Free throw work pays off for Frey, HVA, in last-second win vs. West
HARDIN VALLEY — Last season, then sophomore point guard Bryson Frey wasn’t a very good free throw shooter. That’s his assessment.
Now a Hardin Valley Academy junior, Frey said he put in lots of off-season work at the charity stripe. He estimated it’s improved his free throw shooting roughly 20 percent during the 2023-24 season.
It went up, at least a tiny bit more, in the most dramatic of situations — with the Hawks’ Senior Night game at HVA against District 4-4A foe Knoxville West hanging in the balance.
Though West (6-4 finish in 4-4A) blew a first-half nine point lead, the Runnin’ Rebs rallied from a late 47-41 deficit to lead 52-50 — and rebounded a Hawks missed shot with just 5.5 seconds to play in regulation. In addition, HVA was out of timeouts as West guard Jailon Hill went to the free throw line.
He missed both, and Frey got the ball just beyond half court and flung up a desperation shot that wasn’t close — but he was fouled in the act of shooting with just 0.5 seconds left.
“Well, the first thing I thought was, ‘no way — he just fouled me?’ Why would they foul?’” Frey recalled after successfully handing all the pressure and nailing all three free throws, giving Hardin Valley the 53-52 win.
“And then I said, ‘Well, God, this is a lot of pressure,’” added the junior, who scored six overall. “But then I think of last year; I didn’t shoot too well from the free throw line, but I’ve spent so much time shooting free throws in the gym and stuff, so I knew I didn’t feel any pressure at all right there. I knew I was going to hit all three.”
“He looked really confident when I saw him step up — and be honest with you, I only watched the first one. The last two, I just watched his dad (Justin Frey),” said HVA head coach Andrew Arendt, whose Hawks finished the regular season 14-13 overall, 4-6 in District (No. 4 seed in 4-4A Tournament; see breakdown above).
“Bryson’s been huge for us, especially the second half of the year when we’ve had all these injuries and Bryson’s had to step up and be our primary ball handler,” the coach added.
Post Tommy Joseph, the Hawks’ lone senior, scored 12. “We haven’t won here on senior night in, like, four years,” he said. “It’s the greatest feeling ever.”
Two HVA junior wings stepped up: Ben Brophy had a game-high 18 points while Isaac Ratliff scored 10. Guard Maurice Clark led West with 16 points.
