Four area players are finalists
Four seniors from the Chattanooga area have been named finalists for the TSSAA’s Mr. and Miss Basketball awards.
Bradley Central’s Rhyne Howard is a Miss Basketball Class AAA finalist, while Brainerd’s Jessie Walker, McCallie’s Jr. Clay and Van Buren County’s Caden Mills are Mr. Basketball finalists in their respective classifications. Howard and Clay were finalists for the awards last year as well, though neither won.
Gracee Dishman from just outside the area at Cumberland County — in a district with all area opponents — is a Miss Basketball finalist for Class AA.
Howard, a Kentucky signee, has averaged 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 5.2 steals per game for the Bearettes this season.
“I’ve said before that Rhyne Howard may very well be a oncein-a-lifetime player for me as a coach,” Bradley’s Jason Reuter said. “What she’s accomplished is pretty incredible. She’s been our go-to player for three straight years, and that’s rare here. To be a three-time all-state and two-time Miss Basketball finalist is even more elite company.
“Her legacy here is as somebody we won’t be able to replace. I’ve never coached a player who’s as well-rounded or who could play at the caliber she does. She can literally play every single position on the floor, and at different times in her career we have played her at every position. She’s a tremendous representative for Bradley Central High.”
Howard, the sixth Bradley player to be a Miss Basketball
finalist, currently ranks seventh in program history with 2,262 career points and has helped the Bearettes to a 121-11 overall record as a starter. Brittany Jackson was the last Bearettes player to be a two-time finalist for the award, winning it her senior year. Jackson is the only Bearette to win the award.
Walker, a senior and two-time all-state player, has averaged 26.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.2 steals and four assists for the Class AA Panthers this season.
Clay has averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.3 steals a game for the Division II-AA Blue Tornado, and fellow Tennessee Tech signee Mills has averaged 27.9 points, seven rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Class A Eagles.
“It means a lot to be a finalist in that category, because there are some really great players in our league,” said Clay, whose sister Chadarryl won the Miss Basketball award in her final two prep seasons (2011, 2012) at GPS.
“With our family history, what my sister accomplished, I had to show that I can play the game pretty well, too. Plus I’m really big on proving that Chattanooga basketball is really good.”
This is the 34th year the TSSAA has honored Mr. and Miss Basketball award winners. This year’s awards will be presented on the court at Middle Tennessee State’s Murphy Center 8 p.m. EST on March 7.