Tennessee 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SR0144 Draft / Bill

Filed 04/09/2025

                     
<BillNo> <Sponsor> 
 
SENATE RESOLUTION 144 
By Bailey 
 
 
SR0144 
007191 
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A RESOLUTION to honor and commend the Upperman Bees 
boys' basketball team upon winning the 2025 
TSSAA Division I, Class 3A state championship.  
 
 WHEREAS, it is fitting that this General Assembly should salute those student athletes 
who, through their extraordinary efforts, have distinguished themselves as true champions of 
whom we can all be proud; and 
 WHEREAS, one such exemplary group of lads is the Bees boys' basketball team of 
Upperman High School in Baxter, whose members have proven themselves to be the fiercest of 
competitors and truly worthy of admiration by winning the 2025 TSSAA Division I, Class 3A 
state championship, the first such title in school history after eight previous state tournament 
appearances; and 
 WHEREAS, entering regional competition as District 7 champions, Upperman defeated 
Lawrence County 58-53 in the quarterfinals and crushed Giles County 54-33 in their semifinal 
match-up before falling in the regional final; and 
 WHEREAS, quickly rebounding in the sectional round, the Bees easily buzzed by 
Heritage 51-33 to punch their ticket for the Big Dance; and 
 WHEREAS, poised for ultimate victory in the Class 3A state tournament at MTSU's 
Murphy Center, Upperman stung Hume-Fogg 54-40 in the quarterfinals and bested Greeneville 
55-47 in the semifinal round to advance; and 
 WHEREAS, in the final game, the Bees avenged their sole loss in regional play by 
taming the Tullahoma Wildcats 65-55 to claim the Gold Ball trophy that signifies a state 
champion and finish the 2024-2025 campaign with an outstanding 32-3 record; and   
 
 
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 WHEREAS, the following young men made sweet championship honey as the Bees 
from Baxter: the Class 3A state tournament's Most Valuable Player, Ty Cobb; All-Tournament 
team selections, Bronzden Chaffin and Evan Huddleston; and contributing players, Jack 
Torrence, Branson Turnbow, Collier Bush, Colton Johnson, and John Sissom; and 
 WHEREAS, Upperman's superb performance would not have been possible without the 
expert guidance of Head Coach Bobby McWilliams and his assistant coaches, Alan Asberry, 
Brian Johnson, and Austyn McWilliams, and the unfailing support of the players' families, their 
fans, and the close-knit Baxter community; and   
 WHEREAS, the members of the Upperman boys' basketball team epitomize all that is 
good in today's student athletes, as they have achieved a premier level of success in 
competition while exhibiting the highest degree of character in all aspects of life; and 
 WHEREAS, the perseverance, determination, work ethic, and talent of this group of 
young men not only made possible a championship but also surely bode well for their future 
success; and 
 WHEREAS, the members of this General Assembly find it appropriate to acknowledge 
and applaud the Upperman Bees for their outstanding season on the hardwood; now, therefore, 
 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, that we honor and commend the 
Upperman Bees boys' basketball team upon winning the 2025 TSSAA Division I, Class 3A state 
championship and extend to them our best wishes for every continued success in all their future 
endeavors. 
 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared 
for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy.