A look at the local high school boys basketball teams

Check out next week’s issue for a look at the high school girls basketball teams

MADISON – With football winding down the attention is now turning to basketball as the two high school seasons overlap for a few weeks until the end of the football playoffs schedule. This year’s boys basketball teams of the four local high schools all have a chance to play well and move through the regular season before clashing in the post-season playoffs.

Here is a look at the local teams which have provided team information heading into the 2024-2025 campaign.

Bob Jones

A team roster filled with experience is a good way to describe the Bob Jones team that will take to the local gymnasiums with a possible great season ahead. Six seniors, five juniors and two sophomores make up the 2024-2025 version of the Patriots with Bryant Starkey in his second season with Bob Jones as head coach.

“Last season we had some ups and downs with a young team, but now everyone on our roster has varsity experience, which will help them with our challenging schedule,” said Bryant Starkey, head coach of Bob Jones, as the Patriots will face a schedule which includes play in the N2Hoops Tournament, along with high-profile tournament play in Oxford, Auburn and the annual Huntsville Classic. “I think we have a great group of guys this season who enjoy playing together on the floor.” Starkey is blessed to have five starters returning including highly recruited Kaden Rickard (G/F, 6-6, Sr.) who is expected to sign with Murray State in less than two weeks. Rickard led the Patriots last season with 14.3 points per game and pulled down 6.1 rebounds. Jaylen Rice (G/F, 6-4, Sr.) had 5 points and 5 rebounds per outing a season ago. He, along with Eric Marrow (F/C, 6-5, Sr.) who scored 6 points and pulled down 7.5 rebounds, M.J. Robinson (G, 6-3, Jr.) with 5.8 points and 3.3 boards, and Jaylen England (G, 6-0, Sr.) will make up a row of experience to choose from.

The familiarity of the court will include three juniors who saw extensive playing time last year as sophomores. They include Jacob Parks (F/C, 6-6, Jr.), Ethan Whorton (G, 5-10, Jr.) and Harrison Lockett (G/F, 6-3, Jr.). Starkey added, “I look forward to seeing how much we have grown in the off-season and excited to see how our young guys last year are going to step up. We are looking for these guys to make a huge leap.”

Additional players for the Patriots are Aaron Young, (C, 6-7, Sr.), Chandler Vaughn (F/C, 6-4, Sr.), Reece Lockett (G, 6-0, So.), Brian Kellum (F, 6-4, So.) and B.J. Carter (G, 5-10, Jr.).

The Patriots posted a 12-18 record a season ago and look to Rickard, a former transfer from Westminster, to lead the squad much like he did a year ago, only this year there is plenty of experience along for the ride, which is expected to be one towards the top of high school basketball.

Madison Academy

The Madison Academy Mustangs boys basketball team is on the move in 2024 in three major ways. The squad is anticipating playing fast, players sliding into new roles within the squad and shooting more three-point shots than in past, as well as, making a move from Class 5A to Class 4A Area 15.

The change into a new season will also include losing 79-percent of the team’s scoring from their top six scorers from last season who are no longer with the team, which was 25-7, Area 16 Champions and made the Sweet 16 in Class 5A, but head coach Tom Berryman is optimistic about the change in the upcoming season.

“Our group has worked extremely hard this off-season and I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of guys step up and contribute in a big way,” said Berryman, of what he feels is a skilled, veteran group of players. “We have a lot of depth, which should make us pretty balanced from a scoring standpoint.”

Key players returning this season are Tony Wilson (G, 6-2, Sr.), who posted a 41.3-percentage from the three-point line last season, Bryce Curtis (G, 6-0, Sr.), who has seen lots of college recruiting action, J.R. Howard (F, 6-4, Sr.) and Gianssen Valdez (PG, 6-0, Sr.). Those players helped make up the team a season ago that averaged 65 points, a 10-plus rebounding margin, shot 46-percent from the field, 31-percent from the threepoint line and dished out 14 assists. The defense also sparkled giving up just 45.8 points and forced 16 turnovers per game. The opposing teams hit just 35.8-percent and 28-percent three-pointers against the Mustangs.

“On the defensive end, I expect our guys to play with great efforts as we’ll pick our spots to press and will be more multiple in our half-court defense,” said Berryman, in his third season as head coach of the Mustangs. “We’ll have to really emphasize gang rebounding due to our size, but I’m really excited to see this group compete.”

Remaining players making up the 12-player roster are Charleston Owens (PG, 5-8, Fr.), Cooper Acuff (G, 6-0, So.), Tahj Phillips (G, 6-2, So.), Cooper Finley (G, 5-11, Jr.), C.J. Whetstone (F, 6-3, Jr.), Drew Wallis (G, 5-10, Jr.), Tate Banks (G, 6-0, Jr.) and Shane Duke (F, 6-4, Sr.).

“We should have a skilled team that can stretch the floor offensively,” added Berryman. “I expect us to play fast. We’ll probably take and make more 3s than we have in the past.”

James Clemens

Due to a motorcycle accident, which required major surgery, suffered by James Clemens head coach Frankie Sullivan and the fact he and his wife, Precious, had their first child, team information at press time was limited.

The Jets return seven players from last year’s roster as Sullivan, in his sixth season as head coach, is looking to a squad with just four seniors. The team also has eight juniors, two sophomores and one freshman that make up this year’s roster.

The 2024-2025 roster features Nickolas Harris (G, 6-4, 180, Jr.), Brendyn Hill (G, 6-0, 160, Jr.), Mekai Darby (G, 6-2, 155, So.), A.J. Little (G/F, 6-2, 175, Sr.), Seito Yokota (G, 5-10, 145, Jr.), Corban Johnson (G, 6-2, 175, Jr.), Isaiah Cleaves (G, 6-10, 170, Jr.), Alexander Blue (G/F, 6-6, 200, So.), Dylan Horton (G, 6-2, 175, Sr.), Kyden Harris (G, 6-4, 185, Fr.), Noah Gorman (G, 6-0, 170, Sr.), London Townsend (G, 6-1, 175, Sr.), Duncan Robertson (C, 6-5, 225, Jr.), Olujimi Eso (C, 6-6, 210, Jr.) and Michael Wilson, Jr. (C, 6-2, 215, Jr.).

Sullivan’s team made the Class 7-A Final four in 2022 whereupon the former star player at Auburn said he received numerous job offers following the Final Four appearance. He added, “I think I have the best basketball job in Alabama.”