The Private School State Champion Will be…
In this article:
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<p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='1461916' first='Jack' last='Shutters']</em></p>
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<p>The Division II-AA State Championship will take place March 2nd, 2024. The champion will be...The Baylor School.</p>
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<p>Predictions are both enjoyable and trepidatious for sportswriters. Who could know which group of 15- to18-year old young men are going to win in one month? </p>
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<p>[Looks around] Us? I mean, us!!</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Champion</h2>
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<p>Visit the expansive Baylor School campus and you'd think you were living in the 1930's among the kids of the wealthiest families in the entire southeastern United States. Perched on the side of a mountain, the campus is large and imposing, and home to the 2024 @PrepHoopsTN D II-AA Champion pick.</p>
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<p>The pieces fit nicely together. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1461916' first='Jack' last='Shutters']</strong> anchors the low blocks, a center signed to play for University of North Georgia. Speedy, savvy point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1214942' first='Nyziah' last='Whaley']</strong> (Lee University signee) rarely makes a mistake and needs very little room to burn by a defender. Whaley does not fire shots indiscriminately and still he proved against Knoxville Catholic that he is capable of scoring 5-6 straight points in tight moments. Whaley's floater is awfully effective. Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551555' first='Zane' last='Restelli']</strong>, who also will play eventually play college basketball, consistently attacks. He sees and takes advantage of the slightest gap or lane.</p>
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<p>Needing shoulder surgery, Cameron Sparks is missing the 2023-2024 season, which seemed to be a big loss for the Red Raiders. Sure, they have Shutters to rebound, but two great rebounders are better than one. Replacing Sparks is not impossible though thanks to an import from Lithuania, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2327064' first='Kevin' last='Sacas']</strong>. Sacas hails from Kaunas, Lithuania. Though he turns 18 next month, Sacas is enrolled as a junior at Baylor School. Rugged, strong. Sacas rebounds as a warrior and also scores quite a bit for the Red Raiders. His awareness in traffic is exceptional. Sacas can dunk, but he is not insanely explosive. The style reminds of Grant Williams at University of Tennessee. He was powerful, a little shorter than ideal PF, and relentless. Sacas is not short for a high school power forward, mind you, but he might be an undersized forward should he play at the D2 or D1 level someday.</p>
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<p>Baylor School's defense is a key. Each guard understands on-ball defense in addition to being provided "secondary" cover from Sacas and Shutters. They do not give up many second chances, since they rebound so soundly. </p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/NLIDAYWINTER-7.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/NLIDAYWINTER-7.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2338089" style="width:410px;height:auto" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='1214942' first='Nyziah' last='Whaley'] signed to Lee University</figcaption></figure>
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<p>Baylor School's resume is very strong. They made a road trip through Nashville and topped Pope Prep and Brentwood Academy on successive December nights. They crushed McCallie mid-January and put down a rabid Knoxville Catholic squad, 59-56 January 30th.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alternative Favorites</h2>
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Pope Prep</span></h4>
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<p>In case there was a debate about who is better, Pope Prep settled it Saturday night, January 6th, by scoring 20 of the game's first 23 points against Brentwood Academy. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1983717' first='Antonio' last='Wilkerson']</strong> (Pope Prep) hit a corner three-pointer to inspire a roar from the capacity gymnasium. And then the visiting BA Eagles outscored Pope Prep 38-14...</p>
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<p>As great as Pope Prep can be, boy they know how to crumble. The team should never look that bad. Not when a big with shooting touch (Wilkerson) shares the floor with a steady D2 guard (<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1336420' first='Fred' last='Bailey']</strong>) and a D1 pickpocket (<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560719' first='Trey' last='Pearson']</strong>). Not to mention a springy <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1498844' first='Kamden' last='Days']</strong> and sharpshooter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578715' first='Osby' last='Cavin']</strong>.</p>
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Father Ryan</span></h4>
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<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Brentwood Academy</span></h4>
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<p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1145719' first='Tyler' last='Tanner']</strong> is the best player in Tennessee. That counts for something. He surpassed 2000 career points recently. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1277264' first='George' last='MacIntyre']</strong> could play D1 basketball if he weren't so darn good at football and <strong>Jeromy Davis</strong> is among the best catch-and-shoot guys around. </p>
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<p>The team lacks size though. If you can keep them from hitting 3's, then you can keep them down. The team is oddly young. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1277246' first='Shavar' last='Young']</strong> gives them defense and handling. Not a scorer.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">All Participants</h2>
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<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Enrollment</td><td>Overall<br>Record</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>St. Benedict at Auburndale</td><td>458</td><td>6-10</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Brentwood Academy</td><td>466</td><td>18-5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Ensworth High School</td><td>469</td><td>4-12</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Christ Presbyterian Academy</td><td>473</td><td>6-13</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Lipscomb Academy</td><td>479</td><td>13-10</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Webb School of Knoxville</td><td>483</td><td>18-3</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Pope John Paul II Preparatory School</td><td>521</td><td>19-4</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Chattanooga Christian School</td><td>526</td><td>8-9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Briarcrest Christian School</td><td>622</td><td>23-3</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Knoxville Catholic High School</td><td>675</td><td>12-9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Baylor School</td><td>718</td><td>16-3</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Father Ryan High School</td><td>885</td><td>18-8</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Memphis University School</td><td>930</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Montgomery Bell Academy</td><td>1130</td><td>11-8</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>McCallie School</td><td>1448</td><td>13-6</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Christian Brothers High School</td><td>1454</td><td>12-7</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
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<p></p>
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<p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/09/team-preview-baylor-school/">Team Preview: Baylor School</a></p>
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<p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/11/team-preview-pope-prep/">Team Preview: Pope Prep</a></p>
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<p>Baylor School <strong>State</strong> <strong>Championship Record: </strong>5-13<br><strong>State Tournament</strong> <strong>Appearances (13):</strong> 2020, 2019, 2018, 2012, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2002, 1998, 1987, 1926, 1925, 1922<br><strong>State</strong> <strong>Finals Appearances/Runners-up (2): </strong>2018, 2002</p>
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<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Baylor School</span><span style="text-decoration: underline"> Roster</span><br>#1 [player_tooltip player_id='2338094' first='Brock' last='Barton'] (2025)<br>#2 PG <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1214942' first='Nyziah' last='Whaley']</strong>*<br>#4 SG <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551555' first='Zane' last='Restelli']</strong>* (2025)<br>#5 Cameron Sparks (2025)<br>#10 Keaton Whaley (2026)<br>#13 TJ FIelds*<br>#14 Barrett Born<br>#15 Sam Scearce (2026)<br>#22 [player_tooltip player_id='2570444' first='Ezra' last='Sixto'] (2026)<br>#23 [player_tooltip player_id='2338102' first='Bolton' last='Born'] (2025)<br>#25 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1461916' first='Jack' last='Shutters']</strong>*<br>#32 [player_tooltip player_id='2841493' first='Luke' last='Smith'] (2025)<br>#40 Quincy White<br>#42 [player_tooltip player_id='2327064' first='Kevin' last='Sacas']* (2025)</p>
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PICTURED:
Jack Shutters
Jack
Shutters
6'10" | PF
Baylor School | 2024
State
TN
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