Jamaryn Blair's late heroics push Bearettes to state title game [photos]

Bradley Central girls beat Oak Ridge 56-50 in overtime

Bradley Central point guard Jamaryn Blair (33) fires the ball past Oak Ridge's Jada Guinn during a TSSAA Class AAA state semifinal Friday at MTSU's Murphy Center in Murfreesboro. Bradley Central won 56-50 in overtime and will play for its sixth state title Saturday when it takes on Houston.
Bradley Central point guard Jamaryn Blair (33) fires the ball past Oak Ridge's Jada Guinn during a TSSAA Class AAA state semifinal Friday at MTSU's Murphy Center in Murfreesboro. Bradley Central won 56-50 in overtime and will play for its sixth state title Saturday when it takes on Houston.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Standing at the edge of the half-court logo in the biggest moment of her basketball career, Jamaryn Blair knew she had to make a play.

With the bright lights of the Murphy Center shining down on Middle Tennessee State University's court, the budding star for Bradley Central took three dribbles and split two defenders in the process to make an overtime-forcing layup. It was Blair's sixth straight point in the final 1:39 of the fourth quarter.

The Bearettes rolled with the momentum provided by their sophomore point guard to pull out a 56-50 overtime victory over Oak Ridge in the TSSAA Class AAA state semifinals Friday.

"I just wanted to help this program make history again," said Blair, who finished with a game-high 22 points and made 10 of 13 free throws. "This team hasn't been to the state championship game since 1995. I saw an opening, and I knew I had to take it. After we tied it up, it was like, all right, we've got this."

Fourth-ranked Bradley Central (33-3) ended a 31-game winning streak for Oak Ridge (34-3) with big help from 20-of-25 free-throw shooting.

Trying for its sixth gold ball, Bradley will put a 14-game winning streak on the line against second-ranked Houston (31-2) in the state final Saturday at 2:30 p.m. EST.

Houston's Lady Mustangs also provided quite the theatrics in a 78-72 double-overtime victory to end Riverdale's quest for a fourth consecutive state championship.

"Ironically, we beat a team whose head coach was one of our stars on the 1995 team," Bradley coach Jason Reuter said, referring to Oak Ridge counterpart Paige Redman. "Our kids were down and it looked like the hourglass was running out, but they never gave up and found a way. They made the big plays and huge shots in crunch time."

Bradley junior Anna Walker continued her stellar performance in Murfreesboro with 18 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks. The Samford-committed post player has blocked nine shots through two games at the state tournament.

The 6-foot-1 Walker backed her defender down to make the first shot of overtime, and a turnover by Oak Ridge and two free throws by Blair quickly gave the Bearettes a 47-43 lead they would not lose.

"We have all been looking forward to this moment," Walker said. "Having a state championship to play in and a chance to hang a banner at Bradley is going to motivate us plenty."

Once again the Bearettes hung their hats on defense late, allowing only seven fourth-quarter points. A switch from a man-press to a zone-press, as called by assistant coach Keith Freeman, worked wonders, Reuter said.

Oak Ridge led 42-37 with 1:59 left in the fourth quarter after Khamari Mitchell-Steen's steal and score. She finished with 20 points and four steals to help her team fight back from an 11-1 deficit out of the gate. Jada Guinn, a Miss Basketball finalist, had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Wildcats.

However, a determined Blair began a remarkable run with a graceful floater from the left elbow of the free-throw line.

Bradley junior guard Cambree Mayo also stepped up with a pair of steals and hit a much-needed 3-pointer to snap her team's 0-for-11 start to the third quarter. Senior teammate Hannah Lombard went 5-of-6 from the foul line and blocked three shots.

The Bearettes will try to avenge a three-point loss to Houston in last year's state semifinals. They again will have to try to limit a two-time Miss Basketball finalist, this time Jayla Hemingway.

"It is a privilege to coach these kids," Reuter said. "This was not our Super Bowl, though. We have a state championship game to worry about now. To say I am proud of this group, though, is an understatement."

Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.

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