"Crown Chaser: Silky’s Scoring Storm and the Killa Bees’ Furious Run Back to the Glass House"

Photo Credit to Upperman Hoops

This season turned into something special for the Killa Bees of Upperman, a team that kept building, responding, and finding ways to make noise across the state. Early on, there were questions, and it didn’t immediately look like the kind of year that would end deep in March, but even through that uncertainty, one thing never wavered: Ty Cobb, known as Silky and by some as Agent 0, was going to bring that fire every single night and lead this group wherever it needed to go.

And that’s exactly what he did.

From the start, Ty set the tone with his production and leadership, showing why he is one of the most dangerous players in the state regardless of class. He didn’t just score; he controlled the game with nearly 30 points per game, efficient shooting, strong rebounding from the guard spot, playmaking, and defensive swagger that touched every part of the floor. Along the way, he etched his name into Upperman history, breaking the all-time scoring record and pushing it to 2427 points and still climbing, making it clear night after night there was no real answer for him.

The recognition followed because it had to, with back-to-back Mr. Basketball honors, Gatorade Player of the Year, multiple player of the year awards, District MVP, Regional MVP, and All-State Tournament team selections, all stacking up to reflect a season that was far beyond just impressive and firmly in the category of dominant. With likely first-team all-state still to come, yet again.

But this run was never just one player.

Once this team found its rhythm, everything shifted, and it showed in a major way as Upperman rolled through district play undefeated at 8-0 and finished the year 31-6 overall, not just winning games but overwhelming teams with double-digit victories that often stretched into 20-point blowouts. The chemistry grew stronger with every game, the confidence kept rising, and the Killa Bees started buzzing with purpose, looking like a team that could run anyone out of the gym when everything clicked.

Colton Johnson, known here as Mr. Double-Double, brought a physical presence inside that balanced everything out, handling the dirty work every night with rebounding, toughness, and interior scoring that gave Upperman a steady backbone. Jack Torrence delivered impact that didn’t always jump off the stat sheet but showed up in winning plays, spacing, and effort. while Joseph Maynard added firepower as a shooter capable of heating up quickly and stretching defenses. Carmine Phillips anchored things defensively, battling in the paint and giving the team another layer of grit that made them even tougher to deal with.

Everything was building toward one goal, getting back to the Glass House and cutting down the nets again, and they made that run with authority, sending a message all along the way that they were not going anywhere. Blowout wins, big-time performances, and a group fully locked in on the same mission made it clear this was a real championship threat once again. And even when a few games got tight, you will yo win. That's a champion's mentality.

Then came the final four battle, a fight between two hungry teams with everything on the line, where every possession mattered and every moment carried weight. Ty turned it into a backyard brawl, exploding for 33 points with 6 rebounds and 2 assists while refusing to let the season slip without a fight, answering every challenge and keeping Upperman within striking distance the entire game. Mr. Double Double added 8 points and 6 rebounds while battling inside, Joseph Maynard filled the stat sheet with 4 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals, and Jack Torrence added 3 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, with Collier Bush contributing as well. This group gave everything they had until the final buzzer. In a tight 54-51 battle, Upperman came up just short, but the effort, the toughness, and the fight never faded, showing exactly who this team was from start to finish.

Even in that moment, it was clear this group was tough, connected, and relentless, built on chemistry, effort, and belief in each other, with Silky at the center of it all as a guard who didn’t just put up numbers but carried a program, led a team, and delivered under the brightest lights every single night.

Upperman didn’t finish with the ending they wanted, but this was still a magical run, a season filled with growth, dominance, and a team that found its identity and rode it all the way back to the biggest stage, proving once again that the buzz around the Killa Bees is very real and not going anywhere anytime soon.