Alcoa (24-2) Heritage (22-3) Gatlinburg-Pittman (20-5) Sevier County (20-6) Seymour (18-9) Northview Academy (18-8) Cocke County (16-9) King’s Academy (16-8) Maryville Christian (17-11) Morristown-West (14-10)
TKA star guard Juleigh Anne Tucker signs with Asbury
SEYMOUR – The King’s Academy girls’ basketball team finished as state runner-up in Division II – Class A during the 2019-20 season, a season that ended with an incomplete for most squads, as the Covid-19 virus shut down all high school sports in mid-March. That year’s Lady Lions’ squad did have the opportunity to play out the season with a team that featured 2022 Class 4A Miss Basketball Jennifer Sullivan, who finished her career at Bearden, along with Bailey Burgess, who also transferred to Bearden. Standout post players Amelia and Ainsley Pfeiffer wound up at Alcoa during the 2021-22 season …
Historically bad shooting performance dooms Lady Kees in loss to Fulton
BY BRIAN HAMILTON KNOXVILLE – It might not be too rare to see a team go scoreless in the first quarter, but for a team to go scoreless in the first half and for almost three quarters, it is definitely a rarity. That’s what happened at Jody Wright Arena on Thursday night. The Lady Kees had multiple shots and layups that just seemed to either bounce or roll off the front rim. For most of the game, it appeared that there was some supernatural force diverting South-Doyle’s shots anywhere but through the net. Credit Fulton’s swarming defense just as much …
Lady Mountaineers fall to top-ranked Bearden, despite Swaney’s 27
BY BRIAN HAMILTON WALLAND – Tuesday night’s game between Bearden and Heritage featured two teams with a combined one loss. The closest Bearden had come to being beat was at Alcoa earlier in the month, when the Lady Bulldogs used a furious rally to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat, winning 34-33. The Lady Mountaineers’ only setback was a 61-60 comeback loss to Cumberland County in the final of the Heritage Christmas Tournament before Christmas. This game lived up to its billing for all of three quarters, as Carsyn Swaney put forth a heroic effort with 27 points, …
Lady Eagles top Grainger 54-25 for sixth straight win
BY BRIAN HAMILTON SEYMOUR – Seymour continued its hot shooting and defensive dominance on Monday night, as the Lady Eagles put the clamps on Grainger early and never let up. Seymour trailed once midway through the first quarter and never trailed again, as the Lady Grizzlies were unable to handle the Lady Eagles’ pressure defense, resulting in a 54-25 win for Seymour. After the Gatlinburg-Pittman loss over one month ago, Seymour was 4-6 and riding a four game losing streak. Since that game, the Lady Eagles have only lost one game, to Pebblebrook (GA) in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational. …
Lady Tornadoes defeat Knox Catholic to win Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies’ Classic
BY BRIAN HAMILTON Greeneville – Alcoa ended 2022 on a positive note Saturday night, as the Lady Tornadoes (14-1) defeated Knox Catholic (8-9) by a score of 58-47 to win their first ever Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies’ Classic in Greeneville. The tournament is the second that Alcoa has won over the holiday break, as the Lady Tornadoes won the KSV Events Holiday Tournament in Orlando, Fla. before Christmas. “It says a lot about our team and the toughness we have” Alcoa coach David Baumann said. “That’s what we talked about before this game. We said, ‘This will be a suck …
The Return of the Mak: Bremer’s big game helps Alcoa defeat Upperman, earn berth in championship game
BY BRIAN HAMILTON Greeneville – Alcoa moved into the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies’ Classic championship on Saturday, in large part to a gutty performance by senior Mak Bremer, who helped the Lady Tornadoes overcome a 13-point third quarter deficit and come away with a 42-41 win over defending Class 3A champs Upperman. Bremer saw her junior season end in the season opener of 2021, as she suffered an ACL tear while driving to the hoop on November 18 against McMinn Central. Bremer, now a senior, did not want to see her team go down in the semifinal against Upperman and …
Monger signs basketball scholarship with Johnson University
BY BRIAN HAMILTON SEYMOUR – McKenna Monger signed her letter of intent to play basketball at nearby Johnson University on Friday afternoon in the TKA gymnasium. Johnson University head coach Caylee Braziel stated that she discovered McKenna approximately three years ago, and on Friday afternoon, the Lady Royals made the hometown girl one of the family. “I’ve actually been following McKenna since she was a sophomore,” Braziel said. “We got in touch, and we saw her play and loved her presence down low.” While some young college students might want to branch out and explore, Johnson University and Braziel received …
Gatlinburg-Pittman’s Yates signs with Bryan College
BY BRIAN HAMILTON GATLINBURG – Kayle Yates transferred to Gatlinburg-Pittman after spending the first three years of her high school career at Lakeway Christian Academy and will play for her third school in as many years, but this time at the collegiate level. Yates signed her letter of intent to play basketball for NAIA Bryan College on Friday afternoon at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. “I am definitely blessed that I have this opportunity,” Yates said. “Not a lot of people get this opportunity. I’ve been working a very long time, trying to get this opportunity. Me and (Bryan College) Coach (Bryon) …
Seymour’s Watson signs to play basketball at Roane State
BY BRIAN HAMILTON SEYMOUR – After missing most of her junior year with injuries and COVID-19, Emma Watson had a stellar senior season, helping lead Seymour to a district and region championship, as the Lady Eagles finished with 29 wins and fell just one short of a berth in the state tournament. Watson said she thought her senior year would be her last on the hardwood. “I went into my senior year without any offers, and no one had asked me anything or reached out because I was out all of last year, being hurt and then with COVID, so …