Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Basketball Classic Preview - Mount Paran vs. Tucker (Boys)

The opening matchup of the Saturday schedule of the Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Basketball Classic features a matchup between Class 4A No. 7 Tucker against Class 1A-3A Private Mount Paran Christian at 10 a.m. at Gainesville.

Through eight games, Tucker is 6-2 with losses to Chamblee (77-72) on Nov. 7 and Class 4A No. 5 St. Pius X 72-61 on Dec. 2. The Tigers have beaten McDonough 63-48, Therrell 74-60, Northview 89-27, Clarkston 90-39, Norcross 82-77 and North Gwinnett 71-64. Head coach James Hartry has coached Tucker to a Class 4A championship in 2007 and were runners up in 2005, 2009 and 2019.

Senior JaKobe Williams is a 6-foot, 145-pound guard who leads a trio of Tucker players who are scoring in double-figures. Williams averages 22 points with 2.6 rebounds, seven assists and 2.6 steals per game. Sterling Pritchett is a 6-foot sophomore guard and forward who adds 12 points with three rebounds, three assists and two steals per game.

Tucker’s senior forward Adarian Johnson is a 6-foot-5, 170-pounder who leads the team in the paint with 6.5 rebounds per game – 2.5 offensive and four defensive. He adds 10 points per game and leads the Tigers with 2.3 blocks per game. Freshman Vance Wilder Jr. adds 7.4 pints and two rebounds per game, senior Julian Glenewinkel is scoring six points per game with three rebounds. Junior Kelan Smith scores six points with six rebounds per game.

On the other side of the court, Mount Paran is 3-2 through five games with victories against Kennesaw Mountain 86-76, North Clayton 73-70 and King’s Academy 61-46. The Eagles dropped games against Fellowship Christian 81-72 on Nov. 20 and Walton 72-46 on Nov. 25. Chuck Frierson took over the head coaching duties at Paran in 2022 after serving within the system as a junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant coach under Greg Phillips. A Massachusetts native, Frierson played college basketball at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and played professionally overseas for 11 years.

Frierson is coaching a young but talented team with just one senior and seven juniors to compliment three sophomores and three freshmen. Senior Liam Farrell is a 6-3, 170-pound power forward who is scoring seven points per game.

Three players are scoring in double figures for the Eagles and 6-4, 175-pound sophomore shooting guard Shane Goines leads with 22 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Junior JT Scott is a 6-foot, 160-pound guard and is scoring 18 points with four rebounds and two assists per game. Junior Dylan Binion is a 6-1 point guard who is scoring 10 points with three rebounds per game. Junior Asher Wills, a 6-2, 160-pound power forward leads the team with 5.6 rebounds per game.

MT. PARAN ROSTER

Head Coach: Chuck Frierson

0, Landon Breckley, PG/SG, 11

1, Asher Wills, PF/SG, 11

2, CJ Jackson, SG/PG, 9

3, Shane Goines, SG/PG, 10

5, Dylan Binion, PG/SG, 11

10, Inky Johnson, SF/SG/W, 9

11, Micah Walker, W, 10

12, Josh Williams, C, 11

13, Liam Farrell, SF/PF/SG, 12

14, JT Scott, PG/SG, 11

20, Fred Blankenship, PF/F, 11

21, RJ Westbrook, G/F, 9

24, Aydian Smith, PF, 10

TUCKER ROSTER

Head Coach: James Hartry

1, Adrian Johnson, F, 12

2, Sterling Pritchett, G/F, 10

3, Jakobe Williams, G, 12

4, Samir Jones, F, 11

5, Vance Wilder, G, 9

10, Kelan Smith, F, 11

11, David Gough, F, 12

12, Amontae Briggs, F, 12

15, Decarlo Dickerson, G, 11

20, Bakari Campbell, G, 12

21, Omari Fernandez, F/C, 12

22, Julian Glenewinkel, C, 12

23, Adarian Johnson, F, 12

44, Abdulaye Barry, F, 11

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