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Bradley Central girls’ state run ended by Houston in semifinals [photos]

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Bradley Central head coach Jason Reuter looks up at the scoreboard as Bradley Central's Rhyne Howard (23) walks off the court for the final time of her career after being called for her fifth foul with 40.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter of the Bradley Central vs. Houston girls' Class AAA state basketball tournament semifinal game Friday, March 9, 2018 in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bradley Central fell to Houston 52-49.
Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Bradley Central head coach Jason Reuter looks up at the scoreboard as Bradley Central's Rhyne Howard (23) walks off the court for the final time of her career after being called for her fifth foul with 40.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter of the Bradley Central vs. Houston girls' Class AAA state basketball tournament semifinal game Friday, March 9, 2018 in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bradley Central fell to Houston 52-49. Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Bradley Central head coach Jason Reuter looks up at the scoreboard as Bradley Central's Rhyne Howard (23) walks off the court for the final time of her career after being called for her fifth foul with 40.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter of the Bradley Central vs. Houston girls' Class AAA state basketball tournament semifinal game Friday, March 9, 2018 in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Bradley Central fell to Houston 52-49.

By Kelley Smiddie 4 min read

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Bradley Central was unable to set up a championship matchup between the No. 2- and No. 1-ranked Class AAA girls’ high school basketball teams in the state.

Cold shooting in the second half was the main culprit.

The No. 2-ranked Bearettes shot 4-for-22 from the field after halftime – a 1-for-11 third quarter helped their opponent get things turned around – and Houston ended Bradley’s season with a 52-49 semifinal victory Friday afternoon at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center.

Houston (28-5) will play top-ranked Riverdale (35-1) at 2 p.m. Eastern today for the title. Riverdale beat Bearden 77-59 in the earlier semifinal.

“These kids made this year one of my most enjoyable,” said Bradley coach Jason Reuter at the end of his eighth season heading the program. “I don’t think many people thought we were going to be 33-1. And we were one play away from playing in the state finals. One play.”