Staff Photo by Angela Lewis/Chattanooga Times Free Press
Feb 1, 2011–Dade County’s Cole Birchfield goes up for a shot Tuesday as Calhoun’s Dustin Christian guards at Dade County High School.TRENTON, Ga. — After Dade County’s 94-91 basketball victory over Calhoun on Tuesday, there were more frowns than smiles in the winning Wolverines’ locker room. No one was really thrilled with the team’s 10th victory in a row and 20th in 23 games, but senior point guard Travis Core saw a silver lining.
“Calhoun came in here ready to play, and they took it to us and outplayed us in most areas of the game,” said Core, who led Dade with 29 points. “Any time you can play a close game around tournament time, though, it’s a good thing in that you have to hold a lead, because there won’t be any 40-point blowouts.”
The Wolverines have clinched the top seed and the right to host the Subregion 7-AA (B) tournament next weekend. But the Yellow Jackets (12-7, 7-3) outrebounded them 45-32 and outhustled them for most of the game.
Dade held a 14-point lead midway through the second period, but Calhoun caught fire, led by Derrick Collins’ nine quick points, to make it just a four-point game, 51-47, at halftime. It would be one of many runs each team would have.
Dade opened a nine-point lead after Houston Moon’s steal and layup late in the third quarter, but eight fast points, capped by Ahad Hanif’s 3-pointer, cut the lead to one before Core swished a 35-footer at the buzzer.