Entering the 2020-2021 girls’ basketball season, the Macon County Tigerettes faced several questions.
Could they return to the state tournament for a fifth consecutive year? How could they replace a Miss Basketball? Could they ever actually capture a gold ball?
After an unconventional season, the Tigerettes answered the questions by capturing the first state championship in school history.
READ: Macon County Tigerettes Capture First State Championship In School History
Midway through the season, the Tigerettes found themselves in an unfamiliar situation. After a 9-0 start to the season, they lost four out of six games. The losses came against York (20), Ensworth (22), Upperman (30), and Westmoreland (7).
“The four teams we lost to during that stretch (were great),” said MCHS head coach Larry White after his team’s quarterfinal win over Covington. “I lost some sleep.”
White, who has been coaching for over 45 years, said he wasn’t sure how to approach the situation, so he called on some key advisors.
“I called (Clarkrange head coach) Lamar Rogers… Brent Smith who I highly respect… and (Former Clay County head coach) Joe Sims,” said White. “All three of them almost mirrored what they told me. ‘They just need to get their confidence back, and you’re going to have to convince them that you’ve got the confidence in them’. We had that meeting, and ever since that meeting, we’ve been pretty good.”
The Tigerettes rallied to win 15 of their last 17 games, including spoiling rival Upperman’s undefeated regular season, an undefeated postseason run, and a gold ball.
Senior guard and MTSU signee Jalynn Gregory said while belief in the Tigerettes may have faded from those on the outside, they always believed they could get back to Murfreesboro.
“I feel like a lot of people doubted us,” said Gregory. “(We lost) key pieces, but once we started getting going I think their confidence in us grew. Then we went through that dry spell and then we finally picked it back up.”
The Tigerettes were making their fifth straight appearance in the state tournament, and fourth trip to the state title game in 10 years.
The Tigerettes captured the gold ball with three double-digit victories, but they faced moments of adversity in each game. White said his team’s previous experiences and confidence were valuable in their ability to remain composed.
“When I got to Macon it was just a shock to get here,” said White. “That first trip set the stage for the rest of them as we’ve rolled on.”