|
WHITE
STATION
2013-2014
White Station at Battle on the Border in Little Rock, Ark.
2013
One of the most successful high school programs in the
last seventeen years, not only in Memphis but statewide
with five
TSSAA
state championships and four
TSSAA
state runner ups respectively since 1996. That is an
awesome 53% ratio of just not being in the
TSSAA
state tournament but in the championship game within a
span of seventeen years, 'yes the championship game'!
Coach Jesus Patino
(former Venezuelan basketball Olympian) in his ninth
year at the helm garner one of the strongest senior
classes in the state with 2 players ranked in the Top 50
of
ESPN 100,
definitely a major feat alone. Thirty two players that
have played and graduated from
White Station
under Patino's
tenure, twenty two have gone on to play Division 1
basketball, great numbers to know when picking schools.
Last year the Spartans had a limited bench but that is
not the case this year at all with the development of
key players already in house plus the top freshman in
the state. At the same time a major transfer from
Craigmont (Ladarius
Coleman) will bolster a very solid bench
in the crowded Division AAA vying for a sixth gold ball.
At the same time, the best overall player in the state
is senior
Leron Black
(6'7 - 210 lbs.,
espn #36
Illinois commit)
who will lead the Spartans
alongside with Florida
commit
Chris Chiozza
(6'0 - 165 lbs.,
espn #39).
Black's
overall game with his physical down low play and very
much improved jump shot especially from mid range area
will make him a very difficult opponent to guard. He
rebounds extremely hard and runs the floor exceptionally
well. With his solid frame and moves in the middle come
with strong fashion and finesse in accordance.
Last year this time
MemphisHoopers.com staff stated the best overall point
guard in the state with national recognition growing
everyday was then junior
Chris Chiozza
(6'0 - 175 lbs.,
rivals #
University of Florida
commit) had a
stellar 2013 summer circuit with
Team Thad
with offers from Richmond, UMass, & VCU to name a few
until Billy Donovan came to Biloxi off assistant coach
John Pelphrey's recommendation: the rest is history.
Hear are the excerpts: Hoopers staff has not seen a kid
like this with his "hands
of magic", in a long
time.
Chiozza has a great
ability to know everybody's location at the present time
and seemingly future spots with laser passes in stride,
double teams, fast breaks, and all the other tangibles
of running a horse race team.
Chiozza and
Smith are one of the
best one and two duos in the state and nationally as
well thereof. His father (Chris
Chiozza)
attributes his exceptional passing ability and
basketball to years of baseball where little
Chiozza
was an extremely great baseball player but let baseball
go after his freshman year at
Bartlett High School.
I graduated with big
Chiozza
at
Trezevant High School
in 1986 and he made a name for himself at
Trezevant
under then head coach who went on to start the
White Station
tradition, legendary
Terry Tippet.
Little Memphis high school basketball trivia at hand,
lolll!!
Senior Davell Roby
(6'5 - 200 lbs.,
espn #
St. Louis University
commit) solid
overall game is the best on the team with
Roby strong frame, excellent ball handling
skills, and great outside shooting from all over the
court who also had a great summer circuit with Team
Penny
Dynamic, offensive scorer junior
Nick Smith
(5'10 - 175 lbs.,
espn #)
who can play the 1 and 2 extensively on both sides of
the ball in the most utmost crucial junctures of any
game. Smith
can score a bunch in spurts in full court and half court
sets accordingly. Senior
Curtis Phillips
(6'6
- 195 lbs.,
rivals #)
had an very impressive summer circuit season and his
stock has risen due to hard work and commitment.
Phillips
is the best offensive rebounder on the team with
good ball handling to go along with solid shooting from
long range and especially from mid range.
Senior
Ladarius Coleman
(6'5 - 200 lbs.,
rivals #)
who was one the major transfers this high school off
season from Craigmont will definitely work into the
starting lineup with his aggressive and strong play
around the rim and runs the court exceptionally well.
Highlight reels on the way all season long with
Chiozza
at the helm.
White Station
will participate in several high profile tournaments and
classics all high school basketball season long from all
around the country. This is exactly what happens when
you have high profile players on your ball club. The
host two Hall of Fame games
with the first one against
MUS on November 14, 2013 and the other
against Houston
on November 19, 2013. December 3, 2013 they play a
Division AAA rival in
Ridgeway High school. They travel up to
Kentucky for the much anticipated and nationally
recognized Marshall County
Hoop Fest December 7, 2013 for a matchup
against SMU bound
Emmanuel Mudiay.
Last time the Spartans
went to this tournament was when
Joe Jackson was a freshman and
they return this year to the prestigious
Iolani Christmas
Tournament in Hawaii from December
16-22, 2013. Another cross town Division AAA matchup
with transferred out and depleted
Melrose
High School on January 13, 2014. The
Wildcats
have a complete roster turnover since coaching change in
effect and not one of past years that sent many players
to Division 1.
The traveling and marquee
schedule is still not over with another trip to
Springfield, Missouri for the
Bass Pro
Tournament
whom the Spartans
have won numerous times in the past. They finish off the
rugged schedule with a
Penny Hardaway Classic appearance
January 25, 2014 and the event will be held at
Dyer County
for the second year in a row.
Senior
Derrick Dandridge
(6'6 - 210 lbs.,
rivals #
Delta State commit)
will play a lot of minutes and help out in the middle
with his long reach and good defense altering and
blocking shots.
Dandridge shots
the ball well from mid range and patience on offense is
a virtue.
Sophomore
Dillon Mitchell
(6'1
- 170 lbs.,
rivals #)
will be one of the first players off the bench and don't
be surprise if you see this young man start in a couple
of games during the season with his do it all
capabilities. Freshman
Blake Williams
(6'1 - 170 lbs.,
rivals #)
crafty ball handling, solid slashes to the goal, and a top 10 recruit
from middle school will solidify an very reliable bench
that will be tested early in the high school season.
College Coaches:
Diamond in the
Rough Team with legitimate off the radar
prospects via Division 1 potential,
(college coaches click
here).
White Station Hoops
Recap 9-20-2013
By: Harold Rivera
Players:
|
Leron Black |
6'7 |
Illinois |
|
Chris Chiozza |
6'0 |
Florida |
|
Davell Roby |
6'5 |
St. Louis
|
|
Derrick Dandridge |
6'5 |
Delta State |
|
Curtis Phillips |
6'4 |
Senior |
|
Ladarius Coleman |
6'5 |
Senior |
|
Nick Smith |
5'11 |
Junior
|
|
Dillon Mitchell |
6'0 |
Sophomore |
|
Blake Mitchell |
6'1 |
Freshman |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
Recap 8-25-2005
BY : ANDRE WHITEHEAD
OF TENNESSEE PREP HOOPS
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.
TTaking 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.br>
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.
BY : ANDRE WHITEHEAD
OF TENNESSEE PREP HOOPS
|
|
