McCallie coach John Shulman directs players during their prep basketball game at McCallie School on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tenn. McCallie stood toe to toe with one of the nation's top-ranked prep basketball teams Friday night, but a three-minute span of the second half proved to be the difference.
Trailing by just one point after each of the first two quarters, the Blue Tornado couldn't overcome their slow start to the second half and lost 82-75 to La Lumiere (Ind.) in the nightcap of the opening day of McCallie's annual Dr Pepper TEN Classic.
La Lumiere (21-1), ranked No. 2 nationally by USA Today, opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run and held a 19-point second-half lead before the Blue Tornado (24-4) came storming back. Twice McCallie had shots that could have cut the deficit to four in the final two minutes of the game but never could get closer than six.
"I knew they would come out and punch us in the mouth in the first few minutes of the second half, I was just hoping we would punch back a little better than we did," McCallie coach John Shulman said. "Maybe our guys were a little satisfied coming out and only being down by a point, but La Lumiere was more aggressive and that was the key.
"They've got pros on that roster, man, so to play within seven points of one of the best teams in the country, I'm not satisfied but I'm really proud of how our kids fought."
In the first game of Friday's doubleheader, nationally-ranked Hamilton Heights held off Christ School (N.C.) 60-54 behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 18 points.
Nickeil Alexnader-Walker added 15 and Therren Shelton-Szmidt 13 for the Hawks (26-5), who will take on McCallie in the final game of the tournament tonight at 8. That game will be preceded by La Lumiere facing Christ School (19-9) at 6.
"I'm really excited about our matchup with Hamilton Heights," Shulman said. "They're really good, but we're excited about it. It should be fun."
McCallie's first two shots of Friday's game were blocked by the Lakers' front line of 6-foot-11, Jaren Jackson and 7-foot Jacob Epperson, but the Blue Tornado overcame the intimidating size and never trailed by more than five in the first half.
Trailing by 19 with less than two minutes to go in the third quarter, McCallie got a spark from Max Shulman's two 3-pointers and junior guard Jr. Clay, who used his quickness to attack the basket and scored 20 of his team-high 25 points in the second half.
"Credit (Clay) for how aggressive he was in the second half," Lakers coach Shane Heirman said. "That kid was outstanding for them, and he did a nice job of getting the ball where he wanted on us.
"Our urgency to begin the second half was much better. I think sometimes our guys have a tendency to just show up, and you can't do that against a team as talented and well-coached as we played tonight."
La Lumiere was led by 6-foot-8 Brian Bowen's 25 points. Bowen is a senior who has narrowed his college choices to Arizona, Michigan State and Texas. Michigan signee Brian Poole added 16, including four 3-pointers, and Jackson, a Michigan State signee, scored 13 for the Lakers.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.