Dublin takes Class AA boys crown

Macon — If you had told Dublin post player Tawaski King he would miss two dunks but his team would win the state championship, he’d have been OK with that.

“I’d be all right with it, knowing my teammates picked up the slack,” King said.

King made only two of four dunks but was one of four Dublin players to score in double figures in a 79-64 victory against Blessed Trinity Saturday in the Class AA championship.

The outcome was clearly better for King and his teammates than last year, when the Irish lost in the semifinals.

Senior guard Chris Smith was the show in the first half, scoring 17 of his 28 points, and the Irish (31-1) spread it around the rest of the way. King finished with 16, Sherrard Brantley 15 and Rashard Smith 12.

Chris Smith said last year’s loss fueled Dublin all season.

“We thought we had it last year, but we didn’t,” he said. “We just said we weren’t going to lose again.”

In winning their 23rd consecutive game and second championship in four years, the Irish led by as many as 17 in the first half and kept the lead in the mid-teens before the Titans (26-7) put up a 12-5 run.

“You just pick your poison with them, and they had probably one of their best shooting nights all season,” said Blessed Trinity coach Brian Marks.

Blessed Trinity’s Arris Brundidge hit two free throws with 4:57 left to cut it to 61-51, but Dublin scored the next nine points over two minutes and put the game out of reach.

Ryan LeGates led Blessed Trinity with 23 points, and Jake Skole had 14.