Story by Noah McKay
Photos by Michael Lindsay/UCR & Ben Craven/Herald-Citizen
MURFREESBORO – For the first time in program history, the Upperman Bees are boys basketball state champions.
The Bees defeated Tullahoma 65-55 in the TSSAA Class 3A State Championship Game on Saturday at the Murphy Center.
“I’m crazy happy for these guys, for myself, for our community and for our school,” said UHS head coach Bobby McWilliams. “A lot of hard work. A lot of time, effort, energy and sacrifice by our coaches and players. Just a tremendous effort by everyone involved.”
Tournament MVP Ty Cobb scored a game-high 33 points and 10 rebounds as the Bees avenged their region championship loss to THS, enroute to their first gold ball.
The two region foes traded buckets in the first quarter to a 10-10 tie after one. Cobb scored six straight UHS points to gain a 16-15 lead. Colton Johnson then converted an and-one and Cobb scored four more points to give the Bees a 23-19 halftime lead.
Each team converted tough shots early in the third, before Branson Turnbow and Johnson each made two free throws and Cobb rained a deep three to take a 41-32 lead. THS star Xavier Farrell made a jumper to cut the deficit to 41-34 at the end of the third.
Junior Bronzden Chaffin scored six straight points to stretch the advantage to 47-36, and while the Wildcats would make shots, the Bees answered with 16 converted free throws and a Chaffin layup as the lead never dropped below nine and the Bees secured the state title.
“We were hoping to play a little better tonight than we did in the region finals, and we did,” said McWilliams. “We got off to a better start. The guys were locked in before we came down here. We executed.”
Cobb’s 33 points ran his tournament total to 94 points.
“I had one goal and it was to win this right here,” said Cobb.
Chaffin tallied 12 points and eight rebounds. Johnson tallied eight points and six rebounds.
“They were ready to play tonight,” said McWilliams on Chaffin and Johnson.
Evan Huddleston, a senior, scored five points, including a three in the third quarter.
“My teammates told me to shoot the whole tournament,” said Huddleston. “They just told me to keep shooting.”
Branson Turnbow scored five points in his senior finale. Jack Torrence tallied two.
The championship came in the ninth state tournament in program history. The Bees were the wire-to-wire consensus number one ranked team in the state in every statewide and local poll, capping the campaign with a gold ball.
“I think it was 100% our mental maturity,” said McWilliams on how they were able to get over the hump of a state championship. “In the past month we’ve grown up quite a bit. We got to a level where we could handle that kind of game in that environment.”
More coverage of the Bees’ championship is coming soon to uppercumberlandreporter.com
