Way Too Early Best Returners in D2-2A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The AA State Champion is only one of the power programs in the newly-formed District 2. Carrying over from District 2 in the last cycle, Gatlinburg-Pittman's continued inclusion exists at the worst time for the opposition. Their talent is at an all-time high. Austin-East always fills with a great roster of speedy Roadrunners and they currently dress the roadrunniest of all. Dropping down from AAA they are welcomed by anything but a soft landing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>District 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Alcoa High School&nbsp;(Alcoa, TN)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Austin-East High School&nbsp;(Knoxville, TN)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eagleton College and Career Academy&nbsp;(Maryville, TN)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Gatlinburg-Pittman High School&nbsp;(Gatlinburg, TN)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>L&amp;N STEM Academy&nbsp;(Knoxville, TN)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Oneida High School&nbsp;(Oneida, TN)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pigeon Forge High School&nbsp;(Pigeon Forge, TN)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1121414' first='Jahvin' last='Carter'] (Alcoa)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Does anybody in basketball shoot better from the free throw line? Jahvin made 25-29 free throws in Alcoa's three game State Tournament run, Alcoa's third.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter's full court traversing won Alcoa their third State Championship. He drove 80' from free throw line to baseline, finishing deftly with the left hand. Never a more deserving champion did exist. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"We got him in space. It was who he has been all year long," said Coach Ryan Collins. "He is going to step up and do it in big moments. He deserves it."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter scored 84 points in the 2023 State Tournament and brought back the gold ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1856728' first='Brandon' last='Winton'] (Alcoa)</h2> <p>Elite decision-maker. Brandon sees the pacing and the movement of defenders like a professional running back. He can go fast, but he plays exceptionally when dribbling slow and scouring. </p> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1259399' first='Ty' last='Glasper'] (GP)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2281223' first='Ashton' last='Creswell'] (Pigeon Forge)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Earned All-District 2nd Team. During District play AC averaged 14.4 ppg with 3.4 apg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1140815' first='Carlos' last='Orr'] (GP)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1339348' first='Mason' last='Keeton'] (Oneida)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1339348' first='Mason' last='Keeton']</strong> was fantastic in 2022-2023, scoring 19.2 a game. The supplemental statistics impressed too: 4.6 apg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 spg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2289223' first='Grady' last='Keeton'] (Oneida)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2289223' first='Grady' last='Keeton']</strong> put together an incredible freshman season (12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2297103' first='Samuel' last='Brackins'] (Pigeon Forge)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Earned All-District 2nd Team. During District play Brackins averaged 14.9 points per along with 2.3 made three-pointers nightly. Quite fast on transition defense. Brackins will hit a three-pointer if left alone. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1273550' first='Shane' last='Cherry'] (Austin-East)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1273550' first='Shane' last='Cherry']</strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/shane-cherry/"><strong></strong><strong></strong><strong></strong></a><a></a>&nbsp;(Austin-East) was electric over the 2022 summer, and @PrepHoopsTN Top 10 ranking revealed his deserved reputation outpaced his peers. BMaze ran Cherry with their 17u team, two years beyond his natural classification of 15u, at the time. Austin-East leans heavily upon him. They let him shoot as much as he could all season. Nobody is faster end-to-end. The quickest hands. The quickest feet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>- Sophomores Elevating in Tough Times</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Pigeon Forge</span><br>#12 [player_tooltip player_id='2297103' first='Samuel' last='Brackins'] (2025)<br>#21 Mikie McCarter (2024) 5'9"<br>#25 [player_tooltip player_id='2281223' first='Ashton' last='Creswell'] (2024) 5'9"<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->