Jibriel Koko (1) and the Alcoa Tornadoes defeated the Jackson County Blue Devils in a Class 2A state semifinal on Friday, March 21, 2025, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker/5Star Preps)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — The Alcoa High School boys basketball team will get a chance at a three-peat and two-peat in the same day Saturday.
A year ago, the Tornadoes defeated an undefeated team (Douglass) to win its second consecutive Class 2A state championship.
They’ll get another opportunity to repeat that feat Saturday, when they face unbeaten Loretto (34-0) at 1:30 p.m. Central time at MTSU’s Murphy Center.
Alcoa junior Jibriel Koko scored 21 points Friday and Condis Cherry added 12, as two-time defending state champion Alcoa raced past outmanned Jackson County, 59-38, in the Class 2A semifinals.
“Jibriel was phenomenal,” Alcoa coach Ryan Collins said. “I think he’s really put together a good couple games defensively. We’ve put him on their best player. He’s showcased that he can be an elite guard. You take him inside, and he can be physical.
“But today, I thought you shaw his ability to just get downhill. … Really proud of him. He stepped up in a big way today.”
Alcoa (25-5) battled a tight whistle from the onset against the Blue Devils (29-3). Three of its starters had two fouls quickly and sixth-man Eli Graf garnered three fouls in the first half.
Didn’t matter, though.
Alcoa’s depth proved to be capable on both ends of the court. They led 39-17 midway through the third quarter, smothering Jackson County defensively — the Blue Devils had 18 turnovers at that point and were shooting 30.4 percent.
“Sometimes down here, they call it tight early,” Collins said. “And regardless of how it’s called, we’re going to find a way to have a solution.
“And, today, the solution was a great display of depth.”
Jay Kirk’s emphatic follow-up slam off a teammate’s missed transition layup late in the third made quite the statement… game over.
Still, he added a corner 3 midway through the fourth to make Alcoa’s lead 50-27. He finished with 12.
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FRIDAY’S DECISIVE FIRST HALF
Despite the incessant whistle, Alcoa reached the half leading 29-13. Cherry sank a corner 3 at the second-quarter buzzer to make that margin 16; however, the Tornadoes reached the game’s midpoint with 12 total fouls — five of their players having two or more.
Alcoa shot 80 percent from the floor in the first 4 minutes of the contest. Koko scored the game’s first five points. Graf floated in a 10-footer, and Cherry banged home an NBA-length 3 from the left wing to build a 10-4 lead in that span.
The lone negative to the Tornadoes’ play in the early goings turned out to be the foul trouble. Dean picked up his second with 3:12 left in the first quarter. Graf picked up his second at the 2:37 mark. Kirk picked up his second with 18 seconds left in the opening frame.
Koko made sure Jackson County didn’t take advantage. He scored four points in a 13-second span to bump the lead up to 16-7 with 1:25 left in the first quarter. He then forced a five-second call on the defensive end on Jackson County’s ensuing possession.
He and Cherry constructed a 9-0 run over the final 4:44 of the first half to create some substantial breathing room.
Koko had 13 points in the first 16 minutes on 6-for-8 shooting. Cherry had 10, going 2-for-5 from 3.
LOOKING AHEAD
Loretto has one state championship in its history, claiming the 2018 Class 1A title.
This year’s roster features six players at 6-3 or taller, and they have set a program single-season record for wins (34).
Grayson Burleson, a 6-5 senior guard, leads Loretto at 17 points per game while 6-8 senior forward Kasen Buie posts 15 points and eight rebounds each outing.
“I think it’s about us and always will be about us. We don’t want to go out and play to knock somebody off. We want to flip the script and play for each other,” Collins said. “I think there’s a greater power and a greater essence you can tap into that’s ultimately undeniable if you’re going out and it’s truly for one another.
“I firmly believe our best is good enough. It’s how can we bring the best out in one another and how can we bring our best to the moment. That’s what we’ll strive to do tomorrow.”
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