Arts and Sciences’ Sharif Cobb (24) drives around Lookout Valley’s William Long during a game at Signal Mountain, March 3, 2011.Chattanooga’s winningest boys’ basketball program over the past decade has just one piece of hardware remaining to be claimed.
But Arts & Sciences can take a step toward earning that elusive TSSAA championship today as the Class A state tournament tips off. The Patriots, who have averaged 23 wins per season the last 10 years, open against Lake County at 12:45 p.m. EDT at Middle Tennessee State University.
The winner will play the winner of today’s first quarterfinal, Hampton (30-4) against Summertown (21-11) in a semifinal game Friday at 11 a.m. EDT.
Winners of two straight district and region championships, the Patriots are led by seven seniors, including two all-state-caliber guards. Sharif Cobb (6-foot-2) and Alex Stallion (5-10) mirror one another in their statistics and leadership roles. Both average around 16 points, five assists and four rebounds per game and are interchangeable as point guard and 2-guard.
“We’ve had guards who were pretty good, but it was always one at a time,” CSAS coach Mark Dragoo said. “We’ve never had two this good play at the same time. What has made them so much better since they began is that they’ve pushed each other, they’ve sharpened each other at practice.