4 observations from the 4A District 15 semifinals round
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Bartlett defeated Southwind, 41-36, in the first game of the semifinals round in the TSSAA 4A District 15 Tournament Friday night. Cordova needed an extra period to get past Houston, 84-82. The Wolfpack and Panthers will meet next Tuesday for…
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Continue ReadingBartlett defeated Southwind, 41-36, in the first game of the semifinals round in the TSSAA 4A District 15 Tournament Friday night. Cordova needed an extra period to get past Houston, 84-82.
The Wolfpack and Panthers will meet next Tuesday for the district championship.
Here are 4 observations from the semifinals round:
Bartlett’s smothering defense
The Panthers were in a low-scoring game Friday night against the Jaguars. And that’s okay with Bartlett. The Panthers trailed 31-26 midway through the third quarter after a 3 by Justin Edwards Justin Edwards 6'0" | CG Southwind | 2026 State TN . The tide quickly shifted with a 7-0 run by Bartlett, which took the lead for good off a layup by senior forward R’Chaun King. It wasn’t the Panthers’ offense that stood out. It was their defense, which has been the strength of the program for the entirety of the 2023 season. Bartlett held Southwind to only three points in the fourth quarter and smothered and harassed sophomore guard Ronald Towns each time he touched the basketball. There were some possessions Towns was denied the basketball, forcing one of his teammates to make a play.
Towns didn’t score a single point in the second half.
The Panthers leaned into their strength, as it was too much for the Jaguars.
”Gritty,” the word Bartlett’s head coach Dion Real used to describe his team. “We are very, very gritty and resilient. The real word is fun. This has been fun. It’s intense during a game, but it’s been fun on an every day journey. It’s just something I tell them all the time that I haven’t experienced in a while. It’s been enjoyable to come in and watch them grow and watch them compete.”
Frison and Myles have arrived
Justin Frison and Jordan Myles, the Houston Mustangs’ prized freshmen, made big shots for their team, which was once down 46-30 in the third quarter. Myles, a 6-foot-5 wing, made a 3 in overtime that gave Houston a short-lived 78-77 lead. He finished with 17 points. Frison, who finished with 21 points, made a running, contested 3 late in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 73-all.
In the postseason, games are going to be tight. Each possession is going to matter. Myles and Frison, two newcomers to high school basketball this season with bright futures, gave their team a chance for a possible TSSAA 4A District 15 Tournament Championship appearance. The effort was there. The fight was there. Backing down wasn’t an option for either prospect. The best Houston can finish, far as seeding purposes goes for the regional tournament, is third with a win over next Tuesday. But, for the rest of the postseason – however long the Mustangs’ season continues – and beyond this season, Houston has to feel confident in the program’s direction led by Frison and Myles.
Thedford’s show
Cordova’s Julius Thedford led all scorers with 36 points. The 6-4 guard was getting to the rim with ease and finishing through contact. King did a great job of drawing contact and getting to the free throw line where he made 8 of 10 attempts. He made shots from 17-feet out. King converted on four 3-pointers. With the game tied 82-all, King drove into the lane, got stripped before getting the putback off Erin Hardwick’s miss that turned out to be the game-winner. Thedford was everything the Wolfpack needed him to be offensively, and in the postseason, big time players make big time plays. Thedford did so Friday night.
Put it in his hands
After Julius Thedford Julius Thedford 6'3" | SG Cordova | 2024 State #186 Nation TN carried Cordova’s offense for 32 minutes, senior point guard Emerson Tenner made plays down the stretch in overtime. He’s trustworthy in big spots. After Jordan Myles Jordan Myles 6'5" | SF Houston | 2027 State TN ‘ 3 put the Mustangs up by one, Tenner quickly came down and found senior guard Jay Tyler open on the right wing for a deep 3. Tenner also made two huge free throws in overtime that gave his team a four-point lead before the frantic finish. Tenner finished with 14 points. In overtime, Tenner, when needed, made the necessary plays to give the Wolfpack a victory. He’s been here before. Tenner’s used to it.