When Tyner lines up for the opening tip to its Class AA boys' basketball state quarterfinal tonight at 7 EDT at Middle Tennessee State University's Murphy Center, the Rams might think they're going up against an old familiar District 6 foe.
But Nashville Stratford's orange and black colors distinguish the Spartans from the Rams' Columbia blue-and-red-clad archrival.
"They're very, very quick, very long," Tyner first-year head coach E'Jay Ward said. "They've got athletic guards that can play multiple positions. They remind me a lot of Brainerd."
But this opponent's style of play is much like that of the Panthers. Any Rams player who catches an inbound pass after a Stratford basket or free throw may find two Spartans collapsed on them immediately.
But Tyner (20-10) is an uptempo team, too, and it's not going to try to change its way now.
"We have to be poised with the ball and take care of the ball every possession," Ward said. "We're looking to apply pressure on them as well."
The Rams feature a balanced scoring attack led by Solomon Bridgeman on the inside. He has averaged 14 points per game this season, and his rebounding average of 10 per game also leads the team.
Javon Craddock has averaged 13 points per game. Jeremy Elston, who quarterbacked Tyner's football team to a state title game this school year, directs the offense and has averaged 12. Michael Little is next at 11, and Amon Grace and Marquis Hinton, both around eight, are capable scorers, too.
Rather than Brainerd, Stratford (24-6) more closely resembles Tyner statistically, with four players who have double-figure scoring averages: Jahari Reed (15.3), Kevonte Boyd (14), floor leader Juwon Carpenter (12.4) and post player Michael Wallace (12.4). Wallace is clearly the rebounding leader, having averaged 12.6 per game.
Ward came to Tyner after being an assistant at Brainerd, where he also played, though never in a state tournament. None of the current Rams have played at the state level in basketball either, but Ward did go three times while on the Panthers' staff.
"We're trying to have the same mindset as any other game, but this is it," Ward said. "We want the boys to enjoy the moment, but at the same time we're up there to take care of business."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.