CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Veteran head coach Jason Reuter says the key for his nationally-ranked Bradley Central Bearettes to claim their third straight TSSAA Championship his team must have the "4-Hs" — Hungry, Humble, Hustling and Healthy.
With their entire starting lineup back from last year's TSSAA State Championship run, including a trio of returning starters from the 2023 "Gold Ball" winners, it was a forgone conclusion state's winningest basketball program (2,401-504-9) would be extending their state record with a 35th appearance at the BlueCross Championships at their home-away-from-home — "The Glass House."
With 21 "mercy rule" victories, Bradley has averaged 78.8 points per game, while allowing just 30.4, which are the best marks for a Reuter-led program.
Ranked second nationally by Hoops Review, fifth by Maxpreps and 14th by ESPN, for the third straight time the Black-and-Gold enter the state tournament with only one loss.
The only blemish on the Bearettes' 32-1 record came to No.
2-ranked (ESPN) Montverde Christian Academy on its home floor in Orlando, Florida, in mid January.
Top-ranked in the TSWA State poll all season, Bradley will begin its quest for a three-peat Thursday night with a late tipoff scheduled for 9:45 EDT against No. 2-ranked Coffee County (34-0), in a rematch of a state semifinal game last March, which Bradley won 55-35.
"We've played them the last few years and in the summer, so we're very familiar with each other," related Coach Retuer.
This marks the third straight year the Bearettes will open the event against an unbeaten team, having beaten then top-ranked Bearden (35-0) by a 55-53 tally on their way to the 2013 state crown and Clarksville (31-0), in a 62-30 thrashing to start last year's march.
"To be the best, you have to beat the best, whether it's in the first round or the championship game," proclaims Coach Reuter.
Posting the largest margins of victory in the TSSAA Sectionals Saturday evening, Bradley expelled the Lebanon Devilettes 82-32, while the Lady Red Raiders plundered Mt. Juliet 84-44.
The teams have a trio of common opponents with a combined 9-0 mark against.
Both squads played Ensworth in the annual Bearette Thanksgiving Tournament. Bradley blasted the Nashville-area private school 84-33, while the Lady Raiders thrashed them 90-54.
The duo also knocked off two-time defending state runner-up Bartlett — Bradley in Jim Smiddy Arena just before Christmas by 77-39 count, while Coffee beat the Lady Panthers 58-53 in the Final Four Showdown at Bethel College, in McKenzie, in early January.
The Bearettes downed Lincoln County 62-35 in the Thanksgiving classic, while Coffee knocked off the Lady Falcons twice during the regular season (61-51, 56-45), as well as for the District 9 (59-55) and Region 5 (58-43) championship titles.
Along with the state's two top-ranked teams, also returning to the Elite Eight from last March is Lincoln County (25-8) and Bartlett (23-11).
The 11th-ranked Lady Falcons downed Hillsboro 44-34 Saturday, and will tangle with No. 12-ranked Cookeville (24-7), which nipped Cleveland in the final four seconds of overtime to prevent the Lady Blue Raiders from making a second straight trip to Murfreesboro.
The Lady Panthers, which have lost to Bradley in the last two state title games, blasted Henry County 61-39 in the substate and will open against fourth-ranked Oak Ridge (30-3). The Lady Wildcats, coached by former Bearette star Paige (Redman) Taylor, got past No. 6-ranked Sevier County, 55-54 Saturday.
Also returning after missing last year, third-ranked Bearden (32-5) downed No. 8 Morristown-East 59-52, and will open against Whitehaven (20-8), which handed ninth-ranked Clarksville, just it second loss of the season with a 33-32 road upset.
A Bradley victory Thursday would put them in the Final Four Friday evening against the Bearden-Whitehaven survivor, once again with a 9:45 tip, while the state championship game is set for Saturday evening at 7:30.
Having won three of the last half dozen TSSAA crowns, including on Hannah Lombard's amazing 3-pointer at the buzzer for the 2019 title, the storied Bearette is sure to get each opponent's best shot.
"We know we've had a target on our back, but this team has thrived with that and given their all every night" commented "PaPa Bear" Reuter, who is 453-45 (90.9%) since taking the Bearette helm 15 years ago.
"There have been a lot of great Bearette teams over the years, with these girls right at the top, going for a third straight state championship, which has never been done here before.
"Every one of our starters have won back-to-back state titles. They are driven and want to win that third one," he stated.
