Regional Tournament Preview (R1-4A)

<p>The "Far East" will be fun, as the four best teams run out future college basketball players. There is a distinct difference between the top two teams and the pack, though Sevier County is perhaps capable of a regional upset. Who do you like advancing to the sectionals from Region 1-4A? DM @PrepHoopsTN with your picks, or @ us on Twitter.</p> <h4>Region 1</h4> <p><strong>The favorite: Morristown East</strong><br /> Few can hang with the mighty Hurricanes. </p> [caption id="attachment_1196515" align="alignright" width="225"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/6304AB1D-B39B-407E-AD03-8916D6E29ECB-rotated.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1196515 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/6304AB1D-B39B-407E-AD03-8916D6E29ECB-225x300.jpeg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1021717" first="Micah" last="Simpson"] is electric with the pill in his pocket[/caption] <p><strong>The biggest threat:</strong> <strong>Dobyns-Bennett<br /> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] collected 19, 19, and 16 in three consecutive games. The rebounding tallies of Jack as his final high school February opened are absurd.  DB is a strong, deep, veteran team.  If not for MoEast’s exceptional senior class, then the Indians would be favored.  Brady Stump and [player_tooltip player_id="1263009" first="Jonavan" last="Gillespie"] are the starting juniors.  Gillespie is a key defensively against star point guards.  He does not have the size to handle [player_tooltip player_id="1021717" first="Micah" last="Simpson"], but he can match his quickness and mental toughness.</p> <p><strong>The dark horse:</strong> <strong>Sevier County</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Team Capsules</span></h4> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Morristown East</strong></p> <p><strong>Jefferson County</strong></p> <p>It was a nightmarish year in the loss column for an 18 win team just one year prior.  JCHS could argue they are just as good as Morristown West, since they lost by a single point to the Trojans in one of their two games.</p> <p><strong>Sevier County</strong></p> <p>Caleb Tarwater and Danny Stanton are scoring threats for the Smoky Bears. The team will not win against Mo East without multiple extraordinary individual performances. Maybe Cooper Takacs? David Greene? </p> <p><strong>Morristown West</strong></p> <p>Rylin demonstrated a soft shooting touch all season.  Look for him to hit 1-2 surprise three-pointers before the defense reacts appropriately.  As a taller player, Rylin gets underestimated as a shooter often.  </p> <p>The team lacks stability at the guard spots, which is to be expected when you anoint a freshman as your starting Orange Orb Guardian. Bereket Evans is far from a finished product.  He does have speed, but Evans does not play efficiently just yet.  He makes mistakes of aggression, which perhaps are good mistakes for his long-term development though obviously frustrating during those moments for the team.  Using his unmatched aggression and burst, Evans scored 14 fourth quarter points against Jefferson County.</p> <p><strong>Dobyns-Bennett</strong></p> <p>Deep, cocky, tall, balanced, tough.  DB is ready to roll these cats.  Morristown East and possibly Sevier County are the only teams likely to challenge them, and it would be a big disappointment for the DB program to not make it out to Sectionals.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] faced up with [player_tooltip player_id="787687" first="Braden" last="Ilic"] in DB’s overtime loss mid-December. He actually locked up [player_tooltip player_id="1021825" first="Cade" last="Pendleton"], a future D1 basketball player.</p> <p><strong>West Ridge</strong></p> <p>This is the first playoff experience for the sparkling new school.  West Ridge won their first every basketball game.  It is time for another first, their first regional playoff win.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1261391" first="Dawson" last="Arnold"] was instrumental in the Wolves qualifying for the regional tournament.  The bearded junior big man scored 26 points and absolutely dominated the David Crockett defense.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1262490" first="Cooper" last="Johnson"] is a clever senior point guard with an abundance of that unselfishness gene. He is a wrecking ball of a guard.  So strong physically with that wrestler-physique.  Cooper never gives up his dribble when pressured or trapped unless he spots an open man.  </p> <p><strong>Science Hill</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1332415" first="Keynan" last="Cutlip"] (#56 in the state) is wonderful as a floor general and delivering consistent productivity, but the gap between the region’s best and Science Hill is significant. </p> <p><strong>Daniel Boone</strong></p> <p>Daniel Boone Trailblazers finished the regular season 3-10 against the other seven teams in the field.  Top scorers for Daniel Boone High will almost always be Peyton Long, Brayden Blankenship, and [player_tooltip player_id="1387460" first="Luke" last="Jenkins"].  Creed Musick and Blankenship are tough in tight, both rebounding, and challenging shots around the rim.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Players to watch</span><br /> [player_tooltip player_id="787687" first="Braden" last="Ilic"] (2022), Morristown East<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1021717" first="Micah" last="Simpson"] (2022), Morristown East<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1388258" first="Rylin" last="King"] (2023), Morristown West<br /> Caleb Tarwater (2023), Sevier County<br /> Danny Stanton (2022), Sevier County<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1261391" first="Dawson" last="Arnold"] (2023), West Ridge<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1262490" first="Cooper" last="Johnson"] (2022), West Ridge<br /> Wade Witcher, West Ridge<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1179249" first="Kade" last="Parker"], Jefferson County<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1280331" first="Carter" last="Metz"] (2022), Dobyns-Bennett<br /> Malachi Hale (2022), Dobyns-Bennett<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] (2022), Dobyns-Bennett<br /> Brayden Blankenship (2024), Daniel Boone<br /> Peyton Long, Daniel Boone<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1387460" first="Luke" last="Jenkins"] (2024), Daniel Boone<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1332415" first="Keynan" last="Cutlip"] (2022), Science Hill<br /> Brady Lawson (2024), Science Hill<br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Morristown West starters<br /> </span></em>#10 [player_tooltip player_id="1388258" first="Rylin" last="King"] (2023)<br /> #1 Bereket Evans (2025)<br /> #20 Macleod Love (2022)<br /> #23 Aquilio Romero (2022)<br /> #5 Ty Steisslinger (2023)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;">REGIONAL FINAL PREDICTION</h3> <p style="text-align: center;">Morristown East vs. Dobyns-Bennett</p> <p>Morristown East is a Top 5 team in the state, and the best team east of Hendersonville, Tennessee.  The DB Indians would not agree.  Malachi Hale and [player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] are a fantastic frontcourt pairing wholly capable of challenging Top 5 player [player_tooltip player_id="787687" first="Braden" last="Ilic"].  The real question is, how in the world can DB offset the explosive scoring and quickness of [player_tooltip player_id="1021717" first="Micah" last="Simpson"]?</p> <p>My guess is they can’t.</p>