BY LLOYD COMBS
Sports Correspondent
BRISTOL, Tenn. – McEachern faced a dilemma if it reached the Arby’s Classic finals.
Melrose made its decision a little easier.
Chris Jones poured in 32 points to lead the Golden Wildcats into tonight’s championship game with an 83-62 win over McEachern in Wednesday’s semifinal opener.
Tennessee recruit Trae Golden scored 18 of his 30 points in the first half for the Indians, who are headed back to Powder Springs, Ga., today.
“We’re only allowed to play 25 games during the regular season,” McEachern coach Mike Thompson said. “We could only play three games here, so we had to pull out. If we didn’t we’d have to forfeit our last home game in our region.”
The Melrose fearsome foursome of Jones, Adonis Thomas, Bobby Parks and Nate Rucker helped Melrose (15-0) remain undefeated, and allowed McEachern (8-4) to forfeit a shot at third place honors, not a championship trophy. Melrose will face Greater Atlanta Christian in the finals tonight at 6:00 p.m.
Jones scored 20 points in a rough first half in which the teams were whistled for a combined 25 personal fouls, and the Golden Wildcats lost most of a 12-point first-quarter lead. They settled for a 38-35 halftime advantage.
“We made some adjustments at halftime,” Melrose coach Jermaine Johnson said. “Our big guys, Thomas and Rucker, were in foul trouble in the first half.
“We knew it was just a matter of time. I told the kids it’s like novocaine, eventually it’ll kick in.”
A 5-foot-9 junior, Jones involved his teammates more as Melrose forced tempo in a fast-paced second half. He was credited with five assists, one on a lob for a dunk by Thomas,
who keyed a 19-6 run that extended a one-point lead to 57-43 in the final seconds of the third quarter.
“Chris Jones plays like a general out there,” Johnson added. “He plays sometimes like he’s the best point guard in the country, and he can be.”
Thomas, a 6-7 junior who is being courted by Tennessee, North Carolina and Duke, scored 18 points, and combined with Rucker for six dunks. Rucker and Parks each added 14 points.
Jones, with a little help from his teammates, slowed Golden down somewhat in the second half.
Golden, his team’s only double-figure scorer, got little help on offense. The 6-2 guard often forced shots in the second half and finished 9-of-24 from the floor. His teammates combined to shoot just 34.3 percent (12-of-35).
“Coach just told me to stay on him (Golden), stay on him,” Jones said. “I was just trying to limit his touches.”
Melrose, which never trailed, shot an even 50 percent (30-of-60). The final margin was the biggest.
New Rochelle (N.Y.) will take McEachern’s place in today’s third-place contest. Tennessee High moves into the open spot in the fifth-place game.
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