MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The long wait continues.
Once again the Chattanooga area will not have a representative in the Class AA or AAA boys’ state basketball championship games. Second-ranked Howard fell behind by double digits in the first half Thursday and lost 61-50 to fifth-ranked Liberty Technology in the Class AA state tournament quarterfinals at Middle Tennessee State University.
The Hustlin’ Tigers have advanced to the state tournament three of the last four years but have lost in the opening round twice and in the semifinals in 2008. Coupled with Tyner’s overtime defeat in a Wednesday quarterfinal, Howard’s loss to the Jackson school stretches to 13 years the area’s absence from the boys’ finals in the two largest classifications.
“It’s hard to understand, but when we get to Murfreesboro we don’t show up,” Howard coach Walter McGary said. “There wasn’t much hustle in the Hustlin’ Tigers today. I don’t get how you can be one of eight teams still playing for a championship and look like you’re sleep-walking out there. We never acted like we had any energy about us.