Region 2-4A bracket shakeup after 4-4A tourney surprises
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District 4-4A Tournament runner-up Bearden.
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Farragut seniorDom VanAcker with his All-District 4-4A Tournament plaque.
HARDIN VALLEY — A pair of surprising outcomes Tuesday night, Feb. 25, in the District 4-4A Boys Tournament champion and consolation games has totally changed the Region 2-4A Tournament bracket.
For one thing, either East Tennessee powerhouse Bearden, ranked No. 3 statewide beginning this week in the latest Tennessee Sports Writers Association poll, or Region 3-4A Tournament champion and fellow state power Oak Ridge, No. 6 in the latest TSWA state poll (25-3), will not make the state tournament.
That’s because the Bulldogs (27-5), despite a furious comeback from a 14-point deficit with 3:22 left in its district title game with Maryville to close to within a point in the final few seconds, still lost 63-62 to a No. 3-seeded Red Rebels team (21-11) it swept during the regular season.
After this mild surprise at Hardin Valley Academy last night, Bearden is expected to face Oak Ridge, which would be at ORHS early next week, in a Region 2-4A semifinal — not in the region title game as many expected.
The loser of that anticipated semifinal showdown is done for the season. Of course, both teams have work to do before that happens — especially Aaron Green’s Wildcats.
That’s because of the other surprise at HVA Tuesday night, as No. 4 tournament seed Farragut upset No. 5 TWSA-ranked Knoxville West (21-6), the No. 2 tourney seed, 67-60 in the district tourney consolation game.
That means a powerful West Runnin’ Rebels team will be Oak Ridge’s region quarterfinal opponent at ORHS, which begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 1. That loser’s season is over.
Bearden’s path to a possible region semifinal showdown at Oak Ridge — or a chance to host West if the Runnin’ Rebs win at ORHS Saturday — is considered to be much less of a threat, hosting Campbell County, No. 3 seed from District 3-4A.
Maryville 63 Bearden 62
The Red Rebels star guard trio led the way in scoring. All-Tournament selections Julian Douglas (15 points) and Johnny Woodlee (14) joined the production of tourney MVP Braden Hazelbaker, who added 13 points.
Bearden’s Justin Nordin, a standout junior point guard and All-Tournament selection, led the Dawgs with 24 points — 10 in the final quarter.
Three other BHS All-Tourney selections were King Hubbard, who scored 11, along with JaMichael Blair Jr. and Sean Capshaw with nine each.
Farragut 67 West 60
Dom VanAcker, Admirals senior standout wing/forward, scored a game-high 29 points, followed by junior point guard Parker Lane’s 19 — both earning All-Tournament honors — in the consolation upset victory, as Farragut (19-13) lost both regular season games versus West.
Though Runnin Rebels star post Devyn Martin, regular season District 4-4A MVP, scored 17 first-half points Tuesday night, he was held to only four after halftime.
The Admirals, who travel to District 3-4A runner-up Powell in their region quarterfinal game Saturday (7 p.m. opening tip), trailed 21-17 after one quarter, but led 34-33 at the half and 48-47 after three frames before earning a tiny bit of late breathing room.
FHS junior forward Britton Lewis seemed to be back in his pre-injury form Tuesday night, scoring 10.
Junior post/forward Reid Vining, though only scoring four points, received lots of post-game praise from Admirals skipper JP Burris for his rebounding and key blocked shots, especially late in the fourth quarter.
Junior guard Dan Lanning, another key Admirals scorer, added five points versus West.
