Tournament Preview (DII-A)

<em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee'] (Battle Ground Academy)</em> The 2026 TSSAA Division II-A playoffs kick off this week. Last season State Champions Providence Christian Academy won the entire ball of wax. Then they lost Preston Wade and Aiden Bolden.  The team is composed of some of the same players, but young guards needed to grow up fast. Battle Ground Academy drew in three strong transfers, and they also restructured their roster.  Both enter the postseason with lofty aspirations. <a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/Div2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3482715 alignleft" src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/Div2.jpg?w=201" alt="" width="201" height="300" /></a> <strong>THE FAVORITE - Battle Ground Academy (24-5)</strong> Hosts Battle Ground Academy can unseat Providence Christian Academy thanks to a tall and talented roster. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee']</strong> (Samford signee) gives BGA a legitimate post problem for PCA to deal with.  <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1966262' first='Zander' last='Holt']</strong> changed and improved the BGA backcourt tremendously. He can go. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2249601' first='Lawson' last='Gillispie']</strong> took a sizable leap in the last year.  His role grew and thankfully for BGA he grew into it expertly.  The two teams played once already with BGA winning by a small margin. <strong>TOP CONTENDER - Providence Christian Academy</strong> Reigning State Champions PCA know what it takes to win it all.  That matters.  Hope and knowing are different things.  It must be mentioned that Aiden Bolden (transfer) and Preston Wade (graduated) left from that incredible 2024-2025 team.  <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1947455' first='Peyton' last='Applegate']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1943896' first='Nickalai' last='Anderson']</strong> (Lenoir-Rhyne signee) must compete together.  The team cannot rely upon their guards exclusively this time 'round if only because they are young and this is all new to them.  Veteran guards typically make veteran, winning plays in tight moments.  If PCA does not make it to the State Tournament it will be a disappointment for the well-traveled senior class. <strong>DARK HORSE - None.</strong> It is difficult to imagine one of the two favorites not winning the tournament. I could throw a name in here, but that is not representative of my beliefs.  PCA or BGA will win.  Book it. <strong>PLAYERS TO WATCH</strong> Christiopher Washington Jr. - PCA [player_tooltip player_id='1943896' first='Nickalai' last='Anderson'] - PCA [player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee'] - Battle Ground Academy [player_tooltip player_id='1947455' first='Peyton' last='Applegate'] - PCA [player_tooltip player_id='2635098' first='TJ' last='Duke'] - PCA [player_tooltip player_id='2418142' first='Cohen' last='Stammen'] - Grace Christian [player_tooltip player_id='1966262' first='Zander' last='Holt'] - Battle Ground Academy [player_tooltip player_id='1901670' first='Jake' last='Harney'] - Battle Ground Academy [player_tooltip player_id='2249601' first='Lawson' last='Gillispie'] - Battle Ground Academy [player_tooltip player_id='2767423' first='Kipras' last='Redeckas'] - Webb-Bell Buckle [player_tooltip player_id='3482758' first='Myers' last='Malone'] - Columbia Academy [player_tooltip player_id='3482753' first='Cooper' last='Estep'] - Columbia Academy <h3>Class 1A Middle Region Standings</h3> <table class="table table-striped table-sm"> <thead class="thead-inverse"> <tr valign="bottom"> <th>Rank</th> <th>Team</th> <th colspan="2">District</th> <th colspan="2">Overall</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>1</td> <td>Providence Christian</td> <td class="text-nowrap">13-1</td> <td>92.9%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">20-6</td> <td>76.9%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>BGA</td> <td class="text-nowrap">15-1</td> <td>90.0%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">24-5</td> <td>82.8%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>Columbia Academy</td> <td class="text-nowrap">7-9</td> <td>43.8%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">11-14</td> <td>44.0%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Franklin Road Academy</td> <td class="text-nowrap">9-6</td> <td>66.7%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">14-3</td> <td>82.4%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td>Middle Tennessee Christian</td> <td class="text-nowrap">6-9</td> <td>40.0%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">12-13</td> <td>48.0%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>6</td> <td>Grace Christian - Franklin</td> <td class="text-nowrap">5-4</td> <td>55.6%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">9-8</td> <td>52.9%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>7</td> <td>Webb School</td> <td class="text-nowrap">4-10</td> <td>28.6%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">5-19</td> <td>20.8%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>8</td> <td>Franklin Christian</td> <td class="text-nowrap">3-7</td> <td>30.0%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">11-9</td> <td>55.0%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>9</td> <td>Zion Christian</td> <td class="text-nowrap">0-9</td> <td>0.0%</td> <td class="text-nowrap">8-14</td> <td>36.4%</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>