MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Entering Friday's boys basketball semifinal games, there were three local-area high schools still in the running for a State Title and that coveted gold ball.
Douglass and Ridgeway picked up wins to punch their ticket to the Title game, while Bartlett fell just short of their championship hopes.
In Class 2A: Douglass (35-0) beat Whites Creek 67-39 to advance to the State Championship game. The Red Devils will play the defending champs in Alcoa at 4 p.m. CT on Sat. March 16.
In their last 54 games, Alcoa is the only team Douglass has lost, now they have a chance to get one back on the Tornadoes and make Memphis high school basketball history by becoming just the fourth team in history to go undefeated in a season and win a State Title.
The Red Devils are trying to secure the program's first boys basketball State Title after finishing as the runner-up both last season and in 2018.
In Class 3A: Ridgeway (27-5) defeated Creek Wood 65-29 to advance the Title game. The Roadrunners will play the winner of Upperman/Fulton at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sat. March 16.
It marks the first title game for Ridgeway since 2008. Despite not playing for a boys basketball State Championship in 16 years, the Roadrunners have a chance to win their fifth title in school history.
In Class 4A: Bartlett (32-5) fell 41-39 to Cookeville to put an end to their season.
The loss marks the second time in three years that the Panthers have lost in the State Tourney on a last-second shot.