Team Preview: Pope Prep

PICTURED: Pope Prep team.

On the eve of the basketball season Pope Prep Assistant Coach Ethan Abner was kind enough to talk at length about one of the state's best DII teams: Pope Prep.

The format of the phone interview was very player-focused. Coach Abner was predominantly given a player and asked to expound on his game.

"Man, Fred is probably put on, I'd say 5-10 pounds of muscle since the early summer," said Assistant Coach Ethan Abner. "He has really been focusing on his body and his physicality. He is preparing himself for this year and college as well. He has been working on his jump shot. It looks much improved from this summer. Gets to the school every morning. 7:15 every morning. Gets up about 300-400 shots before first period. He has been working on it. He knows that has been his weakness. He has been doing a good job of trying to get

"I have seen a lot of basketball in the mid-state and not many get down-hill as aggressively than Fred Bailey Fred Bailey 6'1" | PG JPII | 2024 State TN . He is going to attack and attack and attack. He has one of the best first steps for a high schooler that I have seen since I have been coaching. He is just going to relentlessly attack teams on the drive. He is a facilitator, and he is a great rebounder."

"Trey...his recruitment is picking up. He is special. When Tyler Tanner Tyler Tanner 6'1" | PG Brentwood Academy | 2024 State #133 Nation TN leaves after this year I think he will be the best point guard in the state next year. We have had multiple D2 coaches tell us that they don't want to recruit Trey because he is a D1 guard. I have had multiple coaches tell me that they have the best court vision of any sophomore they have seen. He is working on his shot. He can shoot it well and has good mechanics, but he didn't take many last year."

"He is taking strength/conditioning class this year and he is getting his body physically ready. To get himself ready for the rigors of the season."

What does Trey need to work on?
"Obviously, off-ball is #1. Another one is, maybe not a weakness, but he is so good with off-ball defense (3-4 spg), but sometimes he gets a little out of position and he will gamble a little too much. Against high-IQ teams like Montgomery Bell or Baylor [that might be exposed]," said Assistant Coach Abner.

"I think Jarron has grown at least and inch and a half since BCAT [in June]," said Assistant Coach Ethan Abner. "He is in our top 3 athletes. He is another guy last year that we kind of put him in the fire right away and he shot a poor percentage from outside. He has been working on shooting. When we go against Kaleb Beasley Kaleb Beasley 6'1" | PG Lipscomb Academy (football) | 2024 TN and Tyler Tanner Tyler Tanner 6'1" | PG Brentwood Academy | 2024 State #133 Nation TN he is probably our best on-ball defender. He takes on-ball defense personally. He is great at getting over high screens. He has worked on embellishing that.

"If we didn't have Trey Pearson Trey Pearson 6'2" | PG John Paul II | 2026 State TN on the team Jarron could definitely be our point guard. He loves to get guys involved. He can create his own shot at will. Easily. Jarron is a 'I can get my own shot at any time.'

"Last year we did a lot of 4-guards and 1-big...," said Assistant Coach Ethan Abner. "We have gone Antonio and Kamden [this summer and preseason. He has ascended because we gave him his new role alongside Antonio as our 5-man. He has still got plenty of things that he needs to work on, but he is finishing above the rim and getting out on the break..."

"He had a really great summer. We underperformed last year and went to drawing board and said...'How can we get this talented team cook?' He has good wing skills. He can put it on the floor. He had some highlight plays this summer. We are playing him more as a 3/4 role with Kamden at the 5. He has D1 football athlete body. He looks like he should be playing at Ohio State, but he is using it for basketball. He punished wings that were smaller than him. He is going to aim to shoot 35-38% from 3. He is a pretty good standstill shooter. He showed that at BCAT."

"He already holds the All-Time block record. He holds the All-Time single-season rebounding and blocks record."

"He is in shape. Active in the press. Wreaking havoc."

"This is what makes us special. A lot of teams don't have...we have three guys on the bench that would probably start for any team in the state."

"Osby is really shooting up there in height. I think he is pushing 6'1" probably approaching 6'2". Many college coaches have said his offensive skillset is very special. He can score at all three levels. He is a 40% three-point shooter. He is working on improving his defense. Trevecca loves him. Some other schools are interested. He could easily be starting for us right now, but Osby wowed a lot of people this off-season. He gets better every time I turn around. Very, very skilled offensively. When Fred and Antonio leaves I have no doubt that Osby can probably lead us in scoring his junior and senior year."

"He is a transfer from Father Ryan not this year but the year before. He shot 42% from 3 and made about 65 3's last year. He spreads the floor for us. Gritty turnover. He is a very, very good knockdown shooter."

"He is our other 6'7" big. He is a huge energy guy. Runs the floor like a gazelle. Finishes above the rim. What we love about him is his defensive versatility. We are going to do a lot of hard switching. He will have multitude of JuCos to choose from."

"Bigger guard. Knockdown shooter. He is going to help space the floor for us."

"As the year goes on he is probably going to get burn. Obviously, he is behind four talented, talented guards but he could probably start on multiple high school teams in our county."

"Fiery competitor. We will throw him in there when we press. He is gonna give coach 110% when we he is in there."

"We are excited to get this journey going," said Assistant Coach Ethan Abner.