Four players scored in double figures Tuesday night as the undefeated Bradley Central Bearettes routed arch-rival Cleveland 63-40 in District 5-3A high school basketball action at Jim Smiddy Arena.
The Bearettes (8-0) won handily despite shooting just 37 percent (14 of 36) from the floor. They only made 4 of 15 shots behind the 3-point line (26.7 percent).
Bradley’s most effective shooting came at the free throw line, hitting 19 of 27. Cleveland was 10 of 19 from the stripe.
Rhyne Howard paced the Bearettes, who are bidding for a third straight trip to the state tournament, with 20 points on 8 of 15 shooting. She also had eight rebounds and four steals in a solid all-round effort.
Halle Hughes tossed in 18 points in the win and Emma Kate Brown and Kimia Carter each scored 10 points. Brown eventually fouled out.
While Kailey McRee failed to score, but made her presence known with eight rebounds.
Caitlyn Reen led the Lady Blue Raiders with nine points.
Cleveland shot 38.9 percent (14 of 36) from the floor and 2 of 9 (22 percent) from 3-point distance.
Linescore
Cleveland 9 10 8 13 -- 40
Bradley Central 12 21 13 17 -- 63
Cleveland (40) – Colbough 1, Stamatiadis 6, Flowers 8, Morman 4, Anderson 6, Caitlyn Reen 9, Renshaw, Dasher, Franklin, Lee, Barton 2, Rue 4.
Bradley Central (63) – Halle Hughes 18, Emma Kate Brown 10, Morgan, Rhyne Howard 20, McRee, Roberts, Kimia Carter 10, K. Hughes, Mayo, Davis, Lombard 4, Walker 1.
3-Point Goals – Cleveland 2 (Anderson 1, Reen 1), Bradley Central 4 (H. Hughes 2, Howard 2).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)