Basketball Bandwagons

I suspect everyone likes bandwagons or else there wouldn’t be so many jumping on them this time of the year. I jumped on a bandwagon two weeks ago and became a “citizen at heart” of another Tennessee small town, Loretto, a Lawrence County hamlet of 1,729 souls down by the Alabama line. 

I didn’t adopt Loretto because my Lebanon is getting too big and bustling.  I moved to Loretto in my mind for their basketball.  Loretto is the hometown of Chuck Richardson, my best friend, and we have rooted for Loretto in the state tournament several seasons over the last 10 years. 

This year had the potential to be something special.  The Loretto Mustang boys were coming into the state tournament undefeated, while the girls were powered by the last member of the Weathers family.

Quick Loretto genealogical lesson.  Father David Weathers grew up in Loretto.  I remembered he was a pitcher on the Yankees 1996 World Champions and pitched for several teams over a 17-year career.

David moved back to his hometown and married Kelli Davis Weathers, who is still third on Belmont University’s all-time scoring list and has her jersey retired. She is a coach for the Loretto girls.  

I watched Ryan Weathers, the oldest son, play basketball for Loretto before he was selected seventh overall in the 2018 Major League baseball draft.  He now pitches for the Miami Marlins, following in his father’s footsteps.

Carly Weathers, the eldest daughter, was the 2021 Class A Miss Basketball and the 2021-22 Gatorade Tennessee Girls Basketball Player of the Year.  She now plays for the Alabama Crimson Tide, who play Monday afternoon in the Women’s NCAA tournament.

Ally Weathers was also a Class AA Miss Basketball Finalist this year and led Loretto to the state semifinals, which was a loss to eventual state champion Westview.  I was there with the girls at end of the Weathers Dynasty.

Somehow, the Loretto boys had gone undefeated this year without a single Weathers on the team.

I took grandsons Kody & Kooper Montgomery last Wednesday to meet Chuck for the quarterfinal game against Liberty Creek, which is a new high school in Gallatin.   Loretto won by 15 and the grandsons enjoyed a nutritional meal of pizza and Dippin’ Dots. We got a look at Loretto’s semifinal opponent, Chattanooga Tyner Academy, and were impressed with the size and athleticism of the roster.  The work was going to be cut out for them.

The grandsons had school and work on Friday, so only Chuck and I were there to witness Loretto-Tyner.  This was a contrast of styles, Tyner had the better athletes and favored a full-tilt press and run style.  The game was close until the final quarter when Loretto’s defense clamped down on the running game of Tyner and the offense handled their press.  Tyner didn’t respond well in a half-court game, losing patience, and Loretta pulled away, 59-47.    

This set up a finale match with two-time defending state champion Alcoa.  If you are going to be king, you must dethrone the king.

Alcoa didn’t quite have the length of Tyner but played a handsy press powered by what amounted to four jumping jack guards.  Like Tyner, Alcoa’s game was run and gun.  Alcoa had two slashing backcourt players who could likely dribble faster than any Loretto player could simply run.

Discipline was going to be key for Loretto, just as it had against Tyner. 

Alcoa’s press paid dividends early as Loretto was harried into turnovers and one and done shots until their deficit was 12 points with about five minutes until half.   Things looked bleak until Loretto got Kason Buie, their 6-foot-9 center, working inside and closed the deficit to about eight at halftime.

Center Kasen Buie - Tournament MVP

In the second half, Loretto was able to limit the turnovers and break the Alcoa press.  Forwards Grayson Burleson and Buie provided offense, and everyone worked on defense to keep the high-flying Tornadoes from slashing to the basket. Loretto’s height advantage made a difference as Alcoa was the team only getting one shot.  Loretto erased the deficit and was up by five with just over a minute remaining. 

Alcoa came down and made a three quickly, so the difference was a single bucket.  Loretto inbounded and under pressure a pass went off their defensive basket and bounced to Alcoa.  Alcoa converted as time expired.  All tied, 61-61.

Kody, Chuck and I were wrung out emotionally and thankfully we didn’t have to play. We shared a sense of foreboding as keeping the Tornado in the bottle for another four minutes was going to be tough.

In overtime, each team played to their strengths.  Loretto mostly established control, forcing Alcoa into a half-court game much like they had done to Tyner. But Loretto kept relinquishing knockout punches at the foul line, making only 9 of 18 for the game.

A final missed free throw left Loretto up by only two in the final seconds as Alcoa came storming down the court to take a three to win.  Condis Cherry, the chief assassin for Alcoa, had already made a couple of threes down the stretch.  He rose to take the three to win, but Loretto point guard Corben Reynolds blocked the effort. Ballgame!

Kody, Chuck and I were giddy at the ending. The Alcoa three had seemed inevitable.  That’s how storybook endings work.  Always for the other team. Right?

I bet the title of this article made you think this was going to be about March Madness. 

The great thing about March madness is you can jump on a college team’s bandwagon for one game or continue throughout the tournament depending on how you filled out your ESPN bracket.  You hope your favorite team gets their NIL money’s worth.

I am fully participating in March Madness at the college level but wanted to record my witness of what was one of the best ballgames anyone will see this year. This game was gifted by young men playing only for their town, a school name written across their jerseys and one another. 

Loretto is the first undefeated state public school champion in Tennessee since 2008.

These young men accomplished something that will follow them all their lives.  I may take a trip down to Loretto to view the inevitable sign at the city limits trumpeting the accomplishment these boys have shared with this tiny town.

This run through the state tournament felt a little like “Hoosiers” and will be a memory I cherish even as a non-resident.  Loretto is on the basketball map forever. 

Loretta Mustang Nation

All photos courtesy of The Tennessean