Chris Tipton was hired in July to head a Murray County girls’ basketball program that was in the midst of a nearly two-decade playoff drought. Seven months later he has the Lady Indians one win away from ending that run.
Murray (17-4, 11-2) defeated Ringgold 63-55 Tuesday night, completing a Region 6-AAA regular season sweep of the perennial playoff program and cementing Tipton’s team as one of the area’s top Cinderella teams.
“It’s really kind of special for our girls to be this close to clinching a playoff spot,” said Tipton, whose team can secure the region’s No. 2 spot behind Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe and a bye into the region tournament semifinals with one win in its final three games. By reaching at least the semifinal round the Lady Indians would automatically qualify for the GHSA Class AAA state tournament.
“They haven’t won more than 15 games since 2003, so it’s a really big deal to be 17-4 and it means even more to get this win against a team coached by Margaret Stockburger, who is one of the best around,” added Tipton, whose team also received 17 points from junior Ella Dotson. “We’re walking on new ground, which is very exciting for our program.”
After host Ringgold (17-6, 10-4) came out hot with a 21-17 lead after one quarter, Murray rallied behind junior forward Mattie Nuckolls, who scored 13 of her game-high 25 points in the period as the Lady Indians outscored the Lady Tigers 18-7.