Johnny MorganAs brief as it was, the two-year absence from the girls' state basketball tournament felt more like decades to the McMinn Central supporters.
That "dry spell" ends today when the Chargerettes (28-5) open the Class AA portion of the state tournament against Memphis Craigmont (26-7) at 3:15 EST at Middle Tennessee State University. The winner would meet the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between Grainger (27-6) and Westmoreland (31-6) on Friday evening. and the AA state championship game is set for Saturday at 8.
"That's something other people might have talked about, but for me and our players, if we're worried about how long it's been since we've been in the tournament that just means we're not focused on who we're playing," McMinn Central coach Johnny Morgan said. "We had a (sectional) game two years ago where they counted a shot after time expired or we would've been back in it that year. So to me it's only been one year, but it's always good to get back because you never know when you'll make it back.
"When we start practice every year this is always our goal. Now we're back and we have a chance."
Prior to missing the last two, McMinn Central had reached the state tourney five straight years, including a state championship in 2011 and a runner-up finish in 2010. The program is making its 14th appearance in the state tournament since 1972.
Craigmont, conversely, is making only its second appearance in the state tourney, and first since 2004.
"Two things stick out from watching film of them," Morgan said. "They're very athletic, but they don't have much depth at all. We'll try to use that against them because we can go about 14 deep. We love to use our press to get teams in an up-tempo game and wear them down.
"If we're going to have any success up there. we'll need to rely on our defense and our depth."
This year the Chargerettes, who play seven sophomores and can rotate three post players and at least four guards, were upset in the District 5-AA title game by Sequoyah but came back to whip the Lady Chiefs by 12 in the region tourney. They then pulled away late in the sectional thanks to one of three 3-pointers from freshman Jordan Wright.
Wright, a freshman point guard, is joined in the backcourt by sophomore wing Jacobi Lynn, who leads the team with 18.5 points per game.
"At this point I don't consider us to be young anymore," Morgan said. "Those sophomores played a lot as freshmen and we've played 33 games this year, so even though they may not have state experience, we do have big-game experience, and that always helps."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.