Former Walker Valley High School standout Kenny Bunton is coming back to Cleveland to continue his basketball career at Lee University. Bunton took a medical redshirt at NCAA Division I member Lipscomb last season, so he will be a freshman in eligibility for the Division II Flames. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 18.5 points and eight rebounds as a Walker Valley senior, helping the Mustangs reach the Class AAA state tournament. "Kenny is finally healthy, and we look forward to the skill set he will bring to our team," Lee coach Bubba Smith said in a web post Tuesday. "Kenny is a highly skilled forward with good range and athleticism. He, like others in our recruiting class, can play multiple positions in our system, and we expect him to have a bright future as a Lee Flame. Beyond his potential as a player, Kenny is a high-character young man that will be a great addition to our program's culture."
* A book released July 25 by former Tennessee Temple University and Bryan College women's coach Jamy Bechler became the No. 1 new release on Amazon.com for basketball coaching books, and overall it reached a high of No. 2 on Amazon's list of basketball coaching books, which includes well-known works by Pat Summitt, Jay Bilas, Mike Krzyzewski, Lew Alcindor (about John Wooden) and Phil Jackson. Bechler's title is "The Leadership Playbook: Become Your Team's Most Valuable Leader." He speaks throughout the country and works with teams and businesses in developing leadership skills. His clients have included big corporations, schools from big college conferences and even NBA teams, according to a release about the book. He coached at Martin Methodist after his three seasons at Bryan and became the Pulaski program's all-time wins leader. Book orders can be made through TheLeadershipPlaybook.com.
Golf
* University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior golfer Andrew Weathers is in a nine-way tie for fifth place at 2-under-par 70 after the first round Tuesday in the 102nd Tennessee State Amateur tournament at Belle Meade Country Club in Nashville. Weathers, a Chattanoogan who played for McCallie School, is three shots behind leaders Lee Maxwell of Cookeville and William Nottingham of Kingsport in the 72-hole event. Nottingham's round included a double-eagle. Jack Rhea of Jonesborough is third at 68, and Brandon Worley of Kingsport shot 69. Sewanee's Tommy Oliver and Lee University's Matt Johnson from Manchester share 14th place at 71, and Chattanooga's Blake Maum and Tullahoma's Jack Uselton are in a large group tied for 19th at even-par 72. Cleveland's David Watts and recent Baylor School graduate Chase Roswall from Bristol shot 73s, and UTC's Lake Johnson and Harrison resident David Weeks carded 74s.
Volleyball
* Lee University junior outside hitter Silvia Sartori, Shorter University senior middle blocker Tiffani Estep from Central High School and Christian Brothers sophomore outside hitter Emma Lenoir from East Hamilton were voted to the nine-player Preseason All-Gulf South Conference volleyball team for 2017. Two-time defending GSC champion and preseason favorite North Alabama had three of the selections announced Tuesday; the other six came from six schools. Sartori, who is from Belgrade, Serbia, missed the end of the 2016 season with an injury but was third in the GSC in kills per set (3.48). She totaled 305 kills and 282 digs. "I am so proud of Silvia and the player she has become. She has had a great offseason after having surgery," Lady Flames coach Andrea Hudson said in a Lee web post. "We really believe she is an impact player in the GSC, and we are glad that the other coaches feel the same way." Estep was a first-team All-GSC honoree with a .322 hitting percentage last fall, and Lenoir was the league and South Region freshman of the year after averaging 3.38 kills and 2.15 digs per set. Shorter was picked third, Christian Brothers fifth and Lee sixth in the coaches' preseason poll.