Odds are, either Ridgeway or Craigmont is set for a deep run in this week’s Class AAA boys state tournament, if not both to an all-Memphis final.

Not since 1999 has a Memphis boys team failed to qualify for the Class AAA final (White County beat Columbia, 56-47, in the 1999 AAA final). Since then, Memphis-area teams have accounted for every Class AAA title. White Station won in 2000, then earned back-to-back-to-back titles in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Bartlett beat Gallatin in 2001. Ridgeway beat Jackson North Side in 2005. And Hamilton became the first Memphis boys team in 31 years to finish undefeated when it knocked off Shelbyville, 76-75, in double overtime in last year’s AAA title game.

Ridgeway has a head coach in Wes Henning who is 11-1 all-time in state-tournament games, having led the Roadrunners to three state titles since 2000. Craigmont, while new to the state tournament, has a soon-to-be-household name in Terrico White, a 6-5 guard/forward ranked among the nation’s top 130 juniors.

With both teams on opposite sides of the AAA bracket, you can bet Henning, for one, is pulling for an all-Memphis final. David Taylor’s Chiefs beat Ridgeway, 60-52, at Craigmont in the teams’ lone meeting this season.

“The thing about it is, if it’s us and Craigmont, we know it’s going back home to Memphis,” Henning said Wednesday.

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Michelle Beasley, Cordova.:

At the start of the season, I knew we would be good, but not this GOOD!! I felt with the loss of Shawne, Darius and Rodney this team would have its problems. At the beginning they seemed to struggle and I thought that it was going to be a long year. I was especially discouraged at the losses to Ga. Tech and Arizona, but the Tennessee game nearly put me over the edge.

Then, “Camp Cal” happened and this team took on a whole new identity. CDR emerged as a leader and Joey, when consistent is dominent in the paint. Now they are playing as a team. They are playing together as one unit at the right time. I knew that they were going to be Kings of the Conference, but who thought they would dominate as much as they have?

They have a sour taste in their mouth after the UCLA loss last year. This team has proven itself to be a national powerhouse and Cal has done a wonderful job. The Tigers are ready to roar and make some noise in the NCAA Tourney!!!

We are geared up and ready to go to the Big Easy!!!!! GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Keith Ellis, Lexington, Ky.:

I’d have to say that going into the year, I was definitely worried about our team, the loss of Rodney, Darius and Shawne was a major blow, but I never doubted how good we could be. CDR is fantastic, and Joey is a monster (when he is on, he rivals the dominance of Chris Massie a few years ago), but the beginning of the year really let me down. I questioned the addition of Jeremy, but I could not have been more wrong on that issue. I expected us to be in the championship game of the Maui, but to lose the way we did to Georgia Tech was a real blow. To turn around and then get blown out by Tennessee, and to lose to Arizona the way we did really hurt, because I thought the Tigers to be a much better team then that.

C-USA lived up to it’s billing and our dominance on the court was expected. Going undefeated was a nice accomplishment, but we should go undefeated in C-USA this year, and probably next year. Until the league builds itself up more, we should not lose a game there, and I really hope next year we continue the mid-February series with Gonzaga as well as add in a Creighton or Nevada to keep our team’s attention. I’d also like to see more marquee match-ups early on, and really like the way Calipari will take on anyone.

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Mike Parham, Memphis:

By the end of the year, the regular season probably exceeded my expectations. I was pretty down after we lost to Tennessee and Arizona in December, but looking back, the regular season went about like usual.

Ever since Calipari has been at Memphis, the Tigers start out slow and finish strong in February and March. Part of the problem is that we have to play the hardest part of our schedule in December, before the team gets on a roll. I wonder what the outcome would be if we played Tennessee and Arizona in March.

Regardless, we got a #2 seed, which I am very happy with. The only thing that matters is the tournament, anyway.

Thank goodness the basketball champion isn’t chosen by the “experts” like the football champion.

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Jody Kane, Memphis:

With football season almost over (thankfully), I started to dream of what could be with out basketball team. Of course there were some fears with the loss of Rodney, Shawne and Darius, but I knew that the talent ran deep. I hoped my fears would be unfounded.

