Independence jumps to No. 1 in final Nashville Large Class boys basketball rankings after first state title

The Tennessee boys high school basketball season ended on Saturday with several Nashville area schools making deep runs in the eight-team state tournament brackets.

Here's a look at the final Large Class boys basketball rankings in the Nashville area. The Large Class consists of teams from Class 3A, 4A and Division II-AA.

1. Independence (32-6) – Jett Montgomery's 28 points helped Independence capture the program's first state championship as the Eagles outlasted Cookeville, 53-44, on Saturday. It was Indy's 17th straight win and the second straight state title game appearance. Last ranking: No. 4.

2. Brentwood Academy (25-8) – Looking for its second straight DII-AA state title, Brentwood Academy couldn't overcome Briarcrest in a rematch from last year's state final. Vanderbilt basketball signee and Mr. Basketball winner Tyler Tanner had 22 points and Tennessee football commit George MacIntyre added 21 in the loss. Last ranking: No. 5.

3. Cookeville (32-4) – Cookeville's upset of Bartlett in the Class 4A state semifinal pushed the Cavaliers into their first state championship game. But Independence was too much down the stretch as Cookeville finished state runner-up, led by Bennett Reeves' 11 points. Last ranking: No. 3

4. Pope John Paul II (26-5) – The Knights' eight game win streak was snapped in the DII-AA semifinal as Briarcrest rolled to a 76-53 victory. Fred Bailey had 17 points and four rebounds in the loss for PJP, which was playing in its first state semifinal game. Last ranking: No. 1.

5. Upperman (30-5) – Ty Cobb had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a Class 3A state quarterfinal win over Hume-Fogg but the Bees couldn't sustain that success as Fulton rolled to a semifinal win and eventually its second straight state crown. Last ranking: No. 7.

6. Rossview (25-10) – Rossview stunned Cordova in the Class 4A sectional to earn its first state tournament appearance. The Hawks then eliminated Morristown East in the state quarterfinals before losing to Independence in the semifinals. Jacob Edwards had 30 points and 10 rebounds against Indy. Last ranking: Not ranked.

7. Brentwood (20-13) – Brentwood was impressive in the second half of its 4A sectional win against Hillsboro, led by Daniel Cochran's 28 points and nine rebounds. The Bruins made their first state tournament in five years but lost to Bartlett in the quarterfinals. Last ranking: Not ranked.

8. Hillsboro (24-4) – The loss of Cortez Graham-Howard in the first quarter to injury during Hillsboro's sectional game against Brentwood was too much as the Burros failed to earn a state tournament berth for the second straight year. Last ranking: No. 2.

9. La Vergne (23-12) – La Vergne went on the road and beat Walker Valley to advance to its first 4A state tournament. The Wolverines lost to Independence despite putting up 74 points against the eventual state champs, led by Steven Sherman's 27 points and Xialin Lenoir's 22. Last ranking: No. 8.

10. Creek Wood (23-9) – Creek Wood went on a run late in the season, capturing a Region 6-3A title. The Red Hawks advanced to the program's second 3A state tournament and earned its first state victory, beating Red Bank, led by 14 points from Jamison Ford. But Ridgeway ended Creek Wood's run in the semifinals. Last ranking: No. 10.

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