The past seven months have been an adjustment period for the Notre Dame girls’ basketball team, yet it has been a change that not a single player seems to have a problem with.

With things as complicated as infusing four different sets of nationalities into one basketball team, Hamilton Heights coach Bill Eller has implied a simpler way of trying to coach.

As he handed the tournament draw sheet to Chris DeBien, Cleveland High School wrestling coach Eric Phillips took a moment to savor the occasion.

A season ago, the Cleveland High School wrestling team rode the wave of a strong region tournament to the state traditional championship.

"Adversity" is a term coaches use in discussing how their players will respond when things go awry. Someone looking up the term in a dictionary might see a picture of Cleveland's Qetuwrah Abdullah-Muhammad.

As good of a goalkeeper as Simone Busby has been for the GPS soccer team the past five seasons, the most incredible part has been that she has been excelling while dividing time between three sports.

Western Carolina University has confirmed the signing of Kelly Pannell to a soccer letter-of-intent last week, and Baylor teammate Paige Elliott also followed through on her commitment to Lehigh.

For Peyton Thomas, a little change led to a big one in her college plans.

While most people were making Super Bowl preparations Sunday afternoon, William Long was making jump shots. As a result, it's not hard to figure why Lookout Valley coach Joe Galloway has confidence in his junior point guard during a game.

Ooltewah coach Jesse Nayadley constantly reminds Mikhail Creech that every time he steps on a basketball court, he's the best athlete on the floor and one who can influence the result of a basketball game.

Long before Under Armour started proclaiming that "We Must Protect This House," sports teams at all levels put an emphasis on protecting their home surfaces. Some teams have just been able to do it better than others.

Teni Butler admitted that she was “terrified” being thrust into the starting soccer lineup from day one as an eighth-grader at Baylor. Five years later, she should enter her next school with more confidence.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Of the wins in Bradley Central basketball coach Kent Smith's career, Tuesday will go down as neither the prettiest nor the most dominating. As a matter of fact, there are no superlatives to describe the Bears' 71-42 victory over McMinn County.

Over the past three seasons, the Rhea County boys' basketball team has found itself in more than its fair share of tight games. The Golden Eagles have become a product of experience and have learned how to win a few of them.

It took a while, but eventually the Sequatchie County girls’ basketball team was able to learn how to win a couple of games without the then-injured Melanie Barker.

With 12 seconds remaining and his Division II top-ranked McCallie squad down by two points to Baylor, coach Dan Wadley called time out and set up a play.

Very few people have the ability to affect a basketball game without scoring a single point, but Bradley Central’s Darien Johnson made that short list Friday night.

The positive for Bradley Central girls' basketball coach Jason Reuter is knowing the Bearettes can win even when they don't play their best ball. The negative is them not playing their best in the first place.

Dan Marino took what turned out to be his only trip to the Super Bowl for granted, thinking it would be just as easy for him to return as it was to advance initially. Lookout Valley basketball coach Joe Galloway doesn't want his Yellow Jacket to make a similar mistake.

EVENSVILLE, Tenn. — It is referred to as a "get-back game." A team might not be playing well, or could be coming off a frustrating loss, and whoever its next opponent is perhaps provides an opportunity to "get back" to the norm.

Girls' basketball in the Sequatchie Valley is generally among the best in the area. This year has proven to be no different, and the competition there is tight.

Left a step outside of the District 5-AAA boys' basketball race a year ago, Rhea County decided to join the party this season.

There are no dreams of district-tournament championships or state-tournament appearances for the Brainerd girls’ basketball team this season. The Lady Panthers are in a one-year ban following a fight last year against Howard.

Bradley Central basketball coach Kent Smith knew he had some depth coming into the season, and he's used 11 different starting lineups already. What he confirmed Friday night at Ooltewah was that none of his future starting fives should include Hunter Chastain.

Right after his grandfather's death in November, James Stovall honored him by wearing No. 87 during a Bradley Central football game. His granddad was 87.

