The 2021-22 High School basketball season in Tennessee is off and running. Every month I will provide a synopsis of the state of the game in the Volunteer state starting with a November to Remember. This segment will highlight the top teams, scoring efforts and upcoming games and events in our state. Let's tip it off.

NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER

EAST TENNESSEE

Strong Start:

On this side of the state a few teams came come out of the gate blazing hot. Morristown East is sporting a 7-0 mark and readying for a big showdown this Tuesday against highly ranked Bearden in Knoxville. Knoxville Catholic fresh off a big early season showdown with Bearden also stands unblemished at 5-0. Blue Cain and B.J. Edwards scored 25 and 23 respectively as Catholic defeated Bearden 64-55 to set the tone for the closing bell of 2021.

Scoring Efforts:

Tai Cates (Alcoa)

The junior guard/forward broke a 40-year-old scoring record for the Tornadoes as the junior dropped 57 points against McMinn County and also surpassed the 1,000 point scoring threshold along the way.

Jackson Garner (Clinton)

Senior sharpshooter drops 35 points against Karns. Garner had a huge week committing to play his college basketball at D3 power Maryville College.

Trey Morrow (Scott)

The rising senior guard is on the verge of etching his name into school folklore as he enters a previously unheard of the domain. Morrow currently stands at 3rd on the schools all-time scoring list with an outside shot of taking the top spot at seasons end.

Several huge scoring efforts highlighted the landscape in East Tennessee including

Luke Carter (CAK) 41pts vs. Powell
Trey Morrow (Scott) 41pts vs. Knoxville Ambassadors
Dillon Atwell (Farragut) 39pts vs. Fulton
Micah Simpson (Morristown East) 32pts vs. Daniel Boone
Keynan Cutlip (Science Hill) 30pts vs. Unicoi County
Jamar Livingston (Science Hill) 30pts vs. Stone Memorial
Dalton McNew (Carter) 30pts vs. West Greene

Holiday Events:

BSN Christmas Classic @Cleveland HS
Roundball in the Hall @ Science Hill HS
Alpha Invitational @Dobyns Bennett HS
Renasant Bank Christmas Classic @Maryville HS
Arby's Classic @Tennessee High
Best of Preps @Chattanooga State CC
Loudon County Christmas Classic @Loudon HS
Anderson County Holiday Classic @Anderson County HS

Don't Sleep On: Concord Christian (Knoxville)

The Lions, who compete in the DII/Class A division, currently stand at 7-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of powerhouse Bearden. One of the bigger squads in this classification with a handful of guys towering over 6'6 including senior power forward Chase Morgan. Big games with Lakeway Christian and CAK coming up in the next few weeks.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Strong Start:

The Buccaneers of Beech High School are off to a blistering start with their gaudy 7-0 mark. ETSU commit Kristian Shaw and big man Eli Rice have them playing solid basketball heading into the holiday events. CPA moves to 6-0 with a big win this weekend and the Lions are playing well under first-year coach Kevin Maggard.

Scoring Efforts:

Damon Fann (LaVergne) - pictured

Rising senior guard is out the blocks on fire scoring 31 against Siegel and upping that effort with a 37 spot against PJPII.

Jaylen Washington (Kenwood)

Senior guard put the Clarksville community on notice with a large 49 point effort against West Creek

Several huge scoring efforts highlighted the landscape in Middle Tennessee including

Grant Strong (Clay County) 39pts vs. Macon County
Cameron Hunt (Ezell-Harding) 37pts vs. Valor Prep
Ashton McCarver (Smyrna) 33pts vs. Shelbyville
Taylor Groves (East Robertson) 31pts vs. Portland
D.J. Potts-Heard (Cookeville) 31pts vs. Coffee County
Gus Davenport (Cannon County) 30pts vs. Franklin Classical

Holiday Events:

DII Challenge @Goodpasture HS
Beech Holiday Classic @Beech HS
Adidas Shootout @Riverdale HS
Willie Brown Memorial Tournament @Father Ryan HS
Clay County Christmas Classic @Clay County HS
NXT LVL Hoopfest @CPA
Sallis Family Holiday Classic @Lebanon HS
T-Town Christmas Classic @Tullahoma HS

Don't Sleep On: Brentwood HS

New mentor Troy Bond has the Bruins playing at a high clip thus far in the young season. Brentwood stands at 5-0 on the young season as the football players get acclimated to the new scheme this squad will turn some heads with quality effort and determination.

WEST TENNESSEE

Strong Start:

CBHS and Briarcrest remain on a collision course as the young season has tipped off. The Purple Wave are off to a hot start at 6-0 behind Florida State signee Chandler Jackson while the Saints of Briarcrest come in at 4-0 including a win over highly thought of Memphis Overton led by their dynamic sophomore backcourt of Cooper Haynes and Jaye Nash.

Scoring Efforts:

Jason Hunt (Peabody)

How about this start to a high school season. A 39 point gem against Martin Westview followed by a 47 point effort against Bradford, concluded by a 48 point outburst against Union City. Keep an eye out for this young man.

Cooper Haynes (Briarcrest)

The aforementioned rising sophomore marksman has been "en fuego" thus far dropping 33 markers against Raleigh Egypt and a cool 34 against Memphis Overton.

JaSteven Walker (Fayette-Ware)

The rising senior wing scored 31 points against Haywood and has announced his commitment to former Memphis assistant Tony Madlock at South Carolina State.

Several huge scoring efforts highlighted the landscape in West Tennessee including

Bakari Johnson (Freedom Prep) 45pts vs. Westwood
K.J. Tenner (Cordova) 45pts vs. White Station
Malachi Brooks (Union City) 42pts vs. Peabody
Chip Brunt (Whitehaven) 35pts vs. Nashville Overton
Drew Kyzar (MHEA) 34pts vs. Raleigh-Egypt
Christian Gilliland (Northpoint) 33pts vs. Fayette Academy
Chandler Jackson (CBHS) 32 vs. Olive Branch (MS.)

Holiday Events:

The Battle in the Bluff comes to Bartlett HS on December 9th through the 11th and features some of the finest teams not only in the state but from all over the land.

Representing Tennessee are:

Tennessee Prep Academy
Hamilton Heights
Memphis East
ECS
Memphis Hamilton
Knoxville Catholic
Bartlett
CBHS
FACS
Briarcrest
White Station
MUS

Don't Sleep On: Memphis Overton

Despite their early season loss to Briarcrest this squad might possess some of the finest athletes in the entire city in senior jumping jacks Isaiah Regular and Jherrone Jones. Junior guard Jordan Frison is coming into his own and junior wing Jailen Hardaway is another to keep a big eye on for the future.