2018-19 roster preview: Christian Brothers Purple Wave
Christian Brothers has traditionally had teams in the past that were balanced at every position.
That’s not the case for this year’s team. Head coach Bubba Luckett will have to rely on his backcourt to win games. The Purple Wave’s backcourt is talented, but young. Christian Brothers will be led by true freshman guard Chandler Jackson and sophomore guard Reese McMullen.
Both Jackson and McMullen are 6-foot-3, with strong offensive prowess. Jackson had a strong outing at the Jerry Peters Memphis Summer Classic back in June. The 2022 guard had 18 points against Kirby, 16 against Centennial, and 15 against Covington. Jackson can score from all areas of the court.
McMullen is very similar to Jackson, except he’s a much better outsider shooter than his teammate. Luckett has two guards that are currently the talk of their respective classes, and can turn into a special backcourt in the next year or so.
On Prep Hoops, McMullen is currently ranked 13th in the 2021 class, which is filled with point and shooting guards.
Sophomores Harrison Kelly and Eli Federman, and junior Spencer Stalmaker are three other guards that will be implemented into the Purple Wave’s rotation. Kelly and Federman are both 5-9, while Stalmaker stands at 5-11. Both Kelly and Federman showed promise that they can play pivotal roles for Christian Brothers this upcoming season.
Kelly scored 17 against the Chargers and provided 12 against Brighton in June. Federman added 10 points apiece against both the Cougars and Cardinals. His best performance came against Covington, adding 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Sam Spence, a 6-2 guard, is a solid scorer. He can score from the outside. Spence can either score the basketball off the dribble or spot-up from the wing.
Senior forward Clint Channell, 6-6, will play in the post for the Purple Wave this upcoming season, but Luckett could go small in the paint if Channell goes down with an injury. Christian Brothers could run its offense similar to what Villanova has done under head coach Jay Wright.
This upcoming season the Purple Wave will face the likes of Briarcest Christian School and St. Benedict at Auburndale, two other schools with young prospects in the backcourt. The Saints have 2021 point guard Kennedy Chandler and the Eagles have 2022 point guard Christopher Brunt, who’s an uprising prospect with the potential to be at the top of his class by his junior season.