The second month is in the books for the state of Tennessee. Information has been hard to find as some publications/newspapers don't seem to care about high school basketball as much as they do football. Anyway, here are some interesting happenings around the state during the holiday months.

 

Headlines

Reed Ownby (Sevier County) made some school history by dropping 42 points against Karns. This effort broke the previous school scoring record for the Smoky Bears and moved Ownby into the top spot in his junior season. Great job Reed

 

Scoring Exploits

Adjatay Dabbs (Greeneville) made some local news at the prestigious Arby's Classic dropping 31 points including a game-winner in a victory over Trinity (KY) for the two-time defending state champions.

Ty Pryor (Rockwood) is a small school cat that you need to become acquainted with right now. The rising junior guard was at his best during the holiday months scoring a 28-point bomb against Coalfield and adding another cool 28 against Wartburg Central.

Kyle Cloninger (Morristown East) is always among my favorite players and this season will be no exception. The junior guard is having to score more now with the graduation of some seniors and he is stepping up nicely with a 38-point effort against Daniel Boone and a 30 spot against Bearden.

Kaden Brightharp (Oak Ridge) has begun this season with an arrow pointing upward. The junior guard had himself a very nice December with a pair of 28-point efforts against the likes of Oakland and Cleveland and has his Wildcats with only one blemish on the young season.

Jackson Simmons (Unicoi County) is just an incoming freshman but he is making noise on the immediate. The frosh scoring champ dropped a sic 35 against Morristown West during the month.

Here are more huge scoring efforts from the early stages of the season thus far:

Drew Branson (Grainger) 39pts vs. Union County

Kaden Herman (East Hamilton) 33pts vs. Red Bank

Gabe Massingale (McMinn Central) 33pts vs. Bradford

Jason Britton (North Greene) 32pts vs. Grainger

Leyton Frye (West Greene) 32pts vs. Sullivan East

Ethan Turner (West Greene) 31pts vs. Sullivan East

J.J. Faulkner (Karns) 30pts vs. Science Hill

Lukas Walls (Knoxville Webb) 29pts vs. St. Francis Prep

Cade Capps (Stone Memorial) 28pts vs. Apostolic Christian

Jake Poole (Bearden) 28pts vs. Morristown East  

Dre Jackson (Chattanooga Christian) 27pts vs. Hamilton Heights

Aiden Van Acker (Farragut) 27pts vs. Hampton

Zane Restelli (Baylor) 26pts vs. Ensworth

Zane Lawhon (Loudon) 25pts vs. Greenback

Grady Robertson (William Blount) 25pts vs. Franklin

 

Milestones

Jamar Livingston (Daniel Boone) makes big news by surpassing the 2,000-point barrier for his career. The rising senior sniper was outstanding during the holiday months including a 38-point effort against Sullivan East and a cool 27 against Union County.

Dalton McNew (Carter) is off to a nice start in his senior campaign. He dropped 27 in a win over Seymour and forever stamped his name in Hornet heroism surpassing the 1,000-point mark on his career.

Ty Glasper (Gatlinburg-Pittman) was scoring points like they were going out of style over the break including 28 against Mercer County (KY) and a pair of 27-point efforts against Seymour and Owsley County (KY). Those scoring antics pushed the rising sophomore past the 1,000-point mark for his emerging career.

 

Players to Watch

Shane Cherry (Austin East) is without a doubt one of the most talented players not only in this area but in the entire state. The emerging sophomore guard is a scoring machine as evidenced by his 53-point effort against Morristown West. As his game matures he could be one to make some serious noise nationally.

Deondra Lindsey (Knoxville Catholic) has a college-ready body and is starting to become the consistent threat that we have been waiting for since he stepped on campus. The sophomore forward was outstanding at the Cumberland Falls Christmas Event averaging 25.6 points per game with high games of 31 against Whitley County (KY) and 26 against Louisville Doss.

 

A Name to Know

Caden Windle (William Blount) has turned some heads on this side of the state with his scoring prowess as he leads his Governors to one of the best records in the state thus far. Windle was magical during the month of December with games of 37 against Lakeshore (LA), 30 against Lenoir City and 28 against McMinn County.

 

Teams to Watch

Maryville

After a slow start, the Rebels are rounding into form. Their holiday event was a success as the boys from Blount County defeated previously unbeaten Oak Ridge and state tourney participant Stone Memorial. Led by senior guard Nick Johnson (Maryville), emerging big man Alex Akard (Maryville), newcomer Matthew Clemer (Maryville), and a host of talented freshmen led by Jonathan Woodlee (Maryville) the future looks bright for this bunch.