Game-winning shot wouldn’t fall as HVA boys finish ’23-24
MARYVILLE — It was only fitting that the ball was in Bryson Frey’s hands to attempt a buzzer-beating, game-winning three-point shot in the first round of the District 4-4A Boys Basketball Tournament at Maryville High School Wednesday night, Feb. 14.
After all, Hardin Valley Academy’s versatile junior point-guard had scored 28 points and had almost single-handedly kept his team in the game against No. 5 seed William Blount.
Down 64-62 with the clock running out, Frey launched the shot that, if good, would win the game in extraordinarily dramatic fashion.
But the ball clanged off the iron, and the season was over for HVA, the No. 4 seed.
After the game, Frey, along with almost every other player in the Hawks’ camp, was in tears.
“Just sad,” he said. “It just breaks your heart to come up short like that. We fought. We fought to the end, that’s all you could ask for.”
Hawks head coach Andy Arendt was proud of his squad’s effort, especially after falling behind early.
“Two good teams,” the coach said. “William Blount does a phenomenal job. I was proud of the way our kids fought back after the first quarter.”
After the first quarter, HVA was down 22-10, mostly on poor shooting. The deficit got to 13 on a Blount lay-up with 6:53 left in the second.
Then suddenly the momentum shifted.
The Hawks scored 11 straight to pull within two, and scored the final five in the quarter to lead by one at the half, 32-31.
The entire second half was a nonstop series of lead changes and ties. In the third, Frey was unstoppable, hitting three times from long-range, and tallying 13 in the quarter, which ended with the Hawks up 52-47.
With 7:13 left, the Governors went on a 10-2 run to lead 59-57. With the score tied at 62, Blount’s Grady Robertson hit two free throws in the closing seconds to make it 64-62, setting up Frey’s last-second shot attempt.
Frey’s 28 led all scorers. Shooting guard Isaac Ratliff added 11 for HVA. Senior Caden Windle, the Govs’ do-everything Mr. Basketball Finalist, led Blount with 20.
“Tonight Bryson Frye showed the world how good he is,” Arendt said. “He was all-world tonight.”
After the game, Arendt reflected on his injury-plagued team’s season (14-14 overall, 4-7, district), and his lone senior, forward Tommy Joseph.
“With all the injuries we had, guys played that I never planned on playing,” he said. “I’m proud of their resilience.”
“Tommy is as good as it gets,” the coach added. “He’s the heart and soul of this team. He’s just tough and hard-nosed. He’s a competitor. You could win with five Tommy Josephs.”
