There may not be a Tennessee Mr. Basketball candidate from the Chattanooga area this season, but the combination of senior guards Marcus Long and Darwin Randolph is extremely tough to beat.
Class AAA’s sixth-ranked East Hamilton Hurricanes love the pair of playmakers who have combined to average 36 points, 12 assists and a dozen rebounds per game this season, helping their team to a 15-3 overall record and a 10-2 mark in District 5-AAA.
“Darwin and Marcus have worked extremely hard to get where they are,” East Hamilton coach Andy Webb said. “No one has worked harder in the classroom (both have 3.6 GPAs) and on the court. They play both ways and get after it defensively, too. They are both winners, and you want them to have the ball in their hands at the end of the game.”
The Hurricanes were electric as they gave the home crowd a show in the first quarter of Thursday’s 52-26 district win over Bradley Central, with Jordan Harris and Jaxon Flemmons tossing perfect alley-oop passes off the backboard for dunks by Cade Pendleton and Randolph. Meanwhile, Harris knocked down a 3-pointer along with Haynes Eller, who added two blocked shots. Long also stole a pass and dunked to help build an 18-5 lead.
Long finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Randolph had 12 points, seven assists and four steals.