Kemp
Carl Edmondson, Jr.

While the boys basketball season for Williamson County is over, we've still got some awards to give out. 

It was an exciting year for the boys side of hoops. Even though no boys team reached the state tournament, we had no shortage of memorable games (see the 3OT nailbiter for Brentwood at Dickson Co. as evidence), stellar performances, tense playoff matchups and surprising upsets. 

We've spent time thinking hard about these awards (particularly the incredibly close contest for Player of the Year), and we're thrilled to be able to share them with you. 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Franklin's Reed Kemp 

Trying to pick a Player of the Year for this past season of Williamson County hoops is like trying to close your eyes, turn around backwards and chuck a basketball into a hoop from the other side of the court. 

It's not impossible, but it's really, really challenging. 

All 12 finalists, and so, so many other basketball players, are deserving of accolades this season. Not winning an award does not constitute a poor performance, far, far from it. Every finalist here is deserving of this honor in theory. 

If you're going off of individual performance, though, for this season, it's got to be Reed Kemp, the second-straight Rebel to win the award. 

How do you replace Reese Glover? That was the question the Rebels were tasked with answering when the 2018-19 Home Page WillCo Boys Basketball Player of the Year left for his college career at Missouri Western. 

Kemp was a stellar factor of Franklin's historic 2018-19 outfit, but Glover was the star. Now, the show was Kemp's and he played with aplomb. 

It was striking to watch him in part will Franklin to the 11-AAA district finals and past a Brentwood team that won the regular season district crown. 

You don't want to discount the great contributions from guys like stalwart Matt Thurman and breakouts Aidan Smylie and Connor Beavon, or the inspired coaching from first-year Rebels head Jason Tigert. 

But just like last year, it was Glover, this year, it's Kemp. He won the 11-AAA's MVP in an absurdly-crowded field, a tell as to the kind of season he had. 

For his fantastic season taking over as the face of Franklin basketball, Kemp is our 2019-20 Home Page WillCo Boys Basketball Player of the Year. 

Finalists: Brentwood's John Windley, Ravenwood's Rex Gainer, Christ Presbyterian Academy's Braden Zapp, Battle Ground Academy's Garnett Hollis, Jr., Summit's Tre Carlton, Nolensville's Nathan Foutch, Fairview's Bill Eads, Page's Mason Allen, Independence's Hrishi Salitri. Grace Christian Academy's Mason McKnatt, Currey Ingram Academy's Truman Christie-Mizell 

Coach of the Year: Greg Shirley, Brentwood 

After making the state tournament in 2019, Shirley did a wonderful job revamping his Bruins with nearly a new group of starters and pushing for the regular season district title and a playoff run. 

The Bruins also showed a ton of grit after shaking off a loss in the district semis by pushing forth for a region quarterfinals win and a hard-fought battle in the region semis (without post presence Evan Drennan in tow). Some of the credit there goes to Shirley for his leadership and coaching. 

He was honored by her peers in 11-AAA as its Coach of the Year. 

Finalists: Summit's Jim Fey, Brentwood Academy's Matt Hoppe, Franklin's Jason Tigert, CPA's Drew Maddux, Centennial's Tyler Hickman 

Rising Star Award: Fairview's Kennedy Pendergrass 

Special Recognition: GCA's Mason McKnatt, Currey Ingram's Truman Christie-Mizell 

A special recognition goes to McKnatt and Christie-Mizell for their soaring careers at their respective schools. 

Both players have etched themselves in their respective school's history, each arguably the best player to ever suit up for their respective programs. 

Both have had careers at their schools that make them all-time leading scorers and call for banners to be hung from the rafters. It's rare to find two basketball players from different county schools playing in historic runs congruently, but for McKnatt and Christie-Mizell, and that's what's happened over the past few seasons. 

Both deserve places in Williamson County basketball history for their trailblazing achievements with their respective programs.

Any GCA kids playing in the future will be aiming to play like Mason McKnatt, and any CIA kids in the future will be aiming to play like Truman Christie-Mizell. They're both now the standards for their respective schools. 

2019-20 All-WillCo Team

Brentwood High School

  • John Windley
  • Evan Drennan 
  • Griffin Burke 
  • Jake Brock
  • Macen Redner 

Ravenwood High School

  • Rex Gainer 
  • Nick Dang 
  • Connor English 

Independence High School

  • Hrishi Salitri 
  • Matt St. Charles 
  • Trey St. Charles 
  • Noah Crook 

Centennial High School

  • Dusty Williams 
  • Isaiah Poore 
  • Patrick Garrett 

Franklin High School

  • Reed Kemp
  • Matt Thurman
  • Aidan Smylie 
  • Connor Beavon 

Fairview High School

  • Bill Eads
  • Locke Hord 
  • Kennedy Pendergrass 

Nolensville High School

  • Nathan Foutch 
  • Davin Watkins  
  • Keidron Batey
  • Max McAllister 

Page High School 

  • Mason Allen
  • Blanne Burrow 

Summit High School

  • Tre Carlton
  • Destin Wade
  • Keaten Wade
  • Konata Werts
  • Caleb Jolley 

Spring Hill High School

  • Ty Bryant 

Brentwood Academy 

  • Clay Holmes
  • Adam Wass 
  • Trent McNair 

Christ Presbyterian Academy 

  • Braden Zapp 
  • Braeden Moore 
  • Jordan Dewalt 
  • Evan Shiflet 
  • Jake Dykstra 

Franklin Road Academy

  • Kingston Gardner 
  • Sean Casey 

Battle Ground Academy 

  • Garnett Hollis Jr. 
  • Kaleb Seay
  • Jorian Cantrell 

Grace Christian Academy 

  • Mason McKnatt 
  • Will Beasley 

Currey Ingram Academy 

  • Truman Christie-Mizell 
  • Franc Joubran