The Cookeville Lady Cavaliers are bound for the TSSAA state basketball tournament as a fitting conclusion to a dominant season.
In a season full of firsts, including the first undefeated regular season in team history, the Lady Cavs are looking to add another; the first Gold Ball in CHS girls’ basketball history.
“I thought we were going to be good,” said CHS head coach Jamie Gillies on her preseason expectations for her team. “I thought we had all the pieces that we would need. Our goal was to make the state tournament. I felt like we were a good solid team.”
The Lady Cavs had been building towards the 2021-2022 season for several years, now they present a roster full of experience and stars, including Cassie Gallagher, KK Graves, Jordan and Bailey Gillies among others. Gillies said while her team is very talented, their unselfishness has been critical.
“These girls have bought into team,” said Gillies. “They still don’t care who scores the most. They don’t care who has the most rebounds. They just want to win. They’re coming in every week and every day hungry.”
The Lady Cavs rolled to a 31-1 record entering the state tournament, with their only loss being a 29-28 loss against Green Hill in the District 9/AAAA title game. While their record is nearly spotless, Gillies said her team has fought through adversity and is prepared for the tournament.
“We had a tough schedule,” said Gillies. “We had some games where we had to come from behind and win. We had some games where we had a lead and let it dwindle. We’ve been tested. We’re moving in the right direction throughout the year.”
The state tournament presents an opportunity for new audiences to view the Lady Cavs. Gillies said people should expect to see a fun brand of basketball.
“If you’ve never seen us play before, get ready, because you’re going to see a group of girls that play together and enjoy each other,” said Gillies.
The Lady Cavs will open the tournament on Wednesday at 4:30 at the Murphy Center. The Lady Cavs (24-9) opened the season with a 55-46 win over the Lady Patriots.