Willie Brown Classic Players to Watch

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…

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Father Ryan vs. MLK
LaVergne vs. Clarksville
Hillsboro vs. Blackman
MTCS vs. Green Hill

Aaron Mattingly

27 State

9 Pos

6'5" | SG | 2025 Green Hill | Team Mookie

Aaron Mattingly Aaron Mattingly 6'5" | SG Green Hill | 2025 State TN 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 Jason Burch Jason Burch 6'5" | C Green Hill | 2023 State TN . 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.

Cade Bennerman

3 State

1 Pos

6'10" | PF | 2025 Father Ryan | Georgia Stars

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.

Jason Burch

145 State

3 Pos

6'5" | C | 2023 Green Hill

The New Green Hill

Jason Burch Jason Burch 6'5" | C Green Hill | 2023 State TN 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 discuss Green Hill’s team this season.

Kenny Ellis Kenny Ellis 5'11" | PG Green Hill | 2024 State TN is a potential NAIA basketball player. He was a junior varsity starter last winter, according to Jason Burch Jason Burch 6'5" | C Green Hill | 2023 State TN , 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.

Cortez Graham

11 State

3 Pos

6'4" | PG | 2025 Hillsboro | Team Thad

PrepHoopsTN Combine MVP Cortez Graham Cortez Graham 6'4" | PG Hillsboro | 2025 State TN 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.

Isaiah Divens

158 State

60 Pos

6'1" | PG | 2023 Blackman

Isaiah Divens Isaiah Divens 6'1" | PG Blackman | 2023 State TN 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.

Letter Grade Adjustments – Prep Hoops

Daunte White

74 State

11 Pos

6'6" | PF | 2024 LaVergne

LaVergne teammates Landon Bryant and Daunte White Daunte White 6'6" | PF LaVergne | 2024 State TN 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 Brennon Hagewood Brennon Hagewood 6'2" | PG LaVergne | 2023 State TN 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.