HUNTER COOKSTON
Writer
The Whitwell Middle School basketball team accomplished things this season that no other team in program history can claim — winning both an SVC Championship and a District Championship in the same year. In their first-ever Region game, the Tigers fended off DaleWood for a 54–43 victory.
The first quarter was a struggle for Whitwell, as the Tigers scored just nine points while Dalewood posted 12. Kaiden Billingsley led the scoring with five points, while Wyatt Pickett added the other four. Whitwell found its rhythm in the second period, outscoring Dalewood 14–9. Billingsley caught fire early, finishing the first half with 15 of the Tigers’ 23 points. Braxton Reynolds added four, giving Whitwell a halftime lead.
Pickett and Reynolds combined for four points in the third quarter, while Billingsley continued to dominate with nine. In the fourth, Eddie Kellum came alive, adding eight points. Billingsley once again took over, scoring 10 in the final period and finishing the night with 34. Kellum added eight, while Reynolds and Pickett finished with six apiece.
The Tigers advanced to the Region Championship game against Summertown but came up short, bringing the greatest season in program history to an end. First-ever SVC championship, District championship, Region Tournament appearance, and Region Tournament Championship appearance — a season filled with milestones. The future remains bright, as this group helped establish a new tradition for Whitwell basketball.
Billingsley achieved feats that may never be matched by another Whitwell player. A three-year starter, he became the winningest player in school history. He finished his career with 700 points, averaging 15.5 points per game. His impact was so significant that Tigers head coach Kyle Holloway says that no future player will wear No. 10.
“He has grown in so many ways. He finished his middle school career as the winningest player in school history, 636 points and averaged 15.5 per game over 3 years. I’m going to be a little extra here but nobody will ever wear 10 again because he earned that. He is special. I love that kid so much and will miss coaching him every day,” Holloway said.
Kaiden Billingsley, Eddie Kellum, Ayden Nolan, Wyatt Pickett, Noah Kilgore, Tucker Davis, Easton Shrum, Preston Easterly, Braxton Reynolds, Bennett Painter, Kaiden Grayson, and Knox Youngblood will forever be etched into the history books of Whitwell Middle School.