Brainerd's Jailen Wofford (34) takes control of the ball from Tyner's Kevin Cameron (3) in first half action of 60-56 win by the Panthers over the Rams in the boys' semifinal game at Chattanooga State. Brainerd coach Levar R. Brown, right, approves of the battle as Keyshun Bradley (5) waits to assist.Come March, Thursday night's 60-56 win over Tyner won't mean a lot, but for Brainerd coach Levar Brown and star point guard Kentrell Evans, it was proof the Panthers' game plan is working.
It's a plan meant not just for the basketball court, and following the thrilling semifinal win in the Best of Preps tournament, both coach and player praised the same aspect of the team.
"We talk about character all the time," said Evans, who led the winners with 18 points. "What you do off the court translates into what you do on it. We want to stay as brothers and represent the Brainerd brand of basketball. All that led to the last four minutes, the extra passes and all that, and was the difference in the game."
Brainerd (10-2) will face McCallie in tonight's championship game, Tyner (8-1) will go against Meigs County in the third-place game.
A Dembo Sow 3-pointer with just less than four minutes left capped a 6-0 Panthers run that put them up 51-45. The lead grew to seven on an Evans three-point play with three minutes remaining before Tyner went on an 8-0 run to take a 56-55 lead on Kevin Cameron's layup with 1:07 left.
During the Rams' run, Brainerd turned the ball over three times before Evans took control. The senior drove hard to the lane, was fouled and made two free throws to get the lead right back.
Tyner missed two shots on its next possession, and Jesse Walker made one of two free throws on the other end for a two-point lead. Evans then helped force a Tyner turnover with 13 seconds to play, and Walker sealed the win with two clutch free throws.
"The last few minutes of the game was when our character showed up and won that game," Brown said. "The things we do off the court will show up in that last four minutes. Are we going to stick together? Are we going to fight together? That was going to be the determining factor in the game, and it was.
"As for Kentrell, I will say this to whoever will listen to me, he is the best point guard in the state of Tennessee. He will not let us lose. He might make mistakes, but he will always make up for them."
The matchup of the District 6-AA powers started slowly, with Brainerd reversing a 16-12 deficit with a 12-0 run midway through the second period, but Tyner closed the first half with a 7-0 spurt to leave Brainerd up by one.
"I think they were tougher than us in the first half," Brown said. "In the second half Vesta Melvin Jr. and Dembo Sow got us going with their shooting. A big key was not getting into all the antics and not play to the crowd. The guys just played basketball and let the chips fall where they may."
Sow added 14 points and Walker had 12 for the winners, while Cameron had a game-high 28 for Tyner, with Jerrion Christopher adding 11.
The rivals will face off in a district game Jan. 17, one of several possible meetings over the next three months.
"We will definitely see them again," Evans said. "They are a good team with a good coach, and we'll hopefully put on another great show for the community."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22