Making its 10th trip to the state tournament in Reuter's tenure, his squads have an 11-6 record, with a trio of "Gold Balls" and a pair of other Final Four finishes. He also went to a five TSSAA Boys State Championships as an assistant coach for winningest Bear legend Kent Smith.
This year's team has a program-record six collegiate signees, increasing the impressive mark to 32 during Reuter's reign, with highly-recruited junior Kimora Fields joining current WNBA All-Star Rhyne Howard as a two-time Miss Tennessee Basketball finalist.
The state's top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2026, and 32nd overall nationally by ESPN's HoopGurlz list, Fields set a TSSAA record of 69.2% field goal shooting last season and is currently hitting at a 69.8% rate on two-pointer and has improved her long-range shooting to 35.3% (12-of-34).
The 6-footer is averaging 20 points and 6.9 rebounds an outing, with 111 of her 214 caroms coming off the offensive glass. She has also copped 105 steals, dished off 70 assists and blocked 15 shots.
With 1,995 points in just 102 games, the three-time District Player of the Year, two-time all-stater and State Tournament MVP her freshman season is 12th on the Bearette all-time scoring list and seventh among five-on-five players.
Earning last year's State Tournament MVP honor, senior Harmonie Ware is used to the big stage and has shown this season why she signed an SEC scholarship to play at Arkansas.
The 5-foot-10 swing player was a key reserve and spot starter his freshman campaign, but has been on the court for the opening tip ever since, including hitting the buzzer-beating game winner against Bearden in the 2023 state opener.
After named the 2024 TSSAA State Tournament MVP, Ware is ripping the cords for 15.8 points, hitting 62.9% (149-of-237) from in front of the arc and an astronomical 46.5% (47-of-101) beyond it. She is also pulling down 3.6 ricochets a night, plus has handed out 112 "dimes," swiped 85 thefts and swatted 13 shots.
She is 17th on the Bearette all-time scoring list, currently with 1,629 points in 131 games, putting her 10th among five-on-five players.
Also on the Bradley scoring list is senior sharpshooter, Avary Brewer is 24th (16th in five-on-five) with 1,175 points, 62.8% of which have come by drilling 246 shots from "distance."
The Samford signee is sizzlin' the strings at a 45.2% (84-of-186) pace from long distance so far this season, while averaging 12.3 points and 2.4 rebounds a game, with 99 helps and 73 thefts. She also has just 32 turnovers in as many outings.
Also surpassing the 1,000-point career mark this season, 6-foot-1 senior Tatianna Stovall, is going for her fourth straight TSSAA crown. She won a pair of "Gold Balls" while at The Webb School her first two seasons, plus joined Fields, Ware and Brewer on the All-State Tournament Team last spring.
The Kennesaw State signee is averaging 12.6 points, dropping in 61.5% (171-of-278) around the paint, and pulling down 6.7 rebounds a contest. She has 87 steals and 83 assists, plus after setting a program-record with 57 blocked shots last season, has swatted 33 more in the current campaign.
Reuter's "floor general," Malia Wilcox is usually the shortest player on the court at 5-foot-4, but that doesn't deter her from using her tremendous leaping ability in battling the "taller trees."
"She's not afraid of anybody and will get in there and pull away rebounds before anybody knows she's there," commented Coach Reuter. "She has a nose for the ball and has done a great job of running our offense. She only has 38 turnovers this season."
Cleaning the glass for 96 caroms (3.6 rpg), the Walters State signee has handed out 119 assists and used her quickness and speed for 88 thefts. Although her main concern is distributing the ball, she can shoot when needed, hitting 35.3% (18-for-51) on long-range bombs in her 119 points (2.6 ppg).
Cleveland State signee Aliyah Osborn started two games and spells Wilcox at the point when needed and has handed out 35 helps, copped 19 steals and canned 27 3-pointers.
The Bearettes also have gotten plenty of strong bench play all season as well with sharpshooters junior Addie Geren (4.5 ppg, 27 3s, 54 rebounds) and senior Abby White (3.7 ppg, 13 3s in just 15 games due to an injury), plus 6-foot sophomore Jada Francis (4.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg) helping out inside.
Chattanooga State signee Love Howard has recently returned for an injury that has limited her to just 15 appearances as well this season and is looking to finish her Bradley career strong.
Having won three of the last half dozen TSSAA crowns, including on Hannah Lombard's amazing 3-pointer at the buzzer for the 2019 title, the storied Bearette program is going for the ninth "Gold Ball" in its 103-year history.
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