Briarcrest boys top four-time defending champ Brentwood Academy for first title since 2008

NASHVILLE — Briarcrest dethroned four-time defending champion Brentwood Academy in the DII-AA state boys basketball title game with a 65-54 victory Saturday for its first title since 2008. 

Kennedy Chandler led all scorers with 20 points and grabbed five rebounds, claiming the tournament MVP award.  

"It's a dream come true," said Chandler. "My first one." 

Briarcrest erased a seven-point halftime deficit behind eight third-quarter points from Omari Thomas, who is the No. 3 2020 football prospect in Tennessee according to the 247Sports composite. 

"The difference was I just didn't get down on myself, I stayed up and helped the team do other things, box out and rebound just being a good defensive team player," said Thomas. "And then in the third quarter, it came to me and I knocked down the first shot, then I just got in a groove and after that started knocking down my free-throws."

He finished with 14 points and six rebounds and was 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. 

"At the beginning of the year I'd probably go 2-for-10," said Thomas with a laugh. "But we go in at practice working at it every day. Every day before we leave you've got to make 10 free throws." 

Thomas was named to the all-tournament team along with Chandler and Marcellus Brigham, who scored 18 points. 

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The Saints started the fourth quarter down by one and never looked back after reclaiming the lead. Briarcrest shot 69 percent from the field in the second half.  

"From the four-minute mark down to the two-and-a-half minute mark it seemed like they scored every time," Brentwood Academy coach Hubie Smith said. "We just could not get a stop. And if we could have gotten a stop we maybe could have had a chance to take the lead and the game would have been different."

Marcus Fitzgerald and Randy Brady, the top-ranked sophomore in Tennessee according to the 247Sports composite, combined for 23 first-half points but were held to just eight in the second half.

Chandler, who is also a sophomore, has offers from SMU, Ole Miss and Tulane among others.

The Mr. Basketball finalist was invited participate in the USA Junior National Team Minicamp and is looking forward to the experience. 

"It's going to be in April, in Minnesota, and it's going to be a really good experience. They're going to take us to a Final-Four game for March Madness. It's going to be a good time," said Chandler.