Bradley’s Rhyne Howard (23) drives on Daniel Boone’s Macie Culbertson (4) in first half action at Murfreesboro. It’s difficult to become the first to accomplish something in Bradley Central girls’ basketball’s storied history, but that’s just what senior Rhyne Howard did Monday.
She was named the Gatorade girls’ player of the year for the state of Tennessee.
Howard, who won Class AAA’s Miss Basketball award two weeks ago, was notified by email early Monday morning that she had won the Gatorade award.
“I checked my email and saw it and got excited,” Howard said. “It’s a great honor. I feel really proud to be recognized as a top player in the state and possibly the country. It kind of takes some of the hurt off of the way our season ended.”
Howard averaged 22.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 5.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in leading the Bearettes to an undefeated regular season and the semifinals of the state tournament, finishing 33-1 overall. She is rated as the nation’s No. 31 overall prospect by ESPN.