JPII falls short in TSSAA boys basketball state final

Knights make late run but can't overcome Briarcrest's size advantage

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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Pope John Paul II made a late push but fell short against Briarcrest, 62-52, in the TSSAA boys basketball state tournament championship game. Briarcrest's size and balanced scoring proved too much for JPII, which saw three players foul out late as it tried to rally from a 17-point deficit.

Why it matters

This was JPII's first appearance in the state championship game, capping a strong season for the program. The loss is a tough end to the high school careers of several JPII seniors, but the experience will be valuable for the team's younger players moving forward.

The details

Briarcrest was led by tournament MVP Josh Huggins, who scored 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, and Fred Smith Jr., who added 18 points and 13 rebounds. JPII was paced by Jarron Talley's 12 points, but the Knights struggled to finish around the rim, going just 6-of-20 on layups. JPII senior Trey Pearson, a Mr. Basketball finalist, fouled out late in the fourth quarter as the Knights made a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 2 points.

  • The championship game was played on March 7, 2026.
  • JPII made its late 9-0 run with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter.

The players

Josh Huggins

A 6-foot-5 player for Briarcrest who scored 22 points and was named tournament MVP.

Fred Smith Jr.

A 6-foot-7 player for Briarcrest who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Trey Pearson

A JPII senior and Mr. Basketball finalist who fouled out late in the fourth quarter.

Jarron Talley

A JPII senior guard who scored 12 points, 10 of them in the first half.

Charles Wade

The JPII head coach who was forced to remain seated on the bench after a technical foul on one of his players.

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What they’re saying

“We came together during a timeout and Coach (Charles) Wade told us, 'We've been here before, we know what we're doing, so just leave it all out there.'”

— Anthony Wiggins, JPII junior guard (Yahoo Sports)

“It takes you out of the rhythm of the game. You can't call timeouts when you want to call timeouts. You can't talk to players (because) you can't be in earshot. It kind of takes you out of your coaching rhythm.”

— Charles Wade, JPII head coach (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

The JPII seniors will graduate and move on, while the younger players on the team will look to build on this experience and make another run at the state title next season.

The takeaway

Despite the tough loss in the championship game, JPII's deep playoff run and first-ever appearance in the state final is a major milestone for the program. The Knights showed they can compete with the state's best, and this experience will be invaluable as they aim to take the next step and win a state title in the coming years.