Recruiting Machinations

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='1560097' first='Kayin' last='Mitchell']</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>March is for state champions, but recruiting never stops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oak Ridge star combo forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2817446' first='Charlie' last='Taubenheim'] </strong>committed to Maryville College March 7th.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two-time State Champion <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1947455' first='Peyton' last='Applegate']</strong> (Providence Christian Acadmey) heads to University of South Carolina-Aiken later this week for an official visit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1919180' first='Dorien' last='Lyles']</strong> (Blackman) is going on a visit to Southern Union State Community College late, late March.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1946924' first='Chris' last='Johnson']</strong> (Nolensville) earned an offer from Central Baptist College last week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2340858' first='Grayson' last='Scragg']</strong> (Donelson Christian) committed to the Cumberland Phoenix Wednesday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the better shooters in the state, 2025 State Champion <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2296673' first='Wilson' last='Luton']</strong> (Knox Webb) will not play basketball in college. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560097' first='Kayin' last='Mitchell']</strong> (Whitehaven / [program_tooltip program_id='2915399' first='Team' last='Mookie'] 17u) landed an Itawamba offer mid-February. Both Pellissippi State and Dyersburg offered him days prior. Mitchell also earned Arkansas State University - Mid-South and Weatherford College offers early in February. Cleveland State Community College offered mid-January. Kayin's Whitehaven Tigers returned to the State Tournament under Willie Kemp thanks to an overtime win over Kirkwood's wonderful junior class Monday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/AveryColes33/status/2030950874139312396?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/AveryColes33/status/2030950874139312396?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2749439' first='Aiden' last='O'Leary'] </strong>(Roane State) picked up fresh interest from Clayton State. Oakland University offered him March 9th, and Bryant University reached out to him March 10th. Two players are signed to Bryant University in the Class of 2026: SG Elijah Hayeems, PF Grady Payton.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Welch offered <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2077813' first='Eric' last='Bryson Jr.']</strong> (Whites Creek).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two-time State Champion <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1659513' first='Christopher' last='Washington Jr.'] </strong>(Providence Christian Academy) intends to visit four D1 schools within the next 45 days. He pulled down 15 rebounds against Samford University-signee [player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee'] and Battle Ground Academy. Remember Washington Jr. verbally committed to University of Alabama September 8th, 2025 and decommitted November 17th, possibly because Bama pulled the offer. That is not being reported here, only speculated at. Since then, Bama accepted a commitment from like-for-like small forward <strong>Qayden Samuels</strong> (MO). So, these SEC schools are willing and capable of moving on fast if Washington Jr. and his family do not pull the trigger. To be fair to Chris and family, they did commit initially and likely would have signed in November given the opportunity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Take a look at the schools [player_tooltip player_id='1659513' first='Christopher' last='Washington Jr.'] and his family will visit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Visits</span><br>Tennessee<br>Auburn<br>Southern Methodist University</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Keep in mind recruiting is always fluid and both these programs and Washington Jr. could make decisions in the interim that effect these options. For example, Michigan offered him at one point, and they did not end up signing him. They did sign another player from Tennessee, Knoxville Catholic wing forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2634289' first='Malachi' last='Brown']</strong>. A Vanderbilt visit might happen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior power forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3549889' first='Joshua' last='Jitoboh']</strong> (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy) earned an offer from South Carolina Central Christian College. His older brother, <strong>Jason Jitoboh</strong>, signed with Florida Head Coach Mike White out of high school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3549888,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/JoshJitoboh.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/JoshJitoboh.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-3549888" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='3549889' first='Joshua' last='Jitoboh'] earns SC Central Christian College offer</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading {"textAlign":"center"} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Best Available Forwards</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1659513' first='Christopher' last='Washington Jr.'] - Providence Christian Academy<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1760996' first='Fred' last='Smith Jr']. - Briarcrest Christian<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2886050' first='Aliyu' last='Idris'] - Whitehaven<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1762918' first='Bosah' last='Louis Onwuta'] - Whitehaven<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2043374' first='Kaleb' last='Davis'] - Houston<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2765371' first='Caleb' last='Hardaway'] - Boyd-Buchanan<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1947455' first='Peyton' last='Applegate'] - PCA<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2520878' first='Ryder' last='Malm'] - Tennessee Collegiate Academy<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1946924' first='Chris' last='Johnson'] - Nolensville<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2886051' first='Isaiah' last='Grant'] - Whitehaven<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2042762' first='Tae'Shawn' last='Shelton'] - Shelbyville Central<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2116626' first='Ethan' last='Gatewood'] - Bartlett<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2570444' first='Ezra' last='Sixto'] - Baylor School<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2205018' first='Gavin' last='Fitzpatrick'] - Whitehaven<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1947104' first='Jayln' last='McDonald'] - Blackman<br>Joel Bulis - Chattanooga Prep<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2418779' first='Ali' last='Ege Tore'] - Ezell-Harding Christian<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2363276' first='Foster' last='Coleman'] - CAK<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2136908' first='Daniel' last='Towles'] - FACS<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2880796' first='Chance' last='Whitlock'] - Warren County<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->