Condis Cherry and the Best ’27 Point Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='2333265' first='Condis' last='Cherry']</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/position-ranking-table {"name":"acf/position-ranking-table","data":{"class":"2027","_class":"field_65cfb7374abb9","position":"77246","_position":"field_65cfbfcb19ad6","national_rankings":"0","_national_rankings":"field_660c1d73c0e49","state":"","_state":"field_65cfb88a603fe"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6980a1281f9bf"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Champions</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Champions are rare. This bunch of hoopers does include a number of champions. Take a look. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2133810' first='Ty' last='Cobb'] - Upperman<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2283268' first='Greg' last='Spight'] - Briarcrest Christian<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2236492' first='Kobi' last='Jackson'] - Independence<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2310160' first='Huston' last='Torres'] - Webb School of Knoxville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2310160' first='Huston' last='Torres']</strong> scored nine points in the State Championship win over Briarcrest Christian off of the bench! To play for Knox Webb Head Coach Ricky Norris you better be able to hit a three-pointer and Huston did twice in four tries that day. Webb won their first title since 2019 and brought five of the seven that played back. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That same game included Briarcrest guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2283268' first='Greg' last='Spight']</strong>, as did the 2024 State Championship Game where the Saints won it all. Then a freshman, Spight scored 10 points as [player_tooltip player_id='1760996' first='Fred' last='Smith Jr']. captured the Tournament MVP. The Saints scored an unheard of 80 points that day (03/02/24). Spight is a dynamic scorer/passer alongside some tremendous finishers ([player_tooltip player_id='2194485' first='Joshua' last='Huggins'], [player_tooltip player_id='1760996' first='Fred' last='Smith Jr'].). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2333265' first='Condis' last='Cherry'] </strong>helped Alcoa win to the 2A State Tournament Runner-Up in 2025, his first year with the program. Condis transferred in from Austin-East to play football and helped the basketball team too. Cherry scored 20 points on 18 shots, but Loretto just had the more seasoned team. Alcoa won the 2A title in 2023 and 2024, so 2026 might be the first time Condis and Alcoa can win it together although it will have to be at the 3A level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2236492' first='Kobi' last='Jackson'] </strong>was Jett Montgomery's apprentice in 2024 when Independence (4A) won the school's first ever basketball State Championship. Former PrepHoopsTN Combine Young Player MVP Kobi took his opportunity and ran with it after Jett graduated. He will easily make All-District this spring and should challenge for District MVP, possibly Mr. Basketball next spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The most successful 2027-point guard thus far? Upperman's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2133810' first='Ty' last='Cobb']</strong>. By a landslide. Cobb already 1) Won Mr. Basketball 2) Won State Championship 3) Won State Tournament MVP. Then he finished his sophomore year!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Again [player_tooltip player_id='2133810' first='Ty' last='Cobb'] will challenge for District MVP, District Tournament MVP, Regional Tournament MVP, Mr. Basketball, State Champion, and State Tournament MVP. He verbally committed to Liberty University in the fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hidden Gems</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2773775' first='Amaure' last='Manier']</strong> (Lebanon) recorded three double-doubles by mid-December and only committed three turnovers to that point. He is gonna finish the year with about 15 ppg and 6+ apg. Lebanon found a groove in the last couple of weeks. Manier also grew three inches in the last 12 months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2881545' first='Tayshun' last='Walker'] </strong>is a volume scorer with great creativity. Because he plays high school for Westview, a small school, he will need a breakout AAU season to make an imprint. The skill is there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HHCA starts <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2165362' first='Valliance' last='Luketa'],</strong> a Montreal-born guard. Luketa is strong in the lower body and works to spread the love. With the right AAU fit he will attract college attention within the next 4-5 months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->