Off-Season Notebook: Southwind Jaguars

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Prep Hoops staff is taking a closer look inside Tennessee high school basketball programs, months ahead of the 2024-2025 season. Our next team feature is Southwind High of an unincorporated region of Shelby County, TN.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach:</strong> Paul Edwards</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southwind opened in 2007 and already advanced to the State Tournament twice. They won the whole bag of goodies in 2013 with Jajuan Johnson, Dre'Sean Looney, Payton Hulsey, Deckie Johnson, and Jonathan Williams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They are a throwback Memphis team in that they are deadset at getting to the rim. The three-point line is not a priority. This Jaguar squad, save <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1400891' first='Kristopher' last='Carroll']</strong>, are going directly to the heart of the defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} --> <p class="has-text-align-center"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>Southwind Stats</strong></span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023-2024 Record: </strong>15-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship Record:</strong>&nbsp;5-1<br><strong>State Tournament Appearances</strong> (<strong>24):</strong>&nbsp;2017, 2013.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Awards</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table {"hasFixedLayout":false} --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Award</th><th>Name</th><th>Class</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2013</td><td>Most Valuable Player</td><td>Jajuan Johnson</td><td>Class AAA</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Partial Roster (2024-2025)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table {"hasFixedLayout":false} --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><thead><tr><th>#</th><th></th><th>PLAYER NAME</th><th>Grade</th><th>State Ranking</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>0</td><td></td><td>Trey Holt</td><td>–</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td></td><td>Austin Price*</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Kobe Lewis</td><td>–</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>PG/SG</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1760995' first='Ronald' last='Towns III']*</td><td>Jr.</td><td>#36</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td></td><td>Ryan Hulbert</td><td>–</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td></td><td>Dallas Berkley*</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Randall Hulbert</td><td>–</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>CG</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='2364371' first='Justin' last='Edwards']*</td><td>Jr.</td><td>#82</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td></td><td>Deon Brown</td><td>–</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td></td><td>Ty Davis</td><td>–</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>SG</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1400891' first='Kristopher' last='Carroll']*</td><td>Sr.</td><td>#14</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td></td><td>Dazarrian Burns</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Anticipated Starters*</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southwind will be better. The most important off-season addition was <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1400891' first='Kristopher' last='Carroll']</strong>. State Champion Kristopher transferred out of FACS as 2x-State Champion Head Coach Dee Wilkes took the St. George's job. Carroll is an elite left-handed shooter. With Southwind his prowess will be more noticed. He was playing his role to perfection with FACS, but they had so many more scorers and athletes than Southwind appears to have this season. Also, Carroll is now a senior and will be heavily relied upon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carroll is not alone. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1760995' first='Ronald' last='Towns III']</strong> is a special player, hence his lofty ranking. Towns III is now a veteran after starting early in his high school career. Towns III is both quick with the basketball and creative. He has a little bit of that playground swagger. <strong>Kobe Lewis</strong> plays alongside. Also quick. Not the scorer Towns is, but capable of playing the point whereas Towns is kind of a combo at the high school level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kris Smith</strong> is a big man. The offense is a little limited, but he is a big dude that will rebound and have a little presence in the lane on the defensive side.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>D15-4A was the best or second-best 4A district in the state last year. It will take a dip, or at least Cordova will be worse after graduating two D1 players (Tenner, Thedford). Bartlett is loaded again. Collierville is better. Southwind will have plenty of competition, but they appear better on paper than last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anticipated starters are: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1760995' first='Ronald' last='Towns III']</strong>, <strong>Austin Price</strong>, <strong>Dazarrian Burns</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1400891' first='Kristopher' last='Carroll']</strong>, <strong>Kobe Lewis</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">District 15-4A Teams</span><br>Arlington High School&nbsp;(Arlington, TN)<br>Bartlett High School&nbsp;(Bartlett, TN)<br>Collierville High School&nbsp;(Collierville, TN)<br>Cordova High School&nbsp;(Cordova, TN)<br>Germantown High School&nbsp;(Germantown, TN)<br>Houston High School&nbsp;(Germantown, TN)<br>Southwind High School&nbsp;(Memphis, TN)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Previous Off-Season Notebooks</span><br><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/06/off-season-notebook-powell-panthers/">Powell</a><br><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/06/off-season-notebook-mccallie-blue-tornado/">McCallie</a><br><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/06/off-season-notebook-maryville-rebels/">Maryville</a><br><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/06/off-season-notebook-oak-ridge-wildcats/">Oak Ridge</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br><br><br><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->