: Greenbrier
Top Players: Brayden Rector, Bryson Sherrill, Jayce Mangrum
2020-21 postseason result: Lost D9AA QF to Cheatham County.
Key Wins: Creek Wood, East Robertson, White House Heritage
Losses: Springfield, Creek Wood
Predicted Postseason Path: Of the teams in this story, Greenbrier is absolutely the newcomer to the party. They last played in a State Tournament in 1984, eight years before the U.S. Olympic Dream Team! The path will not be easy, but there is a path and these are the likely opponents on it. Creek Wood is the most challenging within the district and then it gets nasty as Greenbrier meets the Metro. Maplewood is the class of D10-AAA and their pressure is certain to harass the Bobcats. The Bobcats might even be underdogs in that game. Greenbrier’s Sectional pair would be somebody like South Side, North Side, or perhaps South Gibson. Just typing these words brings pain.
About Greenbrier: The Bobcats last 11 of their final 14 games to end last season. To begin this year the Bobcats won 20 of their first 22 games. Jayce Mangrum is nice coming off of screens. He is the best junior on a team with two breakout senior stars. Read this story.
Team: Fayette-Ware
Top Players: Ta’carion “Carion” Mitchell,
Damarien Yates
Damarien
Yates
6'8" | SF
Fayette Ware | 2023
State
TN
,
JaSteven Walker
JaSteven
Walker
6'10" | PF
Fayette Ware | 2022
State
TN
Supporting Cast:
Tacarien Freeman
Tacarien
Freeman
5'10" | PG
Fayette Ware | 2025
State
TN
, Jairus Terry, Marquis Seaberry, Eric Jones, Jeremiah Hayes.
2020-21 postseason result: Lost Sectional to South Side after R8AA Championship to Bolivar Central.
Key Wins: Alcoa, Haywood x 2, MHEA
Losses: South Doyle, Middleton, South Side x 2, MUS, Munford
Predicted Postseason Path: Fayette-Ware should coast through their district tournament with only Millington providing a nuisance, largely because they are hosting the tournament. Because of the weaknesses sin Shelby County’s 3A programs (Kirby, Melrose, Ridgeway, Wooddale), this could just be the Wildcats’ easiest path for years to come. Dyersburg will be a challenge, and FWHS would do best to avoid them, as teams like Covington and Haywood are down from previous seasons. Honestly, you will never hear a coach say this, but R7+R8 is as winnable as it will probably ever be right now. And Fayette-Ware has the pieces.
About Fayette-Ware: What did they do differently this year to set up a deep postseason run?
“Moreso this year we did a lot of mental preparation,” said Fayette-Ware Head Coach Demarius Chearis via phone interview. “Getting guys locked in, focused. Wanting to be the first to bring a ball back to Fayette-Ware High School. That was mental motivation.”
He sees the guys as more bought in this season. “ Damarien Yates Damarien Yates 6'8" | SF Fayette Ware | 2023 State TN is big shocker,” said Coach Chearis. “He is averaging a double-double nearly. I think JaSteven Walker JaSteven Walker 6'10" | PF Fayette Ware | 2022 State TN , who should be a Mr. Basketball finalist in my opinion, is having a great year. When Carion [Mitchell] transferred in, we were missing that shooter, and he is shooting over 40% from three this year.”
Fayette-Ware is scheduled to host the Regional Tournament, which would be a massive advantage. Millington is set to host the District Tournament.
Early February Team Rankings.
Mid-January AAA Team Rankings.