On the surface, not much has changed with the Ooltewah girls' basketball program, but a closer look reveals something else. The players are actually practicing, and they feel confident in the games being played.

One by one, the Sequatchie County boys' basketball players have bought in. After a recent victory over Notre Dame in which he finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds, senior post Kegan Frederick said, "I had a good game tonight, but I could have had no points and not cared as long as we got the win."

DUNLAP, Tenn. — As they have jumped out to a great start so far this season, the Sequatchie County basketball team has shown that they can win a game in a variety of ways. The one way that hadn't been tested was a week layoff going into a big district basketball game.

Ooltewah coach Jesse Nayadley was not surprised that Jervon Johnson was able to have a big night shooting the ball against Cleveland. What Nayadley was surprised about was the fact that the senior kept getting opportunities to hit those shots.

The hope thus far this season for Howard coach Walter McGary was that his Hustlin' Tigers would eventually be able to become the basketball team that he envisions they can be. Friday night became a huge step in that process.

Some teams have the ability to intimidate opponents with their size. The LaFayette High School boys' basketball team does so with its speed.

With his team down by double digits early in its District 7-AA battle Tuesday at Notre Dame, Sequatchie County basketball coach Jason Smith knew his Indians would be patient on offense and work the ball inside.

Most high school coaches hope for the opportunity to have one special player during their coaching tenure. Gordon Lee coach Ed Clendenen has had three of them. His latest standout, Daniel Brooks, could possibly be the best.

In now his 16th season as Bradley Central's basketball coach, Kent Smith has learned to appreciate a win any way his team can get it. Friday night against district opponent McMinn County, it was the survival method.

Manker Patten is teaming up with Baylor School to start a local version of the GRIPS tennis program, a nine-week instructional camp designed to improve the play of junior players throughout the country.

The words still roll so easily off Brainerd basketball coach Robert High’s tongue. “Down, Tshombe! Down!”

PIKEVILLE, Tenn. — If McMinn Central coach Johnny Morgan has a gripe about his girls' basketball team, it's that the Chargerettes sometimes have a "Jekyll and Hyde" type complex.

Bradley Central girls' basketball coach Jason Reuter has emphasized to Brooke Copeland that she can be a much more vital option to the team if she can stay out of foul trouble.

Sequatchie County basketball coach Jason Smith can attribute Friday's win over Hamilton Heights to the play of the "30s" -- posts Rodney Smith, Dakota Hudson and Kegan Frederick, who coincidentally wear Nos. 30, 32 and 34.

Eighteen area players were chosen to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association's 2011 all-state girls' soccer team.

Offensively, Terrance O’Donohue has the ability to change the game due to the fact that he’s a 6-foot-8 center. Defensively, the exact same thing can be said.

The gauntlet is finally over for the McCallie basketball team. As with any obstacle course, the tasks seem to get tougher the closer one gets to the final, yet reaching the finish line is gratifying.

As much as families love one another, all know that a little time apart is supposed to make the heart grow fonder.

Down double digits to Baylor early in the second half Thursday, Cleveland girls' basketball coach Mindy Kiser continued to urge her team to attempt a comeback one possession at a time.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga point guard Keegan Bell has a knack for finding the open man. Teammate Ricky Taylor has a knack for hitting shots.

Baylor's success on the football field has put the basketball team behind schedule, as they entered the Times Free Press Best of Preps tournament having played only three games. Head coach Austin Clark has found himself frustrated trying to install his system and getting players into playing condition and game shape.

No Tyner basketball player is averaging 20 points per game this season, but the Rams have been reliable in their collective success.

Apologies to the group Outkast, but I'm going to have to make a minor adjustment in the lyrics of one of my old-school favorite songs.

Considering that Whitwell's Justin Havis performs best when the stakes are a little higher, head coach Heath Thacker expected nothing less than the best from the junior guard this week with a couple of tough contests. He wasn't disappointed.