McMinn Central's Elizabeth Masengil, left, drives around East Hamiton's Kendra Ivins to shoot a layup during a region 3-AA girls' basketball tournament game at East Ridge High School.All the preliminary work has been done for the McMinn Central girls' basketball team. All the video watching; all the game-planning. Nothing else can be installed, dissected or analyzed.
This afternoon it's time for action.
The ninth-ranked Chargerettes (25-7) will continue the pursuit of retaining their Class AA state championship today when they face No. 3 Obion County (33-2) in a 2012 quarterfinal at Middle Tennessee State University's Murphy Center at 3:30 p.m. EST.
The Lady Rebels already have a school record for wins in a season and are making their 14th state appearance. They have been led all season by 6-foot-2 junior Brandi Goldman, who averages 19 points and 15 rebounds per contest.
Senior guard Macy Wright adds 15 points a game, with four rebounds and four assists. Although McMinn Central coach Johnny Morgan prefers to focus on what his team does on offense and defense instead of game-planning against a player, he said the ability to make adjustments becomes crucial.
"If we just play our basic defense, which is good post defense and closing out on the guards, I think we'll be OK," Morgan said. "Obion's here because they have an active big girl and nice guards that are really quick and shoot the 3 real well.
"We just have to do what we like to do. If we play the way we're capable, I think we'll have a good game."
The Chargerettes have been led by junior Elizabeth Massengil, whose averages of 24 points and 12 rebounds per contest have her as a finalist for Miss Basketball. She's started since her freshman season and has averaged 13.8 points in six state tournament games, including 20.3 last season on her way to the tournament most valuable player honor.
"Having players like Elizabeth around that have been here before makes it a lot easier on those others who haven't," Morgan said. "The girls returning can lead, and those others can follow.
"We just have to do the same things we do as always -- be patient on offense, but not slow down, and stay out of foul trouble. Once you get into your bench, it's about who's got more depth, and we feel like our depth is an advantage."