Cleveland Cavs' Darius Garland sponsors Nashville youth basketball league that is still adding teams

Former Brentwood Academy and Vanderbilt star Darius Garland, now an NBA All-Star point guard, is launching a youth basketball league in Nashville.

Before Garland returned to the Cleveland Cavs for the 2022-23 season, he organized the Darius Garland Youth Basketball League.

It’s for boys and girls kindergarten through eighth grade and will be played at three sites – Brentwood Academy, Hillwood and Lipscomb Academy.

It is a unique concept, which tips off Nov. 19 and runs through Feb. 25.

“A lot of NBA players have their own AAU type programs, clinics or camps, but we’re not sure any of them have a league that they’ve sponsored,” said Hubie Smith, who coached Garland at Brentwood Academy. “Darius is really excited about doing something different.”

Garland spent time over the summer putting the league together. When he left for the NBA preseason he turned it over to Smith and his parents Winston, a former NBA player, and Felicia, who serve as board members.

“It’s going to be a league spread out all over, Nashville trying to make it more diverse, trying to make it more of an upscale I would call mid- to upper-tier competitive level,” Smith said. “It’s going to be really good for the youth of Nashville because basketball shaped so much of who Darius is and he wanted to give back a league where the youth can play in and get better.”

The league will be made up of preformed teams. Coaches put together their own teams and then sign up at Garland’s personal website.

“It’s a bring your own team league,” Smith said. “That makes it more competitive because coaches are going to go out and find the best players to put on their teams.”

The most advanced players will play in the gold division and less advanced in the silver division.

Hillwood coach Pete Froedden will oversee the games at Hillwood, Lipscomb Academy coach Kevin Starks will oversee the games at Lipscomb Academy and former Maplewood star Spencer Richardson will oversee games at Brentwood Academy.

More than 100 teams are already registered. Smith said the league will accept about 50 more.

Garland will participate in some summer shootouts with the league's teams after the NBA season ends.

Coaches interested in putting together teams and signing up should contact Smith at hubiesmith10@gmail.com or visit Garland’s website dgthepg.com and click on “YBL Registration” in the upper left corner.

Nearly 300,000 Nashville TV households watched Tennessee-Alabama football game

Tennessee's thrilling 52-49 win over Alabama at Neyland Stadium was the most watched sports event in the Nashville market this football season posting a score of 25.8, according to WTVF-5 senior programming director Mark Binda.

That means 289,244 local households tuned in to see the Vols knock off the Crimson Tide for the first time since 2006 when Chase McGrath made a 40-yard field goal as time expired.

With the Tennessee Titans on an open week Sunday the second-most watched sports event in the market for the week was the Buffalo Bills' 24-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, which earned a 17.8 rating (199,556 households) and third was the Philadelphia Eagles' 26-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, which earned a 12.0 rating (134,532 households).

The Vols’ previously highest-rated game was against Florida on Sept. 24, which earned an 18.7.

The second most-watched game this season in the market was the Titans-New York Giants on Sept. 11, which earned a 23.4.

Nationally the game averaged 11.6 million viewers and was the most-watched in the series on record and the most-watched college game on any network of the season.

The game peaked with nearly 17 million viewers, the most on CBS in three years since LSU-Alabama in 2019 peaked with 16.7 million viewers.

Delanie Walker, Dan Pastorini will be 12th Titans for Colts game

More than 130 former players from the Oilers/Titans franchise are in town this week for homecoming festivities and Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium. They will be recognized at halftime.

Former tight end Delanie Walker and quarterback Dan Pastorini will serve as the honorary 12th Titans.

Walker, a three-time Pro Bowler who officially retired earlier this week, played for the Titans form 2006-12 and had 381 career catches, 4,423 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Pastorini spent nine years with the Houston Oilers (1971-79). He made the Pro Bowl in 1975 and had 16,864 career passing yards and 96 touchdowns.

Belmont basketball picked sixth in the MVC

The Belmont men’s basketball team was predicted to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference in a vote by the league’s coaches, sports information directors and media.

The Bruins are headed into their first season in the MVC after spending the last 10 years in the Ohio Valley Conference. Murray State also moved from the OVC and was picked eighth in the poll.

Belmont senior guard Ben Sheppard made the All-MVC preseason team. He was the Bruins’ leading scorer last season averaging 16.2 points. He also averaged 3.9 rebounds. He made the All-OVC first team.

Drake was picked to win the conference.

Percy Warner Golf Course closing for renovation project

Percy Warner Golf Course will close in November for an 11-month renovation and enhancement project, led by architect Bruce Hepner.

Metro Parks and Recreation, the Tennessee Golf Foundation, and Friends of Warner Parks are partnering to restore the 84-year-old course and surrounding landscapes, with a tentative grand opening date of September 2023.

A reception took place in June at the course to launch the project where national sports commentator Jim Nantz discussed the importance of accessible golf courses for the next generation with Hepner.

The improvements include installation of a new irrigation system to replace the 50-year old system currently in place; creation of a practice area with putting greens, a short game training area, and practice bunkers; replacement of summer and winter putting greens and green surroundings with a modern green complex; expansion of tee boxes and bunkers and restoration and management of the woodlands and surrounding landscapes to make them more aesthetically pleasing.

