Tennessee AAA State Tournament: 1st Round Recaps and Thoughts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today we have a full slate of AAA Elite 8 games: Cocke Co vs Heritage, Jackson South Side vs Dyersburg, Greenville vs Upperman (the team that just won't quit), and South Jackson vs Chester County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cocke County (29-8) 55</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heritage (30-4) 53</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the first AAA game of the day, we saw Heritage--who's been dominant all year, against a Cocke County team without the high level star power....but they play amazing team defense and score by committee.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heritage jumped out early 17-10 at the end of the 1st quarter, and I thought this one was done. But Cocke County outscored Heritage the next three quarters (13-11, 17-11 in the 3rd, and 15-14 in the 4th quarter). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Heritage, [player_tooltip player_id='810476' first='Carsyn' last='Swaney']'s final game of her career was a nice one. He scored 21 points--she struggled from the floor going 6-17 but was 8-9 from the free throw line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I thought it was [player_tooltip player_id='409073' first='Chloe' last='Heath'] who was Heritage's best player in the Elite Eight as she scored 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jay Coker 5 points and 8 rebounds. [player_tooltip player_id='513244' first='Aleyah' last='Smyth'] played a GREAT game without even attempting a shot: 4 assists, 11 rebounds, 2-2 from the free throw line, 1 block and 1 steal. [player_tooltip player_id='821752' first='Faith' last='Morris'] added 6 points with her nightly addition of two made threes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Cocke County, Blakelyn Clevenger had a very efficient game with 16 points on 4-7 shooting and made three, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Clevenger was also 7-7 from the free throw line in a game that every point mattered.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='821821' first='Karmine' last='Carmichael'] added 13 points, 8 rebounds, a block, and 5 steals. She needs to be MUCH higher on our 2027 big board. Karmine has been a starter and key contributor for Cocke Co all year.....and that's incredibly impressive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='804755' first='Halle' last='Kitchen'] gave 8 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds with her normal terrific perimeter D. Shakyra Reed finished with 7 points and 6 rebounds. [player_tooltip player_id='890190' first='Adisen' last='McNealy'] added five points with a made three.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neither team shot the ball well due to high level defense, and the dreaded shooting curse of playing at the glass house. Heritage had every chance to win this game. The shooting numbers were very even....except the free throws attempted--Cocke Co was 18-30 from the free throw line and Heritage was 12-13. A free throw disparity of 17 is....a lot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But...that's why they play the games. And Cocke County earned this victory, and is headed to the AAA Final Four!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":"","_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65eb07d93e055"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dyersburg (29-4) 59</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson South Side (26-7) 47</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was a tight game until the very end.....Dyersburg outscored JSS 14-9 in the 1st quater, and Dyersburg held a 5 point lead at the half (25-20). JSS outscored Dyersburg by three in the 3rd, and we had a 2 point game headed into the 4th.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>JSS went on a run and took a 3 point lead on a Mitchel layup with 4:30 to play in the fourth quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strayhorn for Dyersburg was relentless in her attack of the rim, and immediately she tied the game at 45 with an fashioned three point play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dyersburg 1-2-2 press started to give JSS some trouble in the 4th, as JSS struggled to get into a rhythm offensively. JSS made a few costly turnovers that led to some easy points for Dyersburg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After JSS pulled within one Dixson then got an "and-1" (and a weird technical that I'm still not sure about). Dixson got the two, and hit 1-2 free throws to give Dyersburg a 51-46 point lead with 3:14 left with Dyersburg keeping possession. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dyersburg immediately went into four corners, and Dyersburg turned it over with 2:30 to play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>JSS was fouled shooting with 1:49 to play, and hit 1-2 making it a 4 point game. Strayhorn then took a QUICK three that was one of those "no...no...no....YES!!!" shots as I'm sure her coach was wanting them to go back four corners. But the Strayhorn three gave them a seven point game, and that was the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With 1:11 to play JSS's bench drew another technical, and Dyersburg went back to the free throw line. Jordan went 1-2 extending the lead to 55-47 with a minute to play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For JSS, [player_tooltip player_id='409042' first='Jaidynn' last='Askins'] has been their best player all season long. Tonight, before fouling out, she had 12 points, 4 rebounds, 6-7 from the free throw line, and 3 steals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='290728' first='Kimora' last='Currie'] had 13 points on 5-11 shooting. Ri'kiya Mitchell had 9 points and 11 rebounds (5 offensive boards!).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But ultimately, Dyersburg had too many weapons. Joya Crawford led the way with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 7-10 from the free throw line. Kayleight Strayhorn had 12 points with three made threes, and two steals. [player_tooltip player_id='593347' first='Chelby' last='Jordan'] had 12 points on 4-4 shooting from the field, 3 rebounds, and 5 steals. Akira Lacy has been one of my favorite PGs to watch this year, but she struggled a bit in this one: 2 points, 8 turnovers, 2 assists. [player_tooltip player_id='890235' first='Felicity' last='Long'] played a wonderful game giving 27 quality minutes with 3 points and 3 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now, looking ahead, we will have a Dyersburg vs Cocke County is a game that will have two teams with very different styles of play. Looking forward to this one!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Upperman (29-6) 64</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Greeneville (21-15) 49</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This game saw two teams that have made suprising postseason runs meet in the first round. And, it was all Upperman from the jump (Upperman was up 14 at the half, and up 21 after 3 quarters).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The star of the game was [player_tooltip player_id='816649' first='Gracie' last='Butler'] with 23 points 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. She was also 11-14 from the free throw line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='816597' first='Taylor' last='Dolente'] (SHHOOOOOOOOTTTTTTEEEERRRRRRRRR!) had 18 points on 6-9 from three</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sadie South had 5 points. Isabella Mullins had 4. Bella Stiles has 4 points 8 rebounds. Gracie Hamilton chipped in 8.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Greeneville, [player_tooltip player_id='889819' first='Kyla' last='Jobe'] led the way with 18 points and four three pointers. [player_tooltip player_id='405861' first='Anna' last='Shaw'] had 17. [player_tooltip player_id='907566' first='Maria' last='Lyde'] '27 was held to only 3 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Gibson (21-15) 34</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chester County (27-6) 31</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Gibson won the last game of the night in a low scoring affair. [player_tooltip player_id='290964' first='Hallie' last='Allen'] led South Gibson with 13 points on 5-7 shooting, and 2 made threes. [player_tooltip player_id='636391' first='Karson' last='Dunn'] had 6 points, 5 assists. [player_tooltip player_id='878049' first='Natalie' last='Lewis'] added 8 points and two made threes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Chester County, Jariyah Williamson led the scoring with 13 points and 6 rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After watching the South Gibson vs Chester game.....I just can't imagine either of them beating Upperman with the amount of firepower Upperman can put on the floor. But thats's why they play the games!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->