BRISTOL, Va. – Tri-Cities Christian Academy wasn’t able to collect its 21st triumph of the season on Friday night, but coach Tyrone Smith could count a slim setback as a moral victory for the bunch from Blountville, Tennessee.
“That’s a win at the end of the day for us,” Smith said. “I love my guys and these kids played so hard. I throw them to the wolves every game we play.”
The Eagles couldn’t convert on several opportunities to seal the deal in dropping a 70-68 double-overtime decision to IMG Academy’s National Spotlight Blue team on Friday during the Friendship Cars Virginia Invitational presented by Big Shots at Virginia High’s Bearcat Den.
Tri-Cities (20-8) trailed 42-24 with 5:36 left in the third quarter before the Eagles shot themselves back into the game and seized all the momentum.
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“When times get hard and adversity comes,” said 6-foot-8 Tri-Cities Christian center Cross Chadwick. “That just brings us together.”
It took a collective effort to rally the Eagles back as several players hit clutch shots. Freshman guard Loften Looney scored all 19 of his points after halftime.
“We were prepared,” said IMG coach Jeremy Schiller. “I felt like we were fortunate to be up at the half, because they weren’t hitting shots, but they were getting offensive rebounds. They controlled the glass the whole time and executed great in the second half.”
Tri-Cities led 55-50 with 54.3 seconds remaining in regulation, but IMG rallied. The Eagles were up 62-59 with 14 seconds left in the first overtime session, but couldn’t put the Ascenders (9-9) away.
There was a 68-65 advantage for the local club with 45 ticks left on clock in the second OT, but again the Eagles couldn’t hold on and this time it resulted in defeat.
A 14-for-27 showing from the free throw line and 15 turnovers on the stat line goes to show that the Eagles were just one play away from a statement win.
“We’re young and I tell everybody that,” Smith said. “We just played grown men and we’re young. Their sense of urgency is different than our sense of urgency. Our [starting backcourt] is all freshmen and sophomores.”
A veteran in senior point guard Jorge Cardenas showed plenty of moxie for IMG and he delivered the game-winner on a drive to the hoop with four seconds remaining in the second OT. He finished with 14 points.
“Jorge’s super tough and always has been,” Schiller said. “He’s learning how to become a complete point guard and I’m proud of the progress he’s made and the leadership he shows all the time. It’s nice to have the ball in his hands at the end and he made the right play. If he had made the wrong play we would have trusted him too.”
Cardenas showed respect to the guards on the opposing side.
“They have some great players from the first guy on their team to really everybody that played for them,” Cardenas said. “Of course, everybody in this tournament was good and we expect that. We were ready.”
Colin Ndaw (13 points, five assists) and Giulio Volonte (16 points, four rebounds) were also integral to the win for the school from Bradenton, Florida.
Chadwick (12 points), Christopher Mulombeia (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Will Holmes (10 points) joined Looney as double-digit scorers for Tri-Cities. Chadwick is headed to NCAA Division II Emory & Henry.
“It’s definitely a tough loss,” Chadwick said. “But our goal from the start was just to go out there and compete. I’m proud of all our guys for coming out after the half and competing.”
TRI-CITIES CHRISTIAN (68) – Peters 0-3 0-0 0, C. Chadwick 3-7 6-8 12, L. Looney 6-24 3-4 19, Mulombeia 4-11 2-5 10, A. Chadwick 4-7 1-4 9, J. Looney 0-0 0-0 0, Dixon 1-6 0-0 2, Holmes 3-5 2-3 10, Britton 2-4 0-2 6, Cocolough 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 23-67 14-27 68.
IMG BLUE (70) – Ndaw 4-8 3-5 13, Richardson 3-5 1-2 9, Scott 1-6 0-0 3, Cardenas 6-15 0-0 14, Volonte 6-11 3-4 16, Sithole 3-9 0-1 8, Harrington 0-1 0-0 0, Martin 1-2 1-2 3, Graewert 1-2 2-2 4, Meyer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-59 10-16 70.
Tri-Cities 14 5 20 17 6 6—68
IMG Blue 14 18 10 14 6 8—70
3-point goals – TCC 8-27 (L. Looney 4-11, Holmes 2-4, Britton 2-4, Dixon 0-1, C. Chadwick 0-1, Mulombeia 0-1, A. Chadwick 0-2, Peters 0-3), IMG Blue 10-31 (Richardson 2-2, Ndaw 2-6, Sithole 2-6, Cardenas 2-7, Volonte 1-4, Scott 1-5, Harrington 0-1). Rebounds – TCC 34 (Mulombeia 11), IMG Blue 330 (Ndaw, Richardson 5). Total fouls – TCC 16, IMG Blue 22. Fouled out – Volonte. Technicals – none.
NC GBB National 71, Wesley Christian 60
NC GBB stands for North Carolina Good Better Best.
The trio of Caden Bell (13 points), CJ Alston (18 points) and Jalik Nichols (19 points) were good, better and best on Friday for the Durham, North Carolina-based squad.
The wild back-and-forth contest saw NC GBB grab a 21-11 lead after one quarter, fall behind 35-30 at halftime and then open the second half on a 21-9 run in dominating the rest of the way.
Nikita Bolshove led Wesley Christian from Allen, Kentucky, with 21 points. Adame Ouertani (12 points) and Sackey Sefa (nine points, 10 rebounds) were also leaders for the Kentuckians.
NC GBB NATIONAL (71) – Alston 6-10 4-4 18, Dean 2-4 0-0 5, Bell 3-8 6-7 13, Nichols 6-11 5-7 19, Soh 3-6 0-2 7, Robinson 1-5 1-2 4, McNeil 1-3 3-5 5. Totals 22-47 19-27 71.
WESLEY CHRISTIAN (60) – Bolshov 8-16 3-4 21, Okojie 2-5 0-0 4, Ouertani 5-8 2-2 12, Sefa 4-8 0-0 9, Portnol 1-1 0-0 2, Wojcigo 2-4 0-0 6, Munka 3-7 0-0 6, Sleiman 0-0 0-0 0, Oiali 0-0 0-0 0, Tavkhelidze 0-0 0-0 0, Makobu 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-49 5-6 60.
NC GBB 21 9 21 20—71
Wesley 11 24 9 16—60
3-point goals – NC GBB 8-22 (Alston 2-3, Nichols 2-6, Soh 1-2, Robinson 1-2, Dean 1-3, Bell 1-5, McNeil 0-1), WC 5-16 (Wojcigo 2-4, Bolshov 2-5, Sefa 1-5, Okojie 0-2). Rebounds – NC GBB 15 (Bell, Robinson 4), WC 31 (Sefa 10). Assists – NCGBB 4 (Bell, Soh 2), WC 6 (Ouertani 3). Total fouls – NC GBB 3, WC 18. Fouled out – none. Technical – WC team.
Can Amer Prep 71, Minnesota Prep 41
Tim Eze led the way for the Canadians with 19 points in a blowout win.
NCAA Division I recruit Jaylan Petterson scored 27 of Minnesota Prep’s 41 points.