CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Clarksville High boy’s basketball guard JJ Wheat is continuing his emergence as one of the premiere players in the state.

During this summer with his travel team Mid-State Elite (MSE), Wheat has gained notoriety on the AAU circuit by putting his talent and work ethic on full display.

On Sept. 19-20 in North Carolina, Wheat led all scorers with 28 points to help capture a 66-23 win in game one of the Big Shots Rocky Top Tip-Off tournament.

Wheat capped off his superb performance on the final shot of overtime, nailing a game-winning three-pointer over a 6-foot-7 defender.

“I was already on fire,” Wheat said. “I just told coach to get me the ball because I believed I could hit the shot. I had already had in my mind what I was planning on doing. After I saw the defender on me, I knew I had him in my hands. I went to the three-point line and stepped back. I really couldn’t see the shot going in at first because he was so tall. Once I seen it barely go in I was really excited. The crowd went crazy.”

After picking up another overtime win in the semifinals, MSE would then go on to win the 16U gold championship 53-50 behind 11 points from Rossview’s Ronald Jessamy and 10 points from Wheat who earned MVP honors.

Creating family

For Wheat, MSE is bigger than just the game of basketball and more about creating culture, character and family through sport.

“We’re a big program, and in the future I believe it’s going to expand,” Wheat said. “We’re definitely going to be something to talk about. My relationship with MSE is different because we don’t just do it on the court, we hang out off the court as well and that’s what builds our chemistry. We can really compete against any team.”

According to Wheat, competing on the AAU circuit is a whole different animal in comparison to playing high school basketball.

“In AAU, you rarely get any calls and some coaches don’t really care,” Wheat said. “They want to see you fight through the contact. You just get beat up and beat up. You have to play three consecutive games and you don’t have an off day like high school where you get to rest. AAU is a whole lot different because you’re going back to back. You have to really be prepared for it and treat your body like a machine.”

Upcoming preps season

Clarksville will open up the 2020-21 regular season on the road against Dickson County at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17. Wheat is anxiously awaiting the start of his junior campaign and third year under the tutelage of longtime Wildcat boy’s basketball coach Ted Young.

“Coach Young (Ted) is a great coach,” Wheat said. “He’s an old-school guy. I like how he thinks. He knows exactly what needs to be done in order for us to be successful.”

With CHS losing Nick Keener and Jamarco Mimms in the backcourt, Wheat will now be expected to shoulder even more of the scoring load this upcoming season after scoring 17 points per game in his sophomore campaign.

“I know I’m going to have to step up even more,” Wheat said. “I’m not too worried though because I know I have teammates who have my back and will be ready when the time comes. We also talk to each other a lot in practice which I think can help us win more.”

Getting better

The returning All-Area Player of the Year believes he hasn’t yet even scratched the surface of his true potential.

“My IQ has gotten tremendously better,” Wheat said. “Just being able to see the court, seeing where my guys are when the help defense comes, knowing when to dish the ball out and finding open lanes to attack when they’re there. My scoring has improved a lot as well from my three pointer going in more to my free-throw percentage going up higher.

“I give credit to all of my coaches Rico (Dontrez Cutno) and especially Dede (Damarius Smith) because I work out with him a lot. Obviously, I have to credit my parents too because I couldn’t do it without them.”

Several Division I colleges including Western Kentucky, Belmont and Morehead State have already begun to reach out to Wheat, as he continues to assert himself as one of the top guards in all of the South.

“It feels good, but I don’t let it get to my head,” Wheat said. “Obviously I want more, so I’m constantly working like I don’t have any interest at all…I just want more, more out of life and for more coaches to look at me.”