Top Perfomers (Week 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first week of the TSSAA 2023-24 high school boys' basketball season is in the books. A lot of games were played. A lot of prospects across the state put up big numbers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fun times are finally back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's the best from the opening week of the 2023 season:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AJ</strong> <strong>Morman</strong>, Scared Heart: The senior guard had 14 points, four assists, four steals, and three rebounds in a win over McKenzie.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cade</strong> <strong>Capps</strong>, Stone Memorial: The junior wing had 51 points in a win over Concord Christian.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Andrew</strong> <strong>Thomas</strong>, MHEA: The senior forward had 28 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-59 win over White Station. <strong>Elijah</strong> <strong>Guess</strong> had 15 points and three assists. <strong>Robert</strong> <strong>Dawkins</strong> added 10 points and 10 rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gabe</strong> <strong>Davenport</strong>, Columbia Academy: Davenport had 28 points in a win over James Lawson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Thatcher</strong> <strong>Bond</strong>, Tennessee Heat: Bond led his team with 17 points in a loss to Beech.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rocco</strong> <strong>Lamuno</strong>, Ravenwood: Lamuno led his team with 27 points in a win over Rockvale. <strong>Brock</strong> <strong>Wissmar</strong> had 17, and <strong>Evan</strong> <strong>Gainer</strong> added 14.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pablo</strong> <strong>Hernandez</strong>, Page: The junior forward had 18 points in a loss to Creekwood. <strong>Hunter</strong> <strong>Moss</strong> had 17. <strong>Andrew</strong> <strong>Cucullu</strong> provided 10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Davis</strong> <strong>Long</strong>, Franklin: Long had 27 points, four rebounds, and four assists in a win over Rossview. <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Brown</strong> had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks. <strong>Gil</strong> <strong>Jones</strong> provided 11 points and two rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trey</strong> <strong>Pearson</strong>, Pope John Paul II: The sophomore point guard had 14 points, six assists, four steals, and one block in a win over Greenbrier.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zion</strong> <strong>Pinkerton</strong>, Tyner: Pinkerton had 20 points in a win over East Hamilton. <strong>Rodney</strong> <strong>Henderson</strong> III added 19 points and 12 rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Reid</strong> <strong>Conley</strong>, Chattanooga Christian: The sophomore point guard had 15 points, eight assists, six steals, and two rebounds in a win over CAK. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trae</strong> <strong>Rideau</strong>, Clarksville Academy: The junior guard had 26 points, five assists, and four rebounds in a win over Northwest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kylan</strong> <strong>Clark</strong>, Houston: Clark had 29 points in a win over Hamilton. <strong>Keron</strong> <strong>Jackson</strong> <strong>Jr</strong>. added 17.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Devon</strong> <strong>McGee</strong>: McGee led the Wildcats with 32 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks against the Mustangs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chris</strong> <strong>Alford</strong>, Sweetwater: The senior forward had 25 points in a loss to Maryville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cooper</strong> <strong>Abner</strong>, Mt. Juliet: Abner had 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in a loss to Ravenwood.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jett</strong> <strong>Montgomery</strong>, Independence: The senior point guard had 29 points in a win over Mt. Juliet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ty</strong> <strong>Glasper</strong>, Gatlinburg-Pittman: Glasper had 17 points in a win over Greeneville. <strong>Ethan</strong> <strong>Stinnett</strong> had 16 points. <strong>Wade</strong> <strong>Whaley</strong> had 14, and <strong>Camden</strong> <strong>Richardson</strong> added 11.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Charlie</strong> <strong>McHugh</strong>, Dobyns-Bennett: McHugh had 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a win over North Greene.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cam</strong> <strong>Blivens</strong>, Lipcomb Academy: Blivens had 30 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in a win over Ezell Harding. <strong>Myles</strong> <strong>Sidney</strong>, <strong>Jr</strong>. had 22 points and four rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cortez</strong> <strong>Graham</strong>, Hillsboro: Graham had 28 points in a win over MLK.