TOP MATCH-UPS BLACKMAN (TN) VS. HOPKINSVILLE (KY) SATURDAY 2:30PM GREENSBORO DAY (NC) VS. OUR SAVIOR NEW AMERICAN (NY) SATURDAY 5:30PM LEGACY CHARTER (SC) VS. WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN (NC) SATURDAY 7:00PM HAMILTON HEIGHTS (TN) VS. WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN (NC) SUNDAY 2:30PM MERCER COUNTY (KY) VS. CORDOVA (TN) SUNDAY 5:30PM WHEELER (GA) VS. SUMMIT (TN) MONDAY 1:30PM
TOP MATCH-UPS BLACKMAN (TN) VS. HOPKINSVILLE (KY) SATURDAY 2:30PM
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aturday kicks off with one of Tennessee's best teams in action the Blackman Blaze kicks off Saturday in style, coming into the Music City Classic as one of the best teams in Tennessee. The 17-0 Blaze are cruising through their schedule, winning all but one of their matchups by double-figures. Trenton Gibson, Brandon Thomas and Nathan Nelson lead a deep and talented group, and they'll have their hands full with freshman sensation Alijah Watts. The Hopkinsville guard has opened eyes during 2017-18, and will need to have a terrific performance for the Tigers to pull the upset.
GREENSBORO DAY (NC) VS. OUR SAVIOR NEW AMERICAN (NY) SATURDAY 5:30PM
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reensboro Day is one of the most consistent teams in the country, and operate as the top of the food chain in North Carolina high school basketball. Head coach Freddy Johnson - a living legend - recently picked up his 1,000th win at the helm of the Bengals. This season’s squad features a pair of D1 commits - John Newman (Clemson) and Will Dillard (Georgia Southern) - and a variety of talented depth. The Bengals employ a top five defense in the country, and will need to be hitting on all cylinders when attempting to slow down talented junior Nate Tabor and rising freshman Adama Sanogo. This will likely be a very low scoring matchup, but expect the Bengals (19-3) to be a very tough out.
LEGACY CHARTER (SC) VS. WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN (NC) SATURDAY 7:00PM
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orth battles South in the clash of the Carolinas, as Wesleyan Christian (NC) matches up with Legacy Early College (SC). Aside from the massive amount of division one talent on the floor, this matchup is intriguing because it features two players committed to Wake Forest - Jaylen Hoard (WCA) and Sharone Wright Jr (LEC). Hoard has an abundance of talented surrounding him, including Maryland commit Aaron Wiggins. Wiggins and Hoard will be a tall task for Legacy’s frontcourt, who will need big days from Wright, Dontavius King and CJ Jamison. The Trojans enter the matchup as the favorite, but if guys like Dontrell Shuler come up big for the Lions, this will likely be a nail-biter - especially since both squads are 17-4.
TOP MATCH-UPS HAMILTON HEIGHTS (TN) VS. WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN (NC) SUNDAY 2:30PM
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esleyan Christian (NC) enters day two with an arguably tougher matchup than day one, facing off against battle-tested Hamilton Heights Christian (TN). Hoard and Wiggins will need to be good, but offsetting HHCA’s guards will be crucial for the Trojans. Juniors Keyshaun, Kobe Langley and Shawn Walker Jr will have their hands full with HHCA’s quartet of Tre Edwards, Wheza Panzo, Jordan Rawls and Kevaughn Edwards. Fatigue could very well be an issue for WCA, as they will be playing a day game after a night matchup. On paper, tthe Trojans might be considered the favorite due to their veteran leadership but a betting man should consider this game a toss-up.
MERCER COUNTY (KY) VS. CORDOVA (TN) SUNDAY 5:30PM
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ordova (TN) enters the Music City Classic after scoring a big upset win over Olive Branch. Unsigned senior guard Tyler Harris leads the Wolves, assisted by talented junior forward Bruce Guy Jr. Mercer County (KY) features Northern Kentucky commit Trevon Faulkner, and the guard will be on full display against Cordova. Faulkner is a talented scorer and playmakers, and will likely need to have a big game in order for MC to be victorious. Either way, his head-to-head matchup with Harris should be worth the price of admission.