Memphis Madness put me at ease. It was really good to see how much fun the guys were having and to see how good they were! It was also good to finally put faces with the names we already knew by heart! I knew that night we would be going very far.

I couldn’t wait until the Maui tournament. I plopped myself in front of the television to see the beginning of greatness! OOPS! I would have to wait a little longer! We endured the early losses and ran through the conference and the CUSA Tournament and now, let’s show the nation what the Tigers #1 Fan already knows…MEMPHIS TIGERS ARE # 1!!!!

Starting lineups:

Westside: Jr. G Derrick Richard, Jr. F Andrew Jeffries, Sr. G Greg Stewart, Jr. F Eric Atkins, Jr. F Cortez Johnson
CSAS: Jr. G Dontey Hampton, Jr. G Curtis McKoy, Jr. G Michael Johnson, So. F Dalon Deere, Jr. C Brian Ball

Early in the first quarter
And we’re off in this week’s boys state tournaments…..
CSAS with an early 2-1 lead on Dontey Hampton’s bucket inside…..Greg Stewart made 1-of-2 FTs for Westside to open the scoring

6:04 left in first quarter
Andrew Jeffries called for offensive foul, but Westside gets ball back on traveling call on CSAS center Brian Ball….Stewart misses in lane for Westside, which now leads, 3-2, on Eric Atkins jumper with 6:31 left

5:01 left in first quarter
Brian Ball putback gives CSAS 4-3 lead, but Atkins answers on other end with a stickback to put Westside back up by one….Scanning crowd for Westside fans, I see exactly zero. But hey, it’s early. CSAS looks to have brought at least 700 from Chattanooga.

3:20 left in first quarter
Westside showing it can play in the halfcourt….after working it around the perimeter, Andrew Jeffries sticks a 3-pointer to make it 8-4, Westside…..CSAS having trouble with Wildcat press….Jeffries gets a steal and layup to make it 10-4 Westside….

1:31 left in first quarter
CSAS possession now, trailing, 10-6…..Westside rebounds after two missed shot attempts by Patriots, but D. Richard misses layup following drive down the lane…..D. Hampton fouled on other end, heads to line with 50.7 seconds left…..makes first, makes second…10-8 Westside

End of first…Westside 10, CSAS 10
Hassan Cobb putback of airball 3-point attempt has things tied after one. CSAS closes out first quarter on a 6-0 run.

7:08 left in second quarter
Andrew Jeffries second basket of quarter gives Westisde a 15-12 lead….Jeffries opened quarter with a 3-pointer, and followed it up the next time down with a 17-footer.

6:10 left in second quarter
Both teams using trapping full-court pressure…..Stewart gets behind it though for a layup and a 17-14 Wildcat lead…

4:58 left in second quarter
Derrick Richard makes two FTs to put Westside up, 19-16….CSAS answers again inside….Westside possession, Jeffries is fouled inside on putback attempt…heads to line with 4:12 left now in quarter, makes first, makes second….21-18, Westside

2:09 left in second quarter
Jeffries on fire for Westside….drains 18-footer from left corner to put CSAS back up three (23-20), but Brian Ball, a 6-7 center, scores inside to cut it to one again….Jeffries has 14 of Westside’s 23 points….

Halftime….CSAS 26, Westside 23
Ball becoming a big factor with his size….blocks shot in lane on one end, then scores inside on other to give Patriots 24-23 lead before Dontey Hampton ends quarter with a layup to cap another 6-0 CSAS scoring run. Patriots have closed out both first-half periods with 6-0 runs…..be back with shooting and rebound numbers…..
**Amazing Westisde is in this game, having shot just 8-of-27 in the first half (29.6 percent) to CSAS’ 12-of-23 effort (52.2 percent). Jeffries 5-of-8 for 14 points for Westside, but rest of team is an ugly 3-of-19…someone else has to step up for Wildcats….Hampton and Ball a combined 8-of-9 for CSAS from field….second half about to start

