Cowboy Takes the Reins: PURE Academy (TN) 2026-27 Player Profiles
Memphis basketball runs deep, and few people have been part of it longer than Eric "Cowboy" Robinson. This season he takes over as head coach of the PURE Academy Royals at PURE Academy https://pureacademy901.com/ in North Memphis, where he also serves as Director of Basketball Operations. Rather than a local high school schedule, the Royals play a prep schedule against programs from around the country.
Robinson has been a fixture of Mid-South basketball for more than two decades. A Memphis native and Hamilton High School graduate, he played two and a half seasons at Southern University at New Orleans before transferring home to Memphis State to play for coach Larry Finch, where a torn ACL and recurring injuries ended his playing career before he suited up for the Tigers. He went straight into coaching and player development, with stops at Lausanne, Olive Branch, Raleigh-Egypt, Power Center Academy and Lowrance Middle School, and in 2020 he returned to his alma mater as Hamilton's head boys' basketball coach. He is also the founder and CEO of Memphis Magic Elite (formerly Team Magic Elite), one of the city's longest-running grassroots programs, which has played on the Adidas and PUMA circuits. He joined PURE Academy's basketball staff in March 2024.
PURE Academy, short for Progressing Under Restraints and Extremes, is a nonprofit, all-boys private boarding school. Founder Melvin Cole, a Memphis native and former Bowling Green State University football player, turned his own life around and in 2012 launched the PURE Youth Athletics Alliance, which he expanded in 2016 into a residential school that gives young men from underserved Memphis neighborhoods stability, housing and mentorship https://pureacademy901.com/founders-message/. Recognized by the State of Tennessee as a non-public Category 1 school, it pairs an AgriSTEM curriculum (agriculture, science, technology, engineering and math) with life skills and college preparation.
The Royals' 2026-27 players are profiled below.
#1 Stephan Sheffa (2027) 6'6 wing - Sheffa joins the Royals for a post-grad year after a senior season at Wooddale High (Memphis), where he was named a Daily Memphian Player of the Week in January 2026, a month after a 29-point, 13-rebound game.
#2 Noah Garner (2028) 6'3 guard - A junior, Garner joins the Royals after starting his varsity career as a freshman at St. Benedict at Auburndale (Cordova, TN) in 2024-25.
#4 Taj Cain (2030) 5'7 point guard - One of two freshmen to make the Royals' varsity, Cain runs the point in the backcourt rotation.
#5 Tylin Cain (2030) 6'2 wing - Cain is the other precocious freshman to make the Royals' varsity.
#10 Trevor Richmond (2028) 6'2 wing - A reclassified junior transfer from Collierville High (TN), Richmond appeared in 14 varsity games for the Dragons last season while also playing varsity football. He was selected for the 2026 Phenom National Camp in Orange County, CA.
#11 Kylan Miller (2027) 6'0 point guard - A senior, Miller joins the Royals after two seasons at West Memphis Christian (AR). He has played club ball with HoopCity BC and competed at regional exposure events such as the G2S Hoops Camp. 3.9 gpa PH profile
#13 Thadius McCain (2029) 6'4 guard - A sophomore, McCain gives the Royals rare size for a young guard, with the length to play on the wing.
#14 Jeremiah Brown (2029) 6'0 wing - Brown is part of a young core that gives the program a foundation for the seasons ahead.
#20 Choyce Smith (2029) 6'0 wing - Smith gives Coach Robinson another high-potential young wing to develop.
#23 Thomas McCain (2027) 6'2, 185 lb guard - A senior, McCain joins the Royals after two varsity seasons at Kingsbury High (Memphis), and his strength lets him play either guard spot or slide to forward.
#32 Cayden Johnson (2028) 6'8, 315 lb forward - A two-sport standout, Johnson brings rare size to the Royals' frontcourt. He is rated among the top 25 tackles in football nationally by Rivals/On3. He has received multiple high-major D1 football offers. He transferred to PURE Academy in 2026 from Trezevant High (Memphis).
#35 Mikeal Davis (2027) 6'5 wing - A senior, Davis gives the Royals size and length on the wing, with the versatility to play either forward spot.
The team's 2026-27 game schedule and results can be found by clicking here