How Chambers High School basketball is building a title run around pair of super juniors
Chambers High School opens the 2024-25 basketball season Friday at home against Hickory Ridge, from Cabarrus County, and the Cougars feel they can win their first state championship in 21 years.
Why?
Although Chambers only has three seniors on the rosters, the Cougars have two of the nation’s best juniors in 6-6 Tarris Bouie and 6-6 Markus Kerr.
“Rarely do you find two high-major prospects on the same team coexist and have the chemistry of Kerr and Bouie,” said N.C. basketball recruiting expert Rick Lewis of Phenom Hoops. “They complement each others’ games and their unselfish play is appealing. More importantly, they score within the framework of the offense and make they a lethal scoring combination.”
The two young stars were Chambers’ No. 2 and No. 3 scorers last season behind center Maurio Hanson (15.5 ppg), who is now a freshman at Robert Morris in Pittsburgh.
This year, they will be in a much bigger role.
“They’re going to be a tough matchup for anybody that sees them,” said former Myers Park state championship coach Scott Taylor, how head coach at first-year private Ambassador Christian. “I don’t know if there’s anybody in N.C. basketball, especially public high school basketball, that has enough people to match up with them, to take them out of a shot to win.
“They’re as a difficult a 1-2 matchup to guard as I’ve seen around here.”
Bouie is ranked No. 95 nationally among all high school players in the junior class by 247 Sports. He’s No. 18 among shooting guard recruits. He has offers from schools like Alabama, Charlotte, Marquette and Wake Forest.
Bouie averaged 15 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals a year ago, and threw up a 40-point game in a third-round state playoff game at Weddington last season. Kerr averaged 13.4 points, four rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 steals, and he’ll be a primary ball handler this season.
“I think we can go to states,” Kerr said. “I feel like me and Tarris have a bigger role this year and we can play off each other. One scores and the other gets back, and we’re both leaders.”
Chambers has won at least 20 games in the last five full high school seasons. The Cougars were 4-3 in the spring 2021 COVID-shortened season.
To keep that streak going, Kerr and Bouie — the only two returning starters from a 22-9 team — will have to do more and get more help.
Chambers coach Brian Frasier isn’t concerned about that.
“Can they carry the load? Yes,” Frasier said. “They’re just going to need some help along the way with the other guys we’ve got back. We’re not big. There’s no traditional posts, but (the team likes) each other and (plays) well together and you can coach them. We’re definitely going to make a playoff run, for sure. I know everybody is trying to get older, a little bit, but we’ll definitely be fun to watch and definitely be competitive for sure.”
Bouie said after a few years watching Mecklenburg County stars like Myers Park’s Sir Mohammed, now at Notre Dame, and North Mecklenburg’s Isaiah Evans, now at Duke, it’s time for he and Kerr to step up into that Tier 1 of area players.
“It’s just my time to show what I’m about,” he said. “I’m ready, too. We’ve got a good team and I’m going to hold my teammates accountable. My role will be to be a leader and do everything. We’re small but we’re going to get out and run. I mean, we’re going to be the best shooting team ever. We can really, really shoot..
“Man, I just can’t wait.”
PHOTOS: Markus Kerr and Tarris Bouie