7:08 left in third quarter
Ball heads to FT line after already scoring inside early to give CSAS its biggest lead of the day….He makes both FTs to makes it 30-23, CSAS….caps a 10-0 run for Patriots

5:51 left in third quarter
Greg Stewart layup stops bleeding momentarily for Westside, which now trails, 30-25, and has possession again, but Derrick Richard misses jumper from baseline…Timeout CSAS with 4:57 left in period

4:40 left in third quarter
Westside can’t keep Hampton from penetrating the lane…..he scores again on a layup to make it 32-25……Stewart answers with floater in lane on other end…..3:48 left, Atkins follows it with a baseline jumper to cut it to, 32-29…

1:09 left in third quarter
Stewart basket cuts it to, 35-33, but Ball answers on other end for Patriots….He has 12 points now on 5-of-8 shooting…..

End of third quarter…..CSAS 37, Westside 35
Stewart scores his eighth point of quarter with 8.9 seconds left to cut Patriots’ lead back to two…..Westside shooting just 35.3 percent, but finds itself in the thick of things….

6:46 left in fourth quarter
Stewart called for a traveling violation with CSAS leading, 39-25…..CSAS possession, and Patriots are taking their time, for good reason…Work it in to Ball, who Westside simply can’t stop inside….Ball makes it 41-35 on bucket in paint

5:24 left in fourth quarter
Ball scores on a putback and is fouled….makes FT to match CSAS biggest lead at 44-37….Stewart scores on layup on other end to cut it back to five, but Delon Deere converts another 3-point play for Patriots on CSAS possession to push lead to 47-39

4:11 left in fourth quarter
Derrick Richard had chance to cut lead to five, but misses a layup following his own steal and proceeds to foul Delon Deere under basket….Deere heads to basket for 1-and-1, misses first, but Westside called for lane violation. SHEESH!! Wildcats can’t catch a break….Deere goes on to make 2-of-2 to make it 49-40….timeout Westside.

3:25 left in fourth quarter
Delon Deere back to line following Eric Atkins jumper that made it, 49-42…..Deere makes both……51-42, CSAS, and Patriots force turnover with their press…..things starting to look bad for Westside, which is making its first state-tournament appearance in 21 seasons and it’s last, as Westside is slated to become a middle school next year.

1:52 left in fourth quarter
Westside may have a chance here. Derrick Richard goes to line with Wildcats trailing, 53-47……Jeffries 3-pointer with 2:05 left has kept hope alive…..Richard makes one to make it 53-48…..Hampton fouled by Westside, makes two FTs with 1:37 left

1:08 left in fourth quarter
Brandon Craven layup makes it 57-50, CSAS…..Timeout Westside with 59.3 seconds left…..

52.4 second left in fourth
Westside called for intentional foul (Atkins), and Curtis McKoy makes two FTs….CSAS gets possession back on intentional call and is fouled again, leading, 59-50….Hassan Cobb to line with 49.6 seconds left, misses first, misses second….

35.2 seconds left in fourth
This one’s all but over with McKoy headed back to line and CSAS leading, 59-50…..be interesting to see where these Westside kids end up next season….Westside’s high school students are supposed to be zoned to Frayser, but with the city’s open-enrollment policy, expect these kids to turn up everywhere. There’s several talented juniors on this squad, including Richard, Jeffries, Atkins, C. Williams, and Cortez Johnson

GAME OVER
CSAS 62, Westside 52
Just too much Brian Ball for CSAS. Westside’s final high school basketball season comes to an end at 24-9…..Be back with stat totals. Congrats to Westside and its coach Michael Neal on a fine season. With their third head coach in as many years, Westside rebounded from an 8-21 season last year to qualify for its first state tournament since 1986.

Brian Ball, CSAS’ 6-7 center, finishes with a game-high 22 points against a Westside squad that just didn’t have anything to match Ball’s size inside. Dontey Hampton adds 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting for Patriots (23-10). For Westside, Jeffries 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting led the Wildcats. Stewart, a 6-1 guard who remains unsigned, added 14 points (11 in the second half) in his final high school game, Eric Atkins had 10.