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MURFREESBORO ― Mona Thompson was sitting in a conference on Friday in Killeen, Texas, listening to Westview’s TSSAA girls basketball state tournament semifinal game.
Thompson, the 1996 Class 2A state tournament MVP for Westview, had one earbud in, listening to the game from around 870 miles away. After Westview won beat Loretto, Thompson knew immediately she needed to book a flight to Tennessee as fast as she could.
She pulled some strings with an old classmate and other help from her military connections. Thompson served in the Army in Germany, Iraq and was stationed at Fort Cavazos, formerly known as Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and is now a social worker providing counseling for military members and families.
TSSAA GIRLS BASKETBALL: TSSAA girls basketball state tournament brackets, schedule, scores for 2025 championships
She was in the building to see her Chargers (33-1) win their third TSSAA girls basketball state championship in four years with a 44-38 win over York Institute (30-6) on Saturday at MTSU’s Murphy Center.
"Growing up in Martin and being at Westview made me who I am," Thompson said. "I heard coach (Brian) Haskins talking about how you build a family and that bond never ends. I still talk to my old teammates. We talk often. I go and visit them, and we just we build the family."
Westview’s program has been about family, and that was evident in the Chargers’ win on Saturday. The Chargers are the second Jackson area team to bring home a gold ball, joining Greenfield, who captured the Class 1A championship Saturday prior to Westview's win.
Senior forward Alexis Evans, who had a tough journey through her basketball career having missed her sophomore season with a torn ACL, was hugging anyone she could find when the buzzer sounded.
Senior guard McCall Sims, playing in her final basketball game, carried the gold ball trophy with her into the post-game press conference, something she hadn’t done before.
When the buzzer sounded on the game, and her basketball career, Sims ― a Lady Vols softball signee ― said the emotions hit hard.
“I bawled my eyes out,” Sims said. “Knowing you’re bringing (the gold ball) back makes it a little easier. But still, not coming to practice and getting to spend time in the locker room with everybody, that’s what’s upsetting.”
Miss Basketball finalist Maddie Gray scored a game-high 18 points in the win. Sims had six.
Westview coach Brian Haskins said building the program to where it is exciting to have. Having former players return, even from Killeen, Texas for one day, is what it’s about.
MORE FROM MURFREESBORO: How a community lifted up Greenfield to a TSSAA girls basketball state championship title
“It means something, it’s a foundation that was laid,” Haskins said. “You’re never going to remember it right now, you’re going to remember it four or five years from now. It’s a bond that you’re going to have for life. It’s a bond that’s hard to get anywhere else, and sports gives you that opportunity to develop those relationships.”
These four years playing for a program like Westview means the world to its players and they have one more trophy to remember the journey with.
“It means everything to play with Westview across my chest,” Evans said. “I wouldn’t want to play for any other team.”
Austin Chastain is a sports writer covering West Tennessee high schools. Reach him by email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ChastainAJ.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: TSSAA girls basketball state tournament 2025: Westview claims 2A title
Continue reading...
Thompson, the 1996 Class 2A state tournament MVP for Westview, had one earbud in, listening to the game from around 870 miles away. After Westview won beat Loretto, Thompson knew immediately she needed to book a flight to Tennessee as fast as she could.
She pulled some strings with an old classmate and other help from her military connections. Thompson served in the Army in Germany, Iraq and was stationed at Fort Cavazos, formerly known as Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and is now a social worker providing counseling for military members and families.
TSSAA GIRLS BASKETBALL: TSSAA girls basketball state tournament brackets, schedule, scores for 2025 championships
She was in the building to see her Chargers (33-1) win their third TSSAA girls basketball state championship in four years with a 44-38 win over York Institute (30-6) on Saturday at MTSU’s Murphy Center.
"Growing up in Martin and being at Westview made me who I am," Thompson said. "I heard coach (Brian) Haskins talking about how you build a family and that bond never ends. I still talk to my old teammates. We talk often. I go and visit them, and we just we build the family."
Westview’s program has been about family, and that was evident in the Chargers’ win on Saturday. The Chargers are the second Jackson area team to bring home a gold ball, joining Greenfield, who captured the Class 1A championship Saturday prior to Westview's win.
Senior forward Alexis Evans, who had a tough journey through her basketball career having missed her sophomore season with a torn ACL, was hugging anyone she could find when the buzzer sounded.
Senior guard McCall Sims, playing in her final basketball game, carried the gold ball trophy with her into the post-game press conference, something she hadn’t done before.
When the buzzer sounded on the game, and her basketball career, Sims ― a Lady Vols softball signee ― said the emotions hit hard.
“I bawled my eyes out,” Sims said. “Knowing you’re bringing (the gold ball) back makes it a little easier. But still, not coming to practice and getting to spend time in the locker room with everybody, that’s what’s upsetting.”
Miss Basketball finalist Maddie Gray scored a game-high 18 points in the win. Sims had six.
Westview coach Brian Haskins said building the program to where it is exciting to have. Having former players return, even from Killeen, Texas for one day, is what it’s about.
MORE FROM MURFREESBORO: How a community lifted up Greenfield to a TSSAA girls basketball state championship title
“It means something, it’s a foundation that was laid,” Haskins said. “You’re never going to remember it right now, you’re going to remember it four or five years from now. It’s a bond that you’re going to have for life. It’s a bond that’s hard to get anywhere else, and sports gives you that opportunity to develop those relationships.”
These four years playing for a program like Westview means the world to its players and they have one more trophy to remember the journey with.
“It means everything to play with Westview across my chest,” Evans said. “I wouldn’t want to play for any other team.”
Austin Chastain is a sports writer covering West Tennessee high schools. Reach him by email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ChastainAJ.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: TSSAA girls basketball state tournament 2025: Westview claims 2A title
Continue reading...
