Why Independence boys basketball's tears weren't all about winning first TSSAA state championship

MURFREESBORO — Korben Walling held his hands to his head and stood a midcourt as his Independence teammates huddled together in tears.

Walling wasn't sure what he was witnessing was reality. He was trying to wrap his head around the Eagles' 53-44 win over Cookeville that secured Independence's first Class 4A TSSAA boys basketball tournament state championship Saturday at Murphy Center.

Tylan Lewis had tears streaming down his face. But Jett Montgomery didn't.

The tournament's MVP, who scored a game-high 28 points against Cookeville, was reduced to tears after last year's 12-point loss to Memphis Overton in the state championship. Saturday, he was just filled with appreciation and relief.

"I remember sitting in this exact seat crying last year just because my seniors were leaving," Montgomery said in the postgame interview room. "I love winning this but more than that, it's just this brotherhood that we've made. I've never seen such a team before. People throw around the word 'team.' This was a team."

Montgomery came around the corner into the interview room, with about 10 reporters waiting. He pumped his fist slightly. Minutes later, after Indy coach Mark Wilkins appeared along with Tylan Lewis, Walling and Houston Hicks, the gold ball was brought in.

All eyes glared at the trophy for a minute. The players reflected more on the journey more than the game itself. Montgomery stuck two long-distance 3-pointers, including one to end the third quarter that gave the Eagles a 36-33 lead it would not relinquish. Hicks' corner 3-pointer with 2:36 left in the game ended a Cookeville 5-0 spurt that threatened Indy's lead and took the air out of Cookeville's rally.

For the players it was more about the 17 straight wins their team ended the season on, and moments in practice that were difficult but eventually yielded a 32-6 record and the program's first championship in only its third state tournament appearance.

"The final seconds, all the emotions were flowing from me," said Lewis, a junior who had seven points and was named to the all-tournament team. "I just started crying. Not because of the fact that we won but that this great team is coming to an end. I'm sad it comes to an end but I'm also glad that we took all this time to end it with a gold ball."

It was Wilkins' first state championship win as a coach as he joins his father Mitch Wilkins (Gibson County girls) and brother John (McKenzie girls), who also have won state titles. But Mark Wilkins was quick to deflect the attention to his team. The experience from their point of view meant more to the Eagles coach.

"I'm going to miss these people," said Walling, a senior. "You'll never be so close to a group of people the rest of your life and I'm so grateful for everybody."

Walling had 10 points and seven rebounds while Hicks finished with 11 points. His 3-pointer late in the game was one of only two shots the 6-foot-8 center took the entire game.

"It's a little bittersweet too because a lot of us aren't playing in college so it's like the last time a lot of us are going to play like organized basketball," Hicks said.

"You're going to be awesome in church league," Wilkins joked, responding to Hicks' comment.

Montgomery ends his career as the school's all-time leading scorer with over 2,000 points and a Mr. Basketball finalist. Cookeville was unable to contain the Southern Miss signee.

"Good players make good shots when they need to," Cookeville coach Josh Heard said. "He's really deserving of that (tournament) MVP award because he was the difference in (Saturday's) game."

Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.