Back to Back for Riverdale’s Lady Warriors

Riverdale Lady Warriors (33-0, 12-0)

Memphis Central Lady Warriors (30-6, 11-1)

TSSAA AAA State Championship

From November to March, every high school team has one dream, win state. Today two teams had the opportunity to do just that in the AAA division.

The culmination of an incredible week of basketball saw Memphis Central, wearing their home whites with green trim, take on Riverdale in their away cardinal with gold trim. The two teams met last year in the semi final round with Riverdale getting the win. Memphis Central had revenge on their mind, Riverdale, repeating and capping off an undefeated season.

Riverdale, a team use to hopping out in front and burring their opponents from the tip, did no such thing against Central. But, the resistance was anticipated as the two teams battled it out in a frenetic first quarter. In the second, Riverdale’s defense sharpened, holding Central to 12 points and a field goal percentage of 25. RHS would take the edge on the scoreboard into the half at 32-27.

2nd Half

The third quarter would see a momentum swing in favor of Central. The once stout Riverdale D was now absent, allowing 20 points in the quarter alone. The most points in a quarter by either team on the day. With that effort from Central, Riverdale would find it’s self in unfamiliar territory. Only being up by one to start the fourth and having to play a full 32 minute game.

An entire season coming down to eight minutes for two teams. It’s in scenarios like this where hero’s are born and stars are made on the hardwood. This scenario would not produce a new hero, because Riverdale already has it’s super star in 2017’s Miss AAA Basketball, Anastasia Hayes. A senior, who’s headed to Knoxville next season to be a Volunteer, once again shouldered the load, like she had been all day and her whole playing career at RHS. She played like a woman possessed. Blowing by defenders, beating double teams, (Central doubled her even when she didn’t have the ball) contorting her body to hit circus lay ups. She refused to let her team lose in what was her final game as a Lady Warrior.

Behind Hayes’ effort Riverdale defeated Memphis Central to win back to back titles and finish off a perfect season at 33 and zero.