Oak Ridge Today

State basketball tournaments suspended

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The BlueCross Basketball Championships, the state tournament games that were scheduled to include the Oak Ridge boys team, have been suspended because of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus.

It’s not clear yet if the games will be rescheduled.

The state basketball tournaments were suspended after quarterfinal games in the girls tournament on Thursday.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats had been scheduled to play in a quarterfinal game of the Class AAA boys tournament on Wednesday of next week.

“Whether we will be able to reschedule these events will depend on the length of the suspension and the availability of facilities,” the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association said.

[Read more…]

Attendance being limited at state basketball tournaments

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Attendance will be limited at the boys and girls state basketball tournaments starting Friday, and that will affect an Oak Ridge team and its fans and cheerleaders.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats are one of the eight teams playing in the Class AAA boys basketball tournament, which starts Wednesday, March 18.

The attendance limits are because of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. The limits were announced Thursday by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association.

“Like many other athletic associations and leagues throughout the country, TSSAA has decided that the health and safety of our student-athletes and spectators alike require that we limit fan attendance at our girls’ and boys’ state basketball championships,” the organization said.

[Read more…]

Lady Wildcats eliminated by Bradley Central in overtime

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Oak Ridge sophomore Khamari Mitchell-Steen (2) shoots the basketball during a 65-49 win over Science Hill in a Class AAA girls basketball tournament quarterfinal game in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Mufreesboro on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge sophomore Khamari Mitchell-Steen (2) shoots the basketball during a 65-49 win over Science Hill in a Class AAA girls basketball tournament quarterfinal game in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Mufreesboro on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 7 a.m. March 9.

Oak Ridge was eliminated by Bradley Central, 56-50, in overtime of a semifinal game in the state basketball tournament in Murfreesboro on Friday.

The Lady Wildcats (34-3) trailed by 10 points early, and they were behind at the end of the first and second quarters.

But Oak Ridge outscored the Bearettes 11-3 in the third quarter to take a 36-31 lead.

However, Bradley Central (33-3) rallied behind the 12 points (six points each) of Jamaryn Blair and Anna Walker to tie the score at 43 at the end of the fourth quarter.

Bradley Central made 11 three throws in the overtime period to help outscore Oak Ridge 13-7 in those four minutes to take the six-point win. [Read more…]

After finishing second in region, Wildcats’ season ends at Sevier County

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished as runner-up in Region 2-AAA with a 65-51 loss to Bearden in the championship game at Wildcat Arena on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished as runner-up in Region 2-AAA with a 65-51 loss to Bearden in the championship game at Wildcat Arena on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge finished second in Region 2-AAA after a 65-51 loss to Bearden in the championship game on Thursday, and the Wildcats’ season ended with a 62-57 loss at Sevier County in a sectional game on Monday.

Oak Ridge (26-7) trailed in both games from start to finish, although the Wildcats narrowed the Smoky Bears’ lead to one point in the final minute before Sevier County (25-6) pulled away on free throws in the Class AAA sectional game on Monday.

The sectional games determine which teams go to the state basketball tournaments at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro this month. The winners of the sectional games advance to the state tournaments, and the season is over for the teams that lose.

It’s Sevier County’s first trip to the state tournament since 1991. The Smoky Bears are one of only eight teams in Division I, Class AAA, to play in the state tournament. Bearden is another.

Oak Ridge last went to the state tournament in 2017, when the Wildcats were eliminated 63-60 by Memphis East in a semifinal game. [Read more…]

Second in region, Lady Wildcats play for chance to go to state tonight

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats finished as Region 2-AAA runner-up in a 57-45 loss at Bearden on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018. The girls will play in a sectional game, which determines who goes to the state tournament, at Daniel Boone in upper East Tennessee on Saturday, March 3, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats finished as Region 2-AAA runner-up in a 57-45 loss at Bearden on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018. The girls will play in a sectional game, which determines who goes to the state tournament, at Daniel Boone in upper East Tennessee on Saturday, March 3, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

BEARDEN—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats finished as runner-up in the regional basketball tournament at Bearden on Wednesday, and they will play in a sectional game, which determines who goes to the state tournament, at Daniel Boone in upper East Tennessee this evening (Saturday, March 3).

The runner-up in Region 2-AAA (Oak Ridge) plays at the winner of Region 1-AAA (Daniel Boone). The runner-up in Region 1-AAA (Jefferson County) plays at the winner of Region 2-AAA (Bearden). The games start at 7 p.m.

The eight girls’ teams that win in the Class AAA sectionals in Tennessee will advance to the state basketball tournament at Middle State State University in Murfreesboro on Wednesday.

Tonight’s game is the first sectional game on the road for the Lady Wildcats since 2005 at Greeneville, according to broadcaster David Clary. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats going back to state

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Oak Ridge junior forward Mykia Dowdell (34) shoots the basketball while defended by Daniel Boone sophomore post Sydney Pearce (52) and freshman Jaycie Jenkins (22) during a 61-44 win for the Lady Wildcats in a Class AAA sectional game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge junior forward Mykia Dowdell (34) shoots the basketball while defended by Daniel Boone sophomore post Sydney Pearce (52) and freshman Jaycie Jenkins (22) during a 61-44 win for the Lady Wildcats in a Class AAA sectional game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 8:30 a.m. March 6.

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats are going back to the state basketball tournament in Murfreesboro. It’s the second year in a row that the girls have made it to the Class AAA tournament. They made it there this year by beating Daniel Boone 61-44 in a sectional game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday.

The girls finished as state runner-up last year.

This year’s state tournament starts Wednesday at Middle Tennessee State University.

Oak Ridge won’t know who it plays until a drawing at 3 p.m. Sunday. Only eight teams compete in the state tournament, starting with quarterfinals on Wednesday and finishing with the championship game on Saturday. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats to play Dyer County in state basketball tournament Wednesday

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Lady-Wildcats-Sectional-Win-Dobyns-Bennett-March-5-2016

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats and cheerleaders celebrate a 39-32 sectional win over Dobyns-Bennett at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, March 5, 2016. The win sends the Lady Wildcats to the state tournament for the first time since 2010. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will play Dyer County in the quarterfinals of the state girls basketball tournament on Wednesday.

The 2016 BlueCross Basketball Championship is scheduled on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for the Division I Class AAA girls teams. It’s at the Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

The game between Oak Ridge and Dyer County on Wednesday is the first Class AAA quarterfinal game of the day. It starts at 10 a.m. Central time.

Oak Ridge, the number one seed in District 3, has a 27-4 record. The Lady Wildcats beat Dobyns-Bennett, the number one seed in District 1, 39-32 in a Class AAA sectional game on Saturday to advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2010. [Read more…]