MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The Bradley Central Bearettes wrapped up the greatest run yet in their illustrious program’s history the best way possible: With a final statement on the court that left no doubt.
Dominance was dressed in black and gold Saturday night in the last game of this year’s TSSAA BlueCross Basketball Championships for public school girls’ teams at Middle Tennessee State University, where the Bearettes concluded a 35-1 season by lifting their third straight Class 4A gold ball trophy.
Bradley Central won its ninth state championship overall — the Bearettes had never won three in a row, though — by pulverizing Bartlett 70-28, setting the TSSAA record for the largest margin of victory in a girls’ state title game. The Lady Panthers, who finished 25-12, lost to the Bearettes in the championship matchup for the third straight season.
Afterward, 15th-year head coach Jason Reuter sat in the media room surrounded by the five Bradley Central starters, all of them selected to the all-tournament team.
“I think we had in our head that nothing was going to stop us tonight,” said Reuter, who is 456-45 in his career with the Bearettes, who also won the 2019 Class AAA title under his direction. “The difference is just great players. I have great players sitting right here with me. We have a lot of memories that we will take forever with us. I couldn’t be more proud of this team than any I have ever coached.”