RIDGEWAY 2011-2012

     After a rebuilding year for the roadrunners last year, Coach Henning in his 20th year at Ridgeway and his only head coaching job has amassed 4 state championships and 1 runner up respectively. Southwind, Arlington and Wooddale will battle Ridgeway for District 15 AAA accolades. University of Memphis signee Tarik Black is gone and will be greatly missed but these young men should end up in the TSSAA state championship game or the season was a major disappointment. SeniorCameron Golden (6'1 - 165 lbs., rivals #) will lead at the guard position with his great ball handling and court vision to go along with good outside shooting from all over the court. One question the Hoopers staff has is how will the ball handling be when Golden is not in the game for the roadrunners, multiple turnovers will not be accepted for postseason advancement. Offers from MTSU, Kent State, and Missouri St. and many more are on deck. He had an outstanding 2010 Rivals Future 150 CampNashville Future 150 Wrap Up (click here). Senior Koderio Fleming (6'6 - 215 lbs., rivals #)had an outstanding summer with Memphis YOMCA and his strong play around the middle that also includes good mid range shooting and good hands will contribute heavily all season long. A very important senior isAdam Weary (6'1 - 185 lbs., rivals #) will play at the other guard position and his play will be extremely instrumental as teams focus on Goldenthroughout the season.  Weary has impressed the Hoopers staff with his solid guard play and sound shooting all summer long. Another senior is Brandon Lewis (6'5 - 225 lbs., rivals #) where football is definitely his sport with many Division 1 offers in the loop will bolster the middle in strong fashion.  A senior that does it all and will be relied on super heavily (is that proper English) is one of my favorites is Marvin Smith (6'4 - 190 lbs., rivals #) who reminds of a past player of the Hoopers in Reggie Fondren who recently signed with UALR that just does it all and will be very vital all season long and log major minutes hands down.

    Ridgeway will host the After Thanksgiving Classic at the school and will match up with Wenonah of Birmingham, Alabama. Ridgeway will attend the St. Louis Classic December 26-29, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri with great talent on board. They will also face an opponent to be named at later date in the Penny Hardaway Classic in January 2012. Penny Hardaway is a sponsor of the school with some of the nicest uniforms in the country.

    Seniors Desean Dockery (6'2 - 175 lbs. rivals #), Jamal Donaldson  (6' - 175 lbs. rivals #) and  Greg Pryor (6'2 - 175 lbs. rivals #) will notch major minutes all season long in certain roles that will depended on in many games. Transfer Craig Hill (6'6 215 lbs. rivals #) should contribute in the middle accordingly.

College Coaches: Diamond in the Rough Team with legitimate off the radar prospects, (college coaches click here).

Updated 11-25-2011

By Staff Writer Harold Rivera

Players:

Recap 8-25-2005

BY : ANDRE WHITEHEAD OF TENNESSEE PREP HOOPS

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I think there is a book that starts off that way, but I digress.

The anticipation of the upcoming AAU or summer campaign was alive and kicking all over the country in May of 2005, especially in Memphis.

The expectations seemed enormous, having finished second in the 17 and under nationals last season as 16's the Memphis YOMCA seemed primed for the ultimate run.

Something happened on the way to the gym.

It was apparent the Bluff City faithful were not the only parties interested in getting a piece of the star studded squad.

Adidas wanted to get a foothold in the ever burgeoning Memphis hoop scene and this seemed to be the initial move to start this particular ball
rolling.

So the YOMCA was no longer in the loop and the Memphis Pump-N-Run were officially born.

Taking a peek at the roster one could not blame Adidas for their bold move. Thaddeus Young, Willie Kemp, Wayne Chism, Pierre Niles and Brandon Powell made up a nucleus that would surely lead Team Memphis to the promised land.

The summer campaign started with a most interesting scenario as the "PNR" lost a game to the Mid-State Ballerz, who ironically had Willie Kemp running the show. This was an illusion that would soon change, as Kemp
shortly thereafter joined the PNR.

With all their ducks in a row, the PNR set out to establish themselves and put a benchmark on the national attention that would follow.

The Real Deal on the Hill, the first major tournament of the summer that coaches could attend. The pundits pined for the impending matchup between Team Memphis and the defending mythical goliath The Indy Spiece Heat. The Heat were led by the consensus top player in the class Greg Oden and numerous other high level prospects who could actually match the
PNR with name recognition.

The reputation was established and the aura of the PNR was created as the boys from Memphis soundly defeated the Heat and made a huge cry across the land as the best summer squad in existence.

Another funny thing happened on the way to their future endeavors, nothing.

For some inexplicable reason the PNR did not suit up for any of the Memorial Day festivities and was sparsely seen until the Adidas Super 64 in Atlanta, following the shoe camps.

The aforementioned players participated in various high level exposure camps and the three major shoe camps and kept their names on the tongues of coaches nationwide.

After achieving individual success at these various camps, the boys got back together with the purpose of putting the finishing touches on a grand and final run through the top programs the country had to offer. They added Ridgeway jumping jack Ernest Fields and ECS powerhouse Tim Johnson to the fold and things looked bright.

Once again a funny thing happened on the way to the gym.

The time off and the lack of continuity played havoc on the chemistry of the PNR and they bowed out early in Atlanta.

Heading to Las Vegas for the final big time event of the summer, the PNR seemed poised and ready to achieve. After dominating pool play the lack of chemistry once again reared it's ugly head and some resentment among the players seemed to end this summer campaign on a sour note.

This team had the potential to be one of the best of all time. It is truly unclear what precipitated these events that grounded this team for much of the latter portion of May and June, but it truly had it's effect on their success.

None the less these kids are part of the best class of seniors to dot the Tennessee landscape in many years.

The decision to completely disassociate themselves with the
organization that they grew up playing for in retrospect now seems like a mistake. The YOMCA will continue on with quality younger teams and what to make of the Adidas affiliation with the Bluff City at this juncture is
unclear.
 

BY : ANDRE WHITEHEAD OF TENNESSEE PREP HOOPS