Independence coach Mark Wilkins joins dad, brother as TSSAA basketball championship coaches

MURFREESBORO — Mitch Wilkins kept a straight face for more than an hour, hiding his feelings like usual, while sitting in the Murphy Center stands.

That changed when his son, Mark, pulled him in for a bear hug on the court. 

Mitch finally cried after Mark won his first state title, guiding Independence to a 53-44 win over Cookeville in Saturday’s TSSAA boys basketball state tournament Class 4A championship game. 

“Most of the time people don’t really know what I’m thinking inside. I try to hide that,” Mitch said. “But when your family is involved, it’s hard not to let people know how much you love and care.”

Mitch was in his son’s position last week after leading Gibson County to the Class 2A girls state championship, winning his second TSSAA title. 

“We’ve had countless conversations. He’s been the best man in my wedding, my hero for so many things, and not just basketball,” Mark said. “We’re trying to make it about (our players), but to win it the same year he’s won it, it’s pretty special.” 

Mitch raised three boys who all played for him and became high school basketball head coaches. Mitch had to eliminate his oldest son, David, who coaches at Huntingdon, in the Class 2A girls quarterfinals last week. John Wilkins, the middle son, won back-to-back Class 1A girls titles at McKenzie in 2022 and 2023. 

Mark, 34, is the youngest. Janitors and teachers nicknamed him “Little Mitch” because he followed his dad everywhere he could as a kid. 

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“I get choked up when I think about it. I’m so proud of all three of my boys and what they do and how they do this,” Mitch said. “And I know David’s turn is coming soon.”

Mark has more than proven himself since Independence hired him in 2021. He is 91-20 with two district championships, two region championships, a state runner-up finish and now a state title. 

He was an assistant at Beech for three years before landing his first head coaching job in 2015 at South Gibson. He went 112-68 in six seasons with the Hornets, won two district titles and came within one game of the state tournament three times. 

“We’ve been blessed with kids who can play. On the other side of that, watching him coach this week I was like, ‘I need to pick your brain man,’” John said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for him. This is not a fluke. He’s had good kids, but he was the right man for the (Independence) job.” 

Independence’s 69-57 loss against Memphis Overton in last year’s Class 4A championship game didn’t deter Mark at all because his dad walked the same path. 

“Dad’s first trip here, he gets runner-up. I guess there was a little hope for me,” Mark said. “Last year we came up short and I thought, ‘Well, the best coach I’ve ever known came up short too. It’s fun now to share this with him.”

Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.