Haywood heads to state with win over Fayette Ware
Haywood protected its home floor Monday night, defeating Fayette Ware, 67-62, in a sectional game to advance to the quarterfinals round of the TSSAA Division 1 Class 3A Boys’ State Tournament. This will be the Tomcats’ first time in Murfreesboro,…
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Continue ReadingHaywood protected its home floor Monday night, defeating Fayette Ware, 67-62, in a sectional game to advance to the quarterfinals round of the TSSAA Division 1 Class 3A Boys’ State Tournament.
This will be the Tomcats’ first time in Murfreesboro, Tennessee since the 2016-17 season.
Before next week gets here, let’s take a look at three takeaways from Haywood’s win over the Wildcats:
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Senior point guard Tylon Chatman didn’t have a problem getting to his spots on the floor. Chatman did a great job of penetrating and finding open teammates for great looks at the basket. The 5-foot-11 point guard was able to get downhill against Fayette Ware’s guards anytime he saw fit. Chatman either finished with a score or drew enough contact to get to the free throw line.
Chatman scored eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, with one bucket coming in transition after senior forward Janerius Snipe bulldozed his way into the paint for a layup. At that point, it was 62-55, and the trip up to the Murphy Center was well in reach. Well, stamped approved.
“It was so surreal,” Chatman said as he was exchanging hugs and handshakes with supporters. “It’s been my dream since I was a little kid to go to Murfreesboro. We finally did it.”
Chatman is still uncommitted heading into the state tournament. He’s one of the best available point guards left in the 2023 class.
Too much inside
Wildcats’ senior wing Damarien Yates had the assignment of guarding Janerius Snipe for the entire game. Yates is a long, athletic 6-7 wing who can alter shots at the rim. Well, on Monday night, Snipe was too much for Fayette Ware to contain. He used his bulky 6-6 frame to move defenders out of the paint, resulting in easy scores at the basket. Each time Snipe had single coverage on the block, he called for it each time he had his defenders pinned deep in the post.
Whether Jacari Comage (16 points), Jaybyon Snipe, or Chatman had the basketball, each player knew Snipe had to touch the basketball in the post because, he had the size advantage to overpower any defender the Wildcats threw at him.
“He’s a very good teammate,” Chatman said about Snipe, who led the team with 22 points. “He’s a great leader as well. He never stops. He pushes everybody at practice and in games. “
Hard work and dedication
Haywood had a 10-point lead in the second quarter, then built a 13-point lead early in the third. Each time the Tomcats built a nice lead, Fayette Ware came roaring back, thanks to forced turnovers that led to scores in transition. The momentum looked as if it was going to shift when sophomore point guard Tacarien Freeman Tacarien Freeman 5'10" | PG Fayette Ware | 2025 State TN converted on a 3-point play that was followed by two made free throws by Yates. At that point, the Tomcats led 43-39. It stayed close until late fourth quarter when Janerius Snipe and Tylon Chatman scored on back-to-back possessions.
The Wildcats aren’t an easy team to hold off. They didn’t lay down on the road, inside of a packed, loud, crowded gym that was rocking since the announcement of the starting lineups.
It took better execution and dedication to keep Fayette Ware from taking one on the road.
“I was very confident. I believe in all of my guys,” Chatman said. “We have the ‘next man up’ mentality. I just believe in them.”
Looking ahead to next season
Fayette Ware fell short of making it back to Murfreesboro, TN for the second-straight season, but the Wildcats will be a contender next season. Fayette Ware is only losing Yates, a 3A Mr. Basketball finalist and senior guard Jairus Terry, a physical guard the brought a lot of toughness to this season’s team. Those guys will be missed, but with Freeman, sharpshooter Eric Jones, and Jeremiah Hayes back in the fold, the Wildcats should be very efficient on both ends of the floor next season.
Freeman is a power guard who can get to the rim with ease. He‘s great at finishing through contact. Sophomore wing Tarecous Stevens showed promise this season, displaying his ability to finish at the rim, block shots and snag rebounds.
A year of improvement for each key player mentioned should have the Wildcats in another sectional game around this time next season.