Slightly Too Early 3A Preview (R1)

With the departure of Jakobi Gillespie, Reid Satterfield, and friends, the R1-AAA will look a lot different.  Grainger graduated a sterling quartet, but Volunteer brings back their entire core.

Partial Rosters (Starters*)

Cherokee
Head Coach Trey Fields

#0 PG Colten McLain* (2024)
#4 Joey Henley” (2023)
Will Price
Jayden Ward (2024)
Elisha Jones (2024)
Bryce Elliott (2024)
Gavin Housewright (2025)
Manning Brooks (2025)
Bryson Horner
Jaxon Markham
Gabe Catron (2025)
Parker Travis (2025)
Eli Markham
Braxton Markham
Jake Elliott
Noah Seal
Christian Eldridge
Gavin Lawson
Lofton Hayes
Kenton Henard
Landon Jeffers

Colten McLain is ready to be the top player after starting in 2021-2022.  The lefty is very quick, though played his sophomore year as a literal lightweight. Needs more mass.  His ability to shoot off-the-dribble is impressive. Left-handed. Joe Henley is a returning starter.

Grainger
Head Coach Adam Wolfenbarger

#10 Jax Maxey (2024)
#13 Brody Wells (2024)
#14 Drew Branson* (2023)
#20 Brady Smith* (2023)
#21 Jacob Hill (2023)
#34 Carter Briscoe (2023)
#35 Logan Johnson (2023)
#44 Ryland Burchett (2023)

If anybody east of Nashville could lose as much productivity as Greeneville did, then Grainger was the closest.  Four star seniors all graduated and took with them dozens of wins: Emmanuel Atkins, Jaxon Williams, Ty Oberbay, Landon Patterson. The rebuild begins with Drew Branson, a 6-foot-1 senior guard. Check his highlights.

Cocke County
Head Coach Casey Ragan

#0 Major Woods (2023)
#1 Rolando Campos (2024)
#5 Lakkin France (2023)
#10 Brazen Stewart* (2023)
#12 Baylor Baxter* (2023)
#20 Ethan Fine Ethan Fine 6'5" | SF Cocke County | 2025 State TN (2025)
#24 Oren Hazelwood (2025)
#30 Kyler Hayes* (2025)
#32 Colin Askew (2023)
#50 Zeke Ramos (2023)

Coach Casey Ragan believes his team has three potential, even likely All-District players in 2022-2023.  Baylor Baxter was among the best in the district. The football/basketball talent is a natural leader on a team with many seniors.

Ethan Fine Ethan Fine 6'5" | SF Cocke County | 2025 State TN and Kyler Hayes are two budding sophomores, each certain to push the seniors.

“I have two returning All-District players,” said Coach Ragan.  “Kyler Hayes, he is a sophomore and Baylor Baxter (2023).  Kyler Hayes made it last year as a freshman.  Kyler came on and took the starting spot about the second game last year.  We knew he had some skill coming out of middle school, but he earned the spot with his motor.  He never stops.  We expected him to play some varsity minutes, but he earned a starting spot and never looked back.”

Ethan Fine Ethan Fine 6'5" | SF Cocke County | 2025 State TN and Kyler Hayes are two budding sophomores, each certain to push the seniors.  Older players can resent freshmen starting.  Sometimes.  Was that apparent with Cocke County?

“There was a little bit of newness of him stepping in,” said Coach Ragan.  “They are a pretty tight knit group.  We have seven seniors and they have all played together since they were sophomores.  There was a newness period that had to wear off.  We did very well to start to gel later in season…I think we played our best basketball at the end of the year.  We had Grainger County in the semifinals.  It was back-and-forth.  We had a chance to upset them and see Greeneville again, but it didn’t work out.  We went down to EHS for the regional game.  It was good.  It was new for our guys.”

“[Baylor Baxter] is the quarterback on the court, well he is the quarterback on our football team.  He gets guys were they are supposed to be.  He is a great leader.  A great motivator.  He is kind of an undersized post.  That is where he has played his whole career.  He can go off at any time at 15 or 20, but he is a 10 and 10 guy.  If we can get 10 and 10, then we are in good shape.”

Greeneville
Head Coach Brad Woolsey

#4 Jayquan Price* (2023)
#5 G Adjatay Dabbs Adjatay Dabbs 6'3" | SG Greeneville | 2023 State TN * (2023)
#12 Nik Pillar (2024)
#21 Hayden Goad (2024)
#22 Brayden Kennedy (2023)
#24 James Woolsey (2024)
#33 Isaac McGill* (2025)
#34 Kameron Lester (2024)
#42 Ty Williams (2023)
Trey Thompson (2026)

Claiborne
Head Coach Corey McGinnis

#10 Hunter Greer (2025)
#20 Tyler Myatt* (2023)
#34 Ethan Cupp* (2024)
Evan Thomas* (2025)
Josh Bolton* (2024)
Vince Bolden* (2024)

Who will be the leaders?

