Summertown girls basketball falls to Greenfield in Saturday's Class A championship

MURFREESBORO — The Summertown High School girls basketball team came up short in its quest for the program’s first state title Saturday, suffering a Class A championship defeat to fellow first-time finalist Greenfield at MTSU’s Murphy Center. 

The 47-39 loss marked the final chapter for an eight-member senior class that’s had the Lady Eagles on an upward trajectory since their freshmen seasons.

“I just know that freshman year we weren’t very good,” Summertown senior Josie Franks said following Friday’s semifinal win over Unaka. “Even when we weren’t that good, we worked and worked, and coach pushed us. We took that and put it to work.” 

Following a 2014-15 campaign in which they finished three games below .500, Summertown managed to increase its win total in each of the following three seasons, culminating in this year’s 32-3 Class A runner-up finish.

“I didn’t grow up in Summertown; I came in high school,” fellow senior Reily Brazier said. “But everyone in this community has taken me in and shown me how much I meant to them. It’s been an amazing four years."

The Lady Eagles have tallied a combined 27-3 league record since Franks and Brazier’s sophomore season — a run that’s featured three regular-season district titles and a 2017 region tournament championship.

“I’m just thankful for the community and all the support and everyone having our backs,” Franks said. “Us seniors, there are a lot of us, and we’ve grown up together and made it this far together. It really sucks coming up short, but I wouldn’t take on this game with any other people.” 

Added Summertown coach Craig McGill, “It’s fitting for these two to be sitting here next to me at the end. They never get the credit, but they’re the two that lead this team and do the dirty work. I love them more than anything.”

And while coach McGill will be dealing with some pretty significant roster turnover this offseason, there’s little reason to think Summertown’s upward trend won't continue. 

He is losing eight players —  a group that averaged 35.3 of the team’s 59.2 points per game — and all five of this year's starters. However, a pair of key underclassmen, freshmen Kaley Campbell and Jenna Brazier, give the Lady Eagles reason for optimisim heading forward.

Campbell, an all-tournament selection who tallied a team-high 10 points in Saturday’s loss to Greenfield, was third on the team in scoring at 8.7 points per game. Brazier, the younger sister of Reily, finished second (9.0)

“(Kaley) can be one of the greatest that’s every come through — everybody knows it,” Reily Brazier said. ‘She has three more years ahead of her, and if they can just play together they’ll be back here.” 

Reach Michael Murphy at mfmurphy@tennessean.com, 615-269-8026 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.