MURFREESBORO — As the clock ticked down in the Murphy Center, Bartlett Panthers Head Coach Dion Real realized his team had finally done it. 

The team with multiple tournament titles, individual honors and national recognition was about to celebrate being the 2026 Class 4A State champions. 

Bartlett’s 69-47 victory over the Walker Valley Mustangs earn the Panthers their first title since 2001. 

“One thing we talked about is protecting the circle,” Real said prior to the departure to Murfreesboro. “Make sure we’re all together and we’ve got each other’s backs. As long as we’re together, that’s the only way we’re going to get it done.”

The Panthers arrived at the Middle Tennessee State University campus Thursday and beat Brentwood 65-56 in the Quarterfinals. Dylan Jones led the Panthers with 22 points. Other Bartlett players to reach double-digits in the scoring column were Donavin Okoth with 18 points and Braylon Williams chipped in with 10 points. 

Bearden was next to go down Friday evening with the Panthers prevailing 71-61 in the Semifinal Round. Jones scored 22 points once again making 3 of 4 three-point attempts. Williams had a hot hand against Bearden with 20 points making 6 of 7 field goal attempts. 

Axton Perry contributed 11 points in the Semifinals for the Panthers. Bartlett secured a championship spot against Walker Valley. The Mustangs outlasted the Whitehaven Tigers in the Semifinals 52-50 to reach the title game. 

The Panthers won the championship in appropriate fashion with 10 players scoring in the 69-47 win. Jones wasn’t the leading scorer this time, scoring 9 points. He grabbed 7 rebounds to lead the Panthers and earned the tournament MVP award. 

Perry led the Panthers in the title game with 15 points and added 6 boards. Okoth and Williams each added 8 points in the win over Walker Valley. 

Okoth, Williams and Perry were named All-Tournament for their three-game effort. 

Bartlett led by 26 points at the midway point of the fourth quarter and went into cruise control toward the championship. The Panthers jumped out 23-4 in the first quarter and managed to outscore the Mustangs in the next two periods. 

The Panthers (35-4) went all over the United States this season taking on high-level competition and winning several notable games against opponents like Chattanooga Prep, North Little Rock, Petersburg, Pope John Paul II, SPAN, and Wheeler.

The Panthers went unbeaten in District 15-4A to win the regular-season and tournament championships. Then in Regionals, Bartlett outlasted the Whitehaven Tigers 66-51 to earn the home Sectional game against Rossview. Bartlett beat Rossview 73-31 to reach State.