CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The fourth time was a charm for Walker Valley.
The Mustangs, losers to Cleveland three times this basketball season, led from start to finish Tuesday night in the game that mattered most, eliminating the state's No. 2-ranked team, 58-51, in the Region 3-AAA semifinals at Cleveland High School.
Kolten Gibson, Bryce Nunnelly and Zach Eslinger each scored 13 points, and a new defensive strategy limited the Blue Raiders to their lowest point total of the season.
"This is the biggest win of the season for us, obviously," an elated Eslinger said. "I just had a sense coming out that we were all ready to play. We knew they were not going to beat us for a fourth time this year; we were just all fired up."
Walker Valley will face East Hamilton, which defeated White County 56-52 in Tuesday's second semifinal, in the region final Thursday night.
Switching in and out from a 2-3 zone and man-to-man defense, the Mustangs (20-11) seemed to confuse and frustrate the more athletic Blue Raiders.
"My two assistant coaches do a great job," Walker Valley coach Bob Williams said. "On the ride home from Cookeville Saturday they came up with a good plan, and we decided to give it a shot. They are so athletic and skilled one on one, that you have to help so much defensively they find open people for easy shots, so we couldn't afford to help that much."
Walker Valley led 17-14 after one quarter but quickly started stretching the lead. Jordan Munck, Gibson and Nunnelly started the second period with consecutive strong drives while defensively the Mustangs caused Cleveland to spend considerable time getting good shots.
A six-point lead quickly grew to 10 opening the second half on baskets by Eslinger and Gibson, and when the two combined for seven quick points later in the period the Mustangs' lead swelled to 40-26. It was still 14 when Kregg Ware and Romero Wykle hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Dionte Ware brought the pro-Cleveland crowd to its feet with a steal and layup, cutting it to six with five minutes to play.
"Coach called time out and sat us down and reminded us that we had been here before and to do our jobs," Eslinger said. "They always seem to pull away at the end with a big run. Tonight, though, we were able to get the lead and hang onto it. We stayed composed when they cut it down."
Eslinger answered with an up-and-under layup that turned into a three-point play, and the Mustangs hit enough free throws down the stretch to keep the Blue Raiders at bay.
"It's awesome to get another shot at state," Eslinger said. "It would be even better if we get to host the sub-state game and win the region back to back."
Ware topped Cleveland (25-4) with 19 points, with K.K. Curry adding 11.
In the second game, Justin Dozier scored 10 of his game-high 21 points in the final period to lead East Hamilton to a comeback win. White County led by five at halftime and by two entering the fourth quarter, but the Hurricanes (23-10) took the lead on two Dozier free throws with 2:51 to play.
The game was tied at 52 with 39 seconds left when DaVae Hughley and Dozier hit one free throw each and Dozier and Andrew Williams combined on a steal, and Williams sealed the win with two free throws.
Hughley added 13 points and Williams had 11 for East Hamilton, while Pierce Whited topped White County with 11.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.