MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Sometimes the greatest coaching moments come away from the game.
Moments after Howard's 59-51 loss to top-ranked Jackson Southside in the TSSAA Class AA boys' basketball state quarterfinals Thursday at Middle Tennessee State University's Murphy Center, Hustlin' Tigers coach James Talley had such a moment with senior Meechie Bowens.
As he began to describe his high school basketball career, which included scoring more than 1,000 points and helping Howard reach the state tournament twice as a three-year starter, Bowens was overcome by emotion.
"Don't bow your head," Talley said. "It happens."
Through a voice cracked by emotion, Bowens replied "It hurts."
"Why does it hurt?" Talley asked.
With teammate Kerrick Thorne's right arm wrapped over his shoulder, Bowens looked at his coach and said, "Didn't nobody believe in us but you."
Assuring the senior his support would not end simply because his playing career was over, Talley told Bowens, "Do you think that's going to stop?"
"No sir," Bowens muttered.
"It's not going to stop," Talley repeated. "You go to that next level and make something happen."
Sometimes the greatest coaching moments are after a tough loss. Howard Sr. Meechie Bowens, overcome by emotion explaining what hurts most about having his career end, tells HC James Talley “nobody believed in us but you.” Talley responds “do you think that’s going to stop?” pic.twitter.com/z8XYHqRC5D
— Stephen Hargis (@StephenHargis) March 18, 2021
Howard (19-6) led for much of the first half and again had a one-point lead with 4:47 remaining. But when the Hustlin' Tigers missed five straight field-goal attempts during a three-minute stretch, it allowed Southside (25-1) to end the game on a 10-3 run to earn its 20th straight win and advance to Friday's semifinals.
"A lot of people don't get to win a state championship," Talley said. "That's what we wanted, but that's why I'm telling Meechie not to hang his head. When he first got here, we bumped heads.
"But we don't give up on our guys, and as the years have gone on, when I go into the gym or walk the halls, if I don't see him then I know there's a problem because I'm so used to being around him and walking through life with him. He knows, like all of our guys, that he can come to me anytime even after he's done playing."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.