Three Private School Games that Truly Matter (1/23)

PICTURED: Jayden Jones Jayden Jones 6'5" | SG/SF Goodpasture | 2025 State #389 Nation TN

Take a glance at three monster games in the private school classification set to tip Tuesday night. Note the prevalence of Top 50 juniors.

This is a sneaky good game to follow. USJ features Mills Terry Mills Terry 6'3" | SG USJ (football) | 2025 State TN and Brady Smith, while the Jackson Christian Eagles are led by Ayden Shaw Ayden Shaw 6'2" | PG Jackson Christian | 2024 State TN and Birman Jenkins III Birman Jenkins III 6'6" | SG/SF Jackson Christian | 2025 State TN . Mills is a wonderful athlete, as is Birman Jenkins III Birman Jenkins III 6'6" | SG/SF Jackson Christian | 2025 State TN . Both made @PrepHoopsTN ranking debuts early in their high school days, back when Birman played for Jackson North Side.

Brady Smith leads the USJ Bruins in scoring (17.7 ppg) and Mills is second with just under 13.8 points per game. Mills leads the team with 3.1 apg and 6.0 rpg. A young Bruin to watch is guard Sam Keyl Sam Keyl 6'0" | PG University School Of Jackson | 2027 State TN (8.3 ppg, 2.6 spg).

An argument could be made, not by me, that the #1 senior and the #1 junior* will meet Tuesday night. Tyler Tanner Tyler Tanner 6'1" | PG Brentwood Academy | 2024 State #133 Nation TN pitted “against” Cade Bennerman Cade Bennerman 6'11" | PF Father Ryan | 2025 State #262 Nation TN . They will not guard each other or anything and yet their mere mutual presence on the floor will lure many.

Tanner’s supporting cast can play, though they are young. In fact, Brentwood Academy handed the Irish one of their three district losses earlier this month. As exciting and skilled as Father Ryan’s team is, their 1-3 district record needs a lotta help.

*We have Cade Capps Cade Capps 6'5" | SG Stone Memorial | 2025 State #210 Nation TN (Stone Memorial) ranked #1 but is anybody having a more spectacular year than Father Ryan center Cade Bennerman Cade Bennerman 6'11" | PF Father Ryan | 2025 State #262 Nation TN ?

Go see Jayden Jones Jayden Jones 6'5" | SG/SF Goodpasture | 2025 State #389 Nation TN (Goodpasture). A thrilling guard, Jayden can score any way you want: at the rim, at the line, from the arc, in the mid-range. Jones was good enough to play heavy minutes as an eighth grader on a great Goodpasture team. He was a part of a State Championship team. This is Jayden’s squad now, after King Keary transferred and Isaiah West graduated (Vanderbilt freshman). Goodpasture is not a one-man band though thanks to former PrepHoopsTN Combine All-Star Rhett Broussard Rhett Broussard 6'2" | PG Goodpasture Christian School | 2025 State TN . The lefty plays with a unique amount of drive. Scoring from anywhere on the floor, Rhett is a volume scorer in both ability and mindset.

Clarksville Academy gets some shine, but not enough. All three games against Clarksville-area teams were W’s. The Wildcats began the year 6-0 before dropping three straight. Speedy point guard Trae Rideau Trae Rideau 6'1" | PG Clarksville Academy | 2025 State TN makes them go.