ATHENS, Tenn. — Of all the factors in Tuesday’s District 5-AAA basketball championship game between Cleveland and Ooltewah, one that couldn’t be measured on a stat sheet made the most difference. That was experience.
Cleveland’s 11th-ranked Blue Raiders won 65-54 after outscoring the Owls 20-9 in the fourth quarter at McMinn County High School.
The Raiders, who start five seniors with multiple years of varsity experience, won their first district championship since 1998. On Friday they will host Warren County, which lost to White County in the District 6-AAA consolation game. The Owls (20-10) will host White County’s Warriors.
McMinn County defeated Bradley Central 59-56 in the 5-AAA consolation game, so Bradley’s Bears will travel to Cookeville — a team they’ve defeated twice this season — while the Cherokees will travel to Cumberland County.
Should all four teams from District 5-AAA win, the tournament switches back to McMinn County on Saturday for the semifinals. Otherwise, the semifinals will be held at Warren County.
Cleveland outscored the Owls 12-2 in the final 4:05.
“It was a great team effort in the fourth quarter,” said Ish Sanders, who led Cleveland with 24 points. “The last two games, we had played individual ball, but Coach had preached to us how good we are when we play as a team.
“The seniors knew it was our last district championship game, so we had to give our all in the fourth.”
Said Ooltewah coach Jesse Nayadley: “They made a decision to go out and win the game, whatever it took. I thought we fought well in the fourth, but we didn’t fight the fight that they did.”
Forwards Marcus Davis and Jamial King had 12 and 10 points for the Blue Raiders (23-4), who chose to attack the basket, abandoning the 3s that have played a big part in their success.
“We played pretty good basketball in the end,” Cleveland coach Jason McCowan said. “We were executing offensively and getting the ball inside. It’s not something we’re used to, but we had a height advantage and Jamial and Marcus did a good job when we got it in there.”
The Owls led 17-15 after the first quarter, when Tyler Whitman shot the gap for a steal and layup before the buzzer. They stretched that lead to 27-20 on a 3 by Decorius Hixon, but Cleveland went on an 11-0 run late in the second quarter and led 31-29 at the break.
“We came into the game knowing they were going to make their runs, because they’re a good shooting team,” Sanders said. “We just tried to contest everything and if they make it, they do. We just hoped they would cool down in the second half, and they did.”
After hitting five 3s in the first half, the Owls managed only one in the second, a banked-in shot by Jervon Johnson that gave them a 43-40 lead. Cleveland responded with five points, but a short jump shot by Hixon tied the game at 45 going into the final quarter.
Johnson led the Owls with 13 points, while Wesley Richey — who battled foul trouble throughout — finished with 11.
“We are where we wanted to be — district champions,” McCowan said. “You want to be the last team standing in every tournament you play in, but we were just jockeying for position tonight. It wasn’t a do-or-die game. With that being said, it’s nice to win the gold plaque instead of the silver; we’re excited to bring it back to Cleveland.”