KNOXVILLE — Knoxville Catholic High School’s boys basketball team has booked a home game against a state powerhouse program for early next year.
The Fighting Irish are the defending TSSAA Division II-AA state champions. They claimed the championship in early March with a victory over Briarcrest Christian School in Nashville.
KCHS will entertain Hamilton Heights out of the Chattanooga Area on Feb. 10, 2021. Hamilton Heights is nationally ranked and an elite program in Tennessee.
The Fighting Irish lost just one player from last season’s squad, 7-foot power forward Akeem Oduside, who recently signed with Vanderbilt.
Knoxville Catholic has several NCAA Division I prospects returning from last year’s squad that finished 25-4.
Two of those players are rising juniors and University of Tennessee recruiting targets. Point guard Brian “B.J.” Edwards Jr. was the Most Valuable Player of the state tournament in 2020.
Handje Tamba, a 7-foot center, recently picked up an offer from coach Rick Barnes and the Volunteers. He is a rising star.
KCHS associate head coach Tony Scott announced the game in a social media post via Twitter.
The Fighting Irish played IMG Academy, from Bradenton, Florida in Knoxville late last season.