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cello</strong> <strong>Jackson</strong>, FACS: Jackson had 24 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in a win over St. Benedict. <strong>MJ</strong> <strong>Hayes</strong> had 21 points and seven rebounds. <strong>Jacob</strong> <strong>Walker</strong> added 15 points and six assists. <strong>Kris</strong> <strong>Carroll</strong> provided 11 points and 15 rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jordan</strong> <strong>Allen</strong>, Hillcrest: Allen led the Vikings with 38 points, seven assists, and six steals in a win over Knowledge. <strong>Xavier</strong> <strong>Herron</strong> had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Justin</strong> <strong>Nordin</strong>, Bearden: Nordin had 19 points in a win over Knoxville Central. <strong>King</strong> <strong>Hubbard</strong> added 11.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>R'Chaun</strong> <strong>King</strong>, Bartlett: King had 18 points in a win over Central. <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Alston</strong> had 11. <strong>DJ</strong> <strong>McIntyre</strong> added 10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tyler</strong> <strong>Tanner</strong>, Brentwood Academy: Tanner had 44 points in a win over Hillsboro.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ashton</strong> <strong>Hudson</strong>, Christian Brothers: Hudson had 23 points and five rebounds in a win over MHEA. <strong>Keeper</strong> <strong>Jackson</strong> also had 23 points and five rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cassie</strong> <strong>Bullard</strong>, Raleigh-Egypt: Bullard had 32 points in a win over Memphis East. [player_tooltip player_id='1213164' first='<strong>Khylan</strong>' last='<strong>Payne</strong>'] had 11.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1140778' first='<strong>Cooper</strong>' last='<strong>Haynes</strong>'], Briarcrest: Haynes had 31 points in a win over Covington.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tacarien</strong> <strong>Freeman</strong>, Fayette Ware: Freeman had 21 points, five assists, and five rebounds in a win over Brighton. <strong>Jeremiah</strong> <strong>Hayes</strong> had 11 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, and five assists. <strong>Eric</strong> <strong>Jones</strong> added 14 points. <strong>Hunter</strong> <strong>Melena</strong> provided 12 points. <strong>DeVaurius</strong> <strong>Chearis</strong> pitched in seven points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Savion</strong> <strong>Anderson</strong>, City University: The junior guard had 20 points, eight rebounds, five steals, one assist, and one block in a win over Northpoint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jackson</strong> <strong>Hobbs</strong>, Elizabethon: Hobbs had 11 points, 10 rebounds, one block, one assist, and one steal in a loss to Jefferson County. <strong>Andrew</strong> <strong>Barnett</strong> and <strong>Will</strong> <strong>Churchill</strong> each had 17 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mason</strong> <strong>Brown</strong>, Central Magnet: Brown had 41 points in a loss to Coffee County. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Carson</strong> <strong>Wood</strong>, Central Magnet: Wood had 22 points in a win over Lincoln County. <strong>Jake</strong> <strong>Maddox</strong> added 20.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Game of the week</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cordova and Independence went toe-to-toe Saturday afternoon at Bartlett High School. It came down to the final seconds of the fourth quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles had possession, with their best player [player_tooltip player_id='1195250' first='Jett' last='Montgomery'] bringing the basketball up the court. As Montgomery tried to crossover Wolfpack's [player_tooltip player_id='2321858' first='Jay' last='Tyler'], the Jones College commit stripped him and got the layup on the other end that gave Cordova a 66-64 win over last season's TSSAA Division 1 Class 4A state tournament runner-up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a great test for two programs with champion aspirations. Montgomery led Independence with 27. [player_tooltip player_id='1213161' first='<strong>Julius</strong>' last='<strong>Thedford</strong>'] led Cordova with 23 and kept the Wolfpack afloat in the first half after the Eagles made five 3s in the first quarter. <strong>Emerson</strong> <strong>Tenner</strong> dealt with foul trouble, but managed to have important steals and baskets in the third quarter that swung the momentum. He finished with 14 points. Tyler made important baskets in the second half for Cordova. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pure effort from the Wolfpack were needed as Montgomery scored nine points in the final three and a half minutes of the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior wing <strong>Brayden</strong> <strong>Buck</strong> also made an important basket, one being a 3 late in the fourth quarter, which had the Eagles down 60-59 before Montgomery gave his team a short-lived lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Buck, a 6-3 sniper, saw Saturday's thriller with Cordova as an opportunity for people to know Independence can compete with other talented programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>”We are ready to come back and fight for it all,” said Buck, who finished with 12 points. “Last year, we are trying to win. We really don't care about going undefeated. We just want to go out and win state.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->