Two Chattanooga Elite Players Commit

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='1500690' first='Adarius' last='Brewster']</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you are a boy hooping in Chattanooga, then you know [program_tooltip program_id='2088713' first='Chattanooga' last='Elite'] AAU program. <strong>Director Antione Montgomery</strong> takes in players as early as 5 years old and nurtures their development as both ballers and people for decades. Two of his graduating seniors just selected their future college homes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An alumnus of [program_tooltip program_id='2088713' first='Chattanooga' last='Elite'] AAU, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551289' first='Jaylen' last='Rice']</strong> of Red Bank will play for Pellissippi State Community College.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Pellissippi was the first program that gave him the opportunity and the chance," said Director Montgomery. Coach Montgomery also coached Jaylen as Red Bank's assistant coach. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"With our team's success he hurt himself to a degree. [We had a lot of balance] His laid-back approach. A lot of schools are not looking at high school kids. From around this area, we had a lot of quality kids that had to go JuCo or NAIA. He had 13-14 ppg this year. He was in the Top 3 in pretty much every single category." </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pellissippi is a new school and therefore a new basketball program coming off their inaugural season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"This year was their first year having a program. They finished 7th in the regular season and made it to the Championship Game to Columbia State."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pellissippi is making it common practice to dip into Chattanooga for talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Last year they brought in <strong>Anthony Bonner</strong>, <strong>Kendrick Lloyd</strong>. <strong>Matthew Sharpe</strong>. This year it is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551289' first='Jaylen' last='Rice']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2238624' first='Chris' last='Kennedy']</strong> (Signal Mountain)."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>AAU-teammate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1500690' first='Adarius' last='Brewster']</strong> selected Fisk University. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"When he went on his visit it made him feel welcome," said Coach Montgomery. "He will also be going with his AAU teammate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2116004' first='Kobey' last='Jones']</strong>. He liked what they had to offer. He liked the coach, <strong>Jeremiah Crutcher</strong>. He tries to elevate his players, not just keep his players there. If they can to a higher level than where they are at, then he will not hold them back."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brewster was a starter for State-Semifinalist Tyner Academy alongside [player_tooltip player_id='1259390' first='Rodney' last='Henderson'] III (Freed-Hardeman signee). They lost to a strong Loretto team Friday in The Glass House.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"[Adarius] took it tough. I just told him that it is just a bump in the road and something to learn from."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brewster will sign Monday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One more Chattanooga-area player is looking for a home. <strong>Eli Gaines</strong>, who grew up playing with Adarius and sometimes Jaylen transferred to Georgia for his senior year of high school. "He is supposed to be having a workout soon with Pellissippi."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->