The North Greene Lady Huskies are headed to Murfreesboro for the sixth-straight season to compete in the Class 1-1A State Tournament. It’s nothing new for the crew out in Baileyton though. It’s the third senior class in-a-row that can claim four-straight trips to the ‘Boro.
For Coach James Buchanan, it’s another special trip to the glass house and a sentimental one. Two seasons ago daughter Grace Buchanan and her senior group reached the state tournament and clinched their fourth-straight trip. Sitting on the bench and playing a small number of minutes was younger daughter Mercy Buchanan. When North Greene reached the state tournament a year ago, the opportunity arose that he and his youngest daughter could also make the trip to Murfreesboro four-consecutive years just like he did with Grace.
The odds weren’t necessarily against them, but didn’t favor them at times. When the Lady Huskies trailed by a point with less than 15 seconds left in the Region 1-1A Championship, the odds weren’t in their favor then. A loss would’ve sent them on the road to Coalfield, who beat North Greene’s eventual opponent Midway by 35 points. When the ball was kicked out to the three-point line and Mercy was standing wide-open along the perimeter, as fate would have it, the senior nailed the go-ahead shot to win the region title and help North Greene host sectionals.
You could say that shot by Buchanan opened the door for the Buchanan family’s completion of six-straight trips to the tournament. The Lady Huskies struggled to pull away from Midway, but finally did in the fourth quarter to book their trip to Murfreesboro. After the game was over Buchanan spoke about the relief he felt. “I can admit it now that it’s finally been accomplished. That terrified me all year that we wouldn’t,” he said. “It was more relief for them than it was for me, but it’s just as important for me moving forward that these kids coming back next year have the opportunity.”
Alongside Mercy is four-year senior Hannah Miller, three-year senior Loren Blevins, and two-year senior Kaydence Marshall. The four girls are a special group for Coach Buchanan. He’s known them for longer due to their connection with his daughter. It’s a tight-knit group of friends who share the same bond of friendship and share the same love for basketball.
“I’ve gotten to know this group really well because they’ve all been together often. This group of seniors have been around the house for years now. Some of them even going way back into elementary school. That’s made it a special group,” Coach Buchanan explained. “I think they just fit together really well. Not only do they love each other and play really hard for each other on the floor, but they spend a lot of time off the court together. They’ve gelled really well and complement one another. It’s been a super great group.”
North Greene enters the tournament 31-4 (6-0) with a new single-season record for wins. They rode a 16-game winning streak at one point through the season and have won 19 of their last 20 games dating back to the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic.
The Lady Huskies prepare for Greenfield (27-6) for the second year in-a-row. Last year’s game ended their season with a 55-49 defeat. They are more familiar now after last year’s meeting and a meeting over the summer offseason.
“We played them last year and we actually played them this summer. This summer they were missing their top player. They’ve got four really good guards who can all penetrate, they can all pass, they can all handle it well and shoot it well. They have a post player who’s more of a rebounder/screen-setter type,” he explained. “We’re just excited for the opportunity and anxious to get on the road.”
Some would expect Wednesday’s game to be a revenge game after last year’s season-ending loss. For Coach Buchanan, revenge is not on his mind nor the player’s mind. “I don’t know if that’s a way that you need to try to prepare to win a game. I don’t think that’s a way you need to try to live life just seeking revenge off something that happened last year. That’s over with, that’s done. This is a brand-new year and a brand-new team. Brand new opportunity. It is the same school, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot to us.”
This year’s edition of the state tournament features last year’s runner-up Moore County. Greenfield, North Greene’s first-round opponent, who appeared in last year’s final four. North Greene fills out the short list of three returning teams. The other five participants are Van Buren County, Memphis Middle College, Coalfield, Copper Basin, and Richland.
The action tips off at 9:30 AM CST starting with Van Buren vs. Middle College. The Lady Huskies tip off at roughly 2:15 PM CT.
“We’re excited. It’s special. It’s a special group. We’re excited to get to go play at least one more game with them hopefully more. We’re just grateful for the opportunity. They’ve worked hard to earn it. Very proud of them. Got a lot of proud family members and a very supportive school. We’re just excited to go represent everybody,” Buchanan expressed.
