Ridgeway girls win AAA city title with 69-53 win over Central

 from Commercial Appeal

Playing on the big stage at FedExForum brought out the best in Brandi Beasley.

The freshman point guard earned Most Outstanding Player honors, scoring 20 points and handing out six assists as Ridgeway handled Central, 69-53, to capture the MIAA girls AAA city championship Saturday.

"Playing at FedExForum, it kind of makes you feel like a professional," said Beasley. "To hear your name called out every time you score or get an assist ... I'm just really excited right now."

Beasley scored 10 points — including a pair of 3-pointers — in the third quarter to help the Roadrunners (24-2, ranked fifth in The Commercial Appeal's Dandy Dozen) take control. Ridgeway lost to Briarcrest in the second game of the season and White Station in the fourth but hasn't been defeated since Beasley became eligible after the seventh game.

"She really didn't have that good of a game (Friday against Southwind)," said Roadrunners coach Rhonda Kendall. "She actually spent most of the time on the bench. I told her 'the postseason is here and you're a sophomore. You're not a freshman anymore.'

"She adds a lot. I don't look for her to carry the team, but I expect a lot from her. She's an excellent kid."

Despite the Roadrunners' impressive record, Saturday's victory was a coming-out party of sorts for Kendall's team. Central is one of the top programs in the state and has played in many big games over the last few seasons, but the young Roadrunners showed more poise and precision.

"We're building; we're very young," said Kendall, who is in her second year at Ridgeway.

"At any given point we may have four sophomores and a freshman on the floor. Our main focus was to play good defense and crash the boards. And we finished."

Ashley Jackson scored all 12 of her points in the first half for the Roadrunners and sophomore Breuanna Humphrey also chipped in with 12.

The Lady Warriors (19-5, second in the Dandy Dozen) struggled to stay in their groove after taking a 17-12 first-quarter lead.

Tia Wooten led Central with 22 points.

In other girls games

Manassas 54, Oakhaven 51: The Lady Tigers won their third straight AA crown, holding off a ferocious Oakhaven comeback.

Tennessee-Martin commitment Tiffany Jones scored 22 and hit a pair of clinching free throws for the Tigers. Phikala Anthony scored 17 and had a big three-point play to give Manassas a late 52-49 lead.

Derrica Wiggins scored 19 of her 24 points in the second half to spark the Hawks.

BTW 46, Soulsville 38: Rakesha Curry hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points as the Warriors won the Class A title for the second straight year.

Post player Renisha Hale had nine for BTW, which led 42-25 heading into the fourth. But Soulsville guard Taylor White rallied her team, hitting three fourth-quarter 3-pointers en route to a game-high 19 points.