CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Columbia Central was a little bigger overall. Both coaches agreed that Cleveland was a little better shooting team. Otherwise there weren’t many differences between the participants in Monday’s Class AAA boys’ high school basketball state sectional at Cleveland.
Therefore it wasn’t surprising the game was close all the way and was tied for the eighth time with less than two minutes to play. That’s when the visiting Lions’ big bodies rose to the occasion while the Blue Raiders failed to hit the big shots and Columbia came away with a 72-64 victory.
Columbia (20-10) advances to the state tournament March 17-20 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. It’s the Lions’ first trip since 2003, when they hosted and beat Cleveland in the sectional round.
Columbia coach Hal Murrell also has coached girls in his career but has never taken a team to a state tournament before this one. He did some cross checking of opponents with the Blue Raiders and got the kind of game he was expecting.
“We knew on paper it was probably going to be one of those games where the last man that had the ball was going to be one standing,” Murrell said.
That proved to be true, considering Quantez Christman tacked on a late field goal as the clock wound down. However, more damaging was the Lions’ 6-for-6 free-throw shooting in the last 1:30, starting with Christman rolling in the front end of a bonus situation that put them ahead for good.
“After we tied it 64-64, we didn’t come up with any 50-50 situations,” Cleveland coach Jason McCowan said. “They out-executed us down the stretch. They hit all their free throws. That was big.
“It always comes down to little things in big games. At the end we didn’t make the extra pass, hit our free throws or handle the ball well.”
The Blue Raiders led most of the game, although never by more than the 24-17 advantage they owned early in the second quarter.
Murrell said he told his players they were going to have to take the mental stance of having to overcoming eight-to-10 points in home-court advantage. Among his other points of emphasis were winning the second half — it was tied at 32 after two quarters — and “owning the paint.”
“I thought late we hit the boards hard and got the ball inside,” Murrell said. “A lot of what we got came off the low block, even when we were getting fouled. Take the ball to the rim and good things happen.”
District 5 and Region 3 champion Cleveland ended its season 26-5. McCowan praised his six seniors, who have dealt with the deaths of three fellow basketball players during their prep careers.
“I’d have to say this is the toughest group I’ve coached, and they gave us a great ride,” McCowan said. “They lost three teammates during their time here, and that’s a lot for a senior group of high school kids to go through.
“To me it’s an amazing accomplishment to win the district and region championships and battle like this in the sub-state with two kids not being there. That’s a testament to the strong character they have.”
Ish Sanders, who wore the No. 54 jersey of late teammate Tyler Carver, led the Blue Raiders with 18 points. Marcus Davis added 16 and Terrell Parks chipped in with 11.
Davanta Hamlett scored 10 of Columbia’s 14 points in the third quarter and finished with 18. Reserve post player Tra’Darius Goff totaled 14 and Dominique Parks contributed 12. Substitute Jarris Webster had eight of his 10 in the final four and a half minutes.
Class AAA Sectional
COLUMBIA CENTRAL 72, CLEVELAND 64
Columbia 17 15 14 26 — 72
Cleveland 18 14 18 14 — 64
Columbia Central (72) — English 9, Harlan, Dominique Parks 12, Davanta Hamlett 18, Christman 9, Jarris Webster 10, Tra’Darius Goff 14, McKissack.
Cleveland (64) — Frazier 8, King 6, Marcus Davis 16, Terrell Parks 11, Ish Sanders 18, Rutledge, Constant, Mee 5, B. Davis.
3-point goals: Columbia 2 (English, Parks); Cleveland 8 (Sanders 4, Parks 2, Mee, Frazier). Records: Columbia 20-10; Cleveland 26-5.