Stars Abound in D II-A Middle Region Tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='1125601' first='Griffin' last='Cooper'] (Columbia Academy)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DII-A Middle is composed of District 3 and District 4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#1 Columbia Academy (23-4)<br>#4 Clarksville Academy (21-7)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clarksville Academy, a strong #4 seed, played poorly last week, dropping consecutive games to Friendship Christian (72-57) and Ezell-Harding (64-61). Facing Columbia Academy first-round is an unenviable task, though the Middle Region is filled with opponents to dread. Beating Ezell-Harding would have secured the Wildcats of Clarksville Academy a date with Providence Christian Academy. Uh, no thank you. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Clarksville Academy's favor is a 9-3 road record. Hosts Columbia Academy are regionally famous for their boisterous crowd.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats are coached by former Brentwood Academy Assistant Coach Matt Hoppe and supercharged by junior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1343709' first='Trae' last='Rideau']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#2 Friendship Christian (18-8)<br>#3 Webb-Bell Buckle (17-11) 6p</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carrying the Bell Buckle flag proudly over his head towards the frontlines is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1140737' first='Taveon' last='Comage']</strong> (16.5 ppg). Comage has been a "Foot" longer than Head Coach Micah Williams, who was hired in April 2021. He knows what it takes to win big basketball games. Comage started last year in the State Semifinals against Notre Dame.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Under Coach Williams, Webb is 14-6 in the postseason (70% wins).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Friendship Christian won 11 of their 13 home games this year. They are playing very solid, team-oriented basketball right now. Webb won 5 of their 9 true road games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#1 Goodpasture (24-4)<br>#4 Battle Ground Academy (23-6)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>BGA was the greatest offensive juggernaut in District 3, scoring an incredible 1904 points for the season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1378546' first='Rhett' last='Broussard']</strong> (Goodpasture) is a former <a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/11/prephoopstn-combine-evaluations-part-iv-3/">@PrepHoopsTN Combine All-Star</a>, dating back to October 2023. Our next combine is the last Sunday in June...tell your friends. Like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1368094' first='Arnett' last='Hayes']</strong> (Battle Ground Academy), Rhett is playing his first season for his current team. Both are having enormous seasons. While neither is particularly surprising, Arnett's was easily prophesized. He starred for Webb-Bell Buckle last winter before transferring. Even if Battle Ground was a team of sixth-graders, Arnett would be thriving. Goodpasture does not get the luxury of facing this hypothetical team of Arnett and Children. They will face a man-child though...<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1789005' first='Kavien' last='Jones']</strong> (Battle Ground Academy). Signed to Tennessee State University, Kavien is "The Incredible Hulk of 615". Double-doubles are routine for the kind, yet brutish forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1259393' first='Jayden' last='Jones']</strong> (Goodpasture) is a two-time State Champion (2021, 2023), former @PrepHoopsTN #1 in the class (currently #5), that is averaging over 20-10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"We lost eight seniors from last year's team," said Goodpasture Head Coach Dustin Patton via phone call Monday night. "We returned very few pieces around Jayden that had any experience, so I am very pleased."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starting next to Jayden are the aforementioned Broussard and then seniors <strong>Marques Whitmon, [player_tooltip player_id='1477582' first='Breckman' last='Oakley']</strong>, and freshman<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2194485' first='Joshua' last='Huggins']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Marques is our point guard," said Coach Patton. "He gets very little credit outside of our team. Really high IQ player. Understands what we are trying to do each time down the floor."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While dealing with some injuries this year, Breckman "shoots the three really well," per Coach Patton. Finally, Huggins (PrepHoopsTN Watch List) "is nearly averaging a double-double on the year. Really works hard. Kind of a quiet kid, but unbelievable kid that loves ball and play hard."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goodpasture is 116-13 since fall 2020.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#2 PCA (22-4)<br>#3 Ezell-Harding (20-9)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best defense in District 3 was and is played by the Lions of Providence Christian Academy. They allowed a district-low 1,281 points overall, just 630 points in district games. District teams averaged 45.0 points against them!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1529424' first='MJ' last='Gibbs'] </strong>(12.3 ppg) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578677' first='Blake' last='Dean']</strong> (20.2 ppg) lead the Ezell-Harding Christian Eagles into battle. Gibbs can score on all three levels and particularly loves to hit the three-pointer. A strong dude, Gibbs can hold his own in rebounding battles and keep taller players away from their spots when defending them. Dean is a 20.2 ppg scorer for the Eagles. He will be tasked with putting up 20+ against a team that barely gets scored upon in PCA. A quick, skilled 6-foot-1 guard, he will definitely be able to beat the first line of defense only to find some shot-blockers arriving to help weakside. Getting the ball up and over those broomstick-arms will be the true challenge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2164194' first='Judson' last='Bjornstad'] </strong>(PCA) and 6-foot-8<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2292618' first='Preston' last='Wade']</strong> (PCA) are owners of those broomsticks. Senior Judson signed to play for Union University. Wade will also play college basketball after he graduates in the 2025 spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/FriendshipMBB/status/1756805524752826607?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/FriendshipMBB/status/1756805524752826607?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players to Watch</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1125601' first='Griffin' last='Cooper'] (Columbia Academy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1259392' first='Jeremy' last='Jackson Jr.'] (Columbia Academy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1395364' first='Gabe' last='Davenport'] (Columbia Academy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1343709' first='Trae' last='Rideau'] (Clarksville Academy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1140737' first='Taveon' last='Comage'] (Webb-Bell Buckle)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2194624' first='Eli' last='Brown'] (Webb-Bell Buckle)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1498078' first='Jax' last='Howard'] (Webb-Bell Buckle)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2367403' first='Aiden' last='Bolden'] (PCA)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2292618' first='Preston' last='Wade'] (PCA)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2164194' first='Judson' last='Bjornstad'] (PCA)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1789095' first='Tryce' last='Grensing'] (PCA)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2367419' first='Davis' last='Joyner'] (PCA)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1368094' first='Arnett' last='Hayes'] (Battle Ground)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1789005' first='Kavien' last='Jones'] (Battle Ground)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1578677' first='Blake' last='Dean'] (Ezell-Harding)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1529424' first='MJ' last='Gibbs'] (Ezell-Harding)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Related Article:</strong> <a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/12/the-webb-feet-step-into-pcas-dotson-gym-get-stepped-on/">The Webb Feet Step into PCA's Dotson Gym, Get Stepped on</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->