District 12 Notebook (2A)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='1672613' first='Ayden' last='Melton'].</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Who will win District 12-2A?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"textAlign":"center"} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center"><strong>District 12</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Camden Central<br>Huntingdon<br>Stewart County<br>Waverly Central</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Camden Central only lost one of their last 16 district games (15-1). They are joined by Waverly Central and Huntingdon in this newly aligned district. It would be a surprise if they lost a single game to either.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Huntingdon</strong> (Presumed starters*)<br><strong>Head Coach Porsche McClerking</strong><br>#1 Graham Bartholomew<br>#2 Jax Bennett<br>#3 Rayshaun Bailey*<br>#10 EJ Lewis (2025)<br>#12 [player_tooltip player_id='1947172' first='Landon' last='Bryant']<br>#21 Caleb Ezell* (2026)<br>#23 [player_tooltip player_id='2480027' first='Kenton' last='Smith'] (2027)<br>#25 Cole Chafin (2025)<br>#32 Tayshawn Rivers<br>#35 Owen King (2026)<br>#54 Tycen Willis*<br>#71 Jason Postlethwait</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Stewart County</strong> (Presumed starters*)<br><strong>Head Coach Kevin Hargis</strong><br>#0 [player_tooltip player_id='1965667' first='Jacob' last='Morgan']* (2025) 6'0"<br>#5 Sam K'Meyer (2024)<br>#12 DJ Tourigny* (2025)<br>#15 [player_tooltip player_id='1965667' first='Jacob' last='Morgan']* (2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2255542' first='Kyrick' last='Wallace'] (2027)<br>#32 [player_tooltip player_id='2258097' first='Hayden' last='Wallace']* (2024) 6'2" PF</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Starters Lost (3):</strong> Bradley Brainard, Sawyer Wallace, Garrett Maria.<br><strong>Key Newcomer:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2255542' first='Kyrick' last='Wallace'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reigning District Defensive MVP <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2258097' first='Hayden' last='Wallace']</strong> is back and expected to lead the Rebels.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Best player on the team," raved Head Coach Kevin Hargis via phone call. "One of the best players in the district. District Defensive MVP. 16p, 8r. Back-to-the-basket threat."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Look for a breakout year from junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1965667' first='Jacob' last='Morgan']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"[player_tooltip player_id='1965667' first='Jacob' last='Morgan'] has gotten a lot better," said Coach Hargis. "Gets to the rim strong. Being more of a leader. More aggressive."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Though Morgan did not begin the 2022-2023 year starting he finished in the first 5. Jacob's final 2022-2023 stats were: 5.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.7 spg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team will be best when Morgan and fellow junior <strong>DJ Tourigny</strong> (1.8 ppg) are active. Coach Hargis labeled Tourigny "one of the better athletes on the team."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I think we are going to be very coachable," said Coach Hargis. "Hard-nosed. Disciplined. Try to play through the post. I am excited about the season."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last spring Stewart County played incredible on-ball defense, each and every player. Unfortunately, almost all of those individual defenders graduated. Will their tradition be carried on with the new team?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I think Jacob can play great on-ball defense," said Coach Hargis. "I had a couple of guys that came back out and play that can play great defense. We are going to play 2-3 but really get up and pressure." </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Waverly Central</span> </strong>(Presumed starters*)<br><strong>Head Coach Les Trotter</strong><br>#0 [player_tooltip player_id='1965931' first='Landon' last='Cunningham']* PG<br>#10 Hobby Griffin<br>#11 Braylon Wilson SF/PF<br>#20 Nate Wiser (2023) SG<br>#21 Hayden Waggoner (2025)<br>#22 Tucker Rawlings* (2025) PG/SG<br>#23 Jaden Lambdin (2025) C<br>#24 Landon Hewitt (2025)<br>#33 Karson Hedin* (2025)<br>#34 Chris Ballard (2026)<br>Aiden Ralston (2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Starters Lost: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137145' first='Bryce' last='Stanfield'], Trey Maples. [player_tooltip player_id='1672625' first='Mikey' last='Primm'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1965931' first='Landon' last='Cunningham']</strong> will be critical to the team's success. Potential District MVP.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Would-be three-year starter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137145' first='Bryce' last='Stanfield']</strong> elected not to play for his senior season.<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1672625' first='Mikey' last='Primm'] </strong>transferred from Waverly to McEwen. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Waverly Central added and then lost a transfer in <strong>Trey Guthrie</strong> from Houston County. In June, TG averaged 16 ppg, 12 rpg, 4 bpg. This fall he elected to transfer to Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/mikeyyprimm/status/1653554666456731652?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/mikeyyprimm/status/1653554666456731652?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Camden </span></strong>(Presumed starters*)<br><strong>Head Coach David Roberts</strong><br><br>#22 Ridge Bruce (2024)<br>#32 Aidan Pierce (2024)<br>Isaac Moore (2025)<br>Trenton McNeal (2025)<br>#33 C Hayden McCormick (2024)<br>#34 [player_tooltip player_id='1672613' first='Ayden' last='Melton']* (2025)<br>#44 [player_tooltip player_id='2148404' first='Nowah' last='Porter'] (2025)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672613' first='Ayden' last='Melton']</strong> is a star. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was an uncanny spatial awareness after his swivel that he utilized to hit jumpers on recovering defenders. Ayden will lead Camden Central after their fantastic senior class graduated. Ayden is really creative when he gets to 12′.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite><a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/05/way-too-early-best-returners-in-d12-2a/">May 2023 PrepHoops Eval</a></cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2022 DISTRICT STANDINGS</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Camden Central</td><td>8-0</td><td>25-8</td></tr><tr><td>Waverly</td><td>6-2</td><td>18-5</td></tr><tr><td>Hickman County</td><td>4-4</td><td>10-17</td></tr><tr><td>Stewart County</td><td>3-5</td><td>16-14</td></tr><tr><td>East Hickman</td><td>0-8</td><td>4-21</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">2023 Postseason Recapture</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 seed <strong>Camden</strong> (73) vs. #4 seed Stewart County (34)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#2 seed<strong> Hickman County </strong>(50) vs. #3 seed Waverly Central (37)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>District Finals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 seed <strong>Camden</strong> (41) vs. #4 seed Hickman County (39)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">2022 Postseason Recapture</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 seed <strong>Stewart County </strong>(56) vs. #5 seed East Hickman (52)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 seed <strong>Camden</strong> (69) vs. #4 seed Stewart County (61)<br>#2 seed<strong> Waverly </strong>(49) vs. #3 seed Hickman County (43)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 seed<strong> Camden </strong>(56) vs. #2 seed Waverly (54)<br>#4 seed <strong>Stewart County</strong> (44) vs. # seed Hickman County (27)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} --> <p class="has-text-align-center"><strong>Prediction</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>(1st) </strong>Camden Central</td></tr><tr><td><strong>(2nd)</strong> Waverly Central</td></tr><tr><td><strong>(3rd)</strong> Stewart County</td></tr><tr><td><strong>(4th)</strong> Huntingdon</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table -->