TENNESSEE PREP  REPORT 
by Jim Rothman, Mid-South Editor

ROTHMAN RANKS 'EM:  THE TOP PREP PLAYERS IN TENNESSEE

GREAT TALENT/SLEEPERS STILL PLENTIFUL IN  DEEP SOUTH
by Jim Rothman, Mid-South Editor of the HOOP SCOOP

                Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home school.
                In an unprecedented Memphis move, two previously unknown prospects have exited the home school program and have enrolled in real live social schools that play actual competitive schedules against youngsters their own size.
                Jonathan Loe, a 6'3 lefty point guard with exceptional quickness and passing skills, has taken his trade from a small northern Mississippi hamlet to Bartlett, TN, a thriving suburb of Memphis.  Unpolished and unbridled, Loe, a senior to be, still turns heads wherever he plays because of his athletic ability and natural instincts.  Bartlett coach Hubie Smith, virtually handpicked by the Loe family, should feel fortunate, as graduation and transfers took their toll on his roster.  The word of Loe's talent quickly spread throughout the area via his success in Summer ball against many of the best guards in the city.  Ole Miss, Missouri, UAB, Central Florida, Tennessee Tech, Alabama, Indiana, and Memphis have all taken serious notice.   Following a well-touted refining process under coach Smith's tutoring, as well as the exposure of Summer ball, Loe could emerge as one of the South's top sleepers.
                Atiba Alexander is another who has been lurking in the shadows, awaiting his chance.   At nearly 6'5 and junior, Alexander shows great promise as a handler/scorer, primarily at wing forward, but could blossom into a top notch wing guard if he can defend that position, which can be difficult, if you had always been called upon to work the paint instead.  We haven't seen him drain threes, but Alexander displays top form on the jumper.  If he adds strength to his natural athletics, Alexander could really push Memphis Briarcrest into contention as well as make himself a very recruitable Division I prospect. 
                However, there is little conjecture on the talent of Tennessee's top seniors - 6'10 David Harrison from Nashville (Brentwood) TN and 6'3 Ernest Shelton from Memphis White Station.  But what isn't so certain is where each will likely attend school on the next level.  Harrison, a smooth operator with all kinds of moves in the paint, it would appear, would be a near-lock for locally-based Vanderbilt, where his father is an assistant football coach.  "Hey!  Not so fast," says HOOP SCOOP Editor and Publisher Clark Francis.  Harrison's brother just accepted a basketball scholarship to Colorado and the elder Harrison is real tight with his old buddy Wiley Brown, who happens to be the strength coach at Louisville.  Harrison also is very intrigued with UCLA and Duke. 
                The well-rounded Shelton is in a quandry, it appears.  An academic standout, the far-flinging Shelton, the MVP of the 2000 Tennessee State Tournament, can practically pick his school...and most of them are offering.  However, Duke, which was one of early favorites, is no longer interested, because they recently landed somebody else at his position.  There is the University of Memphis, where new Tigers head coach John Calipari has a train headed back to the big time.   Shelton has been offered a seat to get on board, but may be left at the station if he doesn't decide before all the tickets are distributed.  But it's not like Shelton will be left in the cold, as Wake Forest, Georgetown, Tennessee, Alabama and many more would welcome Shelton with open arms.  Classy kids with solid athleticism and deep range aren't always that easy to come by.
                Being heralded as an 8th-grader hasn't been an especially promising omen in the Memphis area, as Richard "The Master Blaster" Madison (1983) and Paris London (1998) can attest to.  As potential phenoms, neither has lived up to the "Next Dr. J" or "Next Jordan" hype created by the media and assorted other knowledgeables.  So let's see what happens when two freshmen-to-be are again tabbed as sure-fire stars in the Bluff City.  At 5'7 Andre Allen has wowed them in every league and every tournament in which he has competed.  Built in the Jacque Vaughn mold already, Allen penetrates at will and can score from anywhere inside 18'.  His ability to dish at the last moment defies his age.  Will he grow and how much will he improve are the only major questions surrounding Allen's future, not his skill.  Allen is attending Booker T. Washington this fall.
                So much for the short of it.  East High's Jerrell Houston should really be the one to watch, as he already stands 6'8, but has a way to go before tipping the scales at 200 lbs.  Houston possesses forward skills with a nice handle, but owns a funky-form jumper that needs refining.  A little more aggressiveness around the well couldn't hurt either.  When Houston adds the needed strength and bulk while curing some bad habits, the colleges will be knocking down the doors at East in the not-so-distant future. 

ROTHMAN'S RANKINGS OF THE TOP PLAYERS IN MEMPHIS

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