D7-4A Notebook

Andrew Force July 13, 2023 @ 06:22 PM

Class 4A District 7

To the east of Nashville is the competitive D7-4A quintet. What do we know now?

Colin Ayers Colin Ayers 6'0" | PG Cookeville | 2024 State TN really makes this team go. He reminds of a young Tony Parker, in that Ayers doesn't need to look for his shot to be effective. His strength is court vision, quickness with the ball, and handle.

Ayers is fantastic at playing a sharp skip or crosscourt pass. He knows where his guys are at every moment.

Ayers can hit open shots, but he really does not look for it. It seems his priority is finding or creating a good shot for a teammate. About a year ago Belmont was looking at him. They have moved off of him, but their initial eagerness was well-founded.

Jalen Heard Jalen Heard 6'2" | SG Hillsboro | 2025 State TN is a monster athlete at 6-foot-2. He was beat by a Gallatin penetrator and recovered with great speed and elevation to punish the basketball back into the floor. He blocked it because he was quick off of his feet.

With elder teammates Colin Ayers Colin Ayers 6'0" | PG Cookeville | 2024 State TN and Joshua Heard Joshua Heard 6'5" | SG Cookeville | 2024 State TN more productive right now, Jalen is not required to get many touches on the basketball. This is a blessing and curse though. Often, Jalen can move without the basketball and attack stealthily. Heard is both an adept catch-and-shoot threat and also a creative ball-handler. Teammates know he can snap off a probing pass at any time too.

2022 Evaluation of Jalen Heard Jalen Heard 6'2" | SG Hillsboro | 2025 State TN

D7 Teams
Cookeville
Stewarts Creek
Lebanon
Smyrna
LaVergne
Wilson Central

Lebanon

Wilson Central
#2 Towan Siler Towan Siler 6'1" | PG Wilson Central | 2025 State TN * (2025)
#11 Ike Boone Jr. Ike Boone Jr. 5'8" | PG Wilson Central | 2026 TN (2026)
#12 Ethan Thomas*
#23 Josh Moore

Mt. Juliet

Cookeville

Player of the Year

2024 Joshua Heard Joshua Heard 6'5" | SG Cookeville | 2024 State TN , Cookeville: Senior Joshua Heard Joshua Heard 6'5" | SG Cookeville | 2024 State TN is enjoying that special time where potential meets production. Expect him to put up around 18p, 6r, 3a per.

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Baylor School Vs. Cookeville (June 2023)

Joshua Heard Joshua Heard 6'5" | SG Cookeville | 2024 State TN suffered an ankle or calf injury early in this gane and though he returned he was largely tamed by the minior injury.

Gallatin vs. Cookeville (June 2023)

Bennett Reeves Bennett Reeves 6'0" | PG Cookeville | 2024 State TN (Cookeville) took over point guard duties from time to time, allowing sharpshooter Colin Ayers Colin Ayers 6'0" | PG Cookeville | 2024 State TN to move off of the ball or rest. Reeves made a really nice leaping pass to a corner shooter, Jack Oakley Jack Oakley 6'3" | SG Cookeville | 2024 State TN . Both Reeves and Ayers made great decisions with the basketball, especially in pick'n'roll scenarios.