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October 6, 2018 - High School Session
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Monday, March 14, 2016
Central High Girls Fall in State Basketball Semifinals
From Commercial Appeal
The Central girls basketball team was forced to play catch-up all game long during Friday’s AAA state tournament semifinals. And it finally caught up with the Lady Warriors.
Hot-shooting Murfreesboro Riverdale surged into the championship game with an 80-58 victory at Middle Tennessee State’s Murphy Center. Riverdale (31-4) will play Oak Ridge for the championship Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Lady Warriors, who were making their first appearance at state since 2013, end the year with a 35-3 record. Those 35 victories are the most of any AAA team in the state.
“We grew from the beginning of the year,” said senior Miyah Barnes. “We got better as a team.”
As they did in Wednesday’s quarterfinal victory over Wilson Central, the Lady Warriors ran up against a team that wore it out from the 3-point line early.
Riverdale — which tied a tournament record with 12 triples in its quarterfinal victory over Morristown West — connected on 5 of 6 3s to build a 20-7 lead after the first quarter.
Riverdale led 33-23 at the half, thanks to 65 percent shooting from the floor. The Lady Warriors, meanwhile, were struggling at just 28.1 percent and only led at one point in the contest, at 2-0.
Central kept chipping away and was within two midway through the third quarter when Jasmine Carson’s bucket made it 35-33. Riverdale, though, quickly pushed the lead back to 10.
Carson came up with a steal and a bucket that made it 44-36 with 2:16 to go in the third then got another steal that ended up with Brianna Cooks scoring to make it a six-point game.
But Riverdale answered with a 10-0 run to close out the quarter and instead of being down six or less heading into the fourth, Central was down 16.
“I think we exerted so much energy trying to get back into the game that we didn’t cherish each possession,” said Central coach Rashad Haynes. “We forced a lot of turnovers in the third quarter ... but we just couldn’t get that spurt.”
Riverdale coach Randy Coffman said he liked the way his team responded when Central dialed up the intensity.
“We really rebounded the ball well,” he said. “We forced them to take some long shots and we got some long rebounds. We play possession basketball, get the ball up and down the floor ... and we didn’t want to give (Central) any extra possessions.”
Central didn’t help matters with some questionable shot selection in the final two minutes of the third. Haynes said it was the one time this year when his freshman- and sophomore-heavy squad really showed its age.
“It’s not that we’re not ball players, we just didn’t step up,” he said. “Our inexperience showed. In a game like this, we needed everybody to be on their ‘A’ game.”
Barnes, a UAB signee, ended her high school career with a team-high 15 points. Carson added 14 and four steals while Jireh Washington chipped in with 12 points.
Alexis Whittington had 23 points on 10 of 14 shooting to lead Riverdale, which finished the game at 59.1 percent from the floor. Miss Basketball finalist Anastasia Hayes added 21 and six assists.
The Central girls basketball team was forced to play catch-up all game long during Friday’s AAA state tournament semifinals. And it finally caught up with the Lady Warriors.
Hot-shooting Murfreesboro Riverdale surged into the championship game with an 80-58 victory at Middle Tennessee State’s Murphy Center. Riverdale (31-4) will play Oak Ridge for the championship Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Lady Warriors, who were making their first appearance at state since 2013, end the year with a 35-3 record. Those 35 victories are the most of any AAA team in the state.
“We grew from the beginning of the year,” said senior Miyah Barnes. “We got better as a team.”
As they did in Wednesday’s quarterfinal victory over Wilson Central, the Lady Warriors ran up against a team that wore it out from the 3-point line early.
Riverdale — which tied a tournament record with 12 triples in its quarterfinal victory over Morristown West — connected on 5 of 6 3s to build a 20-7 lead after the first quarter.
Riverdale led 33-23 at the half, thanks to 65 percent shooting from the floor. The Lady Warriors, meanwhile, were struggling at just 28.1 percent and only led at one point in the contest, at 2-0.
