Early look: Hillcrest Vikings
Hillcrest hasn’t had a losing season with head coach Chris Adams at the helm. That’s because he has a win-now attitude. Adams just needed a roster of players with the same mindset. Xavier Herron Xavier Herron 6'0" | PG Hillcrest…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingHillcrest hasn’t had a losing season with head coach Chris Adams at the helm.
That’s because he has a win-now attitude. Adams just needed a roster of players with the same mindset.
Xavier Herron Xavier Herron 6'0" | PG Hillcrest | 2024 State TN and Jordan Allen Jordan Allen 5'10" | PG Hillcrest | 2024 State TN have played for Adams the last two seasons and have helped the program get a lot of notoriety around the school. Allen, a 6-foot-0 point guard, have had a lot of highlight plays that have drawn many inside the school to purchase a ticket. Herron, the other guard in the backcourt with Allen, plays with an edge on both ends of the floor. The attitudes of both senior guards fit the mold of the urgency Adams possesses each time he steps into a program he’s looking to make respectable.
During the 2019-20 season at Westwood, Adams’ first and only season with the program, he led the Longhorns to a 21-9 record. In his first season with the Vikings – the 2021-22 season – the program went 17-11, finishing second place in TSSAA 2A District 16 with a 6-3 record. Last season, Hillcrest notched 20 wins with a 7-2 record in district play.
And Herron and Allen have been a part of that success the Vikings have had under Adams, who has pushed every button to get the best out of his players.
“Toughness,” Herron said when describing what Adams has taught him. “He’s going to get the toughness out of you. With him, you’re going to play defense. He’s going to make sure you’re going to get in school. He’s going to get on your nerves, but you’re going to thank him in the long run.”
“Once thing I can say, no matter if we get into it, he’s going to be in your corner. He’s going to be in everybody’s corner,” Allen said. “But, it’s on us if we want to get that help.”
Both prospects have thrived under Adams. Conditioning has been a priority for Allen in the past year, and now, he has the frame to take the physicality at the college level. The great thing is that he still has the quick burst and craftiness that has made him a household name at Hillcrest. Herron took time over the summer to improve as a shooter. In Monday’s open gym session, the 6-0 guard missed only a handful of shots from the perimeter. Herron was in a good rhythm for the entire time. Allen was finding his teammates for great looks, while also getting into the paint and finishing at the rim. If this can carry over into the 2023 season, the Vikings will have a backcourt tough to defend.
“That gives me the green light to go,” Herron when asked about the attention Allen is going to get all season. “I want them to think Jordan is the only one that’s going to do something. Then, boom, counterpunch. Just like that.”
Hillcrest will be in Class A this season and has a legitimate chance to make it to Murfreesboro, TN to compete for a TSSAA Division 1 Class A state title if Allen and Herron play well each night both step onto the floor. Allen, who was a Class 2A Mr. Basketball finalist last season, should be a Class A finalist by the end of the 2023 season since there’s a high chance he’s going to be the best guard on the floor.
New additions Jaquan Harris (athletic sophomore guard from North Panola) and Rodney Mitchell (6-4 senior forward from Middle College) will look to contribute to the team’s success offensively. Junior athletic forward Elijah Vinson, a returner from last season, is going to get a lot of easy scores off of Allen and Herron. Senior guard Mario Morgan, another key returner from last season, will be one of the bright spots off the bench. Plug in 6-2 guard Terrell Gory, the Vikings will have enough length, athleticism, and scoring to grab a spot in Murfreesboro.