Tate sits down with Coach Bruce Slatten, Executive Director of the Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee (BCAT), to discuss the massive evolution of the Hoopsfest event—growing from 54 teams in 2019 to an incredible 158 teams today. They dive into the importance of the NCAA live period, what it means for high school athletes to play in front of over 70 college programs, and the hard realities of college recruiting.

Tate sits down with Coach Bruce Slatten, Executive Director of the Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee (BCAT), to discuss the massive evolution of the Hoopsfest event&mdash;growing from 54 teams in 2019 to an incredible 158 teams today. They dive into the importance of the NCAA live period, what it means for high school athletes to play in front of over 70 college programs, and the hard realities of college recruiting.

Growing up in a coaching family and now the owner of Mathews Team Sports, Tate Mathews brings a unique perspective to High School Sports Saturday.

With over fifteen years in the sporting goods industry in Middle Tennessee working with and for high school administrators and coaches, Tate’s relationships provide insight into middle Tennessee high school athletics.

High School Sports Saturday covers each sport during their respective competitive seasons.  Coaches, administrators, TSSAA officials and student-athletes are interviewed each week at 8 AM on 104-5 The Zone.

High School Sports Saturday with Tate Mathews

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HSSS- Bruce Slatten (Director Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee)

This week on High School Sports Saturday, Tate Mathews takes the show on the road, broadcasting live from the TOA Sports Performance Center in Franklin for the massive BCAT Hoops Fest! With over 150 teams packed into the facility, Tate sits down with some of the best basketball minds in the region to discuss summer development, the evolving landscape of college recruiting, and the highly anticipated arrival of the shot clock in Tennessee high school hoops.

First, Coach Bruce Slatten the Executive Director, BCAT breaks down the explosive growth of the Hoops Fest, the importance of getting players exposure across all collegiate levels, and the association's successful push to finally implement the shot clock statewide.

Then, Coach Jason Welch the Head Coach of the Tullahoma Wildcats, provides a look into the Tullahoma program, the grind of summer ball, and how playing multiple games in a single day builds necessary team chemistry and competitive endurance for the winter.

Coach Andy Blackston of the Brentwood Academy Eagles) shares his philosophy on building a Next, winning culture, defending the standard at a powerhouse program, and his thoughts on how the new 35-second shot clock will change late-game strategies.

The show wraps with Coach Eric Evans II of the Cumberland University Phoenix providing a deep dive into the college side of the game. Coach Evans discusses the relentless recruiting trail, the reality of navigating the transfer portal, and building a gritty, defensive-minded NAIA program at Cumberland.

This week on High School Sports Saturday, Tate Mathews takes the show on the road, broadcasting live from the TOA Sports Performance Center in Franklin for the massive BCAT Hoops Fest! With over 150 teams packed into the facility, Tate sits down with some of the best basketball minds in the region to discuss summer development, the evolving landscape of college recruiting, and the highly anticipated arrival of the shot clock in Tennessee high school hoops.
First, Coach Bruce Slatten the Executive Director, BCAT breaks down the explosive growth of the Hoops Fest, the importance of getting players exposure across all collegiate levels, and the association's successful push to finally implement the shot clock statewide.
Then, Coach Jason Welch the Head Coach of the Tullahoma Wildcats, provides a&nbsp;look into the Tullahoma program, the grind of summer ball, and how playing multiple games in a single day builds necessary team chemistry and competitive endurance for the winter.
Coach Andy Blackston of the Brentwood Academy Eagles) shares his philosophy on building a Next, winning culture, defending the standard at a powerhouse program, and his thoughts on how the new 35-second shot clock will change late-game strategies.
The show wraps with Coach Eric Evans II of the Cumberland University Phoenix providing a&nbsp;deep dive into the college side of the game. Coach Evans discusses the relentless recruiting trail, the reality of navigating the transfer portal, and building a gritty, defensive-minded NAIA program at Cumberland.

High School Sports Saturday with Tate Mathews 06-13-2026

Tate welcomes in Coach Eric Evans II, who is entering his fourth year at the helm of the Cumberland University Men's Basketball program.

Coach Evans opens up about the massive shift he has led at Cumberland—moving away from a heavy reliance on two-year transfers and focus instead on building a long-term culture from the freshman class on up. He breaks down what he and his staff look for when scouting high school talent, emphasizing that a player's character, behavior as a teammate, and coachability matter just as much as their point production. Tate and Coach Evans also dive into the ultra-competitive landscape of their NAIA conference, which Evans describes as a "low-major Division I league" featuring perennial powerhouses like Free Hardeman and Georgetown.

Tate welcomes in Coach Eric Evans II, who is entering his fourth year at the helm of the Cumberland University Men's Basketball program.
Coach Evans opens up about the massive shift he has led at Cumberland&mdash;moving away from a heavy reliance on two-year transfers and focus instead on building a long-term culture from the freshman class on up. He breaks down what he and his staff look for when scouting high school talent, emphasizing that a player's character, behavior as a teammate, and coachability matter just as much as their point production. Tate and Coach Evans also dive into the ultra-competitive landscape of their NAIA conference, which Evans describes as a "low-major Division I league" featuring perennial powerhouses like Free Hardeman and Georgetown.

HSSS- Eric Evans II (Cumberland University Men's Basketball Head Coach)

Tate welcomes in Coach Andy Blackston, head coach of the Brentwood Academy Eagles, fresh off back-to-back deep postseason runs.

Coach Blackston gives us an inside look at what it takes to build and maintain a championship-caliber team. From developing players who truly want to win to the meticulous process of instilling a competitive mindset, this conversation offers invaluable insights for players and coaches alike. They also discuss the unique challenges of playing in DII-AA, the recent implementation of the TSSAA shot clock, and the reality of the college basketball recruiting process.

Tate welcomes in Coach Andy Blackston, head coach of the Brentwood Academy Eagles, fresh off back-to-back deep postseason runs.
Coach Blackston gives us an inside look at what it takes to build and maintain a championship-caliber team. From developing players who truly want to win to the meticulous process of instilling a competitive mindset, this conversation offers invaluable insights for players and coaches alike. They also discuss the unique challenges of playing in DII-AA, the recent implementation of the TSSAA shot clock, and the reality of the college basketball recruiting process.

HSSS- Bruce Slatten (Director Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee)

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