Bearden hoists its 2019 Class AAA boys’ basketball state title. (Photo: Charles Pulliam).
ALL 5STAR PREPS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM
These are not recruiting lists. We select players based on their talents, yes, but also what they mean to their teams, what their teams did this season and also statistical performances.
FIRST TEAM ALL 5SP
Ques Glover (Bearden, senior, guard)
The 5Star Preps Player of the Year averaged 21 points and 3.5 assists while leading Bearden to its first Class AAA state championship. Glover was a Mr. Basketball finalist, the state tournament MVP, District 4-AAA MVP, Region 2-AAA MVP and Arby’s Classic MVP. He has signed with Florida.
Trent Stephney (Bearden, senior, guard): Stephney and Glover made the most formidable backcourt tandem maybe in the state. Stephney, like Glover, was a 2,000-point scorer for his career and averaged 15 points per game as a senior during the Bulldogs’ title run. He also contributed 3.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
Joe Anderson (Maryville, junior, guard): Anderson entered the season as one of the area’s best talents and lived up to that reputation, especially by nailing a game-winning 3 against Bearden early in the season. The 1-guard led the Rebels to the Region 2-AAA semifinals by averaging 22 points, 5 assists and 3.5 steals per game.
Grant Ledford (Grace Christian, senior, guard/forward): A Division II-A Mr. Basketball finalist and Chattanooga signee, Ledford rose to the occasion after point guard C.J. Gettelfinger (wrist) was ruled out for the season. He averaged 22.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and helped Grace reach the state quarterfinals.
Dante Harris (Lakeway Christian, junior, guard): Harris led Lakeway to a national championship in NACA Division V. The Division I prospect averaged 30.6 points, 9 assists and 4 steals per game for the Lions.
Emory Lanier (Webb, junior, guard/forward): Lanier played a large role in Webb winning its first boys’ basketball state title, averaging 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2 steals per game. The junior went 8-for-8 from the floor in the state semifinal win over CPA.
Edward Lacey (Fulton, junior, guard): Lacey proved to be the constant and consistent foundation for this Fulton team, which reached the Class AA state championship for a second season in a row. Lacey averaged 15 points and 5 assists per game this season.
SECOND TEAM ALL 5SP
Dominique Oggs (Sweetwater, senior, guard/forward): One of the most unheralded talents in the state, Oggs made the local media pay attention this season with 22 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.5 steals and 2 blocks per game. The District 5-AA MVP signed with Tennessee Wesleyan.
Marcus Smith (Oak Ridge, senior, guard): Arguably the best player in District 3-AAA, Smith averaged 20 points, 5 assists and 6 rebounds per game while leading the Wildcats to 26 wins and a trip to the Class AAA state sectionals. He departs for Maryville College as the program’s all-time steals leader.
Shamarcus Brown (Bearden, senior, post): Brown averaged 10.5 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Bulldogs during their march to the Class AAA state championship. He played big against Gatorade National Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American James Wiseman (Memphis East) in the title game with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Drew Pember (Bearden, senior, forward): Had the Tennessee signee been healthy for the entire season, he would have been a first-team candidate. But over the last 4-6 weeks of the season, Pember regained form and helped Bearden win state. He wound up averaging 8.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 blocks and 2.7 assists per game. He had two double-doubles at state.
B.J. Edwards (Catholic, freshman, guard): The 2019 5Star Preps Underclassman of the Year averaged 17.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Already a Division I prospect, Edwards showed great range and ability to compete in the state’s highest classification, leading the Fighting Irish to an upset of Maryville in the District 4-AAA semifinals.
Akeem Odusipe (Catholic, junior, forward): This 6-9 forward with a handful of Division I offers averaged 14 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2 blocks per game for the Fighting Irish. Seton Hall is the most recent school to offer him a scholarship. Odusipe shot 62.4 percent from the floor.
Connor Jordan (Morristown East, senior, guard): Jordan, the two-time Lakeway Player of the Year per the Citizen Tribune, averaged more than 24 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds per game. The King signee flourishes in the clutch moments and can absolutely stroke from the 3-point line.
THIRD TEAM ALL 5SP
Luke Burnett (Webb, junior, guard): The sharp-shooting Burnett fit right in with the Spartans when he became eligible near the midpoint of the season. He played 19 games and averaged a team-high 13.7 points. He also shot a team-best 40.5 percent from the 3-point line.
Trey Davis (Fulton, senior, guard): One of the winningest players in Fulton history, Davis overcame a season’s worth of nagging injuries to yet again put on strong showing at the state tournament in March. He averaged 15.7 points per game while helping the Falcons reach the state title game yet again.
Jaylen McCullum (Harriman, senior, guard): McCullum steered the Blue Devils to 27 wins and a spot in the Class A state sectionals by averaged 22.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
Wes Maples (Sevier County, junior, forward): The 6-4 Maples proved to be a catalyst in Sevier County’s unexpected run to the Class AAA state tournament for the first time since 1991. He averaged 16.8 points per game to go with 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
Deshawn Page (Fulton, senior, forward): The Region 2-AA MVP helped steer Fulton to another appearance in the Class AA state championship game, averaging 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. Known for his football prowess, as he was the 2018 Class 5A Mr. Football, Page routinely excels against bigger post players.
Dereke Upton (Austin-East, senior, forward): The Roadrunners enjoyed a resurgent season this winter. The 6-3 forward helped A-E return back to Murfreesboro for the first time in more than a decade with 16 points and 9 rebounds per game.
Roman Robinson (Bearden, senior, forward): Maybe not the most heralded of Bearden’s starting five, Robinson hit big shot after big shot all season. He shot 44.3 percent from the 3-point line and 46.2 percent (6-for-13) during the state tournament, where he contributed 13 points per game during the title run.
These players were also strongly considered for the 5Star Preps Teams (in no particular order): Tariq Daughton (Webb), Uriah Powers (Webb), Makai Olden (Morristown West), Zack Tilley (TKA), Jai Jordan (Lakeway Christian), C.J. Gettelfinger (Grace), Emilio Cornelio (Maryville), Christian Gale (Maryville), Jaevon Gillespie (Greeneville), Kajuan Bullard (Austin-East), Ronney Pierson (Austin-East), Austin McKeehan (Cosby), Ty Hurst (Carter), B.J. Marable (Grace Christian), Xavier Davis (West), Sean Oglesby (Central), Tee Hodge-Harper (Karns), Jayden Doyle (South-Doyle), Kendrick Holland (South-Doyle), Mason Small (Loudon), Barron Nease (Union County), Trey Morrow (Scott High), Evan Winchester (Clinton).