The Lebanon Blue Devils could easily be the Lebanon Blue Spoilers.
Twice last week Lebanon faced a team which needed a single win to clinch the top seed in the District 9-AAA tournament. But the Blue Devils blew out Green Hill last Tuesday and got past Station Camp 56-53 last Friday to complete a perfect back-nine run through the district schedule.
Lebanon’s second-half-of-the-season surge which saw the Blue Devils reel off nine straight wins against the entire district give them only the No. 4 seed in the tournament. But they are likely the team nobody wants to face as the postseason tips off with an 8-9 play-in game Wednesday and dives in full fledge this coming Friday with four quarterfinal games at home sites, including LHS’ Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court against No. 5 Wilson Central.
The Blue Devils’ win handed the No. 1 seed to Beech and the No. 2 to Green Hill with Station Camp falling to No. 3.
“Our guys have been playing really well, playing with a lot of confidence,” Lebanon coach Jim McDowell said. “My biggest thing tonight was we talked about toughness the last nine ballgames. We got guys laying out on the floor (for) loose balls, taking charges, making plays.”
But it wasn’t easy as Lebanon’s 14-7 first-quarter lead and 22-16 second-half advantage went by the wayside in a 9-0 Station Camp run for a 25-22 Bison lead. Yarin Alexander’s steal and feed to Jarred Hall for a dunk brought the Blue Devils to within 25-24 by halftime.
The teams went back and forth throughout a thrilling third quarter which ended with Alexander’s 17-foot swish from the key for a 38-36 Lebanon lead.
Lebanon led by five early in the fourth quarter before Station Camp came back for slim leads, the last at 50-48 on Isaiah Davis’ dunk off a no-look pass from Kheller Die with 2:14 to play.
But Corey Jones stuck a 3-pointer from the wing with 1:42 left to put Lebanon ahead to stay 51-50. A free throw by Alexander and tip-in by Hall made it 54-50 and the Blue Devils survived the final 51.3 seconds from the foul line to improve to 15-7 for the season and 11-5 overall.
Hall had 21 points to lead Lebanon while Alexander added 12 and Jones 10, including a pair of 3-pointers. Wyatt Bowling and Jaylen Abston each scored six and Jackson Painter a free throw.
Tyler Moore led Station Camp with 14 points while Eli Rice threw in 13 and Davis 11 as the Bison fell to 20-6, 12-4, ending a six-game winning streak of their own. They will host Gallatin next Friday while Green Hill entertains Mt. Juliet. Beech will await Wednesday’s 8-9 play-in winner between Portland and Hendersonville as the top seven teams prepare feverishly for Friday’s elimination games.
“Coach (Michael) Teeter’s done a good job with (the Wildcats),” McDowell said. “They’re playing as hard as anybody that we play. This is the longest week of the year to wait.
“It’ll be a lot of film watched and a lot of game-planning that goes into this coming week. Just trying to make sure we keep our guys healthy, keep them locked in and hopefully we’ll have all our bullets in the chamber next Friday.”
Markus’ fast start, Kerr’s 23 in second half spark Central to regular season-ending win
HENDERSONVILLE — Wilson Central closed its regular season last Friday with a 58-51 win over Hendersonville.
Adler Kerr scored all 23 of his points in the second half, connecting on 10 of 11 free throws, to help the Wildcats climb to a final 9-7 in District 9-AAA and 11-11 for the season.
Zack Markus scored 13 of his 17 points, including all three of his 3-pointers, in the first quarter to ignite Central to a 17-5 lead. Hendersonville trimmed the margin to 23-15 by halftime before Kerr came alive for 15 third-period points as the Wildcats climbed to a 45-34 lead.
Hunter Scurlock scored eight points for Central while Ethan Thomas tossed in six, Austin Alexander a 3 and Damian Fayne a free throw.
Dace Shuck scored 15 points off the bench as Hendersonville fell to 4-15, 2-14.
Wilson Central finished the season as the No. 5 seed in the district tournament, which will send the Wildcats to Lebanon for a quarterfinal/elimination game at 7 p.m. Friday.
Watertown knocks off York in finale with strong fourth quarter
WATERTOWN — In a game that meant nothing in the District 8-AA standings, Watertown posted a big 73-66 upset of York Institute in the regular-season finale last Friday night.
