Staff Photo by Tim Barber/Chattanooga Times Free Press/ Jan 21, 2011 - Red Bank'S Devontez Slay (5) battles with Howard's Barry Griffin (5) in first quarter action at Red Bank Friday night.There was no one play that won Friday night's basketball game for the Red Bank Lions, or lost it for the Howard Tigers. But it was highly evident that one play defiinitely changed the course of it.
Kelvin Clay and Nick Ross combined for 38 points, and a dunk by Kionta Davis in the third quarter provided a spark for the host Lions as they closed to within a half-game of first-place Howard with a 60-55 District 6-AA victory.
Davis' dunk was part of an 8-0 run that turned a 36-29 deficit into a one-point advantage. Red Bank coach John Cherne said the biggest thing it did was get the crowd back into the game.
"It was such a momentum swing," he said. "It's like in volleyball when you have a large kill; after that dunk, we had to make a push and run with it, so we did."
The back-and-forth affair featured seven ties and 14 lead changes, with no margin greater than the seven-point advantage Howard had in the third quarter. The Tigers had the advantage on the inside, and the penetration of Howard point guard Keonte Cameron sparked them in the first half. Even on misses, the taller Tigers were able to secure offensive rebounds and putbacks.
In the second half, the Lions were able to pressure full-court and get steals that led to dunks.
Even with Red Bank's third-quarter spurt, the game was tied at 43 going into the fourth.
Experience -- or lack thereof for the Tigers -- played a large role in the final period. Down 53-50 with 3:02 to play, Howard starting firing 3s from all angles, neglecting the inside game that was their strength. The Lions were able to secure some rebounds and some run-outs in the final moments.
"Our decision-making was terrible as a team," Howard coach Walter McGary said. "Last year, we had guys that could handle that pressure, but we're just so inexperienced; we've never been in that situation before."
Clay had 20 points to lead the Lions (14-5, 7-1), while Ross added 18 with several rebounds. Barry Griffin fought through double-teams to finish with 18 points for Howard (9-5, 8-1), while Demontay Suttles added 11.
"We've got seven seniors that are starting to fill out their roles," Cherne said. "Tonight is going to put a lot of pressure on both us and Howard the rest of the way, because if we don't show up, we're going to get beat."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6311.
Follow Gene Henley on Twitter by following this link.