Team Preview: Austin-East
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PICTURED: Austin-East team in March 2023
Austin-East’s Roadrunners are a thrilling team with unique strengths and weaknesses. It begins with speedy enigmatic point guard Shane Cherry Shane Cherry 5'9" | PG Austin-East | 2025 State #353 Nation TN .
Shane Cherry Shane Cherry 5'9" | PG Austin-East | 2025 State #353 Nation TN is the most athletic guard in Tennessee. For the last two years he could get to the rim without impediment. This year is the same story with an even stronger protagonist. When Shane decides he is going to the rim, it takes him a hesi-dribble and two giant strides. Nothing more.
Nobody is faster with the basketball in his hands than Shane. He reminds of Tyus Edney (UCLA National Champion), but with more upper body strength and hops. Maybe a Ty Lawson. Shane Cherry Shane Cherry 5'9" | PG Austin-East | 2025 State #353 Nation TN is ranked #3 in the state, reflective of is exceptional ceiling. There is no doubt that Cherry will play Division I basketball.
While Cherry is the superstar of the team, Juwaan Troutman Juwaan Troutman 6'5" | PF Austin-East | 2025 TN is absolutely critical because he gives them their only legitimate back-to-basket player. Troutman is 6-foot-4 with strength and composure around the rim. He weighs around 225 and will take a bump without blinking. He missing time for any reason instantly makes this a pretty good team, not a very good team.
D’andre Hundley (2026) is an energy guy. He perfectly fits the team identity with remarkably quick hands and tenacious rebounding. Hundley plays with consistent hunger and does not need the basketball to make an impact. Only a sophomore, Hundley is embedded in the rotation, probably because of his defense, effort, and rebounding. The team lists him at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. They call him a power forward/center. In truth, Hundley is kind of positionless. He does whatever whenever wherever. Demarcus Johnson Demarcus Johnson 6'3" | SF Austin-East | 2025 State TN (2025) is a similar player. Hard worker. Defends multiple positions.
A player to watch for the future is Condis Cherry Condis Cherry 5'5" | PG Ausin-East | 2027 State TN . Very small for a hooper, the 5-foot-5 Cherry is a dart with soft shooting touch. His three-point shot is not there yet, but he will make one every once in awhile. Also, Condis is bankable on the free throw line. It is difficult to alter his dribble.
Shane Cherry Shane Cherry 5'9" | PG Austin-East | 2025 State #353 Nation TN vs. Karns High
It is difficult to entirely encapsulate
Shane Cherry
Shane
Cherry
5'9" | PG
Austin-East | 2025
State
#353
Nation
TN
with glittering words. The first week of the season he and Austin-East faced Karns High. Here was his complete stat line.
27 points
9-17 FG
4-7 3’s
5-7 FTs
2 assists
1 steal
2 off reb
2 TO
3 fouls
Austin-East starters vs. Karns (11/17)
#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)
Karns starters (11/17)
#1
Bubba Faulkner
Bubba
Faulkner
6'0" | PG
Karns | 2024
State
TN
*
#2 Blake Dawson*
#3 Warda Apiat* (2025)
#11
Owen Miller
Owen
Miller
6'1" | SG
Karns | 2026
State
TN
* (2026)
#21 Walker Lockhart*