How Hillsboro wrote its name in Metro Nashville history with program's first TSSAA basketball state title

MURFREESBORO ― Rodney Thweatt hasn't had time to process what the moment meant.

It has been 69 years since Hillsboro played for a TSSAA boys basketball state tournament championship.

It has been 44 years since a Metro Nashville public school (and there have been just two total) won a large class state title in TSSAA history.

He was all about Saturday night at MTSU's Murphy Center, sitting with seniors Tyren Fisher, Cortez Graham-Howard, Xavier Washington and sophomore Lonny Holland ― his glasses fogging, eyes reddened, trying to describe his team's 57-42 victory that clinched Hillsboro's first-ever state championship.

"I'm about these guys and what they did this year and this night," said Thweatt, who has taken Hillsboro to seven state tournaments. "I'm just so proud of them right now and their accomplishment. I didn't really get into the historical part of it as much as I just wanted the last game with this group to be something special."

The weight of that accomplishment was visible on the faces of Graham-Howard, a Mr. Basketball finalist, and Fisher, who captured the tournament MVP. Fisher was an unsung hero, who finished with five points but had nine rebounds, five assists and exemplified the principals that Thweatt teaches this team.

Thweatt's voice cracked trying to describe his pride in Fisher, whose teammates swarmed him when he was announced the tournament MVP. Tears streamed down Thweatt's face, fist pumping as Fisher accepted the MVP plaque.

"Sometimes as a coach you can have some strong relationships," Tweatt said. "I don't know if you can have a stronger relationship than me and Tyren."

Hillsboro (34-5) joins former Pearl High (1981) and John Overton (1976) as large class teams from the city of Nashville that have won a TSSAA gold ball. And this championship has added significance considering Fisher and Graham-Howard were at the state tournament as sophomores when they lost to Memphis Overton in the 4A semifinals.

"I was just amazed," said Graham-Howard, who had team-high 20 points and five rebounds despite sitting much of the fourth quarter with four fouls. "I still can't believe we did it, especially coming from where we came from, from freshman year to now."

Nashville city schools don't get these opportunities often. Pearl-Cohn's football team snapped a city-wide 15-year championship drought in Chattanooga in 2023. But high school basketball in the city was parched for a state title.

"This means a lot," Graham-Howard said. "Especially the perception that they put on metro basketball. So for us to be a metro team and to win a gold ball, its a big accomplishment."

No one player exhibited just how deeply this championship meant than Holland who was overcome with emotion more than once in the postgame media room. His eyes were swollen with tears after being named All Tournament. He had only two points Saturday, but had 16 in Hillsboro's quarterfinal win against Maryville last Thursday.

"This (win) shows how unselfish we are," Holland said. "Because a lot of people in our city ... they say they want this moment but they'll go split up because one person wants to be the man."

Hillsboro’s Xavier Washington, second from right, and Max Burtner (41) celebrate with fans after their win against Oak Ridge in a TSSAA 4A basketball state championship game at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Washington's 20 points was the catalyst for Friday's semifinal win over Bradley Central. Jalen Heard's 11 points provided an offensive spark when Graham-Howard sat in the fourth quarter Saturday. At any given moment, a Hillsboro player was willing to accept the challenge and carry the load.

"I wish everybody knew what their day-to-day (work) looked like," Thweatt said. "You would really understand how much they put towards this championship."

Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA boys basketball state championship 2025: Hillsboro claims title

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