Frank Hughes, Tennessee's third-smallest public school, makes TSSAA basketball tournament championship game

MURFREESBORO — The little engine that is Frank Hughes finds itself on the biggest of Tennessee high school boys basketball stages, playing for the biggest prize in the state — a gold ball trophy.

Lions coach Chad Love admitted that he needed to burn clock and hold the fort while his team's defensive anchor in Aiden Dicus sat with three fouls, with his team nursing a one-point lead Friday. The decision paid off as Dicus' 11 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks led the Lions to their first TSSAA boys basketball state championship game, beating Gordonsville, 48-43, in a Class 1A semifinal at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center.

One of the state's smallest public schools, with over 90 students, will face Chattanooga Prep at 1:30 p.m. Saturday for the 1A gold ball. Both schools combine for just 339 students, according to TSSAA enrollment numbers from 2022.

Frank Hughes has 93 students, the third-fewest among public schools playing basketball. Chattanooga Prep, an all-boys charter school, had 246 students in 2022.

It's only Frank Hughes' second trip to the state tournament. It's last was 40 years ago. It faces a Chattanooga Prep team that will be heavily favored to win its first state crown in only its second tournament appearance.

"I know people will look at us and think there's no way a school our size can do this," Dicus said. "But we've known for years that this type of season was in us. We lost to Fayetteville (in the 1A sectional) last year, so we knew we could do this."

Dicus and his best friend, point guard Weston Lineberry, have led the charge. When the pair were eighth-graders, Love knew this group would be his best shot to get to state and under the right circumstances, could play for a state championship.

In a community with only about 600 residents, Love's opportunities at reaching these heights are limited. He could coach for a dozen years and not see a collection of talent like these Lions. He also operates under the perception that small-school athletes need a change of venue to get recognized.

"A lot of the good athletes we've had coming through the last 15 years have moved away," he said. "It's this small-school thing and this idea that, 'We're not going to be able to do it here, we've got to go somewhere else and get these kids some exposure.' We've had to fight that more than anything."

It's the reason why Love pours his soul into every minute his players are on the floor. Lineberry, who is playing significant minutes in the TSSAA basketball playoffs for the first time in weeks because of an injury, led Frank Hughes with 18 points Friday. Devin Dicus added 10.

"I've been playing this game since the fifth grade and I've dreamt of his moment," Aiden Dicus said. "We get a chance to play for a championship. That's just crazy to think about."

Love has had dreams of this moment too. He's been anxiously waiting for the time when it would click. The Lions only needed time and experience, but Love knew it would pay off.

TSSAA BRACKETSTSSAA boys basketball state tournament 2024 brackets

"This is a town and school that never feels sorry for itself, even with the limitations that we have there's just an absolute sense of pride and family that goes from the school to the community and from the community to the school."

Love nearly became emotional talking about this team outside the locker room 20 minutes after the win, trying to find words to describe them.

"There's just something about them," he said. "I can't explain it. Being athletic and having athletic talent is one thing. But they have a whole other thing going on that I can't explain. Maybe it's not meant to be explained."

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