While one of the best seasons ever for the Soddy-Daisy High School girls’ basketball program has reached its close, the Lady Trojans were in awe of the support they received at home in Saturday’s 64-43 loss to Livingston Academy in a TSSAA Class 3A sectional.
Soddy-Daisy athletic director Jared Hensley said Saturday’s home crowd, dressed in navy and gold, was the biggest he has ever seen by far for a home basketball game.
Fans filled the home bleachers to the brim, and Lady Trojans junior guard Alivia Hall said it felt like the “whole town was here to support us.” In the crowd were several members of the 1968 Soddy-Daisy team that won a region championship and made it to the state tournament.
The crowd left its mark as Soddy-Daisy hung tough for nearly the entire first half, trailing only 25-24 with three minutes left before halftime.
“Pat Summitt would be smiling down right now seeing this crowd for a girls’ basketball game,” said Soddy-Daisy second-year coach Katie Wright, whose mother was the starting point guard on Summitt’s first national championship team at the University of Tennessee.