Oregon signee Chandler Lawson goes for fourth state title as his team, Wooddale, seeks first

MURFREESBORO — Wooddale used a 19-2 second-quarter run to break its Class AA semifinal game against Brainerd wide open and win 76-65 on Friday. 

Oregon signee Chandler Lawson posted a 14-point, 13 rebound double-double that included a number of forceful slam dunks. He has the opportunity to lead Wooddale (32-4) to its first boys basketball state title and close out his high school career as a four-time champion.

"It’s a blessing because I can do something that my brothers haven’t done and that a lot of people in Memphis haven’t done," Lawson said. "There’s a lot of great players that came out of Memphis just like me."

Chandler is the second-youngest of the four Lawson brothers behind Kansas forwards Dedric and KJ, who led Hamilton to a state title in 2015.

Johnathan Lawson, the youngest of the group, is a sophomore who finished just shy of a triple-double with 12 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. 

Chandler Lawson said that being the focal point of the Cardinal offense is different from the experience he had at East where he had to share the spotlight with Alex Lomax, James Wiseman and Malcolm Dandridge. Even though Chandler Lawson was MVP of the Class AAA state championship game in 2017, he has a bigger role now with Wooddale. 

"This year I’m on my own and I’ve got to finish it with my brother," he said.

The younger Lawsons transferred after their dad, Keelon, became Wooddale's coach. The brothers said that they feed off of one another. 

"If he’s got a mismatch, I give him the ball," said Chandler Lawson said. "If I’ve got a mismatch he gives me the ball and we just work like that." 

"I’m like a facilitator. I’m like a playmaker. I want to get my team involved, and of course I’ve got to crash boards because of my height," said Johnathan Lawson, who is 6-7. "I’ve just got to rebound and feed the shooters and score. Make sure they get their points."

Johnathan Duncan and Alvin Miles added 14 points apiece for Wooddale. Kevin Brown added 10 points. 

Wooddale will face Fulton (28-4) in the Class AA state championship game on Saturday at 1 p.m.

"(Saturday) will be a very special day not just for us but for Chandler ... so yeah, it’’s a big game but still at the same time we just want to go out there and play," Keelon Lawson said. 

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