3 things to know about Bartlett

After falling short in last season's TSSAA 4A boys' state tournament semifinals round to eventual champion Dobyns-Bennett, many wondered which direction the Panthers would go in after coming so close to playing for a state title.   Easy answer.     Bartlett is still heading in the right direction, with a deep, experienced roster returning for what-should-be another trip to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, possibly with different results.   Here are 3 things to know about Bartlett.   [player_tooltip player_id='1043215' first='Javar' last='Daniel'] is back   “I'm back,” two words the senior forward uttered to me at the conclusion of Thursday's open gym session. The 6-foot-9 big man looked relieved and hungry to play basketball at a high level again as he didn't contribute much at all last season to Bartlett's success as Daniel was recovering from a knee injury he suffered two summers ago.    On Thursday, Daniel was getting up and down the floor with ease, had great lift on his jump shot and dunked the basketball with force. Those are all great signs for the Panthers and for Daniel, who's going to be a matchup problem many nights because of his ability to stretch the floor.   Not only will Bartlett have Daniel, but it will have senior big man Matthew Stokes, and juniors Jack Shackelford and Rashad Williams. Stokes' specialties are rebounding and altering shots. Shackelford, like Daniel, provides spacing because of his ability to make shots from the perimeter. Williams does a lot of things that aren't going to show up in the stats sheet. He's going to hustle for 50-50 balls, set hard ball screens, get putbacks and stick his 6-6 frame in the paint for boards.   “I'm extremely excited to watch them,” Panthers head coach Dion Real said. “With [player_tooltip player_id='1043215' first='Javar' last='Daniel'] coming back healthy this year. He missed last year. Matthew, trying to get him healthy right now. [player_tooltip player_id='1213163' first='Rashad' last='Williams'] has been on the court since he was a freshman, then there's [player_tooltip player_id='1336408' first='Jack' last='Shackelford'].   “We have a lot of them. I'm just excited to see them mash.”   Alston and Neville are up for the challenge   Amarr Knox (17 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals, and 2.0 steals) and Terrance Jacobs Jr. (12 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals) aren't walking through those doors at Bartlett this season. Losing a backcourt that had to carry the offensive workload most nights a season ago hurts, but it's the next backcourt up. Junior wing Christian Alston and sophomore point guard KJ Neville were role players last season and played important minutes during the Panthers' deep postseason run. In 2022, both players will have to play more minutes and contribute more on both ends of the court.   “He's doing really well. He has grown up a lot,” Real said about Neville, the 6-0 floor general. “He asks a lot of questions. I think that's big. One thing he and I have talked about is ‘Yes, there is pressure, but it is pressure on us all. Don't let that pressure mess you up. It's a process so, be willing to go through the ups and downs. He will be okay.'”   Alston is a 6-5 wing with the most upside of all the perimeter players on the roster. If he has improved on his offensive game in the offseason, there's a high chance Alston will be a top three scorer for Bartlett.   “Christian's development has been incredible to watch,” Real said. “I'm excited to see him come into his own. Without any hesitation, I think he has the talent to be one of the special players in the state of Tennessee, if not in the country.    “His toughness, his versatility. You talk about a 6-5, 6-6 wing who can handle it, who can shoot it. He has a chance to be really, really special.”   Another season of depth for Bartlett   The Panthers are bulked up in the frontcourt and also in the backcourt with a mixture of upperclassmen and underclassmen. Bartlett will have senior guards Devin Crockett and Regale Moore. Crockett is solid at communicating on both ends of the floor and moving the basketball. He does a great job of taking care of the basketball. Moore, who's been with the program since he was a freshman, plays hard on both ends of the floor. He's capable of knocking down shots from the perimeter.    Senior wing Charvez Ambrose will need to provide production on the offensive end. Sophomore point guard Quay Hampton is equipped to provide minutes at the one spot. He can make shots from the perimeter and make the right reads.

After falling short in last season's TSSAA 4A boys' state tournament semifinals round to eventual champion Dobyns-Bennett, many wondered which direction the Panthers would go in after coming so close to playing for a state title.