MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — As Keith Rawls rose into the air, victory was potentially a five-foot jumpshot away. But Rawls’ shot attempt just before the buzzer was blocked by Marshall County’s Thomas Wilson, leaving Tyner on the short end of a 61-60 overtime loss in the Class AA state basketball tournament quarterfinals.
Rawls had rebounded his own missed free throw and dribbled left creating what looked like enough space to get off a shot. As Wilson blocked the shot Rawls fell to the floor, leaving Rams coach Gerald Harris to plead for a foul.
“I thought he got fouled, but that’s the ref’s decision and it was indicative of the way they had called the whole game,” Harris said. “They had let the game be physical, so you can’t say a whole lot about one call.”
The teams committed 47 fouls, with a combined five starters fouling out.
Tyner had trailed by as much as 17 in the second half and was down by 14 with 7:53 remaining in the game before rallying.
Kedren Johnson, Marshall County’s Mr. Basketball finalist, scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the first half to help the Tigers build a commanding lead.
MARSHALL COUNTY 61, TYNER 60, OTMarshall County 15 21 7 11 7 — 61Tyner 7 13 11 23 6 — 60Marshall County (61) — Kedren Johnson 20, Jamie Perryman 12, Jordan Anderson 16, Crutcher 3, Spencer 1, Mayes, Peterson 9, Wilson, Stinnett.Tyner (60) — Jermel McKenzie 13, Suttles 6, Reginald Gilmore 16, Jones 9, Bradley 5, Keith Rawls 11, Murphy, Fletcher.3-point goals: Marshall County 4 (Johnson, Perryman, Crutcher, Peterson); Tyner 1 (McKenzie). Records: Marshall County 27-5; Tyner 24-7.
But he fouled out with 22 seconds remaining and Tyner overcame a three-point deficit, forcing overtime on Reggie Gilmore’s putback with eight seconds left in regulation.
Tyner built a three-point lead with 1:46 to go in the extra period but missed five of six free throws in the final 22 seconds of overtime.
Marshall County went ahead 61-59 with six seconds remaining on Jordan Anderson’s two free throws. Rawls then made the first of two with two seconds remaining, but after his second attempt bounced off the back of the rim, his putback attempt was stopped.
“We knew when the fourth quarter started that we had to make a run somehow,” said Rams junior guard Travis Jones. “You know you’re down by a lot, but you just have to play like every quarter is your last one because if you lose it is.
“We showed a lot by coming back, but it still hurts to know we got so close.”