BCAT Summer Hoopfest: Expectations

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ensworth, Pope Prep, Bartlett, and Whitehaven were four of many programs to compete at the BCAT Summer Hoopfest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All four programs have aspirations of competing for state titles in their respected classes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I had an opportunity to talk to [player_tooltip player_id='1660040' first='Louis' last='O'Keefe'] (Tigers), [player_tooltip player_id='1560719' first='Trey' last='Pearson'] (Knights), and [player_tooltip player_id='1330881' first='KJ' last='Neville'] (Panthers) about what roles they will need to play in order for the respected programs to have postseason success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Last ride</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior <strong>KJ</strong> <strong>Neville</strong> is stepping into his third season as Bartlett's starting point guard. He's played in two semifinal matchups of the TSSAA Division 1 Class 4A State Tournament (2021-22 and 2023-24). In the last two seasons at the helm, the Panthers went 56-17. Heading into the 2024 season, expectations remain the same: let's get to Murfreesboro, Tennessee and compete for a Class 4A title, in hopes of bringing it back to West Tennessee.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neville, the vocal leader in the program, will have to lead a team that has a mixture of upperclassmen and underclassmen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>”I'm trying to lead them the right way by my body language, my energy, and my attitude,” Neville said. “That's my way of showing them.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Let's recreate magic</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pope John Paul II made its first-ever final four of the TSSAA Division II-AA Boys' State Tournament a season ago, and <strong>Trey</strong> <strong>Pearson</strong> was one of the main reasons why the magical run happened. The 6-foot-1 point guard led the Knights in assists (4.5) and steals (3.0). With Pope John Paul II losing the likes of Fred Bailey, Antonio Wilkerson, Donovan James, and Will Spence to graduation, Pearson - along with <strong>Osby</strong> <strong>Cavin</strong>, <strong>Kamden</strong> <strong>Days</strong>, and <strong>Jarron</strong> <strong>Talley</strong> - will have to play well consistently for the Knights to create another magical run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But, everything starts and ends with Pearson's leadership and production.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>”We are just trying to win the gold ball. That's the main goal,” Pearson said. “I want to get all of my teammates good looks. We want to make it further than we did last year and win the gold ball.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Could be fun</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ensworth has size at every position. The Tigers recently added junior guards <strong>Louis</strong> <strong>O'Keefe</strong>, <strong>Jonathan</strong> <strong>Sanderson</strong> and <strong>Chase</strong> <strong>Byington</strong>, junior big man <strong>Gan</strong> <strong>Erdene</strong> <strong>Solongo</strong> to play alongside with sophomore forward <strong>Malachi</strong> <strong>Jordan</strong>. O'Keefe, Sanderson, and Byington are three guards that can score in transition and in the half-court. Jordan is a 6-5 wing that can play multiple positions and guard on the perimeter. Ensworth, a team that can play uptempo and be effective in half-court sets, has retooled pretty fast and is an early contender in Division II-AA. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“This is our first time playing together, and we are coming in moving the ball,” O'Keefe said. “We are really meshing as a team already in the first couple of games, so, yeah, once we get to know each other more and keep playing with each other, I don't see anyone beating us.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pure excitement</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whitehaven had success under first-year head coach Willie Kemp last season, winning the TSSAA Class 4A District 16 regular season and tournament titles. The Tigers made it to the semifinals round of the TSSAA Class 4A Region 8 Tournament. In year two, many viewers see Whitehaven as a legit contender in 4A. The Tigers bring back senior forward <strong>Bob</strong> <strong>Dickson</strong>, senior wing <strong>Cameron</strong> <strong>Brown</strong>, senior point guard <strong>Kenton</strong> <strong>Smith</strong> <strong>Jr</strong>., junior forward <strong>Dorion</strong> <strong>Bowen</strong>, and junior guard <strong>Marrius</strong> <strong>Harris</strong>. Whitehaven added senior guard <strong>Taquez</strong> <strong>Butler</strong> and senior <strong>Jarmon</strong> <strong>Brittman</strong>, two guys from a Douglass program that finished as TSSAA Division 1 Class 2A state runner-up the past two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers will have all of the tools to get to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It will just come down to everyone buying into the one goal of competing for a Class 4A title. Hoisting the trophy isn't far-fetched for this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->