State Basketball Tournament Preview: Westview Lady Chargers
The Westview Lady Chargers (30-1) return to defend their championship from last season and make their 11th straight appearance in the state tournament. Westview plays Thursday at 2:45 p.m. against York Institute (33-2) in the Class AA quarterfinals. Westview defeated York Institute 47-37 last year in the state title game.
Westview is the runner-up of District 12AA and the Region 6AA champion. The Lady Chargers are 5-1 in the postseason. In the district tournament, Westview defeated Union City before falling to Gibson County in the championship game. The team won its first two region tournament games over Camden and East Hickman then avenged the previous loss by besting Gibson County in the region title game. Westview advanced to Murfreesboro with a 58-48 sectional victory over Summertown.
The Lady Chargers are averaging 58 points per game this season and yielding 34 points per contest. They have won 56 of their last 57 games dating back to December 2021.
This year marks the 18th state tournament appearance for Westview girls in program history. They previously competed at state in 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010 and each season from 2013 through 2022. The Lady Chargers have two state championships, 1996 and 2022. Westview finished as state runner-up in 2003 and 2019.
Brian Haskins is in his ninth year as head coach of the Lady Chargers. He has a record of 270-37 with Westview girls and an overall mark of 430-127 in 17 seasons as a high school coach. Coach Haskins is leading a team to the state tournament for the 10th time, as he coached Perry County boys in 2003 and Westview girls for the past eight seasons. This year, Haskins is assisted by Lauren Freeman, Randy Moore, Burton Rutledge and Mike Swaim.
The Lady Chargers have five seniors: Tate Bell, Jillian Brigance, Mary Anna Chester, Jada Harrison and Tinsley Parkins. Kylee Alexander, Addie Roberts and Emma Simpson are the team’s three juniors. Alexis Evans, Amayiah Reed, Lakyn Rogers, McCall Sims, Hayden Swaim and Halle Trevathan are the six sophomores on the roster. Sara Beth Byars, Josey Clark, AnnaBell Holmes, Maddie Horton and Chanler Spendlove are the club’s five freshmen.
Hear the broadcast of Westview and York Institute from the state tournament Thursday afternoon on Mix 101.3.
