CSAS, Grace bring 'A' games

If recent history is an indication of what to expect at the TSSAA boys' state basketball tournament this week, Arts & Sciences and Grace Academy should plan on a lengthy stay in Murfreesboro.

The Chattanooga area had just one small-school state champion and three other teams to reach state title games in the first 27 years of classification in boys' basketball. But local teams have played in the Class A championship game seven of the last nine years, and that has resulted in four Chattanooga state champions, including in 2007 when Tennessee Temple beat CSAS for the title.

The 2010 tournament tips off Wednesday with the four Class A quarterfinals, beginning with 10th-ranked CSAS (27-7) against Harriman (21-10) at 11 a.m. EDT. Grace Academy (22-7) opens against Oliver Springs (22-10) at 4:15 p.m. Both CSAS's Patriots and the Golden Eagles are seeking their first state championships.

"Look at the history of what local teams have done, and it does give you some confidence as far as expectations," CSAS coach Mark Dragoo said. "A lot of the success by local teams over there comes from the competitiveness within our area. The brand of basketball in Class A locally is very challenging."

While Harriman is in the state tournament for the first time since 1995 and Oliver Springs for the first time in 11 years, CSAS and Grace have plenty of tournament experience. The Patriots are making their third appearance in the state tournament, having finished runners-up the two previous trips, and Grace has played in four of the last seven tournaments, also finishing runner-up twice.

Golden Eagles coach Jon Mattheiss credited the big-game experience advantage with helping his team hang on late for a road win in last week's state sectional at Friendship Christian.

"Before that game I looked around and saw eight guys in our locker room who had state final-four experience," Mattheiss said. "None of their kids had ever gone to the state tournament, so I think down the stretch that helped us.

"We play in a tough district and region, and typically whoever comes out of that region tournament does pretty well the rest of the way. We hope that trend continues."

Both CSAS and Grace play in District 5 and the Patriots won three of four meetings this season, with all four games decided by eight points or less. Both teams were willing to trade regular-season losses to tough higher-classification opponents for playoff-caliber game experience.

CSAS, which has won 17 of its last 18 games, lost three times to Howard, which is ranked second and qualified for the AA state tournament. The Patriots also had two losses to AAA opponents, including Beech, which is in the state tournament. Besides three narrow losses to CSAS, Grace also lost twice by single digits to McCallie, which advanced to the Division II-AA semifinals, as well as AA state participant Tyner.

Although Chattanooga has become the dominant area for small-school basketball, no area team has reached the title game in Class AA or AAA since 1997. Tyner opens against ninth-ranked Marshall County at 6 p.m. EDT Wednesday, and Howard plays Liberty at 12:45 p.m. Thursday