Brainerd coach LeVar Brown watches the game against Central Monday at Chattanooga State Community College.Thursday’s Class AA state basketball tournament schedule (all times Eastern)
Brainerd (22-7) vs. Christ Presbyterian Academy (31-4), 2:15 Haywood (32-2) vs. Carter (27-7), 3:45 Central (22-4) vs. Ripley (29-11), 5:30 Creekwood (31-1) vs. Fulton (26-4), 7
Understandably LeVar Brown’s initial response was to wince a bit when the state basketball tournament brackets were released. Seeing that Brainerd would open against top-ranked Christ Presbyterian Academy — which has played in the Class AA championship game each of the last three years, winning two titles — would be cause for alarm for any coach.
But the way the Panthers’ second-year head coach sees it, any team that wants to play for a championship this week will have to take down CPA at some point. Brainerd will be the first team to take a swing at CPA, with their state quarterfinal tipping off today at 2:15 (Eastern) at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center.
“We might as well go after them right away,” said Brown, who has guided the Panthers back to the state tourney for the first time since they reached the semifinals in 2009. “Initially, yes I wondered ‘why us?’ but then I realized that if we want to reach our ultimate goal and win it all, we’ll have to knock them off.
“They impressive to watch. They’re disciplined, well coached and they shoot the ball extremely well. I don’t know that we’ve played anybody that shoots the ball like they do.”
Shortly after Brainerd’s tourney opener, Chattanooga’s only other state qualifier, Central, will take the floor to face Memphis Ripley at 5:30. The Pounders (22-4), winners of 12 straight games, are making their first trip back to the state tournament since 2000, while Ripley (29-11) is returning after a 33-year absence.
Ripley is led by senior point guard Chad Culbreath, who according to Central coach Rick Rogers is, “a one-man show.”
“Everybody who has played them just raves about him, so we have to slow him down for sure,” Rogers said. “They’re as athletic as we are, but we’re going to try to make them play more structured and slow the game and play basketball instead of letting it be a track meet because running is the style they like.”
Meanwhile CPA (31-4) has been a fixture at the state tournament recently and looks as formidable as any team ever has to begin a state tournament, having won 19 of its last 20 games, including 11 straight, by double figures.
Braxton Blackwell, a 6-foot-8 junior who averages 20.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Lions, is the reining Class AA Mr. Basketball and is again the favorite to win that award. Three other CPA players average double-digit scoring, led by eighth-grade point guard Tyger Campbell (14.4 points, 6.1 assists) and guards Micah Davis (11.5 ppg) and Evan Ragsdale (10 ppg).
As a team the Lions are making 51 percent of their field-goal attempts this season, including 40 percent of their 3-pointers in averaging 74.3 points per game and have a 21 point margin of victory.
They haven’t lost to an in-state opponent this year and have won 25 of the 26 match-ups against Tennessee foes by double digits. After winning two straight state titles, CPA was upset by Jackson Southside on a buzzer-beater in last year’s championship game.
“I don’t think our guys will be intimidated, but they know we’ll have to bring our best game,” Brown said. “We have played a lot of quality competition and I believe that will help us be ready.
“I’m sure there will be some nerves for us because it’s the state tournament. It’s a big deal and I know our kids, our alumni and our student body are very excited. It means everything to our program to be back where Brainerd basketball is expected to be, and now we just want to go out and play well.”
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.