Willie Brown Classic Players to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Each post-Christmas week in middle Tennessee includes the Willie Brown Tournament at Father Ryan's absurdly expansive campus just south of downtown. After scanning the facilities, when you are able to re-adjust your agape jaw, then find a seat and check out these future college basketball players in action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Father Ryan vs. MLK<br>LaVergne vs. Clarksville<br>Hillsboro vs. Blackman<br>MTCS vs. Green Hill</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1316860"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ac269d74b47"} /--> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1316860' first='Aaron' last='Mattingly'] is an incredible dual-sport athlete with legitimate D1 basketball and football potential.  Start with the height.  Mattingly is all of 6-foot-5.  He plays wing, thanks to post stalwart [player_tooltip player_id='1263012' first='Jason' last='Burch'].  This allows Mattingly to attack from the short corner and occasionally the three-point arc.  Sure, he made mistakes with positioning and the handle is not refined just yet, but most importantly the dude moves like a gazelle.  A gazelle with clean hips laterally.  He is a fun watch in the short-term too because Mattingly can block shots above the rim and, if the fastbreak is just right, slam with some funk in transition. </p> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1455019"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ac269d74b9c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cade will be a big deal. Heck, he is a big young man right now. There is no missing him on the court. If he lacked all talent and coordination, then he would still probably be relevant to most high school basketball games with his sheer height and wingspan. Alas, he is decently talented (already) and insanely coordinated at a height that rarely exists throughout the entire state basketball ecosystem. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1263012"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"https://prephoops.com/2022/11/the-new-green-hill/","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ac269d74be3"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1263012' first='Jason' last='Burch'] was the unofficial Centennial Classic MVP earlier this season. Rugged, relentless. Exceptional work rate. Good height. Tough. Elite low-post footowork. Jason shared a couple of minutes in late November to <a href="https://prephoops.com/2022/11/the-new-green-hill/">discuss</a> Green Hill's team this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1669232' first='Parker' last='Overath']</strong> was All-Defensive Team last year for the district. He starts alongside Jason, [player_tooltip player_id='1316860' first='Aaron' last='Mattingly'], [player_tooltip player_id='1718013' first='Kenny' last='Ellis'], and Garrett Brown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1718013' first='Kenny' last='Ellis']</strong> is a potential NAIA basketball player. He was a junior varsity starter last winter, according to [player_tooltip player_id='1263012' first='Jason' last='Burch'], and ascended all the way to varsity starter after an excellent off-season of training and physical improvement. There are not many better on-ball defenders in Wilson County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1259396"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ac269d74c27"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PrepHoopsTN Combine MVP [player_tooltip player_id='1259396' first='Cortez' last='Graham'] will be a Division I basketball player and looks aimed at the mid-major terrace with his wonderful bounce, his reliable outside touch, his activity around the rim, speed with and without the dribble. Graham is averaging 13.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.6 apg. His best stat is, by far, one single turnover...for the entire season so far. For a player that might just be a college point guard, this is a lovey harbinger of what may be to come. Scoring is he most refined skill. Passing and taking care of the basketball are both good, but less advanced. It needs to be mentioned that his handle is advanced for a high school sophomore, just not ready for a Tennessee State University basketball practice, to pick a local D1 team at random. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1495486"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ac269d74c68"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1495486' first='Isaiah' last='Divens'] is an elite passer with fantastic court awareness and next level quicks. His first step is very difficult to match at the high school level, even 4A. Unfortunately, his jumper is really all over the place in terms of mechanics. Divens will be a First Team All-District Player this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2022/11/letter-grade-adjustments/">Letter Grade Adjustments - Prep Hoops</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1563745"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ac269d74cba"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LaVergne teammates<strong> Landon Bryant</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1563745' first='Daunte' last='White']</strong> are both college-bound if they maintain their current trajectory. Bryant is a promising guard with wonderful shooting form and Daunte is a 6-foot-6, lean and long forward with college wing potential. Both are excellent long-term prospects for various college levels. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1651262' first='Brennon' last='Hagewood'] is a fringe prospect. That he is playing at all is fantastic following his two surgeries last year. More than playing, Brennon is scoring 13.6 ppg on 43% shooting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->