3A State Tournament Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: Creek Wood</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>EDITOR'S NOTE: Ridgeway led Bolivar Central large at halftime when the game was suspended due to a fan fight. The outcome is not finalized.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class AAA's eight teams will enter Murfreesboro trying to unseat the Champion Fulton Falcons. It will be a sizable task and yet all seven contenders are strong, coming off sectional wins. Read about potential pitfalls of all eight teams below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchups:</strong><br>David Crockett (27-5) vs. Ridgeway (25-5)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Red Bank (28-7) vs. Creek Wood (22-8)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Upperman (29-4) vs. Hume-Fogg (24-4)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fayette Ware (24-5) vs. Fulton (32-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">David Crockett (27-5)</span></strong><br>Repping D1<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Pioneers: </strong>Winners of 13 of their last 14, David Crockett High defeated three of their five conquerors at least once this year. In fact, DCHS beat Tennessee High twice after losing February 6th. Forwards <strong>Reagan Cash</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2085844' first='Colin' last='Beason']</strong> are key players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>David Crockett High hopes to return to the state tournament for the second time. They appeared in 2016. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2016 Starters: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dustin Day <br>Josh Releford<br><a href="https://twitter.com/patgood00">@patgood00</a><br><a href="https://twitter.com/peytonford10">@peytonford10</a> <br>Brendan Coleman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong>The Pioneers are capable of defending the paint, but there are susceptible to getting beat from arc. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Ridgeway (25-5)</span></strong><br>Repping D16<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Roadrunners: </strong>Nobody in D16 could touch the Roadrunners this season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1798576' first='Brian' last='Carter Jr.'] </strong>(17.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg) continues to have a tremendous senior season, making 57% of his shots from the floor. Teammate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2321809' first='Emanuel' last='Allen']</strong> (15.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg) gives the Roadrunners second chances constantly. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Allen secured 120 offensive rebounds through his first 29 games! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong>The team can be turnover prone, for sure. Between the two stars [player_tooltip player_id='2321809' first='Emanuel' last='Allen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1798576' first='Brian' last='Carter Jr.'] they combine for 6.1 turnovers per game. Starting point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1471798' first='Marlon' last='McShane']</strong> (14.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 spg) is steadier, but his 2.5 topg are also moderately concerning.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Red Bank (28-7)</span></strong><br>Repping D6<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Lions: </strong>Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1720187' first='Anthony' last='Bonner']</strong> (21.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.7 spg) earned Region 3-3A MVP. The Lions' second-leading scorer is off-guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1140748' first='Kendrick' last='Lloyd']</strong> (15.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.6 spg). <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551289' first='Jaylen' last='Rice']</strong>, Kendrick, and Bonner are all ranked, while Rice is the youngest of the trio. He leads the team with 4.4 assists per and scores 7.2 each night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong>The Lions are capable of scoring, sure, but a defense that keeps them out of the lane will have a chance. Bonner scores great in the mid-range and Lloyd will hit some three-pointers, but like most hoopers they shoot a higher percentage inside 8'. Red Bank does not have the best post defense either.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Creek Wood (22-8)</span></strong><br>Repping D11<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Red Hawks: </strong>Winners of their last nine, Creek Wood is an intriguing team. Their 49-46 win over Chester County in the Regional Championship Game saved them from traveling to downtown Nashville for a sectional at Hume-Fogg. If nothing else it saved player's families parking fees. Creek Wood is a 3-4 team in games decided by five points or less.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong>Guards can get into the paint pretty easily on the Red Hawks. A quality ball-handler with court vision will annihilate the Red Hawks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Upperman <span style="text-decoration: underline">(29-4)</span></strong><br>Repping D7<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Bees: </strong>It is difficult to argue with 29 wins. Upperman's freshman<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2133810' first='Ty' last='Cobb'] </strong>is apparently a star-in-the-making. He scored 25 Monday. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2675160' first='Bronzden' last='Chaffin']</strong> is vital to the team's success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong> The Bees are quality shooters and skilled dribblers. They are not big and bad. If an opponent is able to bully them, then that is a path to overcoming the Bees. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hume-Fogg <span style="text-decoration: underline">(24-4)</span></strong><br>Repping D10<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Blue Knights: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1259398' first='Michael' last='Nwoye'] is the best player. The junior is putting up 15.3 ppg on 54% shooting. His 10.2 rebounds per are impressive too. Fellow junior Blue Knight Alonzo Rhodes helps with 13.8 points per and 7.5 rebounds per. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong> Move the basketball. Attack from alternative points on the floor. Get Nwoye to move from one side of the court to the other wing, if you can. Despite his athleticism, he can't defend the whole halfcourt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fulton<span style="text-decoration: underline"> (32-2)</span></strong><br>Repping D3<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Falcons: </strong>No team in any class was easier to predict into the state tournament before the whole season began. Unlike defending champions Hampton, Alcoa, and Overton, Fulton brought almost everybody back. The Falcons also started their three gifted seniors (<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1135401' first='Tyler' last='Lee']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1381653' first='Denaj' last='Kimber']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1381652' first='Taj' last='Kimber']</strong>) as freshmen. They are the most experienced trio in the state, by a good margin. This is Fulton's 27th appearance in the State Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong> How do you beat Fulton? Only four Tennessee teams in the last two years even know: '23 William Blount, '23 Alcoa, '24 Austin-East, '24 Central Magnet. This is the third season in a row the Fulton team has won 30+ games. Hardly anybody knows how to beat them. I am not one of those people.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Fayette Ware (24-5)</span></strong><br>Repping D14<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><br></span>About the Wildcats: </strong>Gritty. Fayette Ware attacks like a wave pounds down on a shore. Relentless. Powerful. They can be infuriating to play. The team is deep, very fast, and strong. FW's guards are especially physical on both ends (<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2089495' first='Jeremiah' last='Hayes']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1676952' first='Eric' last='Jones']</strong>).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1676952' first='Eric' last='Jones']</strong> averages 11.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, and 2.1 spg. Hayes is putting up 14.8 ppg with 8.0 rpg, and 2.7 spg. The final guard of note <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1572498' first='Quaylan' last='Hampton']</strong> averages 2.0 spg, though he is less physical, less imposing than the previous two.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Pitfall: </strong>Keep them off of the offensive glass. Limit them to one shot each time down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->