Seven Pivotal Plays
Northeast and Whitehaven provided the riveting opening game of the TSSAA State Semifinals Friday morning. The Tigers of WHS walked away victors, 47-41.
@PrepHoopsTN fans voted in advance of the Friday morning state semifinal.
Who will win Class AAA game Friday morning?
— Prep Hoops Tennessee (@PrepHoopsTN) March 16, 2018
1) Lavontre’ Douglass palmed Anthony Whitmore’s 10′ floater seconds after the springy Whitmore enlivened his fanbase finishing a gorgeous alley-oop.
After the block McRay stood stone-faced chest-to-chest with Whitehaven’s energy infuser.
2) Devine Owens swats Jaleel Fletcher into the corner. Haven’s post defense set a real wall around the rim in the opening half. As the contest wore on Whitehaven’s imposing frontline deterred the sharp slashing Eagles from attempting their customary layups and nearby floaters.
3) Alec Kegler collected a steal near midcourt. With confidence the junior strode upfloor. A swiping foul hardly knocked him from the linear course to an and1. Northeast lead 21-19 after the made free throw.
“The crowd loves the and’1’s. It gets them going. That just builds energy up inside. It just creates energy for everybody,.
4) Jessie Payne (Whitehaven) beat the halftime buzzer by two seconds with a double-pumpfake three-pointer. The sophomore significantly gave the homestanding Tigers a 24-21 lead entering the locker room.
Both teams are shooting around 35%. Still we have 80 seconds left and the game is completely up in the air. 41-38 Whitehaven leads with the basketball. Both teams are in the bonus. @HavenTigers in the double bonus. FT good. FT good by 2020 PG Alvin Miles. 43-38 Haven.
— Prep Hoops Tennessee (@PrepHoopsTN) March 16, 2018
In fact, Whitehaven Head Coach Faragi Phillips invested a brief three minutes talking the troops before sending back onto the Murphy Center wooden rectangle.
5) Quinton Cross (Northeast) ripped #21 on his attempted spin move. With the ball in hand, Cross surged up the floor. His crisp, late pass to Jaleel Fletcher did not result in a basket, but Stephon Dougherty supplied the finish off an offensive putback.
“Coach Z used to be great at West Creek,” said Quinton Cross. “He gives me tips I just keep my dig hand low and watch their waist. They are going to go one way or the other. I just watch and then move.”
Cross’s steal further showcased the exceptional Clarksville Northeast perimeter defense. Whitehaven’s quick guards give the team all of the energy and inspiration and when an opposing guard matches that quickness the Tiger athletic advantage dissipates dramatically.
6) Like the vaunted Y2K destruction, Quinton Cross’ eleventh point did not occur with the predicted enormity. With 2:00 to play in the third quarter, Cross ripped sure-handed Alvin Miles eight feet from Miles’ own baseline. Cross drove baseline and spun up a wild layup that fell through the cylinder. Immediately the sparkling, whirling highlight was wiped from the history books. The baseline official waved it off, citing a curious albeit possibly correct charge on Cross.
Whitehaven three-pointer by Kavion McClain with a mere 0:04 seconds left capped a 8-1 Whitehaven run to end the third quarter. Cross’ and1 would have brought the game square at 29. Instead the Eagles were left staring at a nine point deficit entering the game’s final eight minutes.
7) It was yet another Quinton Cross steal instigating the final pivotal play. Down three points in the final minute, Cross stood with a wide base in Alvin Miles way. Miles coughed up the ball, Cross dribbled behind his back then darted into the lane.
“My first thought was, after I got the steal, I was originally going to take it and get an and1,” said Cross. “I saw Alec cut through so I fed him the ball.”
With one more defender to beat Cross hesi-dribbled into a pass. Whitehaven knocked Northeast’s possession loose causing Niko Gonzalez to recover the precious pill. Gonzalez forced the issue and turned the ball over himself.
Northeast never recovered. The two turnover possession was their last, best opportunity to draw square.
“We had some opportunities there,” said Head Coach Stigall. “We just didn’t capitalize. Got stops, but they are so long at the rim. They are good defensively. Even not in the halfcourt. It was difficult to finish over them. They are really good and they are really quick.”
FINAL: Whitehaven 47
Northeast 41The @HavenTigers just might get that rematch with @MemEastBB they covet.
— Prep Hoops Tennessee (@PrepHoopsTN) March 16, 2018