The total cost of the project is $2 million and $500,000 of that is still needed. A Restoration Celebration featuring food, drinks and music will take place Oct. 26 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the course’s clubhouse to raise funds. To register to attend visit WarnerParks.org/golf.

Lipscomb soccer moves up to No. 12 nationally

The Lipscomb men’s soccer team earned its highest national ranking ever this week at No. 12.

The Bisons moved from No. 17 in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll released Tuesday. Lipscomb, which has been ranked all season, is 10-1-2.

Three Austin Peay players added to national watch lists

Three Austin Peay football players were added to Stats Perform FCS midseason watch lists this week.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver and kick returner Kam Thomas was named to the Jerry Rice Award list (national freshman of the year).

Quarterback Mike DiLiello was named to the Walter Payton list (national offensive player of the year).

Linebacker Antoine Williams was named to the Buck Buchanan list (national defensive player of the year).

Sycho Sid and Commando Chaos coming to Hendersonville

Commando Chaos, featuring WWE legend Sycho Sid and presented by Pro Wrestling Entertainment, is set for Oct. 29 at Ellis Middle School. It starts at 7:30 p.m. and is a fundraiser for the Hendersonville High baseball team.

PWE champion Chris Michael will also be in action along with Alex Taylor, Doug Gilbert, Damien Wayne and others.

For tickets or more information visit ProWrestlingENT.com.

Former Cincinnati Red and Nashville Vol Jim Bailey dies at 87

Jim Bailey, a major league baseball player who also played for the Nashville Vols minor league team, died on Oct. 12. He was 87.

Bailey, a native of Strawberry Plains, was a left-handed pitcher for the Nashville Vols from 1958-60.

He was called up by the Cincinnati Reds during the 1959 season. His brother Ed Bailey was his catcher during his time with the Reds.

Bailey retired in 1961.

Nashville Sounds hosting Halloween event

The Nashville Sounds Foundation announced the return of its kid-friendly, Halloween-themed Suites-N-Treats event at First Horizon Park on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m.

Clube Level suite owners decorate their suites for the event, which didn't take place in 2020 or 2021. Participants are invited to trick-or-treat, moving about the level to collect candy and participate in each suite’s festivities.

Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at bit.ly/3CdnkCG. Proceeds benefit the Nashville Sounds Foundation.

Players with local connections on Lierberman watch list

Three players with local ties – Tennessee’s Jasmine Powell, Belmont’s Destinee Wells and Mississippi State’s Anastasia Hayes, a former Riverdale standout who began her college career at MTSU – are on the 2023 Nancy Lierberman Point Guard of the Year watch list.

Powell is a senior transfer from Minnesota, Wells was a two-time All-OVC first team selection and is the Missouri Valley preseason player of the year, and Hayes made the All-SEC second team last season.

For the second consecutive year Wells was also named to the preseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award.

Belmont receives votes in the AP Top 25 women's poll

The Belmont women's basketball team, picked as the favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference, received 14 votes in the preseason Associated Press Top 25.

The Bruins are the only MVC program represented in the poll. The only other team from the state in the poll or among others receiving votes is Tennessee at No. 5.

Belmont also received votes in the preseason media poll in 2018-19 and 2016-17. The Bruins have spent five weeks in the AP Top 25, appearing in five polls during the 2017-18. On Feb. 26, 2018, Belmont reached a program-best No. 22 ranking in the poll.

The Bruins went 23-8 last season, won the OVC regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament where they lost to Tennessee 70-67.

Adam Greeno leaving Tennessee PGA to take over Midwest

Adam Greeno, who spent the last 14 years with the Tennessee Section of the PGA, is the new executive director/CEO for the Midwest Section of the PGA.

He replaced Brad Demo, who will retire in December.

Greeno started with the Tennessee Section as an intern in 2009. Greeno went on to hold several leadership positions including field director, assistant tournament director, director of tournament 0perations, and most recently, tournament director.

Author will speak and sign Title IX book at Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame

Local author Mary Ellen Pethel, a Belmont professor, will speak and sign her new book, "Title IX, Pat Summitt, And Tennessee's Trailblazers: Fifty Years, Fifty Stories," Nov. 3 at the Tennessee Lottery Speaker Series at the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

The book details the role Pat Summitt and other women from Tennessee played in the Title IX legislation, which began 50 years ago.

The event is free and begins at 6:30 p.m.

Austin Peay hires former Titans dietician

Jill Merkel, who spent five years as a dietician with the Tennessee Titans, is Austin Peay’s new director of sports nutrition.

She will oversee all dietary and nutritional needs for the Governors’ athletic programs. She is the department's first fulltime dietician.

While with the Titans Merkel collaborated with the team's athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and chefs.

Prior to her time with the Titans, Merkel served as a dietitian for the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, working with NBA G-League players from 2018-20.

Sports on Nashville TV

The five highest-rated sports events locally for the week ending Oct. 16 in Nashville:

1. College football: Tennessee-Alabama, 25.8

2. NFL: Bills-Chiefs, 17.8

3. NFL: Cowboys-Eagles, 12.0

4. NFL: Ravens-Giants, 10.2

5. NFL: Raiders-Chiefs, 9.5

Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 senior programming directorEach rating point is equal to 11,211 TV homes in the Nashville market.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cleveland Cavs' Darius Garland forms Nashville youth basketball league