Heritage girls basketball team on brink of history

Defensive-minded Generals one win away from first state title in Catoosa County

Mar. 10, 2026 at 11:06pm

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The Heritage High School girls' basketball team, led by senior guard Tori Epps and her "junkyard dog" mentality, is one win away from becoming the first Catoosa County program to win a state basketball title. The 27-4 Generals, winners of 14 straight, will face Sandy Creek in the Class AAA final on Wednesday after a dominant defensive season that has seen them allow just 35 points per game during their recent run.

Why it matters

Heritage's quest for a state championship represents a historic milestone for Catoosa County, which has never had a high school basketball team, boys or girls, win a state title. The Generals' relentless defensive approach and team-first mentality have carried them to the brink of making school and county history.

The details

Led by senior guard Tori Epps, who coach Greg Elkins describes as the team's "junkyard dog," Heritage has built its success on a swarming, pressure defense that has forced 21 turnovers per game during its 14-game winning streak. The Generals believe that "defense travels" and spend nearly half of every practice working on defensive positioning, hands and feet. This defensive intensity has stifled opponents, including holding Pickens to just 28 points after an early 7-0 lead in the semifinals.

  • Heritage High School girls' basketball team is 27-4 on the season.
  • The Generals have won 14 consecutive games heading into the state championship game.
  • The Class AAA state final will be played on Wednesday, March 12, 2026 at 5:30 PM.

The players

Tori Epps

A versatile senior guard who has played point guard, stretch-four and is now back at point guard. Elkins describes her as the team's "junkyard dog" and the lead-by-example player.

Greg Elkins

The head coach of the Heritage High School girls' basketball team, who has instilled a relentless defensive mindset in his players.

Morghan Reckley

A 5-star sophomore guard for Sandy Creek who is averaging 28 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.7 steals per game. She will be Tori Epps' primary defensive assignment in the state championship game.

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What they’re saying

“She's our junkyard dog. She's a very unselfish player and does what this team needs. She was our point guard as a freshman, a stretch-four the last two years and back to the point this year. She is the ultimate lead-by-example player.”

— Greg Elkins, Head Coach

“Every single day at practice we are playing defense of some sort, whether it's scrimmaging or doing defensive slides. There are a lot of teams that don't want to do it. We just have a different type of mindset to how defense is played compared to other teams.”

— Tori Epps, Senior Guard

What’s next

The Heritage Generals will face the Sandy Creek Patriots in the Class AAA state championship game on Wednesday, March 12, 2026 at 5:30 PM.

The takeaway

Heritage's relentless defensive focus and "junkyard dog" mentality have carried the team to the brink of making history as the first Catoosa County program to win a state basketball title. Their team-first approach and commitment to the defensive end of the floor have been the keys to their success and have them one win away from cementing their legacy.