Jellico claims District 3-A Championship in nailbiter

It takes overtime to decide Blue Devils-Oliver Springs title game

HARRIMAN, TN (WLAF)- Fans knew they’d be treated to a classic Jellico-Oliver Springs basketball game Tuesday night on Nesbit Court. The Devils-n-Bobcats did not disappoint by going to overtime before a decision was rendered to determine the 2025-2026 District 3-A Tournament Champion.

Coach Mike Reynolds’ Jellico Blue Devils, the fourth seed, clung to a one point lead after the first quarter at 16-15 only to see Oliver Springs post 12 second quarter points to the Blue Devils nine. It was 27-25 OS at the break.

The third quarter belonged to Jellico with the Blue Devils putting up 16 of the quarter’s 26 points leading 41-37 entering the final frame. That’s where the game really tightened as Oliver Springs outscored the Devils 14-10 sending the game into overtime tied at 51.

Oliver Springs, seeded sixth, could only muster six points in the extra session, all coming from Ethan Jones who was top scorer with 25.

The Blue Devils knocked down eight of 10 free throws to go along with a big three pointer from Gavin Dabney in overtime as Jellico outpaced Oliver Springs 11 to 6 winning the game by a final of 62-57. Brayden Teague tossed in two free throws while Trey Vann added four from the line and Dabney made two free tosses.

Caleb Rose was tops for the Blue-n-White with 18 points, nine in each half. Vann and Dabney were also in double-figures with 15 and 11 points respectively. Dakota Marlow scored eight as Jacob Bowlin tossed in six points while Teague finished with four.

Jellico returns home to host a Region 2-A first round game on Saturday night and will face the Greenback Cherokees. The Blue Devils are 17 & 13 while the ‘Kees are 2 & 16. It’ll be a seven o’clock tip off at Charles Lindsay-Dino Oakes Gymnasium.

It’s a radio-television-website-social media broadcast Saturday night presented by Hope+Stand Church. You are invited to join the “Voice of the Cougars” Josh Parker for all the fun over WLAF of Jellico’s first round Region 2-A . The WLAF Doyle’s Tire Sports Network spans ten WLAF media platforms. Listen and watch beginning at 7pm on Saturday as the Blue Devils play over WLAF TV-1089 on Comcast-Xfinity, 1450wlaf.com, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, WLAF Radio AM 1450 & FM 100.9 and Amazon Alexa. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-02/25/2026-6AM-PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS BAIRD)