Top Thursday Defensive Performances
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Individual success lead to team victories Thursday. To share your stats/stories, DM @PrepHoopsTN anytime. Defense Jarrod Taylor Jarrod Taylor 6'1" | CG Salem | 2022 TN (East Nashville) Jarrod Taylor Jarrod Taylor 6'1" | CG Salem | 2022 TN (East…
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Continue ReadingIndividual success lead to team victories Thursday. To share your stats/stories, DM @PrepHoopsTN anytime.
Defense
Jarrod Taylor Jarrod Taylor 6'1" | CG Salem | 2022 TN (East Nashville)
Jarrod Taylor Jarrod Taylor 6'1" | CG Salem | 2022 TN (East Nashville) defended Pearl-Cohn’s scorers wonderfully. He blocked a 3-foot shot midway through the third quarter. He did all of this on top of scoring at a predictably high rate.
Raz Armstrong (East Nashville)
Pearl-Cohn suffered mightily to score in the paint. The reason…Raz Armstrong challenged everything around the rim. He literally blocked a dunk with his hand squished between the ball and the rim in the fourth quarter.
Rolando Dowell (Lebanon)
With seconds left, Lebanon lead Beech by a single point. Beech looked to be primed for a game-winner, but as the Buccaneer guard crossed halfcourt Dowell ripped the ball free. His teammate finished a fastbreak layup as a result. It changed the entire tenor of the final push. Beech was able to get off a final heave, but it was to tie instead of to win. Dowell did something amazing in an enormous moment.
Jarred Hall
Jarred
Hall
6'8" | SF
Lebanon | 2023
State
#65
Nation
TN
(Lebanon)
In the final minute, Hall blocked a layup and challenged the next. He was credited with the MVP largely for his offensive prowess, but he made a couple big plays at the other end too.
Deondrea Lindsey
Deondrea
Lindsey
6'7" | PF
Oak Hill Academy | 2025
#115
Nation
VA
(Knoxville Catholic)
Brian Edwards Jr
Brian
Edwards Jr
6'3" | PG
Knoxville Catholic | 2022
State
#82
Nation
TN
. (Knoxville Catholic)
Yesan Warren
Yesan
Warren
6'1" | SG
Knoxville Catholic | 2023
State
TN
(Knoxville Catholic)
“These guys are warriors,” said Coach Michael Hutchens of his guards Pressley Patterson, BJ Edwards, Blue Cain Blue Cain 6'4" | SG IMG Academy | 2023 State #102 Nation FL , and Yesan Warren Yesan Warren 6'1" | SG Knoxville Catholic | 2023 State TN . “We never take them out. I don’t know if they get mad at me. I don’t think they get mad at me. At our practices we are working on full-speed defense. A lot of our guys condition on their own after that too.”
Edwards was very steady defensively alongside Yesan Warren Yesan Warren 6'1" | SG Knoxville Catholic | 2023 State TN . Warren was so physical and moved his legs like a smaller guard. His contributions are subtle but enormous.
Fueling me, our defense turned to offense. I told our guys that we had to keep locking up.
Michael Pepper
Michael
Pepper
6'3" | SG
Christian Brothers | 2023
State
TN
(Christian Brothers)
Michael Pepper
Michael
Pepper
6'3" | SG
Christian Brothers | 2023
State
TN
was perhaps the best defensive player all day.
Quietly heroic performance by Michael Pepper (CBHS)
He guarded Willie Walton with the body. It was a masterclass. Walton is a dependable scorer, proven over time and almost entirely due to Pepper's effort and muscle, Walton managed a single first half field goal attempt.— Prep Hoops Tennessee (@PrepHoopsTN) March 3, 2022
Rebounding
Brian Edwards Jr Brian Edwards Jr 6'3" | PG Knoxville Catholic | 2022 State #82 Nation TN . (Knoxville Catholic) pulled down 13 rebounds in a semifinal victory over Brentwood Academy.
“We knew going in, that we had to keep the ball off the offensive glass,” said Brentwood Academy Head Coach Matt Hoppe. “They did a great job to just pound the glass, pound the glass.”
Teammate Deondrea Lindsey Deondrea Lindsey 6'7" | PF Oak Hill Academy | 2025 #115 Nation VA collected six rebounds.
Region 5-4A All-Tournament Team
Joshua Heard
Joshua
Heard
6'5" | SG
Cookeville | 2024
State
TN
(Cookeville)
Cade Martin (Gallatin)
Eli Rice
Eli
Rice
6'7" | SG
Beech | 2022
State
TN
(Beech)
Kristian Shaw
Kristian
Shaw
6'6" | SG
Beech | 2022
State
TN
(Beech)
Jaylen Abston (Lebanon)
Yarin Alexander
Yarin
Alexander
6'6" | SF
Lebanon | 2022
State
TN
(Lebanon)
Jarred Hall
Jarred
Hall
6'8" | SF
Lebanon | 2023
State
#65
Nation
TN
(Lebanon) MVP