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Brainerd advances to state championship with 66-62 win over Whites Creek

Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 3/18/16. Brainerd's Vesta Melvin (1) and White Creek's Jaquan Brooks (22) battle for a rebound during the Class AA semifinal game being held at the Murphy Center on the campus of MTSU in Murfreesboro, TN, on Friday, March 18, 2016. Brained won over White Creek with a final score of 66-62.
Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 3/18/16. Brainerd's Vesta Melvin (1) and White Creek's Jaquan Brooks (22) battle for a rebound during the Class AA semifinal game being held at the Murphy Center on the campus of MTSU in Murfreesboro, TN, on Friday, March 18, 2016. Brained won over White Creek with a final score of 66-62. Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 3/18/16. Brainerd's Vesta Melvin (1) and White Creek's Jaquan Brooks (22) battle for a rebound during the Class AA semifinal game being held at the Murphy Center on the campus of MTSU in Murfreesboro, TN, on Friday, March 18, 2016. Brained won over White Creek with a final score of 66-62.

By Stephen Hargis 1 min read

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Brainerd fought back from a late second-half deficit to beat Whites Creek 66-62 in the semifinals of the Class AA state tournament at Middle Tennessee State University Friday night.

Sophomore post Jesse Walker led the Panthers with 23 points and junior guard Kentrell Evans added 20 to help the Panthers advance to Saturday’s championship game, where they will face Fulton at 7 p.m. (EDT).

Brainerd is the first Hamilton County team to play for a state title in a classification higher than single-A since it lost the 1997 championship to Cleveland.