The Copper Basin High School Lady Cougars 2025-26 basketball team hopes to build on its historic 2024-25 season with another state playoff run.
Last year, for the first time in school history, Basin won the region 3A championship, hosted a sub-state game which led to making its first appearance in the state playoffs at Murfreesboro. They also won the District 5A championship for the second year in a row
Head Coach Jeff Grimes said they at least have to stand equal to the greatest teams in the history of the school. They want to build on that legacy this year. “There are so many emotions and there are many here in the community who are excited.”
The Lady Cougars will have eight take the court this season. All eight are returners. Two are freshman, but played as eighth graders at the end of last season.
“We like to run and play fast and put pressure on people,” Grimes said. He said he believes this year’s team will be better than last years.
“Now, I think they have that confidence. They’ve seen what they are capable of. They know what is like to get to those big games and have success in those big games. They have experience of where if they are fortunate enough to get back to Murfreesboro, which I do think they have the potential to, they have the experience of playing in that arena now.”
Grimes said what is so good about this successful group is “they are not selfish. I don’t think any of them are concerned about if “I” had enough shots tonight. The most important statistic they are worried about is the wins and what they do as a team. It’s all about helping each other out.”
Basin had three seniors last season. This year, they have four, Alexis Hyatt, Kendra Deal, Cora Kimsey and Riley Akens. All of them were starters last season.
“They’ve had a very successful three-year run so far. They have the chance to leave one of the more decorated and a least as a highly as any of the others before them in terms of success and things they have accomplished. They have been playing together for a long time even before they got up here to me. They’ve grown together and learned together and been through the highs and lows together,” Grimes said.
Hyatt surpassed 1000 points last year. Grimes said she should reach second all-time this season at least. She was District 5A Player of the Year the last two seasons. She was also all-district all three seasons.
He said Alexis draws the most attention, but any of the girls are capable of leading at any given night. That happened last year at the district tournament when two starters fouled out and Deal came up big and was Most Valuable Player of the district tournament.
Grimes said the seniors are very versatile and flexible, and are willing to take on any challenge. “It makes it fun for me because I can do a lot of different things.”
This years team has two juniors in Addison Hyatt and Kloie Ballew.
Ballew was All District for the past two seasons, and the leading rebounder. She was a starter her freshman year. “She’s courted a couple triple doubles. She’s really a player that if I had to play anywhere, I could play her in positions one through five.”
Rounding out the squad are two freshman Maleah Deal and Kinsley Ross.
Grimes said Deal is a ball handling guard. She can help bring the ball up the court and can be scrappy defensively. Ross is a left handed shooter who excels outside.
“You see in different levels of sports teams that have to take those steps before they reach that big one or the ultimate one. You have to deal with those failures of each year and this group has done that. The program for the last five years has done that.”
Grimes is excited about this season. “We’ve set some big goals. We’ll let things fall where they may. I’m very very proud and excited for them.”