Manassas, Mitchell’s Torry memorable in state tournament

The 2007-08 TSSAA basketball season came to an end Saturday with the three Division I boys’ state-championship games at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center in Murfreesboro.

Here’s a look back at some “bests” and “mosts” from the season-ending tournament, along with honorable mentions.

n Best team effort: Manassas. Nine Tigers scored at least six points when they beat University School of Johnson City 83-42 in a Class A semifinal. Two players had four assists each, and 13 of the 15 who played grabbed at least one rebound.

n Honorable mention: Red Bank. Each Lions starter had at least seven points and three steals when they defeated Dobyns-Bennett 68-62 in a Class AAA quarterfinal. Nick Ross added 13 points off the bench, and Dominique McDuffie sparked the distribution of the ball with six assists.

n Best individual effort: Mitchell’s Kenyan Torry. He came within two points of equaling the single-game scoring record in a state tournament with his 48 in a Class AA semifinal against Howard. He was 19-for-30 from the field, 2-of-6 from 3-point distance and 8-of-13 from the free-throw line. Torry provided 55.2 percent of his team’s production.

n Honorable mention: Tennessee Temple’s Jeremy Sexton. He scored 30 points in a four-point Class A quarterfinal loss to unbeaten Union City, which topped the 100-point mark in its semifinal and rallied past Manassas for the title, 83-81. Sexton was 11-for-16 from the floor, 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 6-of-7 on free throws. His total amounted to 54.5 percent of the Crusaders’ 55-point output.

n Most promising underclassman: White Station’s Joe Jackson. The 6-foot sophomore guard averaged 25.7 points in three Class AAA games. Armed with a smooth shooting stroke, he was 8-of-15 on 3-pointers and made 23 of 24 free throws, setting a state-tournament record by making his first 21. Rivals.com ranks him the No. 7 overall prospect nationally in the Class of 2010.

n Honorable mention: Jackson’s teammate, Ferrakohn Hall. The 6-9 junior’s tournament averages were 13 points and 8.7 rebounds. He blocked three shots in the Spartans’ opener and made a 3-point goal in their 68-56 loss to Ridgeway in the final. Rivals rates him the No. 24 power forward prospect nationally in the Class of 2009. Scout hoops reports that he has received scholarship offers from Tennessee, Memphis and Mississippi.

n Best individual clutch performance: Again, Jackson. He was scuffling along through a 5-for-20 shooting afternoon when the three-minute mark of the fourth quarter came around in the Spartans’ quarterfinal, with them trailing Oak Ridge 52-47. Jackson had missed his three previous 3-point shots before making one from the right side with 2:58 to play. He made another from near the same spot the next trip down the floor. Afterward, the Wildcats got the ball across the time line, where Jackson made a steal. He passed ahead to Kaylon Durham, whose layup put the Spartans ahead 55-54 with 2:10 remaining. They maintained the advantage the rest of the way, thanks in large part to Jackson making six of six free throws in the last 52 seconds.

n Honorable mention: Rex Pierce, Dyer County. Like Jackson, he had also been struggling with his shot before he rose to the occasion with a buzzer-beating 3 for a 70-69 victory over Christ Presbyterian Academy in a Class AA quarterfinal. The reserve guard had been 1-of-6 shooting with three misfires from behind the arc when he came in when C.J. Crittendon fouled out. CPA’s Jake Peterson made the first of two free throws with five seconds left but missed the second, setting the stage for Pierce. Controversy surrounded the end of the game, beginning with the resetting of the clock that didn’t stop immediately when the Choctaws called time out after Crittendon pulled them within one with a 3-pointer. It ended up being reset at seven seconds, which was a couple more than the Lions’ faithful would’ve approved. Also there was doubt by some whether Pierce, who landed inside the arc, took off with both feet behind the line when he launched his game-winner. The tournament’s history book shows that he did.

n Most disappointing team showing: Antioch. The Bears had every starter back from a Class AAA state-tournament team the previous year. They were 26-2 overall with the losses coming against Duncanville, Texas, and Columbia, Ga. They were District 12 and Region 6 champions. They had defeated Wilson Central 86-24 in their sectional game and were on a 21-game winning streak. Then they were bounced from the tournament in the first round by an 11-loss Siegel team. Antioch was held to 20 points in the first half on the way to a 63-51 loss to the Stars.

n Honorable mention: Howard. The Hustlin’ Tigers were within 49-40 of Mitchell in their Class AA semifinal when all-tournament-team member Dominique Taylor went to the bench with his fourth foul with 4:40 left in the third quarter. That’s when the collapse began. Mitchell’s 87-61 victory included 38 points in the third quarter.