Houston girls basketball falls in state championship to Riverdale, but all 5 starters return

By John Varlas
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Destinee Wells finished with 10 points and eight assists Saturday as Houston lost to Murfreesboro Riverdale in the BlueCross AAA championship game, 77-50.

MURFREESBORO — If you play a TSSAA varsity girls sport at Houston, excellence is not only expected, it's pretty much the norm.

And although the girls basketball team fell 77-50 to Riverdale in Saturday's Class AAA state title game at the Murphy Center, this group of Mustangs has elevated the program into its rightful place alongside their classmates.

"From the day that I got (to Houston), they wanted to get one step further," said second-year coach Ben Moore. "When (Jayla) Hemingway, (Madison) Griggs and (Melisa Carter) were freshman, they lost in the region semifinals.

"Last year, it was so important to win the region and get to the final four, which they did. ... Part of what happens when you coach kids and you put as much work into it as we try to ... you're around them all the time; you're with them two or three hours a day at practice or at games.

"So when it ends, you know you're going to miss them. But what's great for us — we lose Kelsey Trice — but this group will be back. And hopefully, this group will get a chance to be back here."

Houston's runner-up finish, the best result in school history, continues a remarkable fall and winter for the school's girls teams. The soccer team was crowned USA Today national champion and won the state title, as did the golf team. Cross-country finished third at state while volleyball reached the tournament for the seventh year in a row.

"For us to be in the championship showed a lot," said standout junior Hemingway,  who — barring the unexpected — will lead five returning starters next season. "We plan on being back here next year."

Houston players walk up to receive the runner up trophy for the Div. 1 Class AAA State Championship game agfter losing to Riverdale in TSSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 10, 2018, at MTSU. Houston players (L to R) Madison Griggs (23), Melisa Carter (33) and Jayla Hemingway (00).

Just over 24 hours removed from Friday's pulsating semifinal victory over previously unbeaten Bradley Central, the Mustangs (28-6) never really got going against the nationally ranked Warriors, who end the year 36-1 and are the champs for the third year in a row.

Aislynn Hayes scored 19 to lead the winners, who never trailed after going on a 10-0 run midway through the first quarter. Brinae Alexander chipped in with 18 and eight rebounds.

Houston's Jayla Hemingway (00) goes up for a shot as Riverdale's Amanda Whittington (12) defends her during the Championship game of the TSSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 10, 2018, at MTSU.

Hemingway led Houston with 18 and was joined on the all-tournament team by Destinee Wells, who had 10 points and eight assists. Houston managed just 36.2 percent shooting from the floor while Riverdale finished at 48.9.

The Warriors also went 26-of-33 from the line while Houston was just 6-of-14.

"They're really talented," said Moore. "They press you hard and any minor breakdown defensively, they take advantage of. And we just couldn't buy a bucket. There were times when we were down 12 and it felt like 20 because we just couldn't get anything to fall."

Saturday's game marked the second year in a row Riverdale defeated a Memphis-area team in the title game; the Warriors defeated Central 66-59 in 2017.

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas