Scenic City Warriors 16u, Jake Neal win first 4 of 5 UA Finals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [program_tooltip program_id='2959163' first='Scenic' last='City Warriors'] 16u</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the banks of the Tennessee River, a program founded on the ridges and in the valleys of Chattanooga ([program_tooltip program_id='2959163' first='Scenic' last='City Warriors']) won four of their first five basketball games this past weekend in Louisville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='2959163' first='Scenic' last='City Warriors'] competed in the UnderArmour Rise Finals, a lower tier than the formal Under Armour Association. The idea is that programs will prove themselves in the minor league and ascend to the UA next year. It sometimes works that way and sometimes does not. Regardless the Warriors 16u battered their way to one win Thursday, one Friday, and two Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='2959163' first='Scenic' last='City Warriors'] played and won a single game Thursday, defeating fellow-TN team FBC Reign 16u, 61-50. Reign runs out guys from Knoxville, Maryville, and a bit east of Knoxville too. [program_tooltip program_id='2959163' first='Scenic' last='City Warriors'] 16u slipped Triumph, 63-60, Friday morning and then lost to Team Sims later that afternoon, 55-63. Saturday wins came against Team Iconic (60-43) and Team 1848 (73-60).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[program_tooltip program_id='2959163' first='Scenic' last='City Warriors'] 16u (UA Rise Finals edition)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Jersey <strong>#</strong></td><th>POS.</th><th>NAME</th></tr><tr><td>0</td><td>SF</td><td>Daniel Shoemate</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>PG</td><td>Logan Smith</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>SG/SF</td><td>Camden Johnston</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>PG</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='2570431' first='Jake' last='Neal']</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>PG</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='2532154' first='Destin' last='Kellogg']</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>SG</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='2842072' first='Elijah' last='Foster-Phillips']</td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>PF/SF</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='2194603' first='Jordan' last='Hearing']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2194603"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a5d065b8ecc8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7/18/26:</strong> Hearing plays small forward or power forward for SW16. He defends in the lane a decent amount. Needs more heft. His shoulders a bigger than they were 1.5 years ago. Lefty. Inside-out wing. He thrives as a 4/5, but is too short to stick there. He is so good at spinning, faking, fading from the block. Hearing will be a tweener without some drastic skill work as a guard. Maybe he thrives as a postup guard who takes advantage of his man down there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3220041"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a5d065b8ecfe"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>7/18/26:</strong> Passed great out of the post Goes by Eli. Very good shooter. Needs his feet set to hit the jumper, but 18' is not too far. With SC he is more of a faceup "4". Oak Ridge was very young last winter. Eli thinks they will take a big leap this next season. Oak Ridge is under a new coach. They also are quite a bit more mature on the court. Veterans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2842072"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a5d065b8ed20"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>7/18/26:</strong> Shooting guard, I think. A little streaky as a shooter. Can get really, really hot. Is he high-end athlete? Is he not? Foster-Phillips caught fire in the middle of the game. Kind of played the role of late career Ray Allen in the game I watched. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2532154"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a5d065b8ed3f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>7/18/26:</strong> Quick attacker. Played PG along with [player_tooltip player_id='2570431' first='Jake' last='Neal']. Quick feet. He is more attack-minded than I remember. Maybe because he is playing with peers instead of older teammates (BA) he is more outgoing and assertive. Clawed through screens.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTN/status/2078549746205987237?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"x","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTN/status/2078549746205987237?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2570431"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a5d065b8ed60"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>7/18/26:</strong> Sees everything as a passer. Does not miss FT's. Does not miss open 3's. Controls all of the controllables. Made a smart backdoor pass while posintg middle 8' up the lane. Might top out at 6-foot-0 or 6-foot-1. He will face taller guards in college, but he is fit and strong. His passing reminds of former State Champion Jaylen Pompey (Knox Webb). Elite movement without the basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->