The
2012-2013 high school basketball season will have some
teams that have not been in the rankings for 5 - 6 years
accordingly. At the same time the rankings will miss some
teams that are regulars such as
Craigmont
and
Memphis Central.
The first one is
Hamilton
coming in at number 6 respectively and there has only
been two teams in state history to go undefeated and Hamilton
did that feat in 2006 at a 39-0 mark. The same coach
(Coach
Keelon Lawson) that accomplished the sensational
act in 2006 is back and with some great reinforcements
in his awesome children with three on the
Hamilton
roster starting withK.J. Lawson
(6'7 - 190 lbs.,
rivals #14).,
Deadrick Lawson
(6'7 - 190 lbs.,
rivals #), and Conner Anderson, a transfer from
Germantown
supposedly.
Hoopers
staff debated extensively on who to put at the
Number 1
slot with two teams with players ranked in the Top 20
nationally. After careful consideration Hoopers staff
gave it to
Southwind
and with a lot of seniors on that ball club and their
best chance for a state title run from last couple of
years mishaps, a TSSAA state championship tournament
appearance will definitely be a major disappointment and
a state title a major gaffe. Leading
Southwind
will be lefty
Jonathan Williams
(6'9 - 210 lbs.,
rivals #27)
in the middle and
Jujuan Johnson
(6'4 - 180 lbs.,
rivals #82)
with his sharpshooting abilities. A young man that will
surprise mucho personas will be
Payton Hulsey
(6'4 - 190 lbs.,
rivals #)
and will be a strong combo/no.2 guard in the state. At
Number 2
comes in
White Station
and with a relatively young team at hand,
Coach Patino one of the better coaches in the state
knows how to handle the situation with no problem. The
addition of
Chris Chiozza
(6'0 - 160 lbs.,
rivals #15)
from
Bartlett
solidifies a very strong team with all the correct parts
at all positions and could easily win state themselves.
They already have a Top Ten player in the country in the
Hoopers staff eyes in
Leron Black
(6'8 - 215 lbs.,
rivals #18)
who is one the most nicest young man you
could ever meet but when he gets on that court he is a
beast in basketball terms hands down!!! At
Number 3
we have
Briarcrest
who garners the best
player in the state and region in
Austin Nichols
(6'8 - 215 lbs.,
rivals #43),
this kid can do it all and will dunk on you with his
aggressiveness at any time, just love this young
man.
Number 4
we have
Memphis East
the reigning Division AAA TSSAA
State Champions who return
Nic King
(6'8 - 200 lbs.,
rivals #23)
and sharpshooter
Matthew Butler
(6'3 - 180 lbs.,
rivals #).
If
Jalen Thompson
(6'0 - 210 lbs.,
rivals #)
can handle the guard spot in facilitating the team they
will go along way in postseason action. Number 5
slot has probably the team you will have to watch all
season long that will make some serious noise in
Sheffield. The
Knights boast a very solid core from last years group
that made sub state and have one of the sharpest
basketball minds in the city in Coach Delamar. He will have
these young men very disciplined like no other! At the
same time he has major sleepers in
Jaylon Smith
(6'2 - 185 lbs.,
rivals #)
and one of the better left hand shooters
in the city. You can't forget the twins who are all
around ball players.
16-AAA
which is the toughest district in the state year
in and year out will produce another state contender and
winner. Hamilton
will try to answer that call and
comes in at
Number 6 and
just might advance far in postseason action. Question is
will they have they have the guard position nailed down
accordingly.
Hoopers staff had
Ridgewayin a rebuilding mode to a sense but with the development
of
Greg Pryor
(6'2 - 185 lbs.,
rivals #)
over the summer plus another strong in
Jonathan Burroughs
(6'1 - 170 lbs.,
rivals #)
who had a legitimate summer the Road Runners come in at
Number 7.
Hoopers staff had
Melroseat the Number 1
slot during summer high school action which in the
Hoopers eyes never really means nada. Kids go here and
there for
bettering themselves for the game. You have to give
it to Coach J.J. he does it better than anyone in the
city. After major defections and serious injuries they
come in at
Number
8.
Dyer County
comes in at
Number
9
and has highest ranking player in the state in
Robert Hubbs
(6'2 - 185 lbs.,
rivals #11) but major
question is about that supporting cast and will this be
the last time the
Choctaws in rankings for years to come.
Rounding
out the Top Ten is Trezevant at
Number 10
and the last time they made the
Hoopers Top Ten was in 2006 when Arnette Moultrie was
present, see how long it can be when a school has great
success.
Division 2 had a nice run from 2003-2007 that ranks as
mediocre compared to Memphis standards. The private
school sector is definitely back on the rise after some
dismal years, with
Briarcrest,
CBHS
and
ECS will contend with state honors and maybe
Coach Tippett's end to an illustrious career after
Skal Lebiesierre
(6'10 - 185 lbs.,
rivals #6)
leaves. Both of
those ball clubs will lead the pack for ball clubs, St.
