Tyner could be considered one of the favorites to win the boys' side of the 12th Times Free Press Best of Preps basketball tournament. So, too, could Baylor.
However, one is guaranteed not to be playing in a semifinal. That's because the Rams and the Red Raiders are scheduled to face each other this afternoon at 4 in the first boys' game of the tournament at Chattanooga State.
Brainerd is scheduled to play Soddy-Daisy afterward, followed by Meigs County against Arts & Sciences. Central takes on McCallie in the day's final game slated for 8:30.
Baylor boys' coach Austin Clark, shown directing the Red Raiders in last year's Times Free Press Best of Preps basketball tournament, will direct his team against Tyner today at 4 p.m.To illustrate the potential competitiveness of the boys' opening game, first consider that Tyner is 7-0, 4-0 in District 6-AA. The Rams have a highly anticipated showdown Jan. 17 at Brainerd, which is 3-0 in the district.
Division II-AA Baylor's season began with a 58-55 loss at East Hamilton (7-1, 2-0 District 5-AAA), but the Red Raiders since have won three straight. The first of those was against Brainerd - 70-69 in overtime at Brainerd on Dec. 6.
Adding to the magnitude, the winner could potentially face Brainerd in the Best of Preps semifinal round.
Baylor is paced in scoring by 6-foot-5 post player Patrick Urey at around 15 points per game. Beyuan Hendricks, a 6-1 guard, isn't far behind.
Tyner's scoring leader is 6-foot guard Kevin Cameron, whose value to the team extends far beyond his 20-point scoring average.
"He's doing it all," Tyner coach Keitha Booker said. "He's good for about three or four assists a night, and a couple of steals."
The Rams' strength so far has been their defense. They give up an average of 39 points per game, having allowed 41 or fewer five times.
"They basically have the same team back," Baylor coach Austin Clark said of the Rams, who return four starters from last year's 19-8 team. "They have the Cameron kid. They change defenses well. And they play hard. That's what we know about them."
Tyner's offense is directed by 5-10 point guard Ke'Marcus Young. Jerrion Christopher, a 6-1 swing player, has led the Rams in scoring in more than one game.
"My thing is, for us to be prepared, we need to focus on what we do," Booker said. "That's rebound and push the ball up the floor."
Urey is a senior, but most in the Red Raiders' rotation are underclassmen.
"We've got a lot of young kids, a lot of sophomores and juniors, and we have some good depth," Clark said. "It's going to be a fun year. We're looking forward to it."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.