Off-Season Notebook: McMinn Central

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Way back in June, McMinn Central Head Coach Daniel Curtis shared a phone conversation with PrepHoopsTN. Topics included: team identity, seniors, core players.<br><br><span style="text-decoration: underline">Key Players</span><br>Jake Goodin (2026)<br>#23 [player_tooltip player_id='1474518' first='Raymond' last='McCarty']<br>Carter Anderson<br>#3 [player_tooltip player_id='1885431' first='Daylen' last='Spradling']<br>Will Benton<br>Ayden Plemons<br><br><strong>@PrepHoopsTN Andrew Force:</strong> It looked like you guys were getting some good results, for whatever that is worth [in June]. <br><strong>McMinn Central Head Coach Curtis: </strong>In four or five games this summer we played everybody off of our bench. Trying to get everybody some playing time, seeing what fits. I am a big believer in summertime is for working on everything. You see what fits. We played a lot of guys. I know what my core is, but I want to see what fits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>@PrepHoopsTN Andrew Force:</strong> Who are some veterans coming back?<br><strong>Coach Curtis:</strong> Jake Goodin. A junior coming back. Broke his collarbone about halfway through this summer, so I didn't have him but half a summer. Ray McCarty. Pretty good. Pretty good ballplayer. <br><br><strong>@PrepHoopsTN:</strong> Does Ray play football?<br><strong>Coach Curtis:</strong> He does. Yes sir.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>@PrepHoopsTN:</strong> I saw him two years ago. He was a really good athlete as a freshman.<br><strong>Coach Curtis:</strong> When he flips that switch, he is hard to handle. We have <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1885431' first='Daylen' last='Spradling']</strong>, a guard. Pretty good. We have got <strong>Carter Anderson</strong>. A guard. Really consistent for me. <strong>Will Benton</strong> is a big 6'5" kid. He does a lot for us.<br><br><strong>@PrepHoopsTN Andrew Force:</strong> I am looking at your roster. You guys have a lot of seniors back.<br><strong>Coach Curtis:</strong> I have five seniors this year. I had two seniors last year. One come off the bench and a starter. I just feel like we are gelling a little bit better right now.<br><br><strong>@PrepHoopsTN Andrew Force:</strong> How is...is McCarty trying to play college football?<br><strong>Coach Curtis:</strong> Really. He would take anything honestly. As long as he is playing something.<br><br><strong>@PrepHoopsTN Andrew Force:</strong> What position does he play for football?<br><strong>Coach Curtis:</strong> He might be. He is at running back right now. I really feel like he should be a receiver, but I don't know how his hands are. So... I don't think he is tough enough to play football, honestly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>@PrepHoopsTN</strong>: What position does he play for you guys in basketball?<br><strong>Coach Curtis:</strong> He is my "3".</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>@PrepHoopsTN</strong>: Yeah, see that is what I thought. When I saw him, like I said, two years ago, I was like "This guy is athletic enough to be a wing someday."<br><strong>McMinn Central Head Coach Daniel Curtis:</strong> Yeah, he is. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> <strong>@PrepHoopsTN</strong>: I didn't know if...skill development would get there. He had what looked like young wing athleticism at that age. With good height.<br><strong>McMinn Central Head Coach Curtis:</strong> And the thing about it is, man his potential is nowhere near where he is. He plays basketball during basketball season and football during football season. He isn't even tapped into his full potential yet. I don't think anyway. If he put his whole mind to it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>@PrepHoopsTN</strong>: Spradling. How is he looking?<br><strong>McMinn Central Head Coach Curtis: </strong>Good, good. When he is under control. When he steps outside of his mind a little bit he struggles, but when he is playing under control the way he needs to he is hard to handle. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>@PrepHoopsTN</strong>: Are you saying he is playing [PAUSE] too frenzied? Is that what you are saying?<br><strong>McMinn Central Head Coach Curtis: </strong>McMinn Central Head Coach: Not...he is too out of control. I don't know how to explain it. [PAUSE] Like he should have taken the open three. He wants to bounce it 17 times and look flashy and then go shoot a short jumper or the layup. Instead of being simple and taking the shot. And then his ball-handling, he handles it pretty well but he gets out of control sometimes. That is my biggest thing. 'Just stay within yourself. Don't try to do too much. Don't try to be fancy. Just stay within yourself. You are so freaking good.' That is an internal battle I think he has.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>@PrepHoopsTN</strong>: Who are some of the young guys that might be able to contribute that didn't play last year?<br><strong>McMinn Central Head Coach Curtis: </strong>Well, I got a senior coming back that in <strong>Ayden Plemons</strong>. He can shoot it. He will be able to guard a little bit. He is the quarterback of the football team. And of course, baseball. He is an athlete. He will add an element of scoring, shoot the 3. He will stretch out some defenses. And I got <strong>Jake Goodin</strong>. And <strong>Landin McInturff</strong>. Younger guys. They'll be juniors. And I really like Jamez Moss and Corey Brackett. Those are two rising sophomores I thought played well with us this year. Anxious to see how they fit in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->