Cam & Owen finish, late defense give Norris, program 2nd title
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Point guard Jaylen Pompey, the only senior on either Webb team, happily holds the boys gold ball. - Alan Sloan
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Spartans juniors Cam Swearengen (3) and Shavar Young (33) react to Briarcrest post Fred Smith Jr. - Alan Sloan
COOKEVILLE — The Cam & Owen Show for making late-game three-point jumpers under enormous pressure — and the team’s late-game shutdown defense — resulted in gold ball joy for Webb School of Knoxville boys.
Even more impressive, perhaps, when considering a couple of factors that could have led to late-game panic for Ricky Norris’ West Knoxville boys in this TSSAA Division II-AA State Tournament title game versus Briarcrest of Memphis Saturday night, March 8. All’s well that ends well, as Webb earned a 54-45 state title win.
About the dynamics of this team — and saying goodbye to the team’s only senior, Spartans “quarterback” Jayden Pompey, star point guard — Norris said, “unless you’re part of a team and put the time in, you just don’t get it; it’s a different relationship that you have with players and teammates.
“You just go through so much together,” he added. “To be standing and win that last one is just a special feeling.”
However, despite Webb leads of nine in the second quarter, 27-18, and four after three periods, 36-32, it was gone early in the fourth quarter — and Briarcrest’s Mr. Basketball State Finalist big man, 6-foot-8 Fred Smith Jr., seemed poised to lead his Memphis Saints to the crown.
Smith’s driving lay-up with 5:54 to play tied this low-scoring game at 38-38.
But that would end Smith’s threatening influence on this game, as the Knoxville green left the Memphis green in its wake in Tennessee Tech’s Hooper Eblen Center.
“I think part of that comes for us just being in that position so many times,” said Pompey, who, while only scoring four points, dished out eight assists and grabbed a team-high five rebounds.
With the Spartans’ defense sealing off Smith and shutting down the Saints — no points allowed for 5:16 — a pair of three-point field goals from junior wing Cam Swearengen, both after forcing turnovers, plus a driving field goal and free throw by junior guard Alex Leeth put Webb back in control, 47-38, after Swearengen’s last “three” with 2:42 left. He ended with 11 points while Leeth scored 10.
Swearengen’s first three, according to Norris, “kind of opened the flood gates a little bit as far as our confidence shooting the ball.”
Then came junior wing Owen Lentz to apply the dagger. His pair of “don’t shoot, good shot” three pointers from the left corner iced the state crown, the latter putting Sparty up 53-38 with just 1:17 to go.
About that last three-pointer in the 16-0 run, “I heard coach Norris say ‘don’t shoot it,’” Lentz said with a laugh, as his 14 points and four three-point field goals led his team.
Webb ended with a huge 19-2 edge in points off turnovers.
Huston Torres, praised by Norris, came off the bench and scored nine points. Wilson Luton added four points and Shavar Young two for Webb.
Smith ended with a game-high 17 points for the Saints.
Saying Briarcrest shot “70 percent from the field in the first half” despite trailing, Norris added, “I thought our defense settled in — I thought that was the difference in the third quarter” and beyond.
“We kind of had a hard time scoring in the third, but we ... kept playing defense and our offense finally caught up.”
This was the second state title for Norris and the Webb boys program (also 2019).
Top-ranked for much of the 2024-25 season (TSWA poll), Webb finished with a 34-2 record. Briarcrest ended 26-5.
Though Norris said about his team, “they’re talented as all get-out,” he added the hard work and close relationships “are what make them special.”
