Greeneville senior guard Jakobi Gillespie (left) and Bearden senior guard Jennifer Sullivan (right) were two of the recipients of the 2022 TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards on Monday, March 14, 2022, at MTSU’s Murphy Center. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO – Jakobi Gillespie and Jennifer Sullivan have helped their respective high school basketball programs achieve historic firsts during their careers. And both added to the fact on Monday.
Gillespie, a senior guard and Belmont signee, became the first Mr. Basketball winner in Greeneville history.
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Sullivan, a senior guard and Tennessee Tech signee, became the first Miss Basketball winner in Bearden history.
Both found out during a ceremony at MTSU’s Murphy Center, as the TSSAA unveiled its 12 total winners for the 2021-22 season.
For Sullivan, the honor came in the same college arena where, roughly 48 hours earlier, she had helped Bearden (36-3) win its first-ever state championship in program history.
Gillespie led Greeneville to its first boys’ basketball state championship in the Murphy Center last year and hopes to repeat the feat again this week. The Greene Devils (28-6) start their title defense at 4:30 p.m. Central time on Tuesday against Jackson North Side (20-7).
See all the winners and finalists below — as well as a PHOTO GALLERY from Danny Parker from the award ceremony.
MISS BASKETBALL WINNERS
Class 1A – Savannah Davis (McKenzie); finalists: Alayna Anderson (Gleason), Lyndie Ramsey (Unaka)
Class 2A – Karly Weathers (Loretto); finalists: Jada Harrison (Westview), Madison Hart (Gibson County)
Class 3A – Brooklyn Crouch (Upperman); finalists: McKenzie Cochran (Page), Sarah Burton (Clinton)
Class 4A – Jennifer Sullivan (Bearden); finalists: Imari Berry (Clarksville), Tamia Scott (Clarksville Northwest)
Division II-A – Olivia Lee (Trinity Christian); finalists: Madi Hawk (Lakeway), Aalyah Del Rosario (Webb-Bell Buckle)
Division II-AA – Jaloni Cambridge (Ensworth); finalists: Sydney Mains (Catholic), Kennedy Cambridge (Ensworth)
MR. BASKETBALL WINNERS
Class 1A – Grant Strong (Clay County); finalists: Zach Amonett (Pickett County), Rodgerick Robinson Jr. (Middleton)
Class 2A – Gus Davenport (Cannon County); finalists: Jarrod Taylor (East Nashville), Gavin Burleson (Summertown)
Class 3A – Jakobi Gillespie (Greeneville); finalists: Ericko Sain II (Jackson South Side), JaSteven Walker (Fayette-Ware)
Class 4A – Brandon Miller (Cane Ridge); finalists: Elijah Bredwood (Bearden), Amarr Knox (Bartlett)
Division II-A – Tyler Byrd (Tipton-Rosemark); finalists: Daniel Egbuniwe (FACS), Eddie Ricks III (Clarksville Academy)
Division II-AA – Chandler Jackson (Christian Brothers); finalists: B.J. Edwards (Catholic), Tyler Tanner (Brentwood Academy)
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- Greeneville’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie (left) and Bearden’s Jennifer Sullivan look on during at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Greeneville’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie poses at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Bearden’s Jennifer Sullivan poses at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Bearden’s Elijah Bredwood poses at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Clinton’s Sarah Burton poses at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Lakeway’s Madi Hawk poses at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Knoxville Catholic’s B.J. Edwards poses at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Chip Walters speaks during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Greeneville’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie shows off his hardware at the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- Winners pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 4A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 4A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 3A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 3A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 2A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 2A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 1A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Class 1A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Division II-AA finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Division II-AA finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Division II-A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
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- The Division II-A finalists pose during the TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards at Murphy Center on Monday, March 14, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)