George's, MUS, and Lausanne will field decent overall
teams but this will not be their year. As for
Mississippi schools who knows who will run the Northern section of Mississippi
because they stumble when it comes to playing the southern
section of the state in postseason action every year
since Hoopers have been doing this. This part of
the story is easy because the same thing happens every
year and they seem fine with the results. Simple answer
to that question is play more stronger teams from
Memphis but then they get intimidated that players will
bolt for Memphis. Therefore when they play Lanier, Provine, Murrah and the other city teams
from down south they always
lose, CATCH 22 isn't it.
Hold up before anyone says anything, BCS, AP, ESPN all
have their rankings formulas depending on many variables
and strength of schedule is right at the top. That being
the point, can anyone blame the Hoopers staff.
If not, then everyone that reads
this article what about the Memphis Tigers. Do you think
they would of been ranked that high playing Southwest,
Northwest.
Okay done deal!!!!
Transitional
periods are always hard and conforming into policies
take time relating to basketball measures.
Definitely the surprise team of the early
season with a 13-2 clip. Jumped 6 spots to land
at Number 2 with district action starting this
week.
Last
Week 8
Losses to Number 1
nationally ranked Highland Lone Peak and Long
Beach California but a sounding win over
Hamilton stops the fall accordingly.
Last
Week 1
Two losses at City of Palms drop the Jaguars
from the Number 1 slot. All three losses are
to Top 10 teams in the country but you still
need to beat one of them.
Last
Week
1
It was the best
of times, it was the worst of times. I think there is a
book that starts off that way, but I digress.
The anticipation of the upcoming AAU or summer campaign
was alive and kicking all over the country in May of
2005, especially in Memphis.
The expectations seemed enormous, having finished second
in the 17 and under nationals last season as 16's the
Memphis YOMCA seemed primed for the ultimate run.
Something happened on the way to the gym.
It was apparent the Bluff City faithful were not the
only parties interested in getting a piece of the star
studded squad.
Adidas wanted to get a foothold in the ever burgeoning
Memphis hoop scene and this seemed to be the initial
move to start this particular ball
rolling.
So the YOMCA was no longer in the loop and the Memphis
Pump-N-Run were officially born.
Taking a peek at the roster one could not blame Adidas
for their bold move. Thaddeus Young, Willie Kemp, Wayne
Chism, Pierre Niles and Brandon Powell made up a nucleus
that would surely lead Team Memphis to the promised
land.
The summer campaign started with a most interesting
scenario as the "PNR" lost a game to the Mid-State
Ballerz, who ironically had Willie Kemp running the
show. This was an illusion that would soon change, as
Kemp
shortly thereafter joined the PNR.
With all their ducks in a row, the PNR set out to
establish themselves and put a benchmark on the national
attention that would follow.
The Real Deal on the Hill, the first major tournament of
the summer that coaches could attend. The pundits pined
for the impending matchup between Team Memphis and the
defending mythical goliath The Indy Spiece Heat. The
Heat were led by the consensus top player in the class
Greg Oden and numerous other high level prospects who
could actually match the
PNR with name recognition.
The reputation was established and the aura of the PNR
was created as the boys from Memphis soundly defeated
the Heat and made a huge cry across the land as the best
summer squad in existence.
Another funny thing happened on the way to their future
endeavors, nothing.
For some inexplicable reason the PNR did not suit up for
any of the Memorial Day festivities and was sparsely
seen until the Adidas Super 64 in Atlanta, following the
shoe camps.
The aforementioned players participated in various high
level exposure camps and the three major shoe camps and
kept their names on the tongues of coaches nationwide.
After achieving individual success at these various
camps, the boys got back together with the purpose of
putting the finishing touches on a grand and final run
through the top programs the country had to offer. They
added Ridgeway jumping jack Ernest Fields and ECS
powerhouse Tim Johnson to the fold and things looked
bright.
Once again a funny thing happened on the way to the gym.
The time off and the lack of continuity played havoc on
the chemistry of the PNR and they bowed out early in
Atlanta.
Heading to Las Vegas for the final big time event of the
summer, the PNR seemed poised and ready to achieve.
After dominating pool play the lack of chemistry once
again reared it's ugly head and some resentment among
the players seemed to end this summer campaign on a sour
note.
This team had the potential to be one of the best of all
time. It is truly unclear what precipitated these events
that grounded this team for much of the latter portion
of May and June, but it truly had it's effect on their
success.
None the less these kids are part of the best class of
seniors to dot the Tennessee landscape in many years.
The decision to completely disassociate themselves with
the
organization that they grew up playing for in retrospect
now seems like a mistake. The YOMCA will continue on
with quality younger teams and what to make of the
Adidas affiliation with the Bluff City at this juncture
is
unclear.