Central kept chipping away and was within two midway through the third quarter when Jasmine Carson’s bucket made it 35-33. Riverdale, though, quickly pushed the lead back to 10.
Carson came up with a steal and a bucket that made it 44-36 with 2:16 to go in the third then got another steal that ended up with Brianna Cooks scoring to make it a six-point game.
But Riverdale answered with a 10-0 run to close out the quarter and instead of being down six or less heading into the fourth, Central was down 16.
“I think we exerted so much energy trying to get back into the game that we didn’t cherish each possession,” said Central coach Rashad Haynes. “We forced a lot of turnovers in the third quarter ... but we just couldn’t get that spurt.”
Riverdale coach Randy Coffman said he liked the way his team responded when Central dialed up the intensity.
“We really rebounded the ball well,” he said. “We forced them to take some long shots and we got some long rebounds. We play possession basketball, get the ball up and down the floor ... and we didn’t want to give (Central) any extra possessions.”
Central didn’t help matters with some questionable shot selection in the final two minutes of the third. Haynes said it was the one time this year when his freshman- and sophomore-heavy squad really showed its age.
“It’s not that we’re not ball players, we just didn’t step up,” he said. “Our inexperience showed. In a game like this, we needed everybody to be on their ‘A’ game.”
Barnes, a UAB signee, ended her high school career with a team-high 15 points. Carson added 14 and four steals while Jireh Washington chipped in with 12 points.
Alexis Whittington had 23 points on 10 of 14 shooting to lead Riverdale, which finished the game at 59.1 percent from the floor. Miss Basketball finalist Anastasia Hayes added 21 and six assists.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Central Girls Advance to State Basketball Semifinals
image and article from Commercial Appeal
The Central girls basketball team got to see firsthand why Kendall Spray has the state record for 3-pointers in a season. But Spray and her teammates got a chance to see why the Lady Warriors have won 35 games.
Jasmine Carson scored 17 points and fueled a second-half rally as the Lady Warriors defeated previously unbeaten Wilson Central, 48-43, on Wednesday at MTSU's Murphy Center to advance to the TSSAA BlueCross AAA semifinals.
The victory puts the Lady Warriors, who are making their first appearance at state since 2013, in Friday's 11:30 a.m. semifinals against Murfreesboro Riverdale, which defeated Morristown West, 70-55.
"Thirty-five and two is great," said Central coach Rashad Haynes. "But we have two more games to close out ... and win a state championship."
The Lady Warriors struggled offensively and shot just 36.7 percent from the floor (2 of 14 on 3-point shots). But their swarming defense more than made up for it and helped overcome a first-half barrage from Spray, a Tennessee-Martin signee and Miss Basketball finalist.
Despite constant hounding by several Lady Warrior defenders, Spray hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 of her team's 19 first-half points. Wilson Central led by six at the break.
"It makes you hair gray. Or the rest of the hair you have left," said Haynes.
Added Carson, "It was frustrating. But I told my team not to give up, that the game wasn't over yet."
And it wasn't. Central has shown all season that it can put up points in a hurry and it finally got its offense going after Wilson Central built a 30-20 lead with 3:16 to go in the third quarter.
Carson hit a 3-pointer, then converted a pair of steals into layups to make it 30-27 after three. A three-point play by Jireh Washington with 5:31 to go then gave Central its first lead since the first quarter, 34-33.
Layups by Brianna Cooks and Carson then gave the Lady Warriors a 43-39 edge with 1:31 to go in the game, and Carson and Miyah Barnes sealed the deal by combining to hit 5 of 6 late free throws.
Central also did a much better job on Spray, who holds the state record with 170 3-pointers. But she scored only four points in the second half. For the game, Wilson Central shot 14 of 40 from the floor (35 percent) and turned the ball over 22 times. Central, meanwhile, committed just three turnovers.
