Riverdale girls basketball to defend state title again after Class AAA sectional win
Cecil Joyce
Riverdale's quest for a third straight girls Class AAA state basketball title will begin Wednesday at MTSU's Murphy Center.
The top-ranked Lady Warriors earned that right thanks to Saturday's 78-38 win over East Hamilton in the Class AAA Sectional at Riverdale.
Blackman, however, was denied a trip back to the state for the first time since 2015, falling to second-ranked Bradley Central 63-34 in Saturday's sectional.
The state tournament draw will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Murfreesboro's Doubletree Hotel.
More:Familiarity for Blackman, history for Riverdale in Monday's Class AAA boys sectionals
Class AAA quarterfinal games will begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. The state semifinals will be Friday at 10 and 11:30 a.m. The championship game will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Riverdale and East Hamilton were tied at 12 late in the first before the Lady Warriors went on a 37-5 run to take a 49-17 halftime lead.
Riverdale was balanced, with five players in double figures, led by Brinae Alexander's 15, while Aislynn Hayes and Alexis Whititngton added 14 each and Alasia Hayes had 13.
Riverdale will attempt to become the first Class AAA girls team to win three consecutive state titles since Shelbyville won four in a row from 1989-93.
The Lady Warriors are also trying to make it seven consecutive Class AAA state titles for Murfreesboro teams. Blackman won championships in 2014 and 2015 while Riverdale capture titles in 2012 and 2013.
The 2015 state title game actually featured two teams from Murfeesboro, as the Lady Blaze edged Oakland 58-54 in two overtimes.
The Lady Warriors will finish the 2017-18 season having won 34 consecutive home games. Riverdale enters the state tournament riding an 60-game winning streak against teams from Tennessee, dating back to Feb. 20, 2016.
Riverdale is 75-1 in its last 76 games and 98-5 since the beginning of the 2015-16 season.
Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @cecil_Joyce.