MURFREESBORO – Maddie Gray likes to joke around at Westview basketball practice. However, when it’s time to play, Gray is ready.
Gray transferred to Westview over the summer from South Fulton and she has been a big lift for the Chargers, both in terms of basketball and just being around the program, helping lead the team to the TSSAA girls basketball state tournament.
“She’s the class clown,” said Westview senior and Lady Vols softball signee McCall Sims. “That was her senior superlative, she got Class Clown.”
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Gray scored a game-high 19 points with five rebounds in the Chargers’ 48-30 win over East Nashville in the Class 2A quarterfinals Wednesday at Murphy Center in Murfreesboro.
Gray is a 2A Miss Basketball finalist in Class 2A after a strong season for Westview (31-1) and said that award is a team award as much as it is individual. She played her game just after the other 2A Miss Basketball finalists played each other in Loretto’s Ally Weathers and McMinn Central’s Karina Bystry.
The Chargers will face Loretto (25-8) at 12:45 p.m. Friday at Murphy Center in the state semifinals.
Moving from South Fulton to Westview has been a big boost for Gray, as much as she has been for the Chargers.
“It’s been a lot of fun, the atmosphere is completely different,” Gray said. “It’s nice having a team that is always there to lift you up when you don’t have your best game. It’s nice to feel like you have support at all time.”
Even sitting in a press conference, Gray is one to keep the humor going and laughing with her teammates about the funny moments they’ve shared in Gray’s short time in Martin.
“She makes every day fun,” Sims said. “Having a bad day, and you see her, she makes you laugh when you don’t want to. Having her on the court is very helpful, and I think we all are glad that she came.”
Westview is looking for its third TSSAA state championship in four seasons. The one year without a state championship was last season when the Chargers were knocked out by Loretto in the quarterfinals.
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Westview coach Brian Haskins said Gray has been an integral reason why the Chargers are in this position.
“She fit in from day one, it was an easy fit,” said Westview coach Brian Haskins. “It’s great getting to know her, she’s a great kid. I didn’t really know her until that point. She’s constantly got something going on all the time, which is a good thing – it keeps you on your toes a little bit.”
Austin Chastain is a sports writer covering West Tennessee high schools. Reach him by email at achastain@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ChastainAJ.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: TSSAA girls basketball state tournament: How Maddie Gray lifted Westview
