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Previewing the TSSAA DII-A state basketball tournaments





PCA's Mariah Edmonds (10) drives around Webb School's Lashae Dwyer (2) during a game on Feb. 22.Harrison McClary/Main Street Media

PCA’s Mariah Edmonds (10) drives around Webb School’s Lashae Dwyer (2) during a game on Feb. 22.Harrison McClary/Main Street Media

The stage is set in Cookeville.

Gold ball trophies will once again be awarded to the top high school basketball teams in Tennessee a year after the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted and eventually canceled the TSSAA Division I state tournaments.

Division II-A will start the action with semifinal games on Thursday at Tennessee Tech’s Hooper Eblen Center, the new host after the tournament was moved from Lipscomb University due to restrictions and public health concerns in Davidson County.

Middle Tennessee has representatives in each of the four DII-A boys and girls semifinal games. Goodpasture and Christ Presbyterian Academy both qualified on the boys side, while Providence Christian Academy and Webb School each advanced to the girls bracket.

Seating capacity at Hooper Eblen is limited, but single-session tickets are available to the public for $12 through the GoFan platform.

Girls bracket

Thursday, March 4 semifinals: Webb School (26-2) vs. USJ (22-4) at 12 p.m.; Northpoint Christian (23-4) vs. Providence Christian (22-9) at 1:30 p.m.

Goodpasture guard Isaiah West (3) attempts a layup around CPA's Braeden Moore (32) on Feb. 22.Casey Gower/Main Street Media

Goodpasture guard Isaiah West (3) attempts a layup around CPA’s Braeden Moore (32) on Feb. 22.Casey Gower/Main Street Media

Saturday, March 6 DII-A championship, 11 a.m.

Boys bracket

Thursday, March 4 semifinals: Goodpasture (29-1) vs. ECS (16-8) at 4 p.m.; Tipton-Rosemark (17-3) vs. CPA (29-4) at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 6 DII-A championship, 1:30 p.m.

How they got there

Providence Christian girls (titles: 2019, appearances: 2)

It seemed unlikely that PCA would advance this far after suffering a 70-37 blowout loss to Webb in the DII-A Middle Region championship game on Feb. 22. But then the Lady Lions knocked off No. 5 Trinity Christian and No. 1 Lakeway Christian in the first two rounds of the state tournament. Coach Tara James and PCA beat CAK for the championship in the school’s first-ever final four appearance two years ago.

Webb School girls (titles: none, appearances: 1)

2020-21 has been a historic season for the Lady Feet, who will be making their first final four appearance this week. After a dismal 4-17 finish last year, Webb has turned its program around thanks to the addition of star guard Lashae Dwyer and head coach Matt Shewmake, who has been an assistant on the women’s basketball staffs at Cal State Fullerton, Northwest Florida and UC Riverside.

 

 

Christ Presbyterian boys (titles: 2012 and 2013, appearances 8)

CPA shook off a region championship loss to Goodpasture and beat Lausanne and Boyd Buchanan to advance to their second final four in the last three seasons. The Lions shoot the three as well as any high school team in the state, making 41% of their attempts from beyond the arc. That’s how coach Drew Maddux, a former Goodpasture and Vanderbilt shooting guard, likes his team to play. And it usually works.

Goodpasture boys (titles: none, appearances: 13)

It took four tries, but the Cougars finally earned a win in the state quarterfinals to advance to their first DII-A final four. Goodpasture beat First Assembly Christian 55-52 last Saturday after losing at that stage the past three years. The Cougars aren’t a state newbie, though. The program finished as the runner-up in 1978, 1994 and 1999 and eventually moved to DII-A for the 2017-18 season. Goodpasture has won 22 straight games since dropping its only loss of the season to Memphis University School on Dec. 12.

Girls players to watch

Lashae Dwyer, Webb senior: The Canada native and Miami (Fla.) signee entered the postseason averaging 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

Mariah Edmonds, PCA senior: The Kentucky Wesleyan signee and all-district and all-region selection scores nearly 15 points per game after suffering an ACL injury two years ago.

AnnaCaite Markham, PCA senior: The four-time all-district honoree has signed to play at USC Upstate.

Abby McFarland, PCA sophomore: The all-district and all-region selection is already receiving interest from Division I college programs.

Shanice Simpson-Whitely, Webb senior: The 5-foot-11 center, who transferred to Webb along with Dwyer, provides an intimidating presence in the post.

Lauren Vann, Webb senior: The guard hit a corner three in the final seconds to lift Webb over Tipton-Rosemark in the state quarterfinals.

Boys players to watch

Braeden Moore, CPA junior: The blue-chip prospect, with offers from Kansas, Memphis, Tennessee and others, averages 19 points and 8 rebounds per contest.

Cooper Pennington, Goodpasture senior: The Rhodes football signee is one of several supporting cast players for the Cougars. He averages 7.3 points per game.

Jake Dykstra, CPA junior: The deadeye shooter scores most of his points from behind the 3-point line, where he knocks down 46% of his attempts.

PJay Smith, Goodpasture senior: The Lee commitment makes the Cougars go on offense, averaging 17 points and 4.1 assists.

Isaiah West, Goodpasture sophomore: Ranked as the No. 1 2023 prospect in Tennessee by the 247Sports Composite, West scores 16.1 points and pulls down 5.7 rebounds per game.

Braden Zapp, CPA senior: The Trevecca signee scores 17.1 points and dishes out 4.8 assists per game while shooting 52% from three-point range.

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