Led by Guinn’s 21 points, Lady Wildcats are district champs for first time since 2010

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:35 p.m.

CLINTON—Led by the 21 points of freshman Jada Guinn, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA championship for the first time since 2010 in a 52-34 victory over Campbell County on Tuesday.

Guinn, a point guard, was named the most valuable player of the district tournament, which was played at Anderson County High School. Her game-high 21 points on Tuesday was a career high.

The Lady Wildcats (24-4) played with intensity on Tuesday, when Oak Ridge won its third game this season against the Lady Cougars, the second seed in District 3-AAA. Campbell County’s only two district losses during the regular season were to Oak Ridge.

“Coach (Paige) Green told us to come out with a lot of energy,” Guinn said after the district championship win on Tuesday. “It’ll help our defense, and our defense can help with offense.”

Of her tournament MVP award, Guinn said: “I just feel happy because I’m a freshman, and I’m just really excited.”

Oak Ridge senior forward Caelyn Thompson, who was the only other Wildcat in double digits with 10 points on Tuesday, also played with a lot of intensity, battling for every loose ball and rebound.

“She’s a tough, tough kid,” Green said of Thompson. “She doesn’t want the season to end.”

Until Tuesday, Thompson had played four years at Oak Ridge without a championship.

“It just made me want it more,” Thompson said. She said the Lady Wildcats had to come out and play their game, and when they were able to do that, they could have fun.

“These girls have worked so, so hard,” Green said. “It’s great to see that hard work rewarded.”

Green said she’s always believed that Guinn was capable of a performance like the one she had Tuesday.

“I’ve been waiting on her to do that all year,” Green said.

Sophomore Mykia Dowdell scored eight points for Oak Ridge, while junior Courtney Ellison and sophomore Desiree Bates each had five.

The leading scorer for Campbell County (24-6) was senior forward Carla Beams, who had eight points. Freshman Skylar Boshears and junior Sarah Cain each scored six.

The Lady Wildcats will start the Region 2-AAA tournament in an elimination quarterfinal game at home on Friday, February 26. Oak Ridge, the number one seed from District 3, will play Heritage (17-17), the number four seed in District 4, at 7 p.m. at Wildcat Arena.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats also won a District 3-AAA championship on Tuesday, and they will play an elimination quarterfinal game at home against Farragut at 7 p.m. Saturday. The boys and girls teams both finished the season with an undefeated 16-0 record in the district. It’s the first time the Oak Ridge boys and girls have both gone undefeated in the district in the same season.

Here are the other elimination quarterfinal games for the girls on Friday:

The Lady Cougars will play Hardin Valley (16-12), the number three seed in District 4, at Campbell County.

Powell (15-14), which finished third in District 3, will play at William Blount (22-9), the District 4 runner-up.

And Anderson County (13-19), the number four seed in District 3, will play at Bearden (25-5), the District 4 champion.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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