Ques Glover and the Bearden Bulldogs eliminated the Maryville Rebels 55-43 in a TSSAA Region 2-AAA boys tournament semifinal in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. (Photo by Danny Parker)
The final week of the high school basketball season has arrived, and five area teams have hopes for a TSSAA state championship.
Here’s a look at what Bearden, Sevier County, Fulton, Austin-East and Cosby face in the first round and what could come their way in the semifinals…
CLASS AAA
Sevier County (25-6) vs. Whitehaven (24-7)
Time: 4:30 Central, Wednesday
Place: Murphy Center, MTSU
Sevier County is the Cinderella in the Class AAA field. No big-time prospects or superstars. The Smoky Bears are back at state for the first time since 1991, have never won a state tournament game (per TSSAA records) and they drew a difficult match-up. Whitehaven boasts two sought-after prospects in 7-foot-4, 275-pound center Jordan Wilmore and 6-2 junior shooting guard Matthew Murrell. Wilmore, a junior, averages nine points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game and holds offers from Tennessee and Ole Miss. Sevier County’s tallest players are 6-4. Murrell is crazy athletic and can play above the rim with ease. He has offers from Memphis, Tennessee, Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Arkansas among others.
What’s Next: The winner will face the Bearden/Franklin Winner at 1:15 p.m. Friday.
Bearden (29-5) vs. Franklin (28-6)
Time: 6 Central, Wednesday
Place: Murphy Center, MTSU
Franklin might be every bit the Cinderella that Sevier County is in Class AAA. Franklin is back in the state tournament field for the first time since 1989, when they won a state title. Reese Glover, a junior, paces Franklin. He scored 30 in the region semifinals, scored 29 in the region championship and then 36 in the sectionals — where he hit nine 3s. But this Bearden team goes five strong in the starting lineup and has the reserves to help make a deep run. Ques Glover, the Mr. Basketball finalist, and backcourt mate Trent Stephney will be a tough matchup for anyone, and the Bulldogs also have Vols signee Drew Pember back to 100 percent performance level after an early season injury. Moreover, Shamarcus Brown has been a monster of late in the post.
What’s Next: The winner will face the Sevier County/Whitehaven winner at 1:15 p.m. Friday
The Fulton Falcons took down Ronney Pierson (5) the Austin-East Roadrunners 59-56 in the TSSAA Region 2-AA boys tournament final in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (Photo by Danny Parker)
CLASS AA
Fulton (26-4) vs. Mitchell (22-10)
Time: 11:30 a.m., Wednesday
Place: Murphy Center, MTSU
Fulton dropped three games in a row in late December and early January. Since then, the Falcons have strung together 16 wins in a row and carry plenty of momentum into Murfreesboro, where they finished state runner-up last season. Fulton’s looking for state title No. 4. The Fulton staff knows Mitchell well. Fulton beat the Tigers for the 2008 state championship. This Mitchell squad’s record is a bit misleading. Four of those 10 losses are to Class AA favorite Wooddale (30-4) and two are to out-of-state teams. Point guard Michael Rice leads the Tigers. He averages roughly 16 points per game.
What’s Next: The winner will face the Howard (25-8)/East Nashville (26-6) winner at 10 a.m. Friday.
Austin-East (24-5) vs. Wooddale (31-4)
Time: 1:15 p.m., Wednesday
Place: Murphy Center, MTSU
The Roadrunners are back in the state tournament for the first time since 2008. They play with an unrelenting style of pressure and speed. But they got the worst draw possible in the Class AA bracket in Wooddale. The Cardinals feature 6-8, 200-pound senior Chandler Lawson, who has committed to Oregon, and his 6-8 sophomore brother Jonathan Lawson.
What’s Next: The winner will face the Brainerd (22-10)/Pearl-Cohn (20-10) winner at 11:30 a.m. Friday.
CLASS A
Cosby (24-8) vs. Eagleville (28-3)
Time: 1:15 p.m., Thursday
Place: Murphy Center, MTSU
Eagleville has lost just once since Dec. 11 and carries a 13-game win streak into the state tournament. But they, like Cosby, haven’t made a state-tournament appearance in more than a decade. So they shouldn’t have much of an advantage other than having a big hometown crowd. Cosby must stop 6-2 junior Ryley McClaran, the head coach’s son who averages 24.3 points per game, and 6-5 senior Demari Stoudemire (17 ppg).
What’s Next: The winner will face the Columbia Academy (28-5)/Manassas (30-3) winner at 4:30 p.m. Friday.