After a 25-8 season that fell just two wins short of a state tournament appearance, the Cookeville Cavaliers girls basketball team is looking to make their mark in a new district.
Head Coach Jamie Gillies returns four starters to Cookeville this season alongside a host of seniors. Gillies said she is eager to tip off the season.
“It’s so great to get back on the floor and back on the court with them and then it just kind of ends and it seems like it’s forever until November rolls around,” Gillies said. “This group is fun, they’re very skilled, and they’re a fun group to coach and be around.”
Cookeville will face fresh competition this season, going up against Coffee County, Warren County, Lincoln County, and Shelbyville in district play. Gillies said she believes the change will bring excitement and a competitive edge.
“We’re ready to see who is up for the task in this new district,” Gillies said. “I think it’ll be competitive. They don’t know us, we don’t know them, so I think it’ll be really fun.”
The Cavaliers, however, will open their season against familiar foes. Their first game is set against Oak Ridge, who went with Cookeville to Murfreesboro last season, followed by a home matchup with Bartlett, the team that eliminated Cookeville from the state tournament. Gillies said the early schedule will test her team but remains focused on the bigger picture.
“We’re gonna get tested pretty early and we’ve got a pretty big home win streak on the line,” Gillies said. “But at the end of the day, we worry more about what happens in March than what happens in November.”
Cookeville’s home win streak stands at 48 games, spanning over four years of basketball. Cookeville’s first four games of the regular season will all be played at their home court.
