TOP PHOTO: The Fulton Falcons are Class AAA state champs.

MURFREESBORO, TN (WLAF) – “Volunteer did not get our full attention,” said Fulton Boys Basketball Coach and Caryville native Jody Wright. His Falcons broke open a close game to win 69-55 on Tuesday in the opening game of the state basketball tournament against the Volunteer Falcons.

Volunteer, out of Church Hill, between Kingsport and Rogersville, gave Fulton all it wanted. Fulton was able pull away for the win and advance to Thursday’s semi-finals. “After they, (his Fulton team), sat through watching Martin Luther King whip White County in the next game, I knew ML King would get their attention, and they did.

Fulton held ML King to 10 points in the second half and won 72-32 on Thursday. That set the stage for Fulton and Haywood County, Brownsville, on Saturday morning.

“I felt like Haywood County and us were the two best teams in the state all season,” said Wright. Wright wanted his team to get out of the gate early on the Tomcats to take Haywood County’s large crowd out of the game. The plan worked.

Fulton led 20-12 after one quarter and then held Haywood to three points in the final 4:51 of the second quarter to go up 42-19 at the half. “Let’s win the third quarter and put the game on ice,” said Wright to his team in the locker room.

It was a big first five minutes of the third quarter for the Falcons. “They pressed us in the second half, and we just threw over the top for lay ups,” said Wright.

Fulton carried a 64-28 advantage into the fourth quarter. The final score ended up being 82-52 in the Class AAA title game. One might be hard pressed to find a wider margin of victory in any Tennessee state tournament final. Fulton improved to 32 & 5 earning its fourth state championship under Wright.

“Whatta run. We really have a good bunch of guys. They are fun to be around and fun to coach,” said Wright. The coach was elated his team was able to top off a really fun season with a title. “I’m really proud how this team left out on Monday at 9am, spent five nights in a hotel, eating out all its meals and then getting up early on Saturday morning and performing so well on the game’s biggest stage,” said Wright. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 03/20/2023-6AM)

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