Bradley Central High School will induct three new members into its Bearette Hall of Fame for girls' basketball on Saturday. The ceremony will begin just before the Bearettes' game against Arlington, which tips off at 6:30.
This year's inductees are Amy Geren McGowan and Paige Redman from the graduating class of 1995 and the late Alice Hancock from the class of '65.
Redman began her career playing for legendary Bearettes coach Jim Smiddy during his final season. She finished her career having scored 2,251 points in just three seasons - freshmen did not play with the varsity at that time - a total that ranks eighth among the program's all-time scoring leaders. Twice an all-state selection, she was a finalist for the state's Miss Basketball award in 1995.
Bradley went 90-10 during Redman's career, finishing state runner-up in her senior season and winning three straight District 5-AAA and two consecutive Region 3-AAA championships. She later played for Vanderbilt University and is currently the girls' basketball coach at Oak Ridge High School.
McGowan finished her career with 1,995 points, which ranks 12th in program history, and she helped the team win district and region titles all three of her varsity seasons. She was named to the all-state team twice and was a Miss Basketball finalist alongside Redman in 1995. She was named state tournament MVP during Bradley's runner-up finish in 1995, the same season Bradley reached a No. 11 national ranking.
She later signed with Clemson University, where she set several scoring records and guided the team to the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 in 1998. She still holds the Clemson record for 3-point shots made in a season.
Hancock played on Coach Smiddy's first state championship team in 1962. The Bearettes went 129-15 during her career.
East-West Classic
Bradley Central and East Hamilton will once again host the East-West Classic for high school basketball today and Saturday. All-day admission is $8, and the schedule includes both boys' and girls' teams from the Chattanooga area as well as several other in-state powerhouse programs.
Today's games are at East Hamilton, with the host Lady Hurricanes taking on Bolton at 11 a.m., followed by the Hurricanes facing Riverdale (12:30 p.m.), Oak Ridge girls versus Arlington (2), Bolton boys versus Oak Ridge (3:30), Bradley Central girls versus Rhea County (5), Bradley Central boys versus Rhea County (6:30) and Houston girls versus Rhea County (8).
Saturday's games are at Bradley, with the East Hamilton girls facing Houston at 11 a.m., followed by Southwind girls versus Oak Ridge (12:30), Bolton boys versus Riverdale (2), Cleveland girls versus Bolton (3:30), East Hamilton boys versus Rhea County (5), Arlington girls versus Bradley Central (6:30) and Oak Ridge boys versus Bradley Central (8).
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.