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Saturday, March 10, 2007
Class A champs truly worthy of title
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Macon — Maybe we all should have gotten a map and figured out exactly where Wilkinson County is and then taken the drive 20 minutes south of here, along state Route 57.
It would have been worth the excursion.
There you will find the Class A boys champions, a team worthy of all the kudos sure to be bestowed upon it in its small community — almost all of whom were loudly present for the Warriors’ thrilling 79-75 overtime victory over equally deserving Whitefield Academy on Saturday.
In a game that featured so much, this was evident: There is not a team that plays harder or more aggressively than Wilkinson County. It is a program filled with tough, athletic and quick players who never lose sight of the mission — get the ball.
One play symbolizes what coach Aaron Geter Jr. has instilled in his team, and it just so happened to have secured the title. Wilkinson pulled all its players off the foul line as LaQuinten Jones stepped up for two free throws with :09 left.
Jones made the first, putting the Warriors up 78-75. His second shot rimmed out, but Jones beat four Whitfield players to the ball to collect the rebound.
Three seconds later, he made one more foul shot, and that was enough to touch off a thunderous roar from the Wilkinson County supporters.
Their screams were as much joy as they were relief. They witnessed a classic, a game that will be recalled by anyone present (or who watched on GPB), as it having more plot turns than an entire season of “Desperate Housewives.”
So many superlative efforts stood out, including that of 6-foot-9 Martavious Adams (headed to Oklahoma State), who had 24 points despite serious foul-shooting troubles. In fact, the Warriors missed six straight free throws in the last 28 seconds of regulation.
But they continued to get to the line because of their size advantage and effort. Senario Hillman, who has signed with Alabama, plays basketball as if he’s driving in NASCAR. His speed is astounding and eclipsed only by his leaping ability.
Guard Gary Johnson and 6-8 Dontrell Taylor were among the other Warriors players who provided energy and might that proved decisive.
Whitefield should not be disappointed in its effort, only the results. Coach Tyrone Johnson has constructed a program at Whitefield Academy that has staying power.
Anyone who thought the Wolfpack would fall off with star Tim Morris’ graduation four years ago — or the subsequent transfers of Kevin Anderson and Cameron Heyward — you know differently.
Johnson’s team is laced with talented sophomores, who had to overcome a few questionable referee calls (to be kind). Down 68-61 in the fourth, they battled back behind Brandon Reed (29 points) and two foul shots by senior Junard Hartley to get to overtime.
Hartley and Kelvin McConnell, one of the best perimeter shooters in Georgia, were the only seniors on a squad that has a chance to play on the last night of the season for a few years to come, with Reed, Colin Reddick, Addison Davids, Trey Miller, Charlie Reddick and Kris Redding, among others, all 10th-graders.
Still, this loss hurts. Whitefield has been in the title game three of the past four years, only to accept the consolation trophy each time.
Saturday was a day for Wilkinson County, a champion worth a visit.
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Guess what, Tucker: You’re not dreaming
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For a few fleeting moments, in the euphoria of an improbable championship Friday night, James Hartry thought he was dreaming. All around him were his Tucker players and staff, wildly celebrating their ascent to the apex of their class.
And when Hartry felt the tears rolling down his face, he knew it was real.
Tucker was champion.
That the Tigers tamed nationally ranked DeKalb County rival Columbia, which had a 51-game winning streak, heightened the celebration. The Eagles, led by the classy Phil McCrary, held the title with dignity. But on this night, the team it had twice defeated this season performed with a purpose and poise in earning the 56-51 victory at Gwinnett Arena.
For Hartry, it is the ultimate validation, although he already had a three-year record of 86-9 and three consecutive semifinalappearances. The animated, slickly dressed leader was so emotional that he could barely finish describing what the triumph meant to him.
“Five years ago, people said I couldn’t do this. They said I couldn’t coach, that I didn’t deserve the job,” he said. He paused to shed more tears, composed himself and continued.
“Well, here I am. They said I couldn’t close the door. Well, with these great kids, we opened the door and closed it. And I could not be more proud. This is a championship accomplished by everyone in the Tucker family.”
That includes the best player in Tucker history, former star Cameron Tatum. The Tennessee-bound forward was hoarse from rooting on his alma mater.
“I told the guys, ‘Do something I didn’t do. Go down in history. Make your mark. Win it.’ And they did,” Tatum said from his front-row seat afterward. “I’m so proud. I feel like I won it and I didn’t even play.”
From Marshon Brooks to Jeremy Simmons to Manny Atkins to Nick DeLoach and especially to Cheveckio (Chevy) Wilson, the Tigers played with a fervor and confidence that carried the night.
Atkins, only a sophomore, has star quality. He scored a team-high 18 points, including two free throws with 14 seconds left that gave Tucker a three-point cushion. DeLoach played exhaustive minutes at point guard, controlling the game. Simmons was a man, and his vicious two-handed dunk in the fourth quarter raised the roof.
Brooks reined in his penchant for overly aggressive play and made plays off the dribble that broke down Columbia’s perimeter defense. And then there was Wilson. He was huge in a two-minute stretch after Lance Storrs tied the score and swung the ebb and flow toward the Eagles.
First, he tied up Travis Leslie in the lane to give Tucker possession. Then he hit a 15-foot jump shot for a 47-41 Tucker lead. Then he had a steal on the ensuing possession, was fouled and made two free throws with 2:37 to play that made the score 49-41. That span of action held it together for the Tigers.
Up by three, Tucker endured Storrs’ missed 3-point shot rimming in and out of the basket in the final seconds.
Holding the championship trophy afterward, Wilson was near hysteria. “I can’t describe this,” he said. “There were so many doubters … but we believed.”
Believe it or not, Tucker graduated eight seniors, four starters, from last year’s team, making this championship even more improbable.
“Special,” Hartry said. “These guys and my staff worked hard for it and have been rewarded. And it’s not a dream — thank God.”
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