Mr. Basketball finalists: Division II-AA

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In my opinion, TSSAA Division II Class AA will be the best league in Tennessee this upcoming season. There's a good amount of talent in the league for it to stand out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also, there's no clear cut favorite for Mr. Basketball as it will be highly competitive amongst the talented prospects in the league.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are 8 potential Mr. Basketball candidates:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1760996' first='Fred' last='Smith']</strong>, Briarcrest: Smith is a state champion, and the Saints' offense will run through the 6-foot-6 forward. He sees the floor very well, makes great reads, and takes care of the basketball. Smith can play with his back to the basket and is always in position to get each loose basketball coming off the rim. Smith will have a productive season for Briarcrest. The Saints are counting on him to do so. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560719' first='Trey' last='Pearson']</strong>, Pope Prep: Pearson is a Peach Jam 16U Champion. His jump shot has improved. The 6-0 point guard is in the lab. He's a very defender. If Pope Prep wants to reach another final four in the TSSAA Division II Class AA Boys' State Tournament, Pearson will need to be very productive offensively. Averages of 18 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals per game are worthy of Pearson being mentioned as a finalist. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1959161' first='Cade' last='Murphy']</strong>, Knoxville Catholic: Murphy is probably the best shooter in the league. He's a 6-5 wing that can make shots from different areas on the court. Murphy doesn't need a high volume of shots to reach double digits in scoring. Once he sees the first two fall, Murphy's trajectory of a productive night offensively is through the roof.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588175' first='Jonathan' last='Sanderson']</strong>, Ensworth: Sanderson should be called “smooth operator.” He has smooth ball handles, smooth shot release, and smooth finish at the rim. I'm positive the 6-2 guard is going to average close to 25 points per game. He's a stud. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1455019' first='Cade' last='Bennerman']</strong>, Father Ryan: Bennerman will probably lead the league in rebounds. At 6-11, he does a great job of positioning himself to come down with the basketball. Bennerman runs the floor well. He's going to be one of a few players in the league to average a double-double. Can Bennerman average 20 and 10?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1549166' first='Collin' last='O'Neal']</strong>, Montgomery Bell Academy: O'Neal is a physical wing with athleticism and great upper body strength. He finishes with force at the rim. O'Neal can make shots from the perimeter. He makes the offensive player work hard for points on the defensive side. I expect O'Neal to have a productive senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551555' first='Zane' last='Restelli']</strong>, Baylor: Restelli's name isn't mentioned much in this league, but the kid has talent. Murphy isn't going to be the only wing to make it rain from deep in 2024. Restelli is going to put a lot of points on the board as well. At 6-4, he has a quick shooting stroke. Restelli can finish at the rim. Oh, he's also a good passer. Restelli's style of play is this: Making winning basketball plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->