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On Wednesday, CCCHS basketball players Channah Gannon and Natalie Barnes were both nominated for The Tennessean’s Nashville area Player of the Year.

Both players were also named to the All-Midstate Large Class high school girls basketball team last week with coach Joe Pat Cope also claiming Coach of the Year honors.

“It’s a very big deal,” Gannon said of the honor. “We’ve worked so hard to get to where we are and all of it can be credited to coming into the gym and working everyday.”

Channah Gannon missed the first three games of the 2024-25 campaign due to an offseason injury, but still led the team in scoring on 17 occasions, scored 20 or more points 12 times, averaged 17.2 points per game and hit the 1,000 career points mark in the team’s 58-53 win over Bartlett on Jan. 4. Gannon’s season accolades include the 4A District 9 Regular Season MVP award, the 4A District 9 Tournament MVP, the 4A Region 5 MVP and being named to the TSWA All-State Team along with teammate Olivia Vinson.

Gannon, fresh off of her senior season at CCCHS, is signed to play NCAA Division I basketball next year with Southern Indiana.

Joining Gannon on the list of nominees for Nashville area Player of the Year will be teammate Natalie Barnes.

“It’s a very big honor to be mentioned along with some of the other great players across the state,” Barnes said. “I don’t think I could have done it without the people that I come in and work with, because they push me to be better every single day.”

Barnes, a junior at CCCHS who announced her commitment to Samford in December of 2024, averaged 14 points, four assists and four steals per game in the 2024-25 campaign for the Lady Raiders and hit the 1,000 career points mark during a 77-36 victory over Clinton back on December 21, 2024. Barnes was also named to the 4A District 9 Regular Season All-District Team and to the 4A Region 5 All-Region Team.

The list of nominees for Nashville area Player of the Year also include Blair Baugus (Wayne Co.), Reese Beaty (York), Dasha Biriuk (Webb-Bell Buckle), Cecilie Brandimore (Franklin), Abby Bryan (Lincoln Co.), Ellie Butler (Livingston Academy), Ellie Graham (Moore Co.), Lyriq Mastin (Blackman), Lily Morrow (Christ Presbyterian Academy) and Zoey Nicholas (Pickett Co.).

Those who want to vote on the Girl’s Nashville area Player of the Year can follow this link: https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/04/23/tennessee-high-school-basketball-tssaa-nashville-girls-player-of-the-year-dasha-biriuk/83165001007/

Voting for the award will close on Saturday, April 26 at noon.

Coach Joe Pat Cope was also voted The Tennesean’s Large Class Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Raiders to a 34-1 record in 2024-25 and the Lady Raiders’ second State Tournament appearance in as many years.

“It’s just a reflection of what these young ladies have done,” Cope said. “I wouldn’t get these awards if it weren’t for Natalie Barnes or Channah Gannon or Olivia Vinson. They make me look good. The work that these ladies have put in, getting in the gym everyday and shooting, makes it such a huge pleasure to coach them.”