Junior point guard Rhyne Howard is really heating up.
Howard scored a game-high 27 points, pulled down seven rebounds and added five steals, leading the unbeaten Bradley Central Bearettes to an impressive 75-52 win over McMinn County in District 5-3A high school basketball action at Jim Smiddy Arena in Cleveland on Friday.
The Bearettes are now 7-0. The Lady Cherokees fell to 5-2.
Bradley, which posted their second 70-plus point production of the season – their high was 82 against David Crockett in their own Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving tournament.
The Bearettes are off until Tuesday when they host rival Cleveland High School.
Newcomer Kimia Carter scored 16 points for the Bearettes and Halle Hughes tossed in 15. Carter, who was averaging well under 10 points going into Friday’s game, added six rebounds and five assists, but turned the ball over four times.
Hughes turned in another solid defensive game with five steals and four rebounds, three on the defensive boards.
Hannah Burns paced the Lady Cherokees with 14 points and six rebounds. Kaitlyn Hennessee had 11 points, six rebounds and two steals.
The Bearettes built a 39-19 halftime lead while holding McMinn to 26.9 percent shooting. The Lady Cherokees hit 18 of 49 shots in the game for 36.7 percent.
Bradley had a 35-34 rebounding edge and hit 22 of 51 shots for 43.1 percent. The Bearettes were more efficient in the second half, hitting 12 of 21 shots for 57.1 percent. They enjoyed a 31-point lead in the third quarter.
Coach Jason Reuter’s squad scored 24 fastbreak points, 29 off McMinn turnovers and 36 in the paint.
Linescore
McMinn County 9 10 16 17 – 52
Bradley Central 18 21 22 14 – 75
McMinn County (52) – Liner 6, Hannah Burns 14, Kaitlyn Hennessee 11, Hicks 4, Gleaton 6, Harper 7, Walker, Green, Manny 4.
Bradley Central (75) – Halle Hughes 15, Brown 3, Morgan 3, Rhyne Howard 27, McRee 4, Kimia Carter 16, K. Hughes, Lombard 5, Walker 2.
3-Point Goals – McMinn County 4 (Burns 2, Hennessee 1, Hicks 1), Bradley Central 2 (Howard 2).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)