Bradley Central’s Bearettes opened their high school basketball season Thursday night with a 49-38 victory over William Blount in Maryville, Tennessee.
Senior Rhyne Howard, a Miss Basketball finalist last season, led the Bearettes with 20 points and Kimia Carter added 12.
Lexi Campos paced William Blount with 11 points.
Bradley’s proud defense forced 23 turnovers, including seven by Alyssa Walker.
The Bearettes turned the ball over 11 times, three by Carter.
Offensively, the Bearettes endured a poor shooting night, going 15 for 44 for 34.1 percent from the floor. They were 2 for 13 from 3-point distance (15.4 percent) and 17 for 26 at the free-throw line (65.4 percent). Howard went 7 for 9 at the stripe and also had eight rebounds and three steals.
Bradley held William Blount to 31.6 percent shooting (12 for 38), 27.8 percent (5 for 18) behind the arc and 9 of 11 (81.8 percent) from the stripe
The Bearettes were outrebounded 31-28.
Box Score
Bradley Central 13 14 17 5 – 49
William Blount 8 12 10 8 – 38
Bradley Central (49) – Hughes 1, Kimia Carter 12, Rhyne Howard 20, Walker 6, Lombard 3, Roberts 3, Mayo 3, Blair, Barnes 1, Hullender.
William Blount (38) – Shepherd 2, Joseph 7, Lexi Campos 11, Kallenberg 8, Goforth, Tillie 4, Walker 6, Hartgrove, Long.
3-Point Goals – Bradley Central 2 (Howard 1, Mayo 1), William Blount 5 (Campos 3, Joseph 2).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)