3 observations: Bartlett defeats Fayette Ware

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bartlett opened up the 2024-25 high school basketball season with a 65-49 win over Fayette Ware. <br><br>Here are 3 observations from the win:<br><br><strong>Defense</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers' staple, under head coach Dion Real, has been defense. Bartlett likes to pin its ears back and force opponents into uncharacteristic shots and uncomfortable possessions. The Panthers had a 20-10 lead early in the second quarter before the Wildcats got within one (24-23).<br><br>Bartlett, which led for the entirety of the first half, lost its lead for a short moment in the third quarter until a 3 by sophomore wing <strong>Dylan</strong> <strong>Jones</strong> put the Panthers back up for good. <br><br>It wasn't until late third quarter/early fourth quarter when Bartlett's defense started to pick up steam. Senior point guard <strong>KJ</strong> <strong>Neville</strong> got a steal at mid-court that led to a dunk for Jones. Three possessions later, freshman point guard <strong>Braylon</strong> <strong>Williams</strong> found junior forward <strong>Ethan</strong> <strong>Gatewood</strong> rolling to the basket, after setting a screen, for an uncontested dunk. Another score by Gatewood put the Panthers up 49-42.<br><br>The Panthers found a groove defensively in between scores by altering and contesting shots at the rim. Bartlett picked up 94 feet, not allowing Fayette Ware to get fully in sync offensively. <br><br>The Wildcats fail behind 57-44 in the fourth quarter after two made free throws by Williams. By that time, senior point guard <strong>Tacarien</strong> <strong>Freeman</strong> picked up his fourth foul, and senior point guard <strong>Quay</strong> <strong>Hampton</strong> was on the bench.<br><br>“Defensively, I thought we did really well. That's been a staple of ours,” Real said. “When we sit down, we can stretch out. We get blocks; we are able to contest and get rebounds. <br><br>“I was very, very pleased with that.”<br><br><strong>Balanced offense</strong><br><br>Heading into the 2024 season, Bartlett showed glimpses of being a really good offensive team. It's early, but the Panthers showed how balance they can be on offense. Jones led the way with 18 points and 8 rebounds. Williams had 9 points and 3 rebounds. Junior forward <strong>Axton</strong> <strong>Perry</strong> added 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Gatewood pitched in 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. <br><br><strong>Momentum swing</strong><br><br>Fayette Ware walked down the Panthers in the third quarter. The Wildcats outscored Bartlett, 12-3, to take a 37-36 lead. Jones scored five straight points to put the Panthers up 41-37. Then, Jones, thanks to a steal by Neville, got an uncontested, two-handed dunk. That seemed to be a momentum booster for Bartlett as it built a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter before extending it to 14 with under four minutes to go.<br><br>Neville, who scored just 5 points, is the leader the Panthers need on a nightly basis. He's going to give it his all on every possession. Neville knows how to make winning plays.<br><br>“He's someone that represents the program. I tell college coaches all the time “I would take him anywhere in the country, just because he knows how to win,” Real said. “He's about winning.”<br><br>Right after Neville's steal, he found Jones cutting to the basket for a two-handed dunk. The dunk ignited the crowd and energized the entire bench. <br><br><strong>Side</strong> <strong>note</strong>: The Wildcats are going to be just fine in TSSAA Class 3A. The backcourt of Freeman and Hampton will provide great ball movement. <strong>Elijah</strong> <strong>Lowe</strong> can be an efficient scorer. <strong>Tarecous</strong> <strong>Stevens</strong> isn't afraid to attack the rim. He can be disruptive at the rim. Stevens won't allow anything cheap.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->