"I don't know that we've seen a team that's as long and athletic at all five positions," said Wilson Central coach John Wild, whose team ends the year 33-1. "We didn't value possession, that's it in a nutshell. ... We got a little tighter with the ball, but that's credit to them."
Haynes, who coached Central's boys to a state track championship last spring, said his team's conditioning played a key role.
"When the other team is tired, that takes a toll," he said. "It's a fundamental advantage we have. We never quit."
UAB signee Barnes had eight points for Central; Tijuana Griggs and Johne' Stewart added six apiece. "Our motivation is, we do what we say we're going to do," said Griggs. "We motivate ourselves."
The Central girls basketball team got to see firsthand why Kendall Spray has the state record for 3-pointers in a season. But Spray and her teammates got a chance to see why the Lady Warriors have won 35 games.
Jasmine Carson scored 17 points and fueled a second-half rally as the Lady Warriors defeated previously unbeaten Wilson Central, 48-43, on Wednesday at MTSU's Murphy Center to advance to the TSSAA BlueCross AAA semifinals.
The victory puts the Lady Warriors, who are making their first appearance at state since 2013, in Friday's 11:30 a.m. semifinals against Murfreesboro Riverdale, which defeated Morristown West, 70-55.
"Thirty-five and two is great," said Central coach Rashad Haynes. "But we have two more games to close out ... and win a state championship."
The Lady Warriors struggled offensively and shot just 36.7 percent from the floor (2 of 14 on 3-point shots). But their swarming defense more than made up for it and helped overcome a first-half barrage from Spray, a Tennessee-Martin signee and Miss Basketball finalist.
Despite constant hounding by several Lady Warrior defenders, Spray hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 of her team's 19 first-half points. Wilson Central led by six at the break.
"It makes you hair gray. Or the rest of the hair you have left," said Haynes.
Added Carson, "It was frustrating. But I told my team not to give up, that the game wasn't over yet."
And it wasn't. Central has shown all season that it can put up points in a hurry and it finally got its offense going after Wilson Central built a 30-20 lead with 3:16 to go in the third quarter.
Carson hit a 3-pointer, then converted a pair of steals into layups to make it 30-27 after three. A three-point play by Jireh Washington with 5:31 to go then gave Central its first lead since the first quarter, 34-33.
Layups by Brianna Cooks and Carson then gave the Lady Warriors a 43-39 edge with 1:31 to go in the game, and Carson and Miyah Barnes sealed the deal by combining to hit 5 of 6 late free throws.
Central also did a much better job on Spray, who holds the state record with 170 3-pointers. But she scored only four points in the second half. For the game, Wilson Central shot 14 of 40 from the floor (35 percent) and turned the ball over 22 times. Central, meanwhile, committed just three turnovers.
"I don't know that we've seen a team that's as long and athletic at all five positions," said Wilson Central coach John Wild, whose team ends the year 33-1. "We didn't value possession, that's it in a nutshell. ... We got a little tighter with the ball, but that's credit to them."
Haynes, who coached Central's boys to a state track championship last spring, said his team's conditioning played a key role.
"When the other team is tired, that takes a toll," he said. "It's a fundamental advantage we have. We never quit."
UAB signee Barnes had eight points for Central; Tijuana Griggs and Johne' Stewart added six apiece. "Our motivation is, we do what we say we're going to do," said Griggs. "We motivate ourselves."
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Central Girls Face Tough Opener in AAA State Tournament
Article from Commercial Appeal
Central girls basketball coach Rashad Haynes said he doesn't know very much about Wilson Central, his team's opponent in the quarterfinals of the BlueCross AAA state tournament.
But he knows plenty about his Lady Warriors.
"They (Wilson Central) are undefeated," Haynes said. "But for me, it's going to be more about how we play."
Haynes has reason to be confident. Despite having only two seniors, the Lady Warriors have been outstanding in building a 34-2 record, the second-best mark among the eight tournament teams.
