Class A State Tournament Preview
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PICTURED: Union City Class A’s eight teams are all angling for a State Championship. Read about key players on all eight teams below. Matchups:North Greene (21-15) vs. Santa Fe (25-5)Chattanooga Prep (24-6) vs. Union City (29-5) Jellico (20-11) vs. Frank…
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Continue ReadingPICTURED: Union City
Class A’s eight teams are all angling for a State Championship. Read about key players on all eight teams below.
Matchups:
North Greene (21-15) vs. Santa Fe (25-5)
Chattanooga Prep (24-6) vs. Union City (29-5)
Jellico (20-11) vs. Frank Hughes (24-9)
Gordonsville (23-10) vs. Middle College (20-8)
North Greene (21-15)
Repping D1
About the Huskies: When North Greene lost to University High in the Regional Championship, the future appeared bleak. A road game at Harriman against
Jordan McCullum
Jordan
McCullum
6'8" | SF
Harriman | 2024
State
TN
and Friends is not the smoothest path to the promised land. And yet North Greene knocked off Harriman in the biggest upset of the Class A sectionals to make their 6th State Tournament appearance.
Key Players: The headliner for North Greene is Jason Britton Jason Britton 6'1" | PG North Greene | 2024 State TN . Last year Jason earned Mr. Basketball Finalist. He did not make the final three this year despite playing just as well. Britton scores from all three levels and uses his nice guard height to get the cleanest looks possible. Lawson Davenport and Bennett McClain are important contributors.
Santa Fe (25-5)
Repping D10
About the Wildcats: Santa Fe was ranked #1 for much of the season by statewide sportswriters. Their regional final loss to Eagleville was only their 5th loss all season.
Santa Fe is making their State Tournament debut.
Key Players: Auden Slaughter Auden Slaughter 6'2" | PG Santa Fe | 2025 State TN ranks among the greatest scorers in the state, regardless of class. The dude puts up around 35 points per game. He surpassed 2000 career points back in December. Teammate Macon Adkison Macon Adkison 6'1" | PG Santa Fe | 2025 State TN consistently scores and rebounds too.
Chattanooga Prep (24-6)
Repping D5
About the Sentinels: Chattanooga Prep is back in Murfreesboro. With a team of freshmen and sophomores they qualified last season. The relatively new charter school did not even have seniors in attendance until this fall. It all started with sixth-graders in 2018 as a charter school. Together they moved up each year and the school’s enrollment expanded with them. The young men are now mostly sophomores and juniors.
Key Players: Chattanooga Prep is balanced offensively with Ta’Suade Williams Ta’Suade Williams 6'2" | SG Chattanooga Prep | 2025 State TN , Derrick Roberson Derrick Roberson 6'6" | SG Chattanooga Prep | 2026 State TN , and Eli Gaines Eli Gaines 6'1" | SG Chattanooga Prep | 2025 State TN . All three earned All-District. All three started last year for that extremely successful team.
Eli Gaines Eli Gaines 6'1" | SG Chattanooga Prep | 2025 State TN is a physical shooter/slasher. Roberson dribbles and drives as well as anybody in Class A.
Union City (29-5)
Repping D14
About the Golden Tornadoes: Union City is returning to the State Tournament for the 20th time.
Malaki Brooks
Malaki
Brooks
6'1" | PG
Union City | 2024
State
TN
is the eighth Union City player to be a Mr. Basketball Finalist: Stanley Caldwell twice, Marquis Weddle, M.J. Brown twice, Marcus DeBerry, Parker Stewart.
Key Players: Union City’s superstar Malaki Brooks Malaki Brooks 6'1" | PG Union City | 2024 State TN is fantastic. College coaches, and we at PrepHoopsTN, finally realized it this last couple of months.
Union City Starters
#11
Malaki Brooks
Malaki
Brooks
6'1" | PG
Union City | 2024
State
TN
#4 C.J. Davis
#15 SF Joseph Lattus
#13 F Jack Tully
#2 Ben Kail (2025)
Jellico (20-11)
Repping D3
About the Blue Devils: Winners of 13 of their last 16 games, Jellico is one of four road A teams to win Monday night.
Justin Bowlin was an All-time great Blue Devil. He served up 905 career assists, second in Tennessee history.
Jellico is making their State Tournament debut!
Key Scorers: Carson Bolton won the District MVP. Both Isaac McNealy and John Zecchini made the All-District Team.
Jellico Starters
#1 Caleb Rose (2027)
#2 Isaac McNealy
#3 Trey Vann (2026)
#13 John Zecchini
#22 Carson Bolton
Frank Hughes (24-9)
Repping D11
About the Lions: Last game, Frank Hughes overcame a 14-point third quarter deficit. Hughes amassed a 7-game winning streak from January 29th to February 15th.
Key Players: Sophomore guard Devin Dicus Devin Dicus 6'1" | PG Frank Hughes | 2026 TN is an active defender, a long-armed guard. Against Eagleville he was able to get his hands on passes and disrupt. Like an eager shot-blocker Dicus can be vulnerable to pump fakes and head fakes. Good agility. Aiden Dicus Aiden Dicus 6'5" | PF Frank Hughes | 2025 TN is invaluable to Frank Hughes High. The big man is limber for a Class A post player and surprisingly light on his feet. Rebound wars require toughness in the playoffs and Dicus provides that edge. Junior point guard Weston Lineberry made multiple big shots in the thrilling comeback Monday.
Frank Hughes Starters
#1 Weston Lineberry
#5 G
Devin Dicus
Devin
Dicus
6'1" | PG
Frank Hughes | 2026
TN
#10 Konnor Lineberry
#23 PF
Aiden Dicus
Aiden
Dicus
6'5" | PF
Frank Hughes | 2025
TN
#34 Alex Ronchetti
Gordonsville Tigers (23-10)
Repping D7
About the Tigers: Gordonsville was not the District 7 team expected to advance to the state tournament. Pickett County won the regular season and the District Tournament. Further, Pickett County defeated these Tigers three times in a row prior to the Regional Championship Game.
Gordonsville knocked off Pickett County and then handled South Pittsburg in a sectional contest.
Key Players: Both Brodie Sykes and J Foster J Foster 6'1" | SG Gordonsville | 2026 TN produce for GHS. Brodie is a big man with range out to 10-12′, while Foster is a do-everything guard. Foster found a flaming hand incapable of missing shots in the riveting 61-51 win over Pickett County for the Region 4 Championship. Pickett County, a strong team, was unable to slow Foster in that game.
Gordonsville Starters
#3
J Foster
J
Foster
6'1" | SG
Gordonsville | 2026
TN
#5 Tucker Smith (2025)
#10 Brodie Sykes (2025)
#23 Eli Adams
Tristan Woods
Sectional Preview by PrepHoopsTNPunishing the Bobcats under the basket was clearly a priority for Sykes and the entire Tiger team Thursday night. Despite their feisty play, Pickett County had no answer for Brodie on the blocks. Brodie played with confidence and toughness around swarming defenders. Sykes also shared a tremendous outlet pass in the second quarter that ultimately set up a Tiger fastbreak basket. Sykes earned All-District First Team after his regular season success.
Middle College Bulldogs (24-9)
Repping D15
About the Bulldogs:
Key Players: