Mr. Basketball finalists: Class 3A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm continuing my picks for Mr. Basketball finalists. This time, I'm picking potential finalists in TSSAA Division 1 Class 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are potential finalists for Mr. Basketball in Class 3A:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1211987' first='Cade' last='Capps']</strong>, Stone Memorial: The 6-foot-5 shooting guard was a Mr. Basketball finalist last season after averaging 28.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Capps shot 50 percent from the field. He's one of the best scorers in the state. I expect his numbers for his senior season to be close to what they were in his junior season. Capps is a stats filler. The good thing is that his numbers lead to wins. The Panthers won 21 games last season because of Capps' consistent production.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1959160' first='Trey' last='Thompson']</strong>, Greeneville: The 6-8 forward was a Mr. Basketball finalist last season, and it's expected for Thompson to be a finalist again at the end of the 2024 season. He's going to be a matchup problem for many teams he's going to face this upcoming season. Thompson has solid footwork. He finishes well around the rim. Thompson can make shots from the perimeter. His versatility allows him to play positions 3-5. Thompson should easily average 25 points and 10 rebounds on a nightly basis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2133810' first='Ty' last='Cobb']</strong>, Upperman: Cobb could have been a Mr. Basketball finalist last season, but Class 3A was top heavy with Thompson, Capps, and Fulton's Tyler Lee, who was crowned Mr. Basketball. There's no shame in missing it as a freshman. Cobb had an awesome first-year of playing varsity basketball. He averaged 20 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 56 percent from the field. Under his production, the Bees made the quarterfinals round of the Class 3A Boys' State Tournament. As a freshman, Cobb showed he wasn't afraid to put a team on his back offensively. He's a fierce competitor. Cobb plays with an edge. In 2024, I expect the 2027 point guard to duplicate what he did a season ago. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ja'Dyn Lee</strong>, Munford: Lee will be the Cougars' best player in 2024 and in order for the program to get back to where it was last season - substate game - the senior guard will have to deliver solid performances each night he's on the floor. Lee is capable of doing so. He easily gets going when a couple of shots fall. Lee can make shots from the perimeter. I will go ahead and pencil him to average 25 points a game for Munford. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1259398' first='Michael' last='Nwoye']</strong>, Hume-Fogg: Nwoye is an impressive prospect in the 2025 class. He's a 6-7 forward that can play on the block and on the perimeter. Nwoye finishes well around the rim and can make defenders pay with his shot making ability. He's coming off a junior season averaging 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Will a season average of 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks be enough to be a Mr. Basketball finalist? I think so. And I wouldn't be surprised if Nwoye's numbers are slightly better than what I'm predicting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->