District 2 Notebook (AA)
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PICTURED: Austin-East Thanksgiving marks a thrilling time each basketball season. District 2-2A features seven teams with three potential Mr. Basketballs. What have we learned after the first 10 days of basketball? Oneida (2-0) The Indians of Oneida won their first…
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Continue ReadingPICTURED: Austin-East
Thanksgiving marks a thrilling time each basketball season. District 2-2A features seven teams with three potential Mr. Basketballs. What have we learned after the first 10 days of basketball?
Oneida (2-0)
The Indians of Oneida won their first two games (York Institute, Oakdale). They have not won their first three games to open a season since 2021 when they beat Sunbright, Coalfield, and Clarkrange in succession.
Dalton Yancey scored 24 points in a win, as did Hayden Brawner.
The starters for Oneida are: Mason Keeton Mason Keeton 6'3" | PG Oneida | 2024 State TN , Grady Keeton Grady Keeton 6'1" | SG Oneida | 2026 State TN , Gavin Keeton, Hayden Brawner and Jaigen Morgan.
Austin-East (3-2)
Electric. The Roadrunners of Austin-East played fast and exciting to defeat a rebuilding Karns unit and that was hardly an aberration. Beyond superstar Shane Cherry Shane Cherry 5'9" | PG Austin-East | 2025 State #353 Nation TN the team is deep and quick. They have one dominant post player in Juwaan Troutman Juwaan Troutman 6'5" | PF Austin-East | 2025 TN , a lefty with guile. Justin Pruitt Justin Pruitt 5'9" | PG Austin-East | 2026 State TN is the youngest starter while Decoriyeon Brown infuses their games with added energy and fight.
The main thing the team needs to watch is shot selection. Cherry can take some howlers and he is not alone. When they pressure the basketball all over the floor and earn easy resulting buckets they are among the best 2A teams in the land.
Austin-East starters
#2 Decoriyeon Brown* (2025)
#5
Shane Cherry
Shane
Cherry
5'9" | PG
Austin-East | 2025
State
#353
Nation
TN
*
#11
Justin Pruitt
Justin
Pruitt
5'9" | PG
Austin-East | 2026
State
TN
* (2026)
#12 Marco Allen*
#15
Juwaan Troutman
Juwaan
Troutman
6'5" | PF
Austin-East | 2025
TN
* (2025)
Gatlinburg-Pittman (2-1)
Head Coach Rashid Moore earned his 100th career win Tuesday night when GP pummeled Science Hill, 78-40. Ty Glasper Ty Glasper 6'1" | PG Gatlinburg-Pittman | 2025 State TN scored 32 points with 8 assists. Teammate Carlos Orr Carlos Orr 6'3" | SG Gatlinburg-Pittman (football) | 2024 State TN (Illini football signee) delivered 6 assists with 9 points, while Wade Whaley managed 8 points and 6 assists. Cam Richardson, Mason Hariss, Seth Sutton, and Roger Matute Roger Matute 5'9" | SG Gatlinburg-Pittman | 2027 State TN all contributed 6 points.
The Highlanders opened their season with a win over Greeneville, 80-60. Though they won 21 games last year, GP is better this season thanks to their depth.
One unheralded guy on the Highlanders is Lucas Erozan. A quality defensive player, Erozan is more likely to assist than score. He dished out 7 assists in that Greeneville/GP victory.
Alcoa (4-3)
Reigning State Champions Alcoa endured a dastardly week, losing back-to-back games for the first time since December 15th, 2022. Jahvin Carter Jahvin Carter 6'2" | PG Alcoa | 2024 State #214 Nation TN (Penn State signee) needs help offensively. Double-figure scorers are happening though not the same guy each game. Brady Haun broke out with 28 points against Gibbs just before Thanksgiving. In the crushing loss to Knoxville West, AJ Love (10p), Moro Ayl (11p), and Jibriel Koko Jibriel Koko 5'11" | PG Alcoa | 2026 TN (12p) helped Mr. Basketball-candidate Carter.
Without Brandon Winton Brandon Winton 6'2" | PG Alcoa (football) | 2025 TN , the defense is not the same. How could it be? Winton will play D1 football for the University of South Florida. And yet the team does possess some athleticism, maybe better depth than a year ago.
Pigeon Forge (2-0)
Pigeon Forge won their only two games, both on the road, by a convincing margin. PFHS downed Oliver Springs, 60-50 and then crushed Hancock County, 66-43.
Eagleton Academy (2-1)
L&N STEM
Preseason First Team (Published Previously)
Jahvin Carter
Jahvin
Carter
6'2" | PG
Alcoa | 2024
State
#214
Nation
TN
/ Senior / Alcoa / Point Guard / Penn State verbal
Ranked #3 overall. He has been as high as #2 in the class. When the game is on the line, you want Jahvin with the basketball in his hands. Great players are composed and deliver in those moments. Remember Chandler Jackson? B.J. Edwards, Darius Garland? Jahvin is right in line with those fantastic guards.
Ty Glasper
Ty
Glasper
6'1" | PG
Gatlinburg-Pittman | 2025
State
TN
/ Junior / Gatlinburg-Pittman / Point Guard
Starting for his third season. Wonderful summer. Proven.
Carlos Orr
Carlos
Orr
6'3" | SG
Gatlinburg-Pittman (football) | 2024
State
TN
/ Senior / Gatlinburg-Pittman / Small Forward / Illinois FB verbal
Expected to sign to University of Illinois as a football wide receiver. Elite rebounder and post defender.
Shane Cherry
Shane
Cherry
5'9" | PG
Austin-East | 2025
State
#353
Nation
TN
/ Junior / Austin-East / Point Guard
Will be in the argument for #1 player in 2025 until his senior year wraps in 1.5 years. Elite quickness, handle, and uncanny explosiveness. Nate Robinson (NBA-retired) with better handle.
Mason Keeton
Mason
Keeton
6'3" | PG
Oneida | 2024
State
TN
/ Senior / Oneida / Point Guard
Stat-stuffer. High-academic.
Mason Keeton
Mason
Keeton
6'3" | PG
Oneida | 2024
State
TN
is fantastic at both basketball and soccer. He lead 22-win Oneida in scoring last season (19.2 ppg).