Notre Dame’s Kareem Orr (4) heads toward the basket after stealing the ball, while Red Bank’s Malik Davis (33) defends during a game in the Best of Preps tournament, held at Chattanooga State Community College on Thursday night.NOTRE DAME 69, RED BANK 61Red Bank 13 15 13 20 — 61Notre Dame 20 11 11 27 — 69Red Bank (61) — Fred Matthews 16, Chris Tucker 10, Suttles 2, M. Davis 8, Hudson 6, Poole 4, Akridge, McConnell 2, W. Davis 6, Autry 7.Notre Dame (69) — Stedmon Ford 17, Kareem Orr 19, Green 9, Byrd 3, Kywaun Davenport 15, Carter 3, Mink 3, Harris.3-point goals: Red Bank 1 (Matthews); Notre Dame 5 (Davenport 5). Other highlights: Kealey Green 10 r; Tyler Byrd 8 r; Ford 8 a (ND); Matthews 8 r (RB). Records: Notre Dame 9-4; Red Bank 3-9.
Usually a basketball team owning a lead late in a close game has to make some free throws to win. In the first boys’ game Thursday in the Times Free Press Best of Preps tournament at Chattanooga State, Notre Dame led Red Bank most of the fourth quarter but did not make a free throw after the 5:24 mark.
Still, the Fighting Irish scored enough in the remaining time to defeat the Lions 69-61.
The Irish took the lead for good at 48-47 when Stedmon Ford made two free throws with 5:48 remaining. He converted both ends of a one-and-one 24 seconds later, and Notre Dame was 0-for-3 from the line afterward.
But the Irish managed nine field goals in the last 4:36. The first two were layups after turnovers, and most of the rest were layups, too. Kywaun Davenport made a 3-point shot at 3:49 and Kareem Orr had the closing basket on a tip with 15 seconds to play.