The Purple Tigers were already locked in as the No. 4 seed and York at No. 2, but Watertown served seized some momentum for the district tournament which will tip off tonight at home sites. The Tigers drew a first-round bye and will play at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against either Macon County or Cannon County with the winner advancing to this Saturday’s 7 p.m. semifinal at top-seeded Upperman.
Watertown widened a 20-19 first-quarter edge to 43-35 going into halftime. York pulled into a 49-49 tie going into the fourth before the Purple Tigers closed out the Dragons with a 24-17 fourth.
Eli Scarlett scored nine of his game-high 28 points in the fourth period for the Purple Tigers while Gavin Clayborne connected on 4 of 5 free throws and scored eight of his 13 during the period.
Scarlett swished five 3-pointers on his way to 28 points while Clayborne threw in 13, including two triples. Brayden Cousino notched nine points while Brady Raines racked up two 3s on his way to eight. Quanterrius Hughes-Malone scored seven points, Trent Spradlin six and Ian Fryer two as Watertown improved to 15-7 for the season and 8-6 in the district.
Bryson Bilbrey totaled 22 points and Riley Cooper 16 for the Dragons, who returned to Jamestown 16-10, 11-3.
Friendship finishes fourth in 4-IIA, travels to CPA for Middle Region quarterfinal
NASHVILLE — Friendship Christian finished fourth in the District 4-IIA tournament following a 49-39 defeat at Davidson Academy last Saturday.
The Commanders, seeded sixth for the tournament, will carry a 12-12 record to District 3 champion Christ Presbyterian for the Middle Region elimination round Wednesday.
Davidson led 7-6 following the first quarter, 18-12 at halftime and 32-19 at halftime as the Bears improved to 16-9 and a first-round region date at Bell Buckle Webb.
Drevo Jimenez scored 16 points while Gerald Davis dropped in two 3-pointers on his way to 11 as each sank 5 of 6 free throws.
Cole Kring led the Commanders with nine points. Max Duckwiler dropped in a pair of 3-pointers as he, Hayden Potts and Casey Jones each collected eight points while Dillon Turner and Colby Jones threw in a 3 apiece.
DCA sends Friendship to district consolation
DONELSON — Friendship Christian fell into the District 4-IIA consolation contest with a 64-47 semifinal loss at Donelson Christian last Friday.
The Commanders went to Davidson Academy on Saturday to decide third and fourth place with both going to Christ Presbyterian or Bell Buckle Webb in the Middle Region elimination round later this week.
DCA led 14-13 following the first quarter, 26-21 at halftime and 43-36 going into the fourth as the Wildcats climbed to 18-4 for the season.
Ben Singer swished a pair of 3-pointers to lead DCA with 20 points while Jude Charlton, Jon Lewis and Blake Anderson each threw in 13.
Dillon Turner sank 6 of 8 free throws and a pair of free throws to lead the Commanders with 18 points. Max Duckwiler and Cole Kring each scored six points, Hayden Potts and Casey Jones five apiece, Charley Carpenter and Colby Jones a 3 each and Riggs Rowe a free throw as Friendship fell to 12-11.
Bears pull away in fourth quarter to put away Gallatin
MT. JULIET — Mt. Juliet dominated the fourth quarter last Friday night to close the regular season with a 57-42 win over Gallatin.
The Golden Bears controlled the Green Wave 20-7 in the fourth to widen a 37-35 edge to their 10th triumph of the season against 17 setbacks, a final 6-10 in District 9-AAA.
The teams were tied 12-12 following the first quarter before Mt. Juliet edged in front 25-22 by halftime.
Osize Daniyan sank 6 of 8 free throws to lead Mt. Juliet with 15 points while Jacob Burge buriedall five of his foul shots in finishing with 11. Daniel Beard’s 10 included a pair of 3-pointers. Kyle Taylor tossed in nine points, Josh Keck five, Bodie Wells a 3, Zach Freeman two and Carson Coleman and Brandon Brown a free throw apiece.
Cade Martin threw in 13 points to lead the Green Wave, who finished 13-9, 7-9.
Mt. Juliet is the No. 7 seed in the district tournament and will travel 10 minutes down Lebanon Pike to take on No. 2 Green Hill this coming Friday while the No. 6 Green Wave travel to their crosstown rival Station Camp.