Ridgeway coasts past Creek Wood, returns to first TSSAA basketball championship game since 2008

MURFREESBORO – Ridgeway isn’t the slightest bit nervous heading into the TSSAA boys basketball state tournament's Class 3A championship game at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center.  

The Roadrunners aren't even a little bit nervous. It's just pure excitement.  

"It feels amazing to know that we’re 32 minutes away from a gold ball,” Ridgeway senior Brian Carter said after the game. 

After Ridgeway dominated Creek Wood to the tune of 65-29 in the first Class 3A semifinal game, the Roadrunners (27-5) simply appreciated being on the winning side of the semifinals. A year ago, that wasn’t the case. Ridgeway lost to Haywood in the 2023 semifinals.

Ridgeway plays the Knoxville Fulton-Upperman winner at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Class 3A championship game, the last of the night.

They also aren’t nervous, however, because they’ve created this locker room environment that is centered around a lowkey, easy-going vibe.  

Ridgeway knows when to turn it on, but outside of game time, the Roadrunners have created a relaxed environment.

"We’re in the locker room, laughing and playing before the game so when we come out there, we (haven't got any) choice but to be free,” Carter said.  

It goes against traditional approaches to games, but it's an approach coach Curtis Wooten has no problem adapting to.  

“We try to keep it simple for them,” Wooten added. “... It’s a different generation. I’m learning how they vibe and it’s allowing me to (relate).” 

Especially when it has his team on a 21-game win streak and on the cusp of the school’s first boys basketball title since 2008 and fifth overall. This will mark Ridgeway’s sixth state championship appearance.  

"The fun part about this is, we’ve come too far to be nervous,” Wooten said. “... Anything that people feel may intimidate us, actually takes us up a notch.” 

Reach Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @wynstonw__.