Cleveland boys’ basketball coach Jason McCowanCLEVELAND, Tenn. – By his continual reminders to Kendrick Thompson, Cleveland boys’ basketball coach Jason McCowan has laid the groundwork for the junior guard’s recent late-game success.
“I tell him to keep shooting, keep shooting,” McCowan said. “He can’t have a conscience about it.”
Thompson hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:13 remaining and D.J. Jones hit five free throws down the stretch to give the Blue Raiders a 63-61 District 5-AAA victory at rival Bradley Central’s Jim Smiddy Arena.
Thompson’s 3 with 10 seconds remaning provided the difference in the Raiders’ 70-69 victory over Austin-East last week.
Both teams Friday had a 1-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and each finished with four double-figure scorers, with no one higher than 14 points. Cleveland held a 35-26 edge on the backboards, with a 15-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. The extra opportunities led to some putbacks, but McCowan said the game was won on late defensive execution.