Still a great comeback
Despite ‘foul’ finish: Dawgs 2nd in state
Though Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett senior wing Jack Browder scored a game-high 30 points — which included a huge go-ahead three-point basket with 1:35 to play in overtime on top of his game-high 13 rebounds, key late blocks and drawing the contest’s biggest charge on defense — “I know that I definitely panicked a little bit,” he said about a wild fourth quarter.
His KD-B Indians (33-6) pulled away late in OT — with Bearden’s top three players gone with fouls by late in the extra four minutes — to win the state crown 69-60 in Murphy Center at MTSU March 19. But it was the Dawgs’ aggressive, trapping, swarming defense that caused numerous late turnovers, helping erase a 39-24 Indians lead after three quarters.
“Anytime you’re at the precipice of giving in or picking up, we picked up,” BHS head coach Jeremy Parrott said. “We would have gone to it earlier, but we were already in foul trouble.”
“They’re athletic, (with Hayden) Moseley up on top of the pressure, he’s probably the most athletic person we’ve played all season,” Browder said about the Bearden senior wing who, while leading the Bulldogs in points with 25 on top of his defensive prowess, also sent the game into overtime.
With Bearden (31-7) down 52-49 and just 7.8 seconds left in regulation, star senior guard Elijah Bredwood — a Mr. Basketball state finalist — drove the ball about three-quarters court before finding Moseley in the corner. His three-point shot swished the net just before the buzzer, completing the comeback.
“I told Elijah to give it to me,” said Moseley, who joined Bredwood and standout Bulldog senior post Darian Bailey on the All-State Tournament team. Also team leader in rebounds with 11, Moseley fouled out with 36 seconds left in overtime.
Late in overtime
Tied 56-56, and with both team’s top player saddled with four fouls, Browder’s three-pointer from the corner late in OT put the Indians up 59-56. Then came the other huge play.
“And when (Bredwood) went off the bounce and Jack was able to set up for that charge, that was a big moment,” KD-B head coach Chris Poore said about Bredwood’s fifth foul.
Two Indians free throws made it 61-56, with 1:09 left, and KD-B never looked back.
Saddled with three first-half fouls, then picking up his fourth two minutes into the third quarter, Bredwood ended with 13 points for the state runner-ups, while senior guard Wyatt Shomaker scored nine and senior wing Walker Kyle seven.
Bailey, scoring four, also had three first-half fouls and picked up No. four with 2:54 left in the third. He fouled out with 2:42 to go in the fourth.
