First look: Tennessee Prep Academy
If the viewers at the Perfect Seven Sports Academy didn’t have an idea what Tennessee Prep Academy has brought to the basketball scene in Memphis, Tennessee, then it’s recognizable now. The Diplomat Lions went toe-to-toe with Christian Brothers High School,…
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Continue ReadingIf the viewers at the Perfect Seven Sports Academy didn’t have an idea what Tennessee Prep Academy has brought to the basketball scene in Memphis, Tennessee, then it’s recognizable now.
The Diplomat Lions went toe-to-toe with Christian Brothers High School, one of the best and well-respected high school basketball programs in Tennessee, in a competitive scrimmage at Briarcrest Christian School’s play-day.
The Purple Wave, behind solid defensive efforts, edged out TPA, 42-36, in the best matchup of the day.
The Diplomat Lions have put many on notice with their talent, competitiveness and style of play. TPA, under head coach Harold Rayford, checked off boxes of what a program is supposed to look like.
Here are three observations on the Diplomat Lions.
Initial thoughts
Coach Rayford lost nine players from last season, so a new roster comes with comfort, patience and chemistry. So, losing a close scrimmage to a Christian Brothers team with familiarity and chemistry should be looked at as a moral victory, especially since this team is still scratching the surface with the regular season around the corner.
“Championships aren’t won in the preseason,” Rayford said via text. “It showed me how good my team could be, just knowing this is a new team that played a veteran team in Christian Brothers. We graduated nine guys last year, so my new team will gel.
“My guys played hard, they executed on both sides of the ball and showed style in my offensive and defensive system.”
Promising backcourt
Senior Elijah Bailey is a shifty point guard at 5-foot-9 with a quick, first-step who can make solid passes and be disruptive on the defensive end. He finished with three points, four steals, and two assists against the Purple Wave. Right beside Bailey is senior guard Quazawn Davis, who is another ball handler TPA will have on the floor this season. At 6-4, he has the upper body strength to move defenders and the patience to wait for shot opportunities to become available. Davis can rebound the basketball. He had five boards to go with his six points and two assists.
Junior wing Phil Grant Jr. has intangibles that will not show up in the stat sheet. He only had two rebounds against Christian Brothers, but Grant hustles on every play, plays with fire, and goes after loose balls. He’s also reliable for points when they’re needed.
Solid frontcourt
Senior big man Jaden Webb and junior big man Mason Hanback have improved in their first season with TPA. Webb and Hanback, who are 6-11 and 7-0, respectively, altered a lot of Christian Brothers’ shot attempts and forced the Purple Wave to adjust to the Diplomat Lions’ 2-3 zone. Webb, who had eight points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, was impactful on the defensive end, as he was contesting shots and pulling down rebounds. Hanback, who added 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, showed how effective he can be in pick-and-roll situations, displaying his ability to make shots from 17-feet out.
Hanback is also very good at reading the floor. If he’s given enough time, Hanback will make the right basketball play.
It wasn’t an overnight success for Rayford and his staff to turn both big men into hybrids. It has taken dedication and patience from the staff, plus dedication from Webb and Hanback, to make the marriage work.
“My first approach was to put a plan together with Coach Wayne Booker (two-time hall of fame inductee and Memphis native) on where we are able to play two bigs together. We wanted to give them a foundation and fundamental package that they can use.
“We wanted to give them confidence in being comfortable with who they are as big men, and I wanted to make sure they wanted to listen and learn every day to work on their game.”