Sentinels Gymnasium certainly has room for another gold basketball.
After putting Chattanooga basketball back on the map last season, Chattanooga Prep will enter next week’s BlueCross Basketball Class 1A state tournament as the heavy favorites in Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy’s Center despite losing two key pieces from its title run a year ago.
Second-year head coach Christian Collins has preached “elite discipline” to his players all year and the Sentinels have followed through, especially in this season’s playoffs, where they have outscored opponents by nearly 30 points per game.
For the third consecutive season, Chattanooga Prep (26-8) cut down the nets at home as sectional champions as sophomore Austin Jones and junior Mr. Basketball finalist Derrick Roberson closed out Monday’s 71-45 win over Clay County (20-9) by connecting on a pair of alley-oop dunks.
“To be headed back to Murfreesboro, where we finished last season with a historic win, is really a blessing,” said Jones, who had four steals and seven assists to go along with a pair of first quarter 3-pointers in Monday’s rout. “The goal all year has been to go back-to-back as state champs. Coach said it’s not just our skill that will get us to our goal, but discipline as well.”