CLEVELAND, Tenn. – As a quarterback who threw for more than 3,000 yards during football season, Walker Valley’s Kolten Gibson knows a good pass when he delivers one. And he delivered a key one in the Mustangs’ District 5-AAA high school basketball semifinal Saturday at Walker Valley.
From right in front of his team’s bench, Gibson spotted teammate Jordan Munck cutting toward the basket late in the overtime period of the Mustangs’ game against East Hamilton. Munck made the catch and the ensuing layup with 24 seconds showing.
It took a couple of defensive stands in the waning seconds, but Walker Valley was able to hang on and defeat the Hurricanes 62-60.
Walker Valley (17-14) will play in Tuesday’s championship against Cleveland (21-4) at 7:30 p.m. East Hamilton (21-7) will take on McMinn County (10-16) in the game for third place at 6.
Monday’s 7:30 p.m. girls’ final will feature Bradley Central (27-0) facing East Hamilton (24-4). The third-place game at 6 is between Walker Valley (16-10) and Cleveland (16-12).
Gibson and Munck pretty much were the Mustangs’ offense, with Gibson scoring 27 points and Munck scoring 22, and the two combined for all nine of their team’s 3-point goals. Five came in succession to close the first-quarter scoring for Walker Valley, which took a 23-13 lead after one period.
The Mustangs’ largest lead was 39-24 after scoring the first basket of the second half. Then the ‘Canes battled back and tied it at 54 when DaVae Hughley made both ends of a one-and-bonus situation at the fourth quarter’s 1:45 mark for the final points in regulation.
East Hamilton worked the clock for the last shot, calling timeout with 14.3 seconds to go. But Zeke Westfield made a key defensive play and the game went to overtime.
“We knew they were going to hop in a zone, so we tried to get a look we liked,” East Hamilton coach Zach Roddenberry said. “We just went to the hole, but (Westfield) made a nice block. We still had another look. We just forced it.”
After Munck’s score in the last half-minute of the extra period, East Hamilton’s Cameron Montgomery put up a 3-point shot from the right corner. But Gibson got a piece of it and it resulted in a held-ball situation with three seconds left and the arrow pointing in favor of the ‘Canes.
Hughley, who led East Hamilton with 27 points, took the final shot from out front, with Munck flying by, and it was off the mark. Walker Valley coach Bob Williams had used two timeouts before the ‘Canes inbounded under the basket.
“They came out in a 1-4 along the baseline,” Williams said. “I just wanted to see where their people were at. We were just going to try and stay but switch if we needed to. We almost got a deflection on the last play. Actually I couldn’t see it anyway. I think I had my eyes closed. There was nothing I could do at that point anyway.”
Montgomery contributed 13 points for the ‘Canes. Drew Williams chipped in with nine.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.