How Auden Slaughter left mark on TSSAA's boys basketball state tournament record books

MURFREESBORO – Auden Slaughter was a regular at the free throw line Friday.

Slaughter tied TSSAA boys basketball state tournament records for most free throws attempted and made in Santa Fe's Class 1A state semifinal with Chattanooga Prep at Middle Tennessee State's Murphy Center. Santa Fe lost the semifinal, 62-51.

Slaughter attempted 26 free throws, tying Kenton’s Buddy Viniard who set the record in 1957 against Knoxville Fulton. He made 21 of the attempts, tying Viniard and Austin East’s Chris Wooten, who accomplished the feat in 1980.

“I mean, it was a real physical game, so I would assume that was going to be the case,” Slaughter said in response to the record. “I don't know, it was just a real, real physical game. And I went to the line and made them, but just couldn't come out with a win, even with the amount of free throws we shot.”

Santa Fe finished its season 26-6, appearing at the TSSAA state tournament for the first time in program history.

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Slaughter finished the game with 41 points, on 10-for-30 shooting, after scoring 30 in Santa Fe’s quarterfinal win over North Greene. He averaged 34.8 points per game entering the tournament.

“I sent (my team) a text message early this morning and even yesterday and I said the game plan was to stop (Slaughter),” Chattanooga Prep coach Christian Collins said. “I guess it’s just one thing for me to tell those guys what to expect. And it's another thing for them to go out there and really see like, ‘Oh Lord this is what coach is talking about.’ So you know this guy, he's a demon.”