TIMES FREE PRESS BEST OF PREPS BOYS
Baylor Red Raiders (3-2) Coach: Austin Clark Players to watch: Spencer King, Jr., G (8 ppg); Austin Maize, Sr., G (7 ppg); Tyler Seaberg, Sr., F (12 ppg); Patrick Urey, Fr., C (10 ppg, 8 rpg). Boyd-Buchanan Buccaneers (4-7) Coach: Zach Roddenberry Players to watch: Parris Clarke, Jr., P (5.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg); Cade Evans, So., G (8.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg); Austin Jackson, Sr., G; Demaris Macon, Sr., F (6.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg). Brainerd Panthers (8-1) Coach: Levar Brown Players to watch: Kentrell Evans, So., G (10. 7 ppg; 7 apg; 2.2 spg); Da'V Moore, Sr., F (15.4 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.8 spg); Marques Tipton, Sr., G (15 ppg, 9 rpg, 2.8 bpg). Central Purple Pounders (7-2) Coach: Rick Rogers Players to watch: Terron Hayes, Jr., G (6 apg); Ryan Montgomery, Jr., F (23 ppg, 8 rpg); Jamichael Poole, Jr., G (14 ppg); Tre Tiller, Sr., F (top defender, 13 b in one game). Hamilton Heights Hawks (11-1) Coach: Zach Ferrell Players to watch: Abdulhakim Ado, Jr., C (9.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 4.7 bpg); Exekiel Balogun, Jr., G (12.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.5 spg); Joan Duran, Sr., F (9.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg). Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-7) Coach: J.P. Nerbun Players to watch: Tyler Byrd, Jr., F (31.9 ppg, 12 rpg); Kealey Green, Sr., F (12 ppg); Kolby McGowan, Fr., G (5.6 ppg, 3.8 apg); Guy Westhoff, Jr., F (6 ppg, 8 rpg). Ooltewah Owls (6-8) Coach: Tank Montgomery Players to watch: Jarek Boyd, Sr., F (15 ppg, 7 rpg); Edward Hayes, Sr., G (12 ppg, 5 apg, 4 spg). Ringgold Tigers (7-0) Coach: Greg Elkins Players to watch: Mac Brower, So., G (12 ppg, 5 rpg, 6 apg); Jordan Ransom, Sr., F (11 ppg, 10 rpg); Kile Sholl, Sr., G (14 ppg, 5 rbg, 5 apg, 2 spg); Hunter Sosebee, Sr., C (6 rpg). -- Compiled by Lindsey Young and Kelley Smiddie
The most important thing to Hamilton Heights' Abduhlhakim Ado is his team's success.
But he doesn't hide from the fact that when he first began playing basketball three short years ago, he learned that swatting away a shot and making it fly several feet could be an exhilarating experience.
"When I first played basketball, I'd block a shot and the crowd would be like, 'Whoa!,'" Ado said. "I just decided I'll keep doing that."
Apparently someone 6-foot-10 like Ado, who also weighs 225 pounds and is No. 18 in the 247Sports Rankings of college prospects, can just decide things like that. The Hawks are off to an 11-1 start in his junior season and Ado is averaging 4.7 blocks along with averages of 9.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
He and his Hamilton Heights' teammates can be seen this weekend at Chattanooga State competing in the Times Free Press Best of Preps tournament. The Hawks play Notre Dame in the first of four consecutive boys' games Friday starting at 4 p.m. Action begins at 10 in the morning with the first of four consecutive girls' games.
Ado grew up in Nigeria where his athletic career started on a soccer field when he was 4 years old. He played for about five years, not surprisingly at goalkeeper.
Ado claims the footwork he learned as a keeper has helped him in basketball, although he wasn't thinking about that sport back then. He was actually more fascinated by football, as far as American sports go.
He did attend a basketball camp in Nigeria and from that he said a relationship was formed with Lindsey Davis, a coach Ado said was instrumental in bringing him to the U.S. The transition was difficult in the beginning.
"When I first moved here it was really tough," Ado said. "It was hard getting used to the weather, and the food."
But he's Americanized now. He likes french fries. And lasagna.
Admitting to at one time being a "mama's boy," Ado gets frequent calls from home. But his strategy is to remain in the U.S. This summer he plans to play for the Georgia Stars -- the same AAU program he was affiliated with last summer.
"My goal is to be the best player I can be," Ado said. "Also playing against the best. That's what you have to do to show the world what you can do. If you want to be the best, you've got to play against the best."
Hamilton Heights coach Zach Ferrell said Ado -- Abdul to his teammates -- is a hard worker who doesn't relish the spotlight. He's trying to improve his offensive game, but it's clear what has already caught the eyes of several NCAA Division I recruiters.
"The best thing about him, hands down, is his shot-blocking ability," Ferrell said. "He's a rim protector.
"He might be one of the best shot blockers I've seen play the game," added Ferrell, who played at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and as a senior in the NCAA Tournament in 2009 saw up close 7-3 Tanzanian Hasheem Thabeet, who had 417 blocks in 100 career games at Connecticut.
Ado acknowledges that the recruiting process can be annoying at times. He doesn't expect to make a college choice until sometime during his senior when he feels he'll be better equipped to make a decision.
Ado's immediate concentration is on the Fighting Irish and trying to advance to a semifinal Saturday, then ultimately to Monday night's 7:30 championship. Historically the event has been well-attended.
"We've talked about the atmosphere," Ferrell said. "Really we're just trying to focus on the things we can control, like our composure and effort level."
Just as in the beginning, Ado may delight the crowds over the next few days with an emphatic rejection or two. But his priority is elsewhere.
"To me, I'm not really concerned about the crowd," Ado said. "I'm not trying to impress the crowd. I'm trying to win."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.