Tickets are Punched: More Substate Fun from Saturday Night
In this article:
We take a closer look at the White County vs Heritage, Lincoln County’s huge win, Upperman’s return to state, and Pickett’s dominant season continues. Lincoln County (25-9) 55 Beech (22-9) 39 Lincoln Co went on the road and just dominated…
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Continue ReadingWe take a closer look at the White County vs Heritage, Lincoln County’s huge win, Upperman’s return to state, and Pickett’s dominant season continues.
Lincoln County (25-9) 55
Beech (22-9) 39
Lincoln Co went on the road and just dominated their substate game vs Beech, and the Lincoln County Lady Falcons are advancing to the Glass House for the first time in school history.
Carson Sisk Carson Sisk 6'0" | SF Beech | 2024 State TN paced the Buccaneers with 14 points, while Lincoln County junior Abby Bryan Abby Bryan 5'10" | SF Lincoln County | 2025 State TN put up 18 in the win.
Beech graduates seven seniors. Five Beech seniors are committed to college programs or hold offers to continue their athletic careers. Genesis Harris and others have had fantastic careers at Beech.
For Lincoln County, Abby Bryan Abby Bryan 5'10" | SF Lincoln County | 2025 State TN was sensational once again with 18 points 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Molly Brown Molly Brown 5'8" | SG Lincoln Co. | 2025 State TN came up big again with a 15 point, 5 rebound performance.
Lincoln County will now square off against Cleveland HS (and top ESPN 60 Lauren Hurst Lauren Hurst 6'3" | PF Cleveland | 2025 State TN ) on Wednesday at 11:00. Should be a great one.
Upperman (28-6) 41
Signal Mountain (23-8) 22
Upperman dominated this game, and they are headed back to the state tournament….again for the 3rd straight year! It’s what Upperman does. They simply win. They have an established culture that knows once the postseason starts, records and rankings become irrelevant and all that matters is winning the 32 minutes in front of you.
Upperman’s Stats:
Gracie Butler Gracie Butler 5'8" | SG Upperman | 2026 State TN 14 points, 2 rebounds
Taylor Dolente Taylor Dolente 5'10" | SG Upperman | 2026 State TN 9 points, three made 3’s, 5 rebounds
Sadie South 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Bella Mullins Bella Mullins 5'7" | SG Upperman | 2024 State TN 4 points, 3 reb, 5 assists
Gracie Hamilton 3 points, 2 reb
Dycus’ Thoughts:
It’s really hard to bet against a team as hot as Upperman. They’ve beat two #1 seeds on the road to winning substate as a 4 seed.
Pickett (26-2) 90
Copperbasin (17-10) 55
Pickett County has dominated all season long, and I can’t see a A team beating them. They are just so deep for a A squad.
This game was the Zoey Nicholas Zoey Nicholas 5'9" | SG Pickett Co. | 2026 State TN ’26 substate party, as she went for 43 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals — in a SUBSTATE GAME! She also hit 7 threes!?! Kid is LEGIT. Emmy Lowe Emmy Lowe 5'9" | SG Pickett Co. | 2025 State TN had 15 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. Callie Reeder Callie Reeder 5'11" | PF Pickett County | 2025 State TN ’25 had 9 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2blk. With Addy Lowe and Ella Kate Keisling Ella Kate Keisling 5'6" | SG Pickett Co. | 2024 State TN giving great minutes as well….I just can’t see them losing.
Dycus’ Thoughts
I already thought Pickett was tough enough. Emmy Lowe Emmy Lowe 5'9" | SG Pickett Co. | 2025 State TN has been tremendous in the postseason. Callie Reeder Callie Reeder 5'11" | PF Pickett County | 2025 State TN belongs in the WNBA. And now….sophomore Zoey Nicholas Zoey Nicholas 5'9" | SG Pickett Co. | 2026 State TN just dropped 43 points. This squad would be tough as a AA or AAA…but as a A they feel like state champs.
Heritage (30-3) 63
White County (31-4) 62
This was a clash of 3A titans in a substate match that could have just as easily been the state championship game. Heritage won with a Chloe Heath Chloe Heath 6'0" | SF Clinton | 2025 State TN buzzer beater, sending them to their first state tournament appearance since 2000.
On the final play, after a White County missed free throw, Jay Cocker pulled a huge board, and immediately turned it into a one man fast break before finding Heath in transition. The tremendous ’25 used her strength to get to the rim and finish the tough layup as time expired.
Carsyn Swaney Carsyn Swaney 5'11" | PG Heritage | 2025 State TN ’24 had a game high 21 points. Chloe Heath Chloe Heath 6'0" | SF Clinton | 2025 State TN ’25 added 18 (with 10 in the 4th), and two huge 3s. Coker had 16. And freshman Faith Morris Faith Morris 5'7" | PG Heritage | 2027 TN stepped up huge with 6 points on two huge threes.
For White County, it was just an unfortunate night. Miss Basketball finalist fouled out but finished with 17 points. Heritage’s gameplan was to go directly at the chest of Reed, and see if they could get her into foul trouble–and it worked. Ava Jones Ava Jones 6'1" | PF Hutchison | 2026 State TN also fouled out for White County 11 seconds into the 4th.
Heritage will face Cocke Co (28-8) in the 1st round of the 3A playoffs at 5:00 Thursday.
White County Final Stats
Celeste Reed Celeste Reed 5'11" | C White Co. | 2024 State TN 17
Gracie Clark Gracie Clark 5'9" | SG White County | 2026 TN 15
Ashlyn Selby Ashlyn Selby 5'11" | SG White Co. | 2027 TN 10
Lakely Grasty 10
Bella Winningham Bella Winningham 5'7" | SG White County | 2026 State TN 7
Ava Jones Ava Jones 6'1" | PF Hutchison | 2026 State TN 3
Heritage Final Stats
Carsyn Swaney Carsyn Swaney 5'11" | PG Heritage | 2025 State TN 21 (1 made three)
Chloe Heath Chloe Heath 6'0" | SF Clinton | 2025 State TN 18 (3 made threes)
Jay Coker 16 (2 made threes)
Faith Morris Faith Morris 5'7" | PG Heritage | 2027 TN 6 (2 made threes)
Aleyah Smyth Aleyah Smyth 5'9" | SF Heritage | 2026 State TN 2
Dycus Thoughts:
Heritage’s mixture of star power, veteran leadership, inside scorers, perimeter threats, rim protection, perimeter D—it all makes them such a tough out. I had White County as the #1 ranked 3A team for much of the season, and Heritage beating them just proves exactly how tough they are.