With just one starter back, Blackman boys basketball makes eighth straight sectional

After graduating 13 seniors in two seasons, including four starters from last year's team, it wouldn't have been a stretch to think the Blackman boys basketball team was finally set for a "down" season.

Or at least a rebuilding one.

That's not exactly how things have played out, which isn't good news for the rest of District 7-AAA and Region 4-AAA.

The Blaze, with just one senior starter, didn't lower their expectations or settle for being in a rebuilding mode.

That philosophy has landed the Blaze back in the sectional for the eighth consecutive season. The Blaze accomplished that with a 58-48 win over Siegel in the region semifinals Wednesday night at Riverdale.

"We didn't look at it as rebuilding," said Blackman senior and lone returning starter Jordan Burchfield. "We just looked at it as having young guys. They weren't even that inexperienced, if you consider practicing every day with (former Blaze standouts) guys like Trent Gibson and Brandon Thomas.

"They just needed games under their belt. They're proving it now."

Blackman (20-10) did end a streak of nine consecutive District 7-AAA regular-season titles and finished fourth in the league tournament.

But the Blaze have gotten it done when it counts, pulling off a win over No. 1 seed Columbia in the region quarterfinals and then knocking off Siegel, the No. 2 seed from 7-AAA, in the semis.

"It's rewarding," said Blackman coach Barry Wortman, on the team's progression. "Those guys kept growing and staying together. The team continued to make progress. It's exciting, but there's more to go."

That "more" included Thursday night's region championship against Oakland and then Monday's sectional contest against either Cleveland or East Hamilton.

A win in the sectional would put the Blaze in the Class AAA state tournament for the seventh time in eight seasons.

This time it would be with arguably Wortman's youngest squad.

"That shows you what kind of program Blackman has built," said Burchfield. "Coach Wortman says that other programs rent success, we own it."

Junior Jalen Page hit an 80-foot buzzer-beater and also had a thunderous breakaway dunk against Siegel.

"We've always thought we could be in the mix of things," said Page, who got some playing time as a sophomore last season. "Coach (Wortman) has held us to that all season. We've had some ups and downs, but it's been a good season.

"We've gotten extremely better. We've learned each other's tendencies ... when they're hot and when they're not. It's been more energetic as the season has gone on."

Wortman is taking everything in stride and knows his team has a lot more growing to do. He hopes it continues that for a few more games.

"We didn't know if we would be good enough to win the (regular season) league (for the ninth straight time)," said Wortman, whose 2013-14 team won the Class AAA state title. "But our goal was getting better. Having this (sectional) opportunity was a goal.

"I liked our team during the regular season. We did some good things. I'm just pleased that we continued to grow and get better."

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.

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