GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The Tullahoma Wildcats boys’ basketball team on Dec. 5 picked up its first loss of the 2025-2026 season, to Lincoln County High School. They lost by a score of 60-57.

For the first three quarters of play, Tullahoma was playing the brand of basketball they have been all year, which has led them to have a stainless record of 5-0. They were running their offensive sets at a high level and defending at a high level. Through those first three quarters, the main guy who was cooking on offense was big man senior Austin Tinnon.

Tinnon, who has been noticeably more comfortable and confident in scoring opportunities this year, was dominant in and around the basket in the second and third quarters in this game. In these two periods, he scored 15 points–nine coming in the second and six coming in the third. He ended up being the leading scorer for Tullahoma in the contest with 17 points.

On the defensive side of things for the Wildcats, it was a team effort. Their platoon of defenders throughout their roster led to the opposing Falcons only scoring 30 points through three quarters. With this, the Wildcats went into the final quarter with a 47-30 lead. However, the Falcons refused to fall and add another loss to their resume; they instead chose to fight.

Lincoln not only in the final eight minutes of play, had a big scoring quarter, they had their biggest scoring quarter of the season. The Wildcats, on their side of things, allowed the most points they have to a team in a single period this season. The mix of all of this madness led to Lincoln coming back from 17 points down and winning this game.

The main factor offensively that led to Lincoln turning things around was their shooting, specifically from their senior shooting guard, Maddox Franklin. Some players are known as streaky shooters, and Franklin certainly falls into that category. Franklin, through the first three periods, had one make from behind the arc; in the fourth, he had five makes.  His efforts, along with his teammates chipping in for some big makes, led the Falcons to outscore Tullahoma 30-10 in the fourth quarter. Madness.

Franklin led all scorers in the contest with 22 points.

This is certainly a tough loss for the Wildcats to tack on, but through the shock of a big comeback, this is an extremely impressive Lincoln County team. Early in this season, they have a record of 4-1 to start the year.

The Wildcats will have an opportunity to right their wrongs with two games this week. Tullahoma this week will play one game at home and one on the road. They will first play Brentwood Academy at their place on Dec. 9 before coming back to the THS home gym on Dec. 13, where they play the TN Heat.