Cousins Rhyne Howard, 23, and Madison Hayes, 14, matchup in a District 5-AAA game Feb. 6, 2017. Howard, a junior, scored 23 points to lead the Bearettes to a 69-38 win. Hayes, a freshman, finished with 9 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, a block and an assist.It was a family showdown for the District 5-AAA girls’ basketball title Monday night at East Hamilton.
Bradley Central junior Rhyne Howard led the Bearettes to a 69-38 win over the Lady Hurricanes, led by her freshman cousin Madison Hayes. The win clinched Bradley ‘s seventh consecutive district championship.
“A lot of good players lead to these titles that we’ve had,” Bradley coach Jason Reuter said. “I haven’t scored one point; I haven’t gotten one rebound. I tried to lead these girls from a coaching standpoint and make sure they’re as prepared as possible. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work, and a lot of people were involved.”
The 25-0 Bearettes - ranked second in the state - have much bigger aspirations than just another district title, but the win was another goal reached.
The Bearettes want to win six titles this season, Reuter said, and have won three so far. The team won its Thanksgiving tournament and Christmas tournament and now the regular-season district title. Next up, Reuter has his eyes set on a district tournament championship before a run through the state tournament.