Memphis high school boys basketball rewind
Looking back at the highlights from the 2019-20 season
Five Memphis-area boys basketball teams — Houston, Whitehaven, Wooddale, B.T. Washington and MAHS — earned spots in the TSSAA Division I state tournament. But with the tournament postponed indefinitely due to coronavirus concerns, it's time to look at the season in review.
Best game
Briarcrest 32, IMG Academy 22, Jan 4.
Each had a five-star junior in Briarcrest's Kennedy Chandler and IMG'S Moussa Diabate. And there was Ole Miss signee Matthew Murrell, who transferred to IMG from Whitehaven before the season began. Briarcrest held the ball off and on, limiting IMG to four second-half points while rallying from an 18-11 deficit. Briarcrest's 6-foot-4 Rodney Newsom shut down a pair of IMG seven-footers.
Biggest surprise
Arlington (25-7)
It took Arlington just one year to go from 6-21 to one win from a state tournament appearance, falling to Houston in the sectional round. First-year coach
Maurice Miller, a former Class AAA Mr. Basketball who played at Georgia Tech, and district MVP Madison Peaster helped lead the turnaround.
Cinderella team
MAHS (21-8)
The Lions clinched their first state tournament appearance with a 41-28 sectional win over Union City. MAHS was bolstered by the midseason addition of David Dixon, who was named district MVP following his transfer from Briarcrest.
Best moments
Moussa Cisse takes over all-memphis DII-A title game
Tennessee's top junior prospect finished one block shy of a triple double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocks against district foe FACS. Ten of his points came in the second half, including a number of high-flying dunks that boosted Lausanne's momentum and propelled the Lynx to their third state title.
TJ Thomas' buzzer-beater clinch
es district tile
FACS beat Lausanne in the district title game on a halfcourt buzzer-beater from TJ Thomas. Cisse made a free throw to put Lausanne up by one with 2.9 seconds remaining, but Thomas sank the shot to give the Crusaders a 53-51 win.
Houston clinches first state tournament berth
Houston, which opened in 1989, had a solid year last year before running into James Wiseman and East in the region tournament. With another year of experience and the addition of Lausanne transfer Alden Applewhite, the Mustangs were able to beat Arlington in the sectionals and punch their first ticket to Murfreesboro.
5 bold predictions for next season
❚ Briarcrest's Kennedy Chandler will win a third-consecutive DII-AA Mr. Basketball award.
❚ Wooddale will win the Class AA title.
❚ Houston will make it back to the state tournament and Alden Applewhite will be a Class AAA Mr. Basketball finalist.
❚ Memphis will sweep the private school state title games.
❚ BTW and MAHS will both return to the state tournament.