Skip to main content
Wednesday, November 4, 2026Nov 4
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

This story is exclusive to subscribers.

Prep notebook: Ooltewah girls have first 20-win basketball season in 40 years

Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Ooltewah sophomore Aleigha Taylor scores over a Signal Mountain defender during the Best of Preps basketball tournament on Jan. 2 at Chattanooga State. Taylor has helped the Lady Owls reach 20 wins in a season for the first time since 1986.
Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Ooltewah sophomore Aleigha Taylor scores over a Signal Mountain defender during the Best of Preps basketball tournament on Jan. 2 at Chattanooga State. Taylor has helped the Lady Owls reach 20 wins in a season for the first time since 1986. Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Ooltewah sophomore Aleigha Taylor scores over a Signal Mountain defender during the Best of Preps basketball tournament on Jan. 2 at Chattanooga State. Taylor has helped the Lady Owls reach 20 wins in a season for the first time since 1986.

By Stephen Hargis, Patrick MacCoon, Lindsey Young 8 min read

For the first time since 1986, the Ooltewah High School girls’ basketball program will finish a season with at least 20 wins.

The 2025-26 Lady Owls made sure of that Monday night, when their 46-24 victory against Walker Valley not only locked up third place in the TSSAA District 5-4A tournament but delivered career win No. 200 for Tony Williams, who is in his 11th season as a head coach and third year at Ooltewah.

The resurgence of the Lady Owls (20-11) has been sparked by the playmaking abilities of sophomore Aleigha Taylor and senior Allie Tipton.

Taylor has scored more than 1,450 points in her first two prep seasons, which includes a trio of 40-point performances. The 5-foot-9 guard has averaged 24-plus points per game this season and dropped a season-high 44 in a 63-53 win at Sale Creek early in the schedule.

Meanwhile, Tipton has shown more than a little versatility, as the 5-11 forward has notched season highs of 23 points (versus McMinn County), 15 rebounds (versus Sale Creek), nine assists (twice), seven steals (versus Howard), and six blocks (versus Signal Mountain).