Hamilton Heights Preps For Season With Revamped Roster
New Faces To Help Replace Loss Of Four Division I Signees
Monday, November 6, 2017
- by special to The Chattanoogan.com
The 2017-18 Hamilton Heights Hawks will play in nine national events this season and host the Hawks Havoc at their own gym.
Hamilton Heights Christian Academy Hawks released their varsity basketball schedule for the 2017-2018 season on Monday.
The Hawks kick off the regular season by hosting the annual Hawks Havoc on Nov. 17-18. This year’s event will be held in the intimate home gym of the Hawks. Tickets will be pre-sold and are available in the school of?ce or on the school’s website at
hamiltonheights.net/">www.hamiltonheights.net.
The Hawks will participate in nine national events, including the Marshall County Hoopfest, where they will take on Oak Hill Academy on Dec. 1, the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta, Georgia, the Music City Classic in Nashville, and Manual Boys’ Extravaganza in Indianapolis, Indiana.
They will conclude their season at the National Association of Christian Athletes National Championship in Dayton, Tennessee.
The Hawks are a completely revamped squad that graduated four seniors playing NCAA Division 1 basketball: Nickeil Alexander-Walker at Virginia Tech; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at Kentucky; C.J. Massengill at UT-Chattanooga; and Therron Shelton-Szmidt at Middle Tennessee.
Hamilton Heights returns 6-foot-10 junior center Jason Jitoboh, who picked up offers this summer from Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee and 6-2 point guard Jordan Rawls, who has garnished interest from Auburn, Vanderbilt, and a host of other high-major schools.
Also back for coach Zach Ferrell’s squad includes a pair of 6-7 wings from Canada, Trey Edwards and Wheza Panzo. Both are ranked in the top ten in the 2019 class by Canada’s North Pole Hoops.
Seven-foot-1 forward Uros Plasvic from Serbia is an exciting addition. He is a high-major talent who has committed to Cleveland State University due to his connection with former University of UT-Chattanooga player, Drazen Zlovaric, now an assistant at Cleveland State.
There are several more newcomers to the Hawks’ roster.
A player who has 10 Division I offers in his back pocket is Canadian 6-2 point guard Kevaughn Ellis, along with sophomores 6-7 wing Sampson Ruzhentsev from Russia, Keon Ambrose out of Canada, and 6-6 guard Yannick LeGuenne from France. All three are gaining a lot of attention from college coaches.
Completing the Canadian connection this year is 6-5 guard, Thomas Gilgeous- Alexander.
Rounding out the roster are 6-6 senior guard Berke Tankus from Serbia, junior Nye Key-Armstrong from New Jersey and 5-10 freshman Tony Farrar, the lone Chattanoogan.
Ferrell is assisted by Michael Pulice, Tre High and Ben Cribbs. Cameron Russell is the team’s strength and conditioning coach.
(Tuesday: The Lady Hawks to play in 10 national events this season)