Overlooked Chattanooga-area Hoopers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='2523934' first='Carter' last='Smith']</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chattanooga is routinely a hotbed for basketball talent. Read about a few that get overlooked regionally despite their talent and basketball trajectory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hamilton Heights Christian Academy played at 2025 Grind Session Christian County last weekend. Most Tennessee-based fans have not seen HHCA because they do not play TSSAA games, but they are technically based in Chattanooga. Former players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jason Jitoboh, Samson Ruzhentsev, Jordan Rawls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3221271' first='Valliance' last='Luketa'] </strong>/ '27 PG / Hamilton Heights Christian Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From Montreal, [player_tooltip player_id='3221271' first='Valliance' last='Luketa'] moved to the United States to develop his basketball and draw more attention. He goes by "V". "I bring a two-way game," shared Luketa as a self-evaluation. "Smart lead guard, tough on-ball defender, and a vocal floor general." Luketa plays low to the deck and changes directions well. Luketa does not play with big ego. He is willing to create with the pass. Outside shooting is an area of his game that Valliance needs to improve to round-out his game fully. Exceptional passer. One of his best traits is that V gets the ball out fast and on the money. He does not over-dribble or search and search. When he sees the "right" pass he makes it. Through 11 games V Luketa is averaging 8.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 2.6 apg. He needs to get his turnovers down (2.3 TOpg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/5alliance2/status/2000339692303294823?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/5alliance2/status/2000339692303294823?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2973571' first='Toms' last='Birste'] </strong>/ '27 PF / Hamilton Heights Christian Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tall forward [player_tooltip player_id='2973571' first='Toms' last='Birste'] scored 22 points on 9-11 shooting against DNA Prep (CA) to win going away. Birste is a modern forward in that he can shoot from the mid-range and prefers to play facing the basket...the European style that gained heavy favor in the NBA recently. Birste needs to get tougher and more willing to crash and clang against defenders in search of rebounds as well as slash with more confidence. An unabashed Birste could really help college teams. Toms played for the Latvian National Team three different years already (U-15, U-16, U-18).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2523934' first='Carter' last='Smith'] </strong>/ '28 SF-SG / Boyd-Buchanan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2523934' first='Carter' last='Smith'] is playing his first season with Boyd-Buchanan, School and they are playing like a runaway train, pounding opponents. Strong. Active. Carter defends multiple positions and projects as a college small forward or shooting guard. He can improve in all aspects of his game, as all sophomores can, but already shows a foundation for development in every skill (rebounding, handles, shooting, defending). He might be a 3-and-D guy long-term, but he will certainly be able to score in the mid-range and on the run above the rim. Defense, strength, and high character are undeniably part of his game both now and into the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1904052' first='Abe' last='Reinbold'] </strong>/ '26 SF-SG / McMinn County<a href="https://x.com/thegrindsession"></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/keesbasketball/status/2001113202847842746?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/keesbasketball/status/2001113202847842746?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wing [player_tooltip player_id='1904052' first='Abe' last='Reinbold'] began his high school career at Cleveland High but will finish with McMinn County High where he is enjoying a fantastic senior season. Reinbold was long respected here at PrepHoops.com/Tennessee because he possessed both skill and height, which are arguably the two most coveted attributes of the modern hooper. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Obviously, he is a pretty good shooter," said McMinn County Head Coach Jay Johnson. "He is getting better as the season goes along defending along the perimeter where he has been guarding big guys for most of his teams. He is pretty much a mismatch. Long wingspan. He has a high release shot, so it is hard to block him."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When younger Abe was a bit slow laterally and the concern was that he would be unable to guard on the perimeter. Thanks to both his hard work and natural physical maturity Reinbold largely put that concern to bed. At least at the 4A level, Reinbold defends very well, and he blocks shots all over the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"He was raw defensively and he has played in the post," said McMinn County Head Coach Johnson. "He is still learning, but his progress is coming along with close outs and turning and running. Him being in a gap is a lot easier than for a small guard. His size gives people problems even if they get a step on him because he can 'wall up' and make it hard for them to shoot over him."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> One thing Reinbold gives that most wings do not is elite rebounding particularly on the defensive end. In college Reinbold will probably not be requested to handle the ball much though he can dribble and create his own shot right now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3221248' first='Paul' last='Sama']</strong> / '27 SF / Hamilton Heights Christiaan Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elite agility. Paul dashes around the floor like a much shorter player than his 6-foot-5. Clean hips. Sama slashes at a high level thanks to his speed and enormous strides. Because he gets checked by guards [player_tooltip player_id='3221248' first='Paul' last='Sama'] routinely gets beyond them as long as he gets into his full strides running. Built like a wide receiver, long and lean. One criticism of Sama's game at this point is that he does not give the team much aside from instant offense. For a 6-foot-5 player he is a very poor rebounding (2.6 rpg) and does not create much for others (1.1 apg). Improving these skills and consistently defending at a high level will help him attract college coaches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->