D8-4A Preview

Predicting D8-4A is harder than in year's past. Smyrna and Antioch are much better. Stewarts Creek features perhaps the best player in the district. Who will win the regular season title?   1) Cane Ridge 2) Smyrna 3) Antioch 4) Stewarts Creek 5) LaVergne   Partial Squad w/ Starters*     Smyrna Head Coach Omar Smith Brandon Sanders* (2023) Jordan Clay-Joseph (2025) Syrus Satterwhite (2024) Elyjah Morales (2025) Braylen Hendricks-Collins (2025) 6'3" Jadon Appiah-Kubi (2026) G T.J. Sims* (2023) Caleb Pastrana (2024) Travon King (2025) Yon Kinzer (2026) Austin Mills III Sosa (2024) [player_tooltip player_id='1663715' first='Tyreque' last='McCarver'] (2025) Kaleil Lyons (2024) 5'6" PG T.J. Lee* (2023) Donovan Peebles* (2023) 6'3" F   "I am excited," said Coach Omar Smith. "We have a lot of potential to make some noise this year. We lost Ashton McCarver off last year's team."   Look for Smyrna to survive the early season with veterans, like Brandon Sanders, T.J. Sims and T.J. Lee. Sims started about 20 games last year and Lee "was unable to finish the season for personal reasons, but he is back and ready for us," shared Coach Smith.   "We have Brandon Sanders coming back,' said Coach Smith. "He averaged about 13 ppg last year, playing alongside Ashton. He was 2-3 away from breaking the school record for made three-pointers last year. About 400 away from 1000 career points."   Sanders is one of the five most productive players in the district right now. Young talents at Cane Ridge might surpass him by season's end, but Sanders is a gamer.   "[player_tooltip player_id='1663715' first='Tyreque' last='McCarver'] transferred to us in the spring," said Head Coach Omar Smith. "We are hoping that we can get him eligible, but if not ... He is able to practice."   <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> T.J. Lee will be the Smyrna point guard, "but if McCarver is eligible he will move off-of-the-ball. [T.J. Lee] is very explosive, 5'11, but he can jump out of the gym. He does a very good job of getting downhill. He is probably one of the most gifted players for us. He is just a natural, it is a gift. He can play off of the point, he can play the point. If you need the 8 assists he will get it. If you need 15 points, he will go get it.   <cite>Smyrna Head Coach Omar Smith</cite></blockquote>   "[Donovan Peebles] is a baseball-first guy.  He will play college baseball.  He is a physical kid. Very strong.  He is not tall.  There are not a lot of back-to-the-basket players.  He will primarily defend the 5.  He is agile enough to guard some perimeter players.  Definitely not something I would want him doing the full game.  He can do it long enough and would not get exposed."   "One of my younger guys is Pastrana," said Coach Smith. "He has put in a lot of time in the gym in the off-season. If he gets hot, he can hit 3 or 4 in a row. Gets out and runs very well. . Very good kid. Very smart. He picks up everything. I think he will be the surprise of our team. He won't be on scouting reports in November and December."   Pastrana and freshman Yon Kinzer are complete unknowns, but likely not for long.   "[Yon Kinzer] is about 5'11"/6'0". I think he has a bright future, as well. He is a two-sport athlete. He bowls, as well. Very smart kid. I think he is going to be special when it is all said and done."   "The big thing is, for us, we had to see Brandon Miller three times a year," said Coach Smith. "I think our district was very top-heavy last year. I think we are going to be better. I think Antioch is going to be better. I think LaVergne is good. Stewarts Creek is going to be good. Obviously not having Brandon Miller makes a difference, but they are going to be very good. I think we have a chance to compete for a Top 2 spot this year. Kind of changing the narrative about Smyrna basketball."   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-prep-hoops wp-block-embed-prep-hoops"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://prephoops.com/2022/11/top-d8-4a-sophomores/ </div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Top Sophomores</figcaption></figure>   LaVergne Head Coach Tony Rutland #0 Javon Drake (2023) #4 Ethan Hussey (2024) #10 Dillon Lawson (2024) #11 [player_tooltip player_id='1651262' first='Brennon' last='Hagewood']* (2023) #15 Zion Griffin (2023) #21 [player_tooltip player_id='1563745' first='Daunte' last='White']* (2024) 6'6" PF #24 Jayce McClain (2023) #30 Landon Bryant* (2025) #33 Xialian Lenoir* (2024) #55 Dillon Phillips   "We are young," said LaVergne Head Coach Tony Rutland. "We are not looking too bad. My expectations are not super, super high, because I don't want it to be. I would rather play it out."   The Wolverines are going to win games in district. They have too much talent not to do it.   "I have [player_tooltip player_id='1563745' first='Daunte' last='White'], he is about 6'6" and still going," said Coach Rutland. "He had a good summer developing. He is a guy that can play the stretch-4, maybe 3 in college. I think he has the ability to go D-1."   Alongside White, Coach Rutland assigned leadership responsibilities to the up-and-coming Landon Bryant.   "[Bryant] is actually coming into his own," said Coach Rutland. "He was on the team last year. He was able to experience playing against Damon Fann and all of those guys. Those two guys are going to be leaders. I kept enough from last year that my younger guys were able to compete against my older guys last year."   "[player_tooltip player_id='1578726' first='Xialin' last='Lenoir'] was playing with me last year. He is very quick. I think he will be able to control the tempo of the game. Can put pressure on guards."   "My saying is always, 'It is a marathon, not a sprint.' What we are doing now we might not do towards the end of the year. I always look at how you finish. If we can get rolling at the right point in the season, then it can carry over into the post-season if we are able to make it."   Cane Ridge Head Coach Marlin Simms #2 [player_tooltip player_id='1336102' first='Mareo' last='Franklin'] (2024) G #3 [player_tooltip player_id='1299049' first='Da'Ron' last='Hall']* (2024) 6'7" F #32 [player_tooltip player_id='1495451' first='Kelvin' last='Lusk']* (2023) SG #33 [player_tooltip player_id='2238887' first='Avyion' last='McCleton'] (2025)   Antioch Head Coach William Belliford #1 [player_tooltip player_id='1407912' first='Jalen' last='Moore']* (2023) #2 Justin Brown* (2023) #10 [player_tooltip player_id='1262532' first='Tyson' last='Belton']* (2023) [player_tooltip player_id='1663729' first='Jaiden' last='Claybrook']* (2025) Ta'Khyian Whitset (2025)   Three seniors. 6'5" sophomore with D1 potential.   Stewarts Creek Head Coach Mike Bradshaw #2 Chris Hicklen (2023) #3 [player_tooltip player_id='1140765' first='Caelum' last='Harris']* (2024) #4 [player_tooltip player_id='2304337' first='Tahj' last='Roseburr'] (2025) DeWayne Hassall Jr. (2026) #5 Jaylen Stegall (2026) #10 Hayden Sisco (2026) #12 Dylan Bernard (2023) 6'3" SG #15 Jerry Taylor (2026) #22 Mekhi Britton (2023) 6'3" PF/C #31 [player_tooltip player_id='2402979' first='Camden' last='Nelson'] (2025) #34 Josiah Hall (2026) PF/C [player_tooltip player_id='1578699' first='Jaxon' last='Spicer']* (2023) G

Predicting D8-4A is harder than in year's past. Smyrna and Antioch are much better. Stewarts Creek features perhaps the best player in the district. Who will win the regular season title?