CHESNEE – With his only points of the game, Tillman Chrisley clinched consecutive Chesnee Roundball Classic tournament titles for the Catawba Ridge Copperheads beating Fort Mill at the buzzer in overtime.
Chrisley nailed a 3-pointer in the extra period as time expired for the 53-50 win. It was just his second shot attempt in the game, as Catawba Ridge defended their Chesnee tournament title. It was also the second consecutive time that the Copperheads beat Fort Mill on a last second 3-pointer, as they did so Dec. 8 at Fort Mill.
Catawba Ridge head coach Brett Childers wasn’t surprised the game turned out to be so close.
“We are very similar,” he said, of his team and Fort Mill. “We have similar styles. We have similar beliefs and structure when it comes to basketball.”
Childers said he is glad the team was able to defend their tournament title, as they improved to 9-2 overall on the year.
“We just keep trying to build this thing,” he said. “This is another little nugget for history. I am so proud of them.”
The game was a back-and-forth low scoring affair as it was tied at 44-44 after regulation. Fort Mill’s Will Stumpf hit a jumper in the lane with 15.9 seconds to tie the game at 44, before it went into overtime. Once they got to overtime, Catawba Ridge was led by Grant Lovette, who scored six of the Copperheads nine points in the extra period. Lovette led the Copperheads with 21 points and was named tournament MVP. Lance Barnes was also named to the All-Tournament team for Catawba Ridge.
The game opened with Catawba Ridge scoring the first five points. Barnes, who scored 14 points in the game, scored eight in the opening period, but turnovers allowed Fort Mill to hang with the Copperheads as they capitalized on mistakes by Catawba Ridge.
Fort Mill held a 13-12 lead after the opening quarter and started to pull away in the second quarter. The Jackets were able to stop the Copperheads as both team’s offenses declined to a slower pace. Turnovers continued to hurt Catawba Ridge as they hit just one shot from the field. They were able to get to the line eight times in the second quarter converting six foul shots.
The Jackets led 29-20 at the half, but it was the third quarter that changed the momentum in the game for Fort Mill.
“The third quarter we couldn’t score,” said Fort Mill head coach Dwayne Hartsoe. “We didn’t execute. We got good shots and didn’t make them.”
Fort Mill started the third quarter going 0-for-9 from the field and didn’t hit their first field goal until 90 seconds left to play. Despite that drought, the Copperheads struggled just as much as they only hit three field goals in the period and were down to Fort Mill 35-28 entering the fourth quarter.
Catawba Ridge opened the final period going on a 5-0 run to close within a bucket at 35-33. Landon Foley tied the game for the Copperheads with a 3-pointer with 3:15 left to make it 38-38, but Fort Mill’s Zach Jennings did the exact same thing about a minute later tying the game at 41-41 on a 3-pointer with 2:02 left.
The Copperheads took a small lead, but Fort Mill was able to again tie the game on Stumpf’s jumper as the game would go to the extra period.
Fort Mill was led by Braylen McCain, who scored 12 points, and AJ Washington, who added 10 points in the loss. McCain was named to the All-Tournament team for Fort Mill.
The Jackets dropped to 5-5 on the season with the loss and will travel to West Cabarrus for the West Cabarrus Holiday Classic Dec. 28-30 next week.
Catawba Ridge will host the Copperhead Holiday Classic Dec. 28-30 as well next week.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