One of the top offensive teams in the state, Central won its first 26 games of the year — climbing to the top of the state polls at one point — before losing to White Station on Feb. 5. They then fell to Overton in the District 16-AAA title game before avenging that loss to win the Region 8 championship.
The Warriors then breezed past Bartlett 77-51 to win their sectional game last Saturday to advance to Murfreesboro for the first time since 2013. Their reward is a matchup against the only team in the field with a better record: Wilson Central, the champion from Region 5, enters today's 1:15 p.m. game at 33-0.
"We're pretty excited about it," said Haynes. "It's going to be a great, great test, but the way I look at it is they've had on-the-job training during the season."
Central is the last Division 1 girls team from Memphis to win the state title, bringing home the gold ball in 2011. To do it again, the Warriors will have to press the pace on both ends of the floor and knock down 3-pointers, two things they've been very good at.
Senior Miyah Barnes, a UAB signee, is the team's on-court leader and she gets plenty of offensive support from a pair of talented sophomores, Jasmine Carson and Jireh Washington. All three averaged between 11 and 12 points per game during the regular season, with Carson leading the area in free-throw percentage (92.1) and Washington averaging a city-best 4.7 steals.
The Lady Warriors also have a very effective post player in 6-4 Tijuana Griggs. The players coming off the bench are all freshmen and sophomores, but they're good.
They'll need to be against a Wilson Central team that is led by Miss Basketball finalist Kendall Spray, a Tennessee-Martin signee and a deadly perimeter shooter who has a 54-point game (with 14 3-pointers) this season.
"It's win or go home, and I think that gives us intrinsic motivation," said Haynes. "We're going to be who we've been all season."
Central girls basketball coach Rashad Haynes said he doesn't know very much about Wilson Central, his team's opponent in the quarterfinals of the BlueCross AAA state tournament.
But he knows plenty about his Lady Warriors.
"They (Wilson Central) are undefeated," Haynes said. "But for me, it's going to be more about how we play."
Haynes has reason to be confident. Despite having only two seniors, the Lady Warriors have been outstanding in building a 34-2 record, the second-best mark among the eight tournament teams.
One of the top offensive teams in the state, Central won its first 26 games of the year — climbing to the top of the state polls at one point — before losing to White Station on Feb. 5. They then fell to Overton in the District 16-AAA title game before avenging that loss to win the Region 8 championship.
The Warriors then breezed past Bartlett 77-51 to win their sectional game last Saturday to advance to Murfreesboro for the first time since 2013. Their reward is a matchup against the only team in the field with a better record: Wilson Central, the champion from Region 5, enters today's 1:15 p.m. game at 33-0.
"We're pretty excited about it," said Haynes. "It's going to be a great, great test, but the way I look at it is they've had on-the-job training during the season."
Central is the last Division 1 girls team from Memphis to win the state title, bringing home the gold ball in 2011. To do it again, the Warriors will have to press the pace on both ends of the floor and knock down 3-pointers, two things they've been very good at.
Senior Miyah Barnes, a UAB signee, is the team's on-court leader and she gets plenty of offensive support from a pair of talented sophomores, Jasmine Carson and Jireh Washington. All three averaged between 11 and 12 points per game during the regular season, with Carson leading the area in free-throw percentage (92.1) and Washington averaging a city-best 4.7 steals.
The Lady Warriors also have a very effective post player in 6-4 Tijuana Griggs. The players coming off the bench are all freshmen and sophomores, but they're good.
They'll need to be against a Wilson Central team that is led by Miss Basketball finalist Kendall Spray, a Tennessee-Martin signee and a deadly perimeter shooter who has a 54-point game (with 14 3-pointers) this season.
"It's win or go home, and I think that gives us intrinsic motivation," said Haynes. "We're going to be who we've been all season."
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Basketball Training Sessions Start in 4 Days!!
I’m SO EXCITED!!! Basketball training sessions kick off in 4 days. Meet me in the Gym on Saturday! http://www.patoshajeffery.com/training
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