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MURFREESBORO — In the cinderblock halls just off MTSU's Murphy Center floor, Munford basketball's JaDyn Lee and Elisha Patrick embraced principal Courtney Fee, the reality of the season's finality setting in.
"I can't even cry," Lee said. "We made it this far."
Munford made its first appearance at the TSSAA boys basketball state tournament in 95 years on Thursday, falling 63-46 to Greeneville in the Class 3A quarterfinals.
"This team, our names, we're in history forever," Lee said after the game. "I'm honored to be in this situation. 95 years is a long time."
Lee's name will certainly be in Munford history, "up there" with some of the best in Cougars history according to coach Kameron Foster.
The senior guard finished with 30 points, five rebounds and three assists. He single-handedly kept Munford (21-11) in the game, scoring every third-quarter point and bringing the game to within a point with 5:43 remaining before Greenville went on an 18-2 run.
"I know today opened up the eyes of a lot of college coaches who saw the way he stepped up and led the team. I'm so proud of him," Foster said. "They fought, that's all I can ask for and all I can ask from him. He led this team exactly where he told me he could get us."
Lee didn't shy away from the big moment, going head-to-head with Greeneville Mr. Basketball finalist Trey Thompson, who finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Patrick was second for Munford with six points.
"I prayed for times like this. I was ready for it," Lee said. "Us county boys, I think I put us on the map today. We need more recognition, not just me."
Munford's state appearance was the culmination of a moment in the middle of the season, when the Cougars were 10-10 and decided that things were going to go differently. Lee, who averaged 24 points and nine rebounds this season, was right at the center of the 11-game winning streak that led the group to Murfreesboro, winning district and region MVP.
"(Lee) matured as the season went on and he got to a spot in the second part of the season where he just said, 'I'm gonna do what it takes for my team to win,'" Foster said. "He's an amazing kid."
The change started in practice and resulted in a season few outside of Munford's locker room expected.
"All of our chemistry started clicking at the right moment," Patrick said. "Last year, people said we were just athletes and we had a ton of seniors and that's why we made it that far. We came back this year and made it even further, proving that it was us too."
This was a special Munford group, one with five seniors soon to graduate, the uber-talented Lee chief among them. But if this season was anything to go by, that'll have little impact on Munford's future.
"I'm glad they got to see this. They see exactly what it takes now," Foster said. "Their hard work that they turned on for two months straight got them here and I don't feel like it's gonna stop now. Those last two months to get here is what next year is gonna be to."
Wendell Shepherd Jr. is The Commercial Appeal's high school sports beat writer. Reach Wendell at [email protected] or on X @wendellsjr_.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Munford falls despite JaDyn Lee's star performance at TSSAA basketball tournament
Continue reading...
"I can't even cry," Lee said. "We made it this far."
Munford made its first appearance at the TSSAA boys basketball state tournament in 95 years on Thursday, falling 63-46 to Greeneville in the Class 3A quarterfinals.
"This team, our names, we're in history forever," Lee said after the game. "I'm honored to be in this situation. 95 years is a long time."
Lee's name will certainly be in Munford history, "up there" with some of the best in Cougars history according to coach Kameron Foster.
The senior guard finished with 30 points, five rebounds and three assists. He single-handedly kept Munford (21-11) in the game, scoring every third-quarter point and bringing the game to within a point with 5:43 remaining before Greenville went on an 18-2 run.
"I know today opened up the eyes of a lot of college coaches who saw the way he stepped up and led the team. I'm so proud of him," Foster said. "They fought, that's all I can ask for and all I can ask from him. He led this team exactly where he told me he could get us."
Lee didn't shy away from the big moment, going head-to-head with Greeneville Mr. Basketball finalist Trey Thompson, who finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Patrick was second for Munford with six points.
"I prayed for times like this. I was ready for it," Lee said. "Us county boys, I think I put us on the map today. We need more recognition, not just me."
Munford's state appearance was the culmination of a moment in the middle of the season, when the Cougars were 10-10 and decided that things were going to go differently. Lee, who averaged 24 points and nine rebounds this season, was right at the center of the 11-game winning streak that led the group to Murfreesboro, winning district and region MVP.
"(Lee) matured as the season went on and he got to a spot in the second part of the season where he just said, 'I'm gonna do what it takes for my team to win,'" Foster said. "He's an amazing kid."
The change started in practice and resulted in a season few outside of Munford's locker room expected.
"All of our chemistry started clicking at the right moment," Patrick said. "Last year, people said we were just athletes and we had a ton of seniors and that's why we made it that far. We came back this year and made it even further, proving that it was us too."
This was a special Munford group, one with five seniors soon to graduate, the uber-talented Lee chief among them. But if this season was anything to go by, that'll have little impact on Munford's future.
"I'm glad they got to see this. They see exactly what it takes now," Foster said. "Their hard work that they turned on for two months straight got them here and I don't feel like it's gonna stop now. Those last two months to get here is what next year is gonna be to."
Wendell Shepherd Jr. is The Commercial Appeal's high school sports beat writer. Reach Wendell at [email protected] or on X @wendellsjr_.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Munford falls despite JaDyn Lee's star performance at TSSAA basketball tournament
Continue reading...
