The McMinn Central girls rode a 33-game winning streak into the TSSAA’s BlueCross Basketball Championships.
Unfortunately for the Chargerettes, who were ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, they rode home disappointed after a one-and-done appearance at the state tournament in Murfreesboro brought the hunt for the program’s second state championship to a sudden ending.
They could not overcome foul trouble in a 59-48 loss to Loretto in Wednesday’s quarterfinals at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center. Loretto (25-8) advances to a Friday semifinal against East Nashville (26-1), while the Chargerettes finish 34-2.
McMinn Central senior Karina Bystry, a state Miss Basketball finalist who had averaged 27-plus points and nearly three 3-pointers per game, fouled out with 6:32 to play after being held to 12 points on 1-of-10 shooting while going 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. It was early in the third quarter when the Chargettes’ Reagan Baker fouled out, and Loretto pulled away late with a 20-12 scoring advantage in the final period.
Camryn Loden’s fourth 3-pointer of the game and third of the third quarter provided a 36-35 lead for the Chargerettes with 1:16 left in the period. Loretto went back on top before the fourth quarter, but Bystry’s final two free throws with 7:41 remaining in the game cut McMinn Central’s deficit to 39-38.