After having its double-digit lead cut to three points midway through the fourth quarter, McCallie needed a leader to step up Friday night.
Even with three seniors on the floor, it was a junior who took control, as Jr. Clay reeled off nine straight points over the next three minutes, sparking his team to a 59-45 Division II-AA East-Middle Region home win over rival Baylor.
"I ripped into him a little bit at halftime for not getting other people involved on offense," McCallie coach John Shulman said of Clay, who finished with 13 points. "But when it came down to crunch time, I said, 'Jr., go win the game.'
"And he pretty much put us on his back when we needed it. The emotion of this rivalry is really hard for kids to play in. It's unlike any other game we play, and you just never know how it's going to affect guys sometimes."
Twice Baylor rallied from 10-point deficits to get within one possession, but each time the Blue Tornado were able to answer with a scoring run of their own to reclaim control.
"We had our chances, but we missed some shots down the stretch when we really needed them," Baylor coach Austin Clark said. "I think the way our kids fought and kept coming back says a lot about their character. They never quit.
"We haven't played as many games as some teams, but I can't fault our effort."
McCallie (22-3, 6-1) has played 11 more games than Baylor and benefited from that experience. That and the fact the Blue Tornado rely on an older and deeper roster showed in critical moments. Five times McCallie reeled off scoring runs of six consecutive points or more, making Baylor (8-6, 2-4) play catch-up for much of the game.
But after back-to-back 3-pointers from Tre Jackson helped get Baylor within 44-41, Clay answered by driving to the basket three times for points and punctuated the deciding run with his only 3-pointer of the night.
"I was pushing too much in the first half, trying to make things happen," Clay said. "They were playing me man-to-man and I just felt like I could beat them to the basket. Once I let the game start coming to me, after that first shot went down for me, everything seemed to just get easier for that stretch, and I just enjoyed it."
Jorden Starling scored 16 points and Max Shulman added 10 for the winners. Jaylon Baker scored 13 and Beyaun Hendricks and Patrick Urey had 11 each for Baylor.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.