“Ethan Cupps (2023)  About a 6’4″.  He plays the 4 for us,” said Head Coach Corey McGinnis.  “Can step out on the perimeter and shoot it.”

Ethan earned 1st Team All-District last winter.

“We have a senior guard, Tyler Myatt returning,” said Coach McGinnis.  “Real strong kid. Can get down hill and make holes, if he needs them, to get to the rim.  He has really improved his finishes in the last couple months.  Those are the two that we are going to have to ride.”

The team features a little depth, though unproven at the varsity level.

“I have two other guards that I am pretty high on,” said Coach McGinnis.  “One of them is Evan Thomas.  He is very twitchy athlete. Jumps quick, moves quick.  A lot of deflections.

“Josh Bolton is real strong kid.  Quick. Plays running back for the football team.  Vince Bolden is very physical.  Pretty bouncy.  Good athlete.  Those a re probably the main four.  We have some others that will battle for spots.”

What is the expectation for the program this winter?

“We want to get back to Region.  That is always the goal.  Once we get there anything can happen.  We expect to be able to compete in the conference.  The goal is Top 4 in the conference, for sure.  We would like to host a game.  I don’t know the last time that happened at Claiborne.  We need to make sure we get better throughout the year.”

A top 5 player in the district, what can Ethan Cupp improve upon?

“I would say his mentality,” said Coach McGinnis.  “He can get a little passive.  When he is aggressive he is much better.  He has a very good shot from the perimeter.  He is starting to play off the bounce better, which is going to help his game quite a bit.  He has developed that.  He just has to get aggressive on the perimeter.  He is aggressive in the post.  He catches it and goes.  He is going to be the focal point for most teams.  He is a matchup problem.  He has to get aggressive.”

Beyond Ethan and Tyler the team needs more to be their best.  According to Coach McGinnis, the junior class can be something.  They better be.

“They are inexperienced, but they are good athletes and they play very hard,” said Coach McGinnis.  “We are going to be a physical team, one of the most physical since I have been here.  We are going to have to do a lot of the little things.  One my favorite quotes is Brad Stevens, “When you take into account the consequences of not doing the little things you realize there are no little things.”

The Off-season

“We were together for about a handful of days with everybody there,” said Coach McGinnis of June 2022.  “I was trying to figure out some combinations with some kids.  We went to UNC-Asheville and played a couple of days.  We were about .500 this summer.  We played Knox Catholic one game, which they are much larger than we are, but we battled with them pretty good.  We were sluggish to start, but we played well against them.  It was a good June. We got to be together.”

“Tyler Myatt is going to be a scholarship kid for baseball.  I will miss him for a game or two in November. He is going to an All-Star Showcase in Florida.”

Sullivan East
Head Coach Dillon Faver

#35 Corbin Dickenson (2023)
#44 F Masun Tate (2023)
Zach Johnson (2025)
Noah Moyher (2025)
Hayden Finney (2024)
Grant Giles (2024)
Tyler Cross (2024)
Kinkead Elliott (2024)
Corbin Laisure (2025)
Jacob Witcher (2023)
Brayden Ringley (2025)
Benjamin Lowe (2024)
Noah Colley (2025)
Elijah Grubbs (2023)
Thomas Ridelhuber (2025)
Kaden Hicks (2025)
Garrett Kirk (2025)
Drake Fisher (2024)

Sullivan East lost Dylan Bartley, a wonderful high school player, a young man who carried them many nights with his versatile scoring.

Tennessee
#0 G Ty Hopson (2023)
#2 Josh Sizemore (2024)
#3 G Colin Brown Colin Brown 6'1" | PG Tennessee | 2025 State TN * (2025)
#4 Maddox Fritts* (2023)
#5 Zander Phillips (2025)
#10 Braden Wilhoit (2023)
#11 Braedon Floyd* (2024)
#12 Jimmy Phipps (2024)
#13 Jack Singleton (2025)
#20 Brandon Dufore* (2023)
#42 Riley Gentry (2024)
#50 Will Broadfoot (2023)

Brandon Dufore is probably the most recruitable player in the Tennessee High program. He stands approximately 6-foot-3 and bounds around the floor with a lightness.  His ability to score is decent.  Colin Brown Colin Brown 6'1" | PG Tennessee | 2025 State TN is a small, left-handed shooter with some impressive quickness.  His maturation as a hooper will be important for the proud program. Four starters return from a down season.  A year of growth intervened.  Now what will materialize?

EDITOR’S NOTE:  This preview was written before news of Creed Musick Creed Musick 6'3" | SG Tennessee | 2023 State TN ‘s incoming transfer found my ears.  He will be a college basketball player in a year, and likely will land in the Best 5 below.  And, Tennessee looks better on paper than 8th.

Creed Musick Creed Musick 6'3" | SG Tennessee | 2023 State TN | 6’3″ | Tennessee ’23

Great bounce. Musick does everything on the floor. He hit the open three-pointer, and it looked like Coach Brown ran some offense through him. Creed earned an offer from Tusculum University in August. Musick projects as a high-academic hooper too.