Upperman holds off late South Side run, wins third TSSAA girls basketball state title

MURFREESBORO – Jayla Cobb hit four free throws in the final 20.2 seconds to help Upperman hold off a furious Jackson South Side comeback to win 48-43 in the TSSAA Class 3A girls basketball state championship Saturday at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center.

Upperman's championship is the program's third in school history and first since winning back-to-back Class AA state titles in 2017 and 2018.

The Lady Bees (32-5) built a 10-point lead thanks to a South Side offensive dry spell when the Lady Hawks (24-3) went 4:05 of the fourth quarter without a point before Talyia Cawthon's inside bucket with 3:16 left. South Side trimmed the lead to four with 50 seconds remaining.

Cobb countered with two free throws with 20.2 seconds left to push the lead to six, only to see Albany Collins swish a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left. The Lady Hawks were forced to foul Cobb, who finished off the game with her final two free throws.

South Side's runner-up finish came in its first championship game appearance after winning its first state tournament games in five trips. Upperman's title came in its sixth championship-game appearance.

Cobb and Chattanooga signee Brooklyn Crouch each had 13 to pace the Lady Bees. Gracie Hamilton and Abigail Johnson had 10 apiece. Johnson was named the Class 3A state tournament's MVP.

Collins and Ti'Mia Lawson each had 13 points.

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.