When McCallie had the chance to make a clutch shot late in the final game of the Dr Pepper TEN Classic, it did. When Hamilton Heights was in the same situation, it did not.
As a result, the Blue Tornado defeated the Hawks 71-67 in overtime in the last of four boys’ high school basketball games between heavyweight competition at McCallie over the weekend.
McCallie (25-4) on Friday stayed within seven points of La Lamiere, the Indiana-based team ranked No. 2 nationally in the CBS MaxPreps Independent Schools poll. Hamilton Heights (26-6) is just outside that top-10 poll, listed under teams to “Keep an eye on.”
The No. 2-state-ranked Blue Tornado host No. 1 Brentwood Academy on Tuesday in a key Division II-AA East/Middle Region game.
“We just played two of the top 25 teams in the country,” McCallie coach John Shulman said. “We’re ready to play Brentwood. We could play them tomorrow. But I’m glad we don’t.”
Jr. Clay made two clutch shots for McCallie, but the second – a free throw with 2.9 seconds left to seal it – would not have been possible without his first. That was a step-back 3-pointer from left of the key and around NBA range that beat the fourth-quarter buzzer and tied it.
“They did a good job defending what we were trying to do,” Shulman said. “Jr. made a play. Jr. is supposed to make plays. Then we rode Jorden Starling in overtime.”
Starling scored seven of his points in OT and 16 of his 18 after halftime. Clay added 17 points. Mac Hunt’s points came on five 3-point goals, and Henley Edge’s total came on four 3s.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 23 points and Therren Shelton-Szmidt had 19. Shai Gilgeous contributed 17 but missed a driving layup with five seconds left in OT that would’ve put them within one.
– La Lumiere 87, Christ School, N.C. 50: Brian Bowen helped the Lakers to a 45-15 lead, scoring their final 13 points of the second quarter in a span of 3:06. All six of his 3-point goals and 28 of his 34 points were in the first half. Jalen Jackson totaled 20 points for La Lumiere (22-1).
Christ School (19-10) got 13 points from Will Fleming, 12 from Kojack Thompson and 10 from Justin Rhode.
La Lumiere’s Jordan Poole won the 3-point shooting contest between games.