The Bearden Bulldogs won a Class 4A state sectional, 53-50, over Maryville on Monday, March 9, 2026, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Photo by Paige Dauer)
BY DAVE LINK
Bearden basketball breathed a collective sigh of relief Monday night after a 53-50 victory over visiting Maryville in a Class 4A state sectional game.
And people statewide were anxious to hear that score.
Bearden (36-1) advanced to the state quarterfinals on Thursday, March 19 in Murfreesboro, and Maryville (29-5) finished the season with two consecutive losses.
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 2 in the state by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (March 2 poll) and Maryville is ranked No. 3.
“It’s a matchup that shouldn’t ever happen in a sectional,” Bearden coach Jeremy Parrott. “I don’t know who aligned these districts like this, but we just played a sectional against a team 20 minutes down the road.
“What the heck? I feel for them, too, having to come in here. Their own loss got them here, but at the same time, it’s not a matchup we should have been playing here. It should have been down in Murfreesboro.”
SmartBank is the proud sponsor of 5Star Preps postseason basketball coverage.
subscribe to read full article