No matter what Walker Valley has played its district opponents in this season, Class 4A’s sixth-ranked boys’ basketball program has completely owned its league foes.
The Mustangs put on a clinic yet again Tuesday at home as they put their stamp on the District 5-AAAA hardware with a 71-39 win over crosstown rival Cleveland.
Will Campbell’s team, which improved to 25-3 overall, in 12 district games this season has now won by an average margin of 25.7 points per game.
Senior guard Isaac Sausville continued his red-hot outside shooting as he knocked down at least a trio of 3-pointers for the fourth game in a row. Sausville followed a 20-point showing in the semifinals, in which he made five 3-pointers against East Hamilton, by leading a balanced scoring attack in the championship game with 13 points while making 3-of-8 from three and adding five assists.
Walker Valley vs. Cleveland boys’ basketball on Feb. 24, 2026
“Once we get rolling, it’s tough to stop us,” Sausville said. “Our chemistry shows out there on the court, and we all know what each other’s strengths are. It’s a lot of fun when we are all hitting shots and getting dunks. We all can have our moments, which makes this team special. We are all hungry this postseason to make another deep run.”
Senior Turner Clayton took home tournament MVP honors as he scored 36 points in two games. The Mr. Basketball nominee made a statement in the second quarter as he swiped a pass and proceeded to throw down a powerful right-handed slam.
The Mustangs’ unselfish guard play was on full display in the victory, as Clayton (12 points) assisted a driving Michael Wood for a 61-25 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter. Wood, a senior who holds the all-time interception record in Walker Valley football history, finished in double figures with 10 points.
(READ MORE: State-ranked Walker Valley boys led by experienced, talented guards)
Meanwhile, senior 6-foot-4, 205-pound center Wyatt Keeton controlled the paint in the lopsided victory as he grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds while knocking down a 3-pointer and three free throws.
Walker Valley point guard Ashton Davis also shined early as he had a hand in the first seven points of the game — an assist on a Sausville 3-pointer, followed by a steal and layup and a tough turnaround mid-range jumper off the right elbow. Davis finished with nine points and four assists. Cael Coates also added eight points in the victory.
“Our guard play is definitely our strong suit,” Clayton said. “We all can score in double digits and really flow out there well together. Getting Wyatt back is also a big boost for us. Winning the district championship at home is great, but we have a lot more we are in search of this postseason. If we keep executing the little things that make us good, we will go far.”
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Cleveland fell to 14-13 on the season as Brayden Beavers and Malachi King shared the scoring lead with seven apiece.
Both teams will host in the Region 3-AAA quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Saturday night.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.