WHEELER (GA) VS. SUMMIT (TN) MONDAY 1:30PM
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heeler closes out the final day of the Music City Classic in style, riding a variety of division one talent into their matchup against Summit (TN). Senior EJ Montgomery has been a stud all season for head coach Larry Thompson and company, and he’ll be looking to have another massive performance on Monday morning. The entire Wildcats’ roster is loaded, so it will take a tremendous effort from Demontay Dixon and company to pull this one out. Dixon, an Illinois State commit, is capable of completely taking over a game, and he’ll need to do it once again versus the Wildcats. Expect Roscoe Eastmond, Brandon Younger and Isaac Martin to have strong games for Wheeler, who will be looking to move to 11-4 on the season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH TEAM
PLAYER
POS
CLASS
COLLEGE COMMIT
Pace Academy (GA)
Isaiah Kelly
F
2018
Yale
Montgomery Bell (TN)
Thomas Carr
F
2018
Montgomery Bell (TN)
Drew Weikert
G
2018
Montgomery Bell (TN)
Will Nutter
G
2018
Lee (AL)
Tyreese Smith
G
2019
Lee (AL)
Kobe Brown
F
2019
Oakland (TN)
Keishawn Davidson
G
2019
Blackman (TN)
Trenton Gibson
G
2018
Blackman (TN)
Brandon Thomas
F
2018
Blackman (TN)
Nathan Nelson
F
2018
Hopkinsville (TN)
Alijah Watts
G
2021
Adair County (KY)
Zion Harmon
G
2021
Greensboro Day (NC)
John Newman
G
2018
Clemson
Greensboro Day (NC)
Will Dillard
G
2018
Georgia Southern
Greensboro Day (NC)
Mike Fowler
F
2019
Greensboro Day (NC)
Tripp Greene
G
2018
OSNA (NY)
Nate Tabor
G
2020
OSNA (NY)
Adama Sanogo
F
2021
Wesleyan Christian (NC)
Jaylen Hoard
F
2018
Wake Forest
Wesleyan Christian (NC)
Aaron Wiggins
F
2018
Maryland
Wesleyan Christian (NC)
Kobe Langley
G
2019
Wesleyan Christian (NC)
Keyshaun Langley
G
2019
Wesleyan Christian (NC)
Shawn Walker Jr,
G
2019
Legacy Early Charter (SC)
Sharone Wright Jr
G
2018
Wake Forest
PLAYERS TO WATCH
TEAM
PLAYER
POS
CLASS
Legacy Early Charter (SC)
Dontrell Shuler
G
2018
Legacy Early Charter (SC)
Dontavius King
F
2018
Legacy Early Charter (SC)
CJ Jamison
G
2018
Stratford (TN)
Donald Fitzgerald
F
2019
Stratford (TN)
Marcus Fitzgerald
G
2020
Hamilton Heights (TN)
Tre Edwards
G
2018
Hamilton Heights (TN)
Jordan Rawls
G
2019
Hamilton Heights (TN)
Kevaughn Ellis
G
2018
Hamilton Heights (TN)
Wheza Panzo
G
2019
Hamilton Heights (TN)
Jason Jitoboh
F
2019
Hamilton Heights (TN)
Uroš Plavšić
F
2019
Cordova (TN)
Bruce Guy Jr.
F
2019
Cordova (TN)
Tyler Harris
G
2018
Mercer County (KY)
Trevon Faulkner
G
2018
University Heights
Dekeyvan Tandy
G
2019
University Heights
Ta’Quan Hollowell
G
2019
Summit (TN)
Demontay Dixon
F
2018
Wheeler (GA)
EJ Montgomery
F
2018
Wheeler (GA)
Isaac Martin
G
2018
Wheeler (GA)
Brandon Younger
F
2018
Wheeler (GA)
Roscoe Eastmond
G
2019
Wheeler (GA)
Austin Johnson
F
2018
Wenonah (AL)
Justin Minter
G
2019
Wenonah (AL)
Cameron Tucker
G
2019
Columbia (AL)
Miguel Williams
G
2018
Henderson County (KY)
Kale Gaither
G
2021
Henderson County (KY)
Jadal Fletcher
G
2018
COLLEGE COMMIT
Northern Kentucky
Illinois State
Tennessee State
MUSIC CITY CLASSIC PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
MUSIC CITY CLASSIC PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
MUSIC CITY CLASSIC PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
MUSIC CITY CLASSIC PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
MUSIC CITY CLASSIC PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS