The Commercial Appeal

Frison delivers Overton its first gold ball

- Wynston Wilcox

MURFREESBO­RO − Immediatel­y after Jordan Frison and Overton basketball completed its state tournament run with a 69-57 win over Independen­ce in the Class 4A championsh­ip game on Saturday, the senior ran up the southeast stairs, just behind press row to find his parents.

Once he found them, he looked at his dad and said, “I did it pops, just like you.”

Vincent Frison won a state title with Fairley in 1993. Jordan Frison won a state title with Overton in 2023. It's the Wolverines' first basketball state title and Overton's second ever team state title.

Jordan had something to prove this week at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center.

He told his dad before Jared Hall was named the 4A Mr. Basketball winner on Monday, he had already prepared himself for an appearance in the championsh­ip game.

“He said just know, whatever decision they make,” Vincent recalled, “I'm either going to go into that game being a hero or (I'm going) in there being the villain.”

He ended up being the villain. And it earned him an even better award.

“I told my teammates, ‘Forget a Mr. Basketball, we gon' go win this championsh­ip,' “Jordan said after the game “Winning this is just even better.”

As coach Shelvie Rose said earlier in the week, Overton (33-11) was going to win a state championsh­ip behind Frison.

And in a game which Independen­ce (33-5) did everything defensivel­y to take Frison out of the game, he still finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds.

He was named the Class 4A state tournament MVP, averaging 27.3 points per game in Overton's three state tournament games.

The Eagles ran a matchup zone, guarding Frison man-to-man at the top of the key. Once he got past the first defender, a second defender shifted from

 ?? GEORGE WALKER IV/THE TENNESSEAN ?? Memphis Overton guard Jordan Frison (5) celebrates a 69-57 win against Independen­ce in the TSSAA Class 4A State Boys Basketball Tournament Championsh­ip game on Saturday.
GEORGE WALKER IV/THE TENNESSEAN Memphis Overton guard Jordan Frison (5) celebrates a 69-57 win against Independen­ce in the TSSAA Class 4A State Boys Basketball Tournament Championsh­ip game on Saturday.

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