What started out as just an attempt to deviate from the methodical lull of preseason high school basketball recently grew into an opportunity to get some of the area’s best talent noticed by college coaches.
Before the 2009-10 season, Rhea County coach Tony Williams and Cleveland coach Jason McCowan got together to form a fall basketball league, with games being played at the two schools. It consisted primarily of teams from the counties just north and east of Hamilton, but McCowan reached out to coaches inside Chattanooga this fall.
Andre Whitehead, who runs the website Tnprephoops.com, established the Rocky Top League a couple years ago in Knoxville and Nashville. He came in and helped expand this league to Chattanooga this fall.
“I just thought it was a good idea to get kids in this area incorporated into what we’re doing in Knoxville and Nashville,” Whitehead said. “The league has become a real good venue for myself and college coaches to come and further evaluate talent.”
The teams played a five-game season, with all games being played at Cleveland High School on Saturdays. The league ended with Team Louisville, led by Walker Valley senior Drew Zaleta, winning the championship.
Red Bank senior Nick Ross was the leading scorer, averaging 36 points per game – including 51 points in one.
“I enjoyed the league,” Ross said. “It did a good job of getting me ready for the season and helped me see some things I needed to work on, plus it allowed me the chance to play in front of some college coaches and let them see what I can do.”
Said McCowan: “The kids love the league because it’s better than just having open gyms all the time. This year, we were able to get the Nick Rosses of the world here. We had good participation from Ooltewah, Grace, schools like that.
“We had a good Chattanooga influence this year.”
After the season ended, the top 20 players were invited to Maryville to play against the top two Knoxville teams. Standouts included Ross, who had 24 in a loss, and Ooltewah’s Wesley Ritchie.
With Chattanooga’s league not being as established in its first season, it had to go with the top 20 players, whereas the Knoxville league carried a couple of its lower-tier teams.
“It was just a great idea to get some of the Chattanooga kids to go against competition in Knoxville,” Whitehead said. “They’re close enough, and a lot of them know each other from summer AAU circuits.
“We’re hoping to expand the league even more, but I think that everything went well and the kids had a great time.”