Bradley Central became the ninth team in TSSAA girls’ basketball history to win three straight state championships over the weekend.
Patrick MacCoon gives his perspective on five storylines that played a crucial part in helping the Bearettes walk away from MTSU’s Murphy Center with their third straight gold ball on Saturday. With nine titltes, they are the winningest program in the state.
1. Fields’ dominance from the field
By the time Kimora Fields finishes her prep career, the two-time Miss Basketball finalist could have close to 3,000 career points. Fields tormented defenders at the Class 4A BlueCross Championships as a freshman and junior on her way to MVP honors.
While setting the TSSAA single-season record for field goal percentage at .692 as a sophomore, Fields flashed her elite finishing ability by combining to make 45-of-63 shots (.714) at the Murphy Center in her two state tournament MVP seasons. That included blistering Bearden for 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting in this past Friday’s semifinals.
Fields only made her stock rise this past weekend as the 6-footer could be set to gain substantial traction on the recruiting trail this summer. She already has more than 10 Division I offers, which includes Mississippi State.
2. Perfect Harmonie
Playing in team camps over the years at MTSU certainly helped Harmonie Ware’s familiarity with the rim and shooting backdrop inside the Murphy Center. The Arkansas signee could not be knocked off her mark in the 2024 state tournament where she drained a TSSAA record 22 consecutive free throws, including a perfect 14-of-14 in a 15-point championship victory over Bartlett.
Ware ended her prep career Saturday with a strong finish as she scored 12 points to go with eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in a record-setting 42-point finals win over Bartlett.
The clutch guard began her team’s three-peat run by hitting an unforgettable buzzer-beater in the state quarterfinals against Bearden in 2023.
3. Stovall’s defensive dominance
TaTianna Stovall ended her prep career the way every high school athlete could only dream of: winning four straight state titles. Bradley Central head coach Jason Reuter had the best defender in the state the past two seasons, which was certainly proved by Stovall’s performances at the “Glass House”.
Over the past two seasons in the state quarterfinals and semifinals, Stovall held the opposing team’s top offensive players to 14-of-61 (.230) from the field. In those four games, the Kennesaw State signee also blocked 10 shots and added seven steals.
Stovall played a major part in holding Bartlett to a mere 28 points in Saturday’s championship game in which she had a game-high four steals and a block to go with 14 points and seven rebounds.
4. Wilcox’s all-state run
Senior point guard Malia Wilcox more than earned the greatest individual recognition of her prep career this past weekend as the Bearettes floor general was named to the all-tournament team for the state tournament.
The 5-foot-4 star, and Walters State signee, had 14 assists and 18 rebounds in three games to go along with a pair of clutch first-half 3-pointers in Thursday’s tough quarterfinal win over Coffee County.
On a team that prided itself in sharing the basketball, Bradley Central’s Wilcox led the way with a team-high 134 assists compared to just 44 turnovers this season. She also was at the forefront of Reuter’s dynamic press, as Wilcox averaged nearly three steals per game and had six to key a second-half comeback in Friday’s semifinal victory over Bearden.
5. Brewer lights it up from long-range
Avary Brewer was the leading scorer in her final prep game Saturday as she drilled 4-of-6 3-pointers on her way to finishing with 19 points in a historic win over Bartlett.
The Samford signee shot 45 percent from 3-point range this season and hit all three of her second-half long-range attempts to key Thursday’s quarterfinal victory over Coffee County. Brewer made 23 3-pointers over her final six games for the nationally-ranked Bearettes, who finished with a 104-3 record over the last three seasons.
The season’s Bearettes are not only the best team in program history but one of the top teams in TSSAA history.
Extra moment: Senior Abby White hit a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key in Saturday’s state title victory over Bartlett that helped Bradley Central land the largest margin of victory in a girls’ basketball staet title game in TSSAA history. White missed half the season due to an ACL recovery only to score five points late to preserve the most dominant title showing in state history.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.