Chattanooga Prep has been the top-ranked team in TSSAA Class 2A boys’ basketball for most of this season.
The Sentinels certainly looked like No. 1 while rolling to a 30-point road win Thursday night.
Chatt Prep, which continues to hold down its classification’s top spot in the Tennessee Sports Writers Association/USA Today poll, was rock solid on defense from start to finish in a 59-29 victory against ninth-ranked Tyner to seal the District 4-2A regular-season title.
Joel Bulis wasted no time establishing defensive authority for the visitors as he blocked a pair of shots in the first two minutes of the game, while fellow senior Reid Conley also leaped to block a shot as coach Christian Collins’ Sentinels — who won back-to-back Class 1A state titles before moving up this season — exploded to a 20-3 lead by the end of the first quarter.
“Our motto is defense first over offense,” said Bulis, who leads the Sentinels with eight double-doubles this year. “Everybody has the ability to score on our team, but if you can play defense, that wins championships, too. Our coach always emphasizes defense, defense, defense. When we stay persistent on the defensive end, we are tough to stop.
“If we can keep doing that, we will make a deep run and win another state championship.”
(READ MORE: Chattanooga Prep cruises in Class 1A final, repeats as state champ)
Derrick Roberson, a Freed-Hardeman signee who was among the Tennessee Mr. Basketball finalists announced Thursday, led the offensive surge for Chatt Prep (12-10, 6-0), which has won nine of its past 10 games after going up against one of the state’s most challenging schedules the first half of the season.
The 6-foot-6 Roberson took over the paint as he scored a game-high 20 points for the 12th 20-point game of his senior season. One of his highlight plays came after Bulis secured a rebound and threw a pass ahead to the rim-running Roberson for a dunk down the middle of the lane. Roberson was 9-for-12 from the field as he shot better than 70% for the ninth time this season.
Conley showed off his shooting touch as he scored nine points in a span of five minutes, which was highlighted by a 3-pointer from the left wing and a pair of smooth jumpers from each baseline. The former Chattanooga Christian and Hamilton Heights standout is shooting nearly 50% from 3-point range this season.
The Sentinels also got a pair of alley-oop dunks early from sophomore 6-foot-3 guard Tavion Foster, a Ridgeland transfer. Foster finished with 12 points and was joined in double figures by Conley (11) and Bulis (10).
Tyner (15-10, 4-2), which lost 50-45 at Chatt Prep earlier this season, was led Thursday by eight points from Daylen Buchanan and seven from Kohl Ward.
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The 6-7 Bulis showed off his 3-point shot from the left corner in the fourth quarter and had a dunk shortly after. He also had four blocks and as many assists in the win. He has per-game averages of 12 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists (with a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio) and 1.2 blocks this season, when he has made 35% of his 3-point attempts and nearly 80% of his free throws.
“I am proud of their effort,” Collins said. “There were bragging rights on hand, and they were excellent. I loved how they remained disciplined on the offensive and defensive ends.
“Also, when Joel stays consistent on both ends of the court, we are hard to beat. In some games earlier this year against the No. 1 and 2 teams in Tennessee, he had to go off the court, and we went down. He is a big factor in our chance to three-peat as state champions. Joel is a huge piece to our team.”
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.