Ringgold player Zach Dean, 10, dribbles the ball down the court while surrounded by East Hall players Kevon Davenport, 34, Tristin Cooper, 24, and Jocquein Hopkins, 22, during the Ringgold vs. East Hall prep basketball game on Saturday in Ringgold, Ga.RINGGOLD, Ga. – A miraculous comeback by the Ringgold Tigers in the Class AAA state basketball tournament Saturday night fell agonizingly short. But it took a great play by a clutch player to end their run.
East Hall junior forward Kevan Davenport put back his own miss as time expired to give the Vikings a 60-58 victory over the game and gritty Tigers in David Moss Gymnasium. It rewrote the ending many in the stands were hoping for, as the Tigers trailed by nine points with four minutes to play but rallied and drew even on a 3-pointer by Kyle Sholl with 48 seconds left.
The Tigers further courted the improbable when Dakota Baer stole an East Hall pass. But that thrill lasted only about five seconds as the Vikings’ Elijiah Lipscomb stole it back to allow the visitors to set up the final shot.
Out of position under the backboard, Davenport contorted his body to flip the ball up to the rim, and he was in slightly better position when he one-handed the rebound home. No time even remained for Ringgold coach Greg Elkins to call a timeout.
“He’s such an active player, he makes things happen,” said East Hall coach Joe Dix, whose team will play Tuesday in the second round. “We made a key play down the stretch and found a way to get it to him. He didn’t have much of a first shot, but his hard work got him a second chance.”