CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Bradley Central girls' basketball coach Jason Reuter said that when District 5-AAA held its preseason meeting he wasn't trying to be arrogant when he admitted that his team should be picked No. 1 in the league.
So far the Bearettes have done nothing but prove their coach right.
They did so again, and emphatically, Tuesday night.
Playing host to Walker Valley, which had won its three previous district games, Bradley Central had an early run of 17 consecutive points and ultimately disposed of the Lady Mustangs 77-39.
"We were picked number one, and should've been," said Reuter, whose team improved to 10-0 and 3-0 in the district. "But this thing's not over. Every game except one we've played on our home court. In no sport is home-court advantage bigger than basketball, in my opinion."
Bradley's 17-0 run came after Walker Valley's Lauren Lay penetrated into the lane and scored the game's first points with 1:09 gone by. The Lady Mustangs got back within 20-14 on Emily Anderson's reverse layup with 6:23 to play until halftime, but the Bearettes spread the margin back to 16 before going to the break leading 36-22.
"They can put it on you pretty quick," Walker Valley coach Paul Cretton said. "Their pressure can bother you. I think we just got caught up in that up-tempo, and we can't play that way. I was pleased with the kids never quitting after we got down deep, but the second half we just did not take care of the basketball. Turnovers hurt us. Actually, they hurt us the whole game."
The Bearettes stretched their advantage to 55-34 heading to the fourth quarter and still had another massive scoring spurt left. They scored 22 of the first 23 points in the fourth quarter for a 42-point lead - their largest.
"I felt like we were getting close to landing the knockout punch," Reuter said of the way things went in the second quarter. "Most coaches that go to halftime up 14 are proud. I knew we had left some opportunities out there. We gave them a little bit of hope.
"We put on the gas a little bit in the third quarter. When (post player Haley) Jones went out with her fourth foul, it was over at that point. We stretched it out into the 30s."
Rhyne Howard led Bradley with 26 points, including four of its seven 3-point goals, and Halle Hughes had 21 points. Substitute Kimia Carter scored her 13 points over the final three quarters and Kailey McRee finished with 10.
Walker Valley (6-5) was led by Macey Clark, who made four 3-point shots and scored her 14 points in the middle two quarters. Lay added 12 points and reserve Anderson totaled 10. Jones had five blocks before fouling out.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.