MURFREESBORO – Christy Dye sat with her daughter, Madison Hart, on the edge of their seats at MTSU’s Murphy Center. Knees jittering, prayers going up.
Both women played basketball at Gibson County. Dye's jersey has been retired by the program. Hart led the Pioneers to the state title in 2019, her freshman year.
They were nervous watching Micah Hart , the middle of three of Dye’s daughters, play in her first TSSAA state championship game – and her final game in a Lady Pioneers uniform.
Micah Hart put her family’s nerves to rest. She hit four free throws in the final 36 seconds to lead the Pioneers to the Class 2A state title, 49-37 over Loretto. Hart scored 20 points, helping Gibson County to the program's fourth state championship.
“I could just tell in Micah’s eyes that she was determined that she was going to get it,” Dye said. “I’ve watched her enough I can tell when she’s going to get something. She wasn’t going to quit until she got what she wanted … I could tell. I know my baby.”
Micah and Madison Hart played two years together but were unable to combine for a state championship. Madison just completed her sophomore season at Bethel University. The sisters played AAU basketball together and were always incredibly competitive to push each other to be their best.
On Saturday night, Micah Hart was at her best.
From the stands, Madison Hart was just yearning for the final buzzer to sound with the Pioneers (38-1) in front. When the final horn did sound, she felt both relief and pride.
“We couldn’t get it done when we played together,” Madison Hart said. “Watching from the stands, watching her do it with her team, it was special.”
Coach Mitch Wilkins was in personal reflection after the game. He often speaks of his blessings to coach at Gibson County and to have opportunities to win championships because of his players. The Pioneers had only two seniors, Micah Hart and guard Maya Turner.
“Our seniors are absolutely great examples for anybody’s young girl sitting in the stands that want to emulate them,” Wilkins said. “It’s just a blessing and an honor (to coach them). I think about it every year when the season’s over: 'This team will never be together again.' … They knew that if they gave their best, great things can come.”
About an hour after the Pioneers completed their championship victory, Micah Hart carried the gold ball and led the Pioneers up the stairs to the concourse at Murphy Center to a rousing chant of “GC! GC! GC!” and! applause.
Dye jumped in to give her daughter a hug, well, as best as she could with Micah carrying the trophy. Dye repeated, “I love you” over and over again.
The tears didn’t start forming for Dye until she thought about Saturday being Hart’s final game and how her incredible run ended.
“I could get emotional talking about it,” Dye said. “This is her last game. It was perfect.”
Micah Hart completed the journey that began when she first picked up a basketball, playing on a miniature hoop on the door. Dye knelt to play to give her daughters a chance.
That journey ended with Micah Hart as the all-time leading scorer in program history with 2,395 points. She beat Tiffany Adkins’ previous record of 2,342.
MORE: How important is Micah Hart to Gibson County girls basketball? She's their MVP
Dye finished her career with 1,763 points, good for ninth in program history. Madison Hart had 2,020 career points, good for fifth and a gold ball in 2019.
Dye’s jersey is among the ones framed at the Pioneers’ B.O. Booth Gymnasium. Madison Hart’s is not. Yet.
Micah Hart believes the legacy she left on Gibson County should yield a framed jersey in the gym.
“What I’ve done throughout my high school career,” Hart said. “I think (my jersey) deserves to be up there.”
“It should be, 100%,” Dye said. “Her sister’s (No. 24) should be, too. I know it’s me as a mom, but they’ve done great things. They’ve broken records. They got all the things, more than I ever did. So, if my jersey’s hanging up there, I think theirs should be hanging up there."
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Micah Hart cements her legacy at Gibson County, wins TSSAA championship in her final game
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