Stayin’ alive
Maybe not ‘Great Britton,’ but FHS junior post big, with ‘Dom-’inance, double L-train in lead, at Powell
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Dom VanAcker, Farragut senior wing, handles the ball successfully despite Powell defensive pressure during this Region 2-4A quarterfinal at PHS Saturday night, March 1. The Admirals (20-13) held off a late charge from the District 3-4A Tournament runner-up Panthers to win 71-67 and keep its season alive. - Photos by Alan Sloan
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Bryce Howard, FHS senior forward, looks to dribble penetrate against the Powell defense. - Photos by Alan Sloan
POWELL — Maybe he’s not ‘“Great Britton,” but Farragut High School junior post Britton Lewis — just now getting back into form after a mid-season lower body injury kept him out for weeks — was clutch Saturday night, March 1, with the season on the line for his Admirals in the Region 2-4A quarterfinals at Powell High School.
On top of nailing three 3-point baskets while helping Farragut overcome a seven point first-half deficit to lead 42-36 in the third quater, the 6-foot-4 junior grabbed one of the biggest rebounds in recent school history.
With the Ads only up 69-67 and just 21 seconds to play, Lewis grabbed a missed FHS free throw , denying what could have been the Panthers game-winning possession, and instead passed the ball to Ads junior point guard Parker Lane.
“It’s been good getting my minutes in,” said Lewis, who scored 11 points in the 71-67 victory, about getting re-adjusted to playing games.
Perhaps the team’s best free throw shooter, Lane connected on both tosses to go up by two scores, 71-67, the final margin of victory.
Lane, who continues to have big post-season scoring nights, pumped in a game-high 28 versus Powell. “I’m fortunate to have a lot of teammates who can score, too,” Lane said.
The Ads once again faced a win-or-season-over situation in the 2-4A semifinals at Oak Ridge High Tuesday night, March 4 (after deadline).
An upset win against a Maryville team, top seeded in region as District 4-4A Tournament champs, is required in order for the Admirals’ season to continue. The Farragut-Red Rebels winner faces the Bearden versus Oak Ridge survivor — also played Tuesday night after deadline — in the region title game starting at 7 p.m., Thursday night, March 6.
Meanwhile, FHS senior wing Dom VanAcker scored 22 points. “In the second half, we just came out to play basketball and do what we do,” said VanAcker, an All-District 4-4A honoree who recently was recognized for surpassing the 1,500 career points mark.
But the Ads saw an eight-point lead with 3:22 to play, and possession of the basketball, get cut to one point inside the game’s final minute thanks to missing a pair of easy shots, seeking PHS convert two fastbreak baskets, plus a couple of turnovers the home team cashed in with late points.
However, VanAcker, Lane and junior wing Dan Lanning went 5 of 6 at the line in the game’s final 43 seconds. And Laning’s one miss was grabbed by Lewis. “During a timeout, we got together, said ‘calm down and just breathe,’” VanAcker said.
Lanning, who’s also come up big scoring-wise in recent games, cracked double figures in scoring with 10.
Panthers wing Neyland Dugger scored a team-high 23 points in defeat.
