How Rick Barnes, Bruce Pearl have sparked Oak Ridge's TSSAA basketball state tournament run
MURFREESBORO — Aaron Green won his 400th game as Oak Ridge basketball coach in February. He's guided the Wildcats to 12 district championships in 15 seasons and taken them to the TSSAA basketball state tournament seven times, including a runner-up finish in 2014.
"I'm old," Green mused Thursday after the Wildcats' 60-39 Class 4A quarterfinal win over Walker Valley. Even at the age of 47, it's easy to see what he means.
But for as much as Green, a former Tennessee guard who later worked on Bruce Pearl's staff as a graduate manager, has experienced in his career, Thursday was unique. At the same time Oak Ridge (30-3) was running rampant at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center, the No. 2 seed Vols were in the process of beating Wofford 77-62 in the NCAA tournament. Earlier in the day, Pearl and No. 1 overall seed Auburn won their opening game over Alabama State, 83-63.
The Wildcats will face Whitehaven (33-3) in Friday's state semifinal. If they win, they'll play Saturday for their first state championship since 1963.
It sounds trivial — your current team, former boss and alma mater all winning postseason games on the same day — but it's a bit deeper for Green. He texts with Vols coach Rick Barnes, and the two have wished each other luck throughout their respective playoff runs. And before the Wildcats' 56-51 win over Bearden in the Region 2-4A semifinals on March 4, Pearl texted Green a good-luck video.
Green was a video coordinator and information specialist on Pearl's staff at Tennessee from 2007-10 before being hired at Oak Ridge.
“He’s a great motivator, great coach," Green said. "I learned a ton in my three years. It was really an educational three years for me, on and off the floor. A lot of what we've done at Oak Ridge the last 15 years has that Coach Pearl blueprint."
The message Pearl sent to the Wildcats? "Play with passion, play with poise, play with purpose."
Pearl's Tigers won the SEC regular season championship, going 15-3 in what has widely been deemed as the strongest conference of all time — the SEC sent a record 14 teams to the NCAA tournament this season. Green can relate to that grind. Both Oak Ridge and Region 2 runner-up Maryville reached the state tournament, and the Wildcats had to beat 22-win West and 28-win Bearden just to reach the region final.
MORE: TSSAA boys basketball state tournament brackets, schedule and scores
"I told some people that this was by far the toughest group of region teams I've played against since I've been at Oak Ridge," Green said. "We definitely earned it, for sure."
As influential as Pearl's been on Green, who played at Tennessee from 1995-99, there's no question about where his loyalties lie. If Tennessee and Auburn keep winning, they'd meet in the national championship game on April 7. Green was rooting for the Vols when they upset the Tigers in the SEC tournament last week and a potential rematch would be exactly the same.
“I'm a Vol fan through and through," Green said. "I’m Tennessee, Big Orange Country."
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TSSAA basketball: Oak Ridge state tournament run sparked by Bruce Pearl
Topics
-
Why Oak Ridge's stunning loss to Bartlett in TSSAA basketball state tournament was so emotional
Bartlett defeated Oak Ridge 52-50 in the TSSAA girls basketball state tournament Class 4A quarterfinals on Thursday.Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14 -
Faye Williams, Bartlett girls basketball flex height in last-second TSSAA state tournament win
A late shot from Bartlett junior Faye Williams sealed the team's win vs. Oak Ridge as it advanced in the TSSAA girls basketball state tournament.Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14 -
Tennessee basketball blunts Texas momentum, sets up Rick Barnes-Bruce Pearl rematch | Adams
The Tennessee defense that suffocated Texas will now face the challenge of containing Auburn All-American Johni Broome.Yahoo Sports - 6d -
Bruce Pearl points to No. 3 Auburn's resume in saying Tigers deserve NCAA's No. 1 overall seed
The Auburn Tigers go into the NCAA Tournament having lost three of their final four games. Coach Bruce Pearl isn't worried. “We lost to Alabama, Tennessee and at Texas A&M,” Pearl said Saturday ...Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Auburn's Bruce Pearl talks focus ahead of March Madness run
Auburn head coach is preaching the "short memory" philosophy to his team before their NCAA Tournament opener.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Rick Barnes, former Texas, now Tennessee coach, makes his case for Texas in NCAA Bracket
Former Texas Longhorns Coach Rick Barnes, now Tennessee Volunteers head coach, offered his opinion on why Texas deserved a NCAA tournament spot.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl breaks down first round March Madness win over Alabama State
Pearl discussed Auburn's free throw woes, the play of Tahaad Pettiford, and their formidable first round opponent.Yahoo Sports - 18h -
Rick Barnes stumps for Texas as NCAA Tournament team after painfully poetic win over close friend Rodney Terry
Rick Barnes knows all too well the discomfort embattled Texas coach Rodney Terry is feelingCBS Sports - 6d -
Auburn's Bruce Pearl states case for No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament
Pearl cites Auburn's 'historic' resume as the sole reason for Auburn's top overall seed case.Yahoo Sports - 5d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Ohio State women's basketball vs Montana State in NCAA Tournament first round
It's Ohio State women's basketball vs Montana State in the first round of March Madness. Follow for scores, NCAA Tournament updates from the game.Yahoo Sports - 30m -
Viktor Hovland contending at the Valspar Championship after (another) coaching change
Two weeks ago, Hovland announced a switch back to Grant Waite, insisting he's trying to "get to the bottom" of his slump.Yahoo Sports - 32m -
Auburn basketball vs Creighton: Who has edge in 2025 NCAA Tournament second round?
It’s Auburn Tigers vs. Creighton Blue Jays in the March Madness bracket. Here’s our prediction, pick for the 2025 NCAA Tournament basketball game.Yahoo Sports - 32m -
Georgia Amoore scores 34 points and Kentucky holds off charge by Liberty for 79-78 March Madness win
Georgia Amoore scored 34 points, including three free throws in the final 10 seconds for fourth-seeded Kentucky, which nearly blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead but held on for a 79-78 victory ...Yahoo Sports - 33m -
Mexican club Leon banned from FIFA Club World Cup
Club Leon from Mexico were incensed Friday after they were banned from the June-July Club World Cup in the United States for violating rules on multi-ownership, FIFA announced Friday. A FIFA ...Yahoo Sports - 37m
More in Sports
-
Ohio State women's basketball vs Montana State in NCAA Tournament first round
It's Ohio State women's basketball vs Montana State in the first round of March Madness. Follow for scores, NCAA Tournament updates from the game.Yahoo Sports - 30m -
Poch after loss: Wearing U.S. shirt 'not enough'
Mauricio Pochettino was left visibly frustrated after the USMNT's shock 1-0 defeat to Panama in the Concacaf Nations League, bluntly telling his players it was not enough to just simply show up in ...ESPN - 30m -
Skenes' 1-of-1 rookie card fetches record $1.11M
Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes' 2024 Topps Chrome Update MLB debut patch autograph card sold for a stunning $1.11 million, including buyer's premium.ESPN - 30m -
Bronny has season-high 17 points in Lakers' loss
Bronny James scored a season-high 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting and added five assists, three rebounds and a block in 30 minutes of playing time against the Bucks.ESPN - 30m -
Wood carded for signing autographs in NZ win
Chris Wood picked up a yellow card for signing autographs and taking pictures with fans during New Zealand's win over Fiji in their World Cup qualifier on Thursday.ESPN - 30m