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All-5Star Preps Boys Basketball Selections

COACH OF THE YEAR

BRAD WOOLSEY, Greeneville

After his team qualified for the 2020 Class AA state tournament but didn’t get to play in it because of the emergence of Covid-19, Woolsey helped them not only qualify in 2021 but also win it all. Greeneville overcame a 4-5 start to the season to finish 31-6 and to win the school’s first boys’ basketball state championship. The Greene Devils finished the season on a 17-game winning streak, capping that with a win over tournament-favorite Jackson South Side (25-2) in the Class AA state championship game, 47-46.

FIRST TEAM

PLEASE NOTE: The 5Star Preps coverage area encompasses 70 schools in East Tennessee. Selections are based on coach recommendations, our staff’s evaluations, statistics, individual performance and team performance. THIS IS NOT A RECRUITING/PROSPECT LIST.

B.J. Edwards (Catholic, junior): The Power 5 prospect and Top 100 player from the Class of 2022 won Division II-AA Mr. Basketball while leading Catholic (21-4) to the state semifinals. He averaged 19.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals.

Blue Cain (Catholic, sophomore): Now garnering Power 5 offers, Cain earned 2021 5Star Preps Boys Basketball Underclassman of the Year honors. He averaged 15.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game for Catholic (21-4).

Jakobi Gillespie (Greeneville, junior): The 5Star Preps Boys Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball finalist led Greeneville (31-6) to a Class AA state title. The state tournament MVP averaged 20.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.3 assists per game.

Micah Simpson (Morristown East, junior): Simpson is turning into a two-sport college prospect, recently receiving some football offers, too. But on the court for East (18-9), he averaged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Trey Morrow (Scott, junior): A Class AA Mr. Basketball finalist, Morrow topped 2,000 career points this season for Scott (17-10). He averaged 27 points, 10 rebounds, 2.7 steals, 2.4 assists and 2.1 blocks per game.

A.J. Pruitt (Bearden, senior): Bearden went 30-4 this season and Pruitt proved to be District 4-AAA MVP and District 4-AAA Tournament MVP, averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

Jonathan Milloway (Oak Ridge, senior): The Wildcats (28-6) reached the Class AAA state semifinals, and Milloway set the pace with 14.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Milloway is a Carnegie-Mellon signee.

SECOND TEAM

PLEASE NOTE: The 5Star Preps coverage area encompasses 70 schools in East Tennessee. Selections are based on coach recommendations, our staff’s evaluations, statistics, individual performance and team performance. THIS IS NOT A RECRUITING/PROSPECT LIST.

Will Biven (West, junior): A consistent performer who’s garnering next-level interest, Biven gave the Rebels 17.2 points, 5.1 rebounds per game while knocking down 39.4 percent from the 3-point line.

Elijah Bredwood (Bearden, junior): The Region 2-AAA Tournament MVP, Bredwood showed well in the state tournament, too. His recruiting stock is soaring, and he averaged 12.0 points per game as a junior with 3.1 rebounds and, 2.3 assists.

Reid Satterfield (Greeneville, junior): The 2020 5Star Preps Underclassman of the Year followed with a strong junior year: 17.6 points and 4.8 rebounds. He averaged three 3s per game and helped Greeneville (31-6) win a Class AA state title.

Tai Cates (Alcoa, sophomore): An uncanny volume scorer, Cates absolutely filled it up this season, scoring 23.4 point per game and shot 41 percent on 3s. He also averaged 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.8 assists per game.

Lukas Walls (Webb, sophomore): Walls is coming into his own as a college prospect. He took a big step in his career this season with 16.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He shot 61 percent from the floor.

Harper Neal (Kingston, senior): Kingston (27-6) was the darling of the season, and Neal was one of the main cogs in the run to the state semifinals. He averaged 23.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He shot 42 percent on 3s.

Trey Johnson (Cosby, senior): The Mr. Basketball finalist posted a school-record 60 points in a single game this season. He averaged 27 points, 8.5 rebounds, four assists and shot 38 percent on 3s and led Cosby to the Class A tournament.

THIRD TEAM

PLEASE NOTE: The 5Star Preps coverage area encompasses 70 schools in East Tennessee. Selections are based on coach recommendations, our staff’s evaluations, statistics, individual performance and team performance. THIS IS NOT A RECRUITING/PROSPECT LIST.

Jonathan Zhao (Sevier County, senior): Zhao earned District 2-AAA MVP honors as a senior. The Carson-Newman signee averaged 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Smoky Bears (23-9).

Braden Ilic (Morristown East, junior): The 6-foot-9 Ilic is getting Division I looks now. He averaged 17.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.3 assists for Morristown East (18-9).

Jordan McCullum (Harriman, freshman): McCullum had a big-time impact in his first high school season, helping the Blue Devils reach the Class A sectionals with 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 2.8 assists per game.

Jackson Garner (Clinton, junior): One of the top scorers arounds — as evidenced by his single-game Clinton scoring record of 55 points — Garner averaged 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals per game.

Colby Raymer (Kingston, junior): Raymer was one of the area’s breakthrough players, making a name for himself during Kingston’s run to the Class AA semifinals with 20.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

Handje Tamba (Catholic, junior): A Power 5 recruit, the 7-foot Tamba continues to evolve his game for the Irish (21-4). This season, he averaged 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

Jeremy Miller (Oak Ridge): On a deep and offensively balanced Oak Ridge squad (28-6) that reached the Class AAA state semifinals, Miller averaged 13 points 4.7 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3.0 assists per game.

Donavon Blankenship (Loudon, senior): The guard finished his prep career as District 5-AA regular-season and tournament MVP, averaging 23 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game.