Browder, West among local grads playing big on college level

Jack Browder had a terrific basketball career at Dobyns-Bennett, scoring 1,196 points and leading the Indians to the Class 4A state championship. He has been just as formiable at Carson-Newman, not only on the court, but also in the classroom, earning CSC Academic All-American of the Year honors last season, in addition to being a two-time SAC President's Award and has twice earned Academic All-America honors. He continues to be a force on the court as well. Browder, a senior for the Eagles, is having a stellar senior campaign, providing 22.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and has played 109 minutes more than any of his teammates for Carson-Newman (10-8, 5-7). Browder, whose Eagles will host Tusculum on Wednesday, has scored 1,777 points, connecting on 48.8 percent of his shot attempts and 82.8 percent from the charity stripe. He is just one of several local graduates who are playing college basketball. *Former Sullivan Central and West Ridge standout Jaelyn West is a senior at King (7-9, 4-5), where she recently scored 33 points against Lees-McRae, which was a program record since the Tornado jumped the NCAA Division II ranks. West is currently ranked second on the Tornado with 12.4 points a game, which includes 31 3s, along with a 78.8 percent mark from the free throw line. West, who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds a game, was 11-of-20 from the field, including 7-of-11 from long range in the record-setting performance against the Bobcats. She also had 10 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes for the Tornado. *Former Science Hill and Daniel Boone guard Jamar Livingston is a sophomore at Walters State, leading the Senators (17-1, 9-1) with 14.1 points a game. He is connecting on 88.3 percent from the free throw line, has connected on 42 3s, along with 3.3 reounds and 2.6 assists for Walters State, which averages 106.4 points per game as a team. *Gate City graduate Jaydyn Carrico is contributing as a freshman at the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky, having played in all 17 games, contributing 10.3 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Patriots (17-3, 2-2), who are ranked 14th in the NAIA ranks, one of four teams in the Mid-South Conference to be ranked in the top 14 in the nation. *Dobyns-Bennett graduate Malachi Hale is contributing 6.4 points a contest for the Pioneers (8-10, 4-8), connecting on 27 3s and 14-of-18 from the free throw line. The Tusculum senior joined Browder in helping the Indians to the 2022 Class 4A state championship. Hale played at Walters State for two seasons, providing 6.5 points and 2.7 rebounds for the Senators. *Lina Lyon, a junior from Elizabethton, directs the Milligan attack at point guard, contributing 8.7 points, 3.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds for the first place Buffaloes (13-7, 12-1), which lost its first Appalachian Athletic Conference game last week, falling into a first place tie with Bryan. *Former Unaka standout Lyndie Ramsey, who is currently out with an injury for Emory & Henry (4-14, 2-10), but had a terrific start to her junior campaign, providing 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Wasps through 11 games. Former Providence Academy standout Kinley Painter has played in all 18 games, tallying 6.2 points, 2.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds a contest. *Others playing at area colleges include: MILLIGAN (Men): Grant Hensley (jr, Unicoi County, 5.4 ppg); (Women): Lexi Ervin (jr. Gate City, 4.7 ppg, 2.9 reb), Jenna Hare (jr, Sullivan East, 8.2 ppg in 5 games before injury), Macy Henry (soph, Elizabethton). KING (Women): Riley Nelson (sr, Sullivan East), Kendall Cross (soph, Tennessee High), Fallon Taylor (fr, West Ridge), Piper Helle (fr, Hampton), Addison Holly (sr, Sullivan East); (Men): Oliver Peterson (fr, Science Hill); Jackson Davidson (fr, Tennessee High). TUSCULUM (Men): A.J. Murphy (fr, University High, Tennessee-Martin). CARSON-NEWMAN (Men): Colin Brown (fr, Tennessee High, 4.3 ppg); (Women): Caroline Hill (soph, Dobyns-Bennett, 6.7 ppg, 2.6 reb.) UVA Wise (Men): Gunner Garrett (soph, Gate City); Brandon Brown (jr, Tennessee High, Lees-McRae). EAST TENNESSEE STATE (Women): Emmah McAmis (fr, Wise County Central, 3.4 ppg, 3.1 reb, 1.6 ast). *** There are also two professional basketball players from Gate City representing the Blue Devils just fine on the court. Mac McClung: The third-time NBA Slam Dunk champion is back in the NBA G League with the Windy City Bulls. He is averaging 23.5 points in 11 games, along with 7.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds. He is connecting on 51.7 percent of his shots, including 39.7 from 3-point range and 79.5 from the charity stripe. McClung saw action in three games this season for the Indiana Pacers before being released and returning for his fifth year in the G League. It has been reported that McClung, who became the first dunker to win three straight Slam Dunk contests, will not participate in the event this season. Bradley Dean: Playing his first season in the professional ranks, Dean is playing for the Newcastle Knights in the British Championship Basketball League. He has started strong, providing 24.2 points in 11 games for the 12-2 Knights, who are currently in a first place tie. He is connecting on 51.8 percent of his field goal attempts, 43.2 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line. He scored 40 points in his debut, connecting on nine 3s in the process. He has also scored 35 and 31 points in games, and has game highs of 10 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals.