BOYS HOOPS: Pats win regional final in OT thriller

AFTON, Tenn. – The new kings of the region are coming home to their Palace.

After missing a potential game-winning shot at the end of regulation, peerless Patriots point guard Jordan Cross helped force a late steal and then proceeded to scoop up the loose ball and guide in a breakaway layup, giving Sullivan East a 65-63 overtime win Thursday night over Unicoi County for the first basketball regional title in school history.

The win means East (29-4) will host its 7 p.m. sub-state game Monday at Patriot Palace against the Carter Hornets.

East was trailing 49-42 midway through the fourth quarter when Cross put in 14 straight points for the Patriots with a dazzling array of drives, jumpers, free throws and 3-pointers, pulling East even at 54 with a long 3-pointer and tying the game again at 56 with two free throws.

"He’s pretty good, isn’t he?" said East coach John Dyer. "He has a knack for the moment. He knows what the big moment is."

Cross, who was named MVP of the regional tournament, finished with six 3-pointers and a career-high 34 points.

"I never thought it would be like this," Cross said as he soaked in the ongoing celebration. "This is an amazing feeling."

With the game tied at 63, Cross wound up on the ground after missing a leaner and the Blue Devils raced down court, but pulled up with a minute left in overtime despite having a 5-on-3 advantage.

After a timeout with 29.6 seconds left, Unicoi County put the ball in the hands of Logan Lyle, who led the team with 19 points.

Lyle, though, was met by a trap from Cross and senior Chase DePew near midcourt and suddenly the ball was bouncing toward the Patriots’ basket.

"He ran into the trap and I hit the ball and Jordan helped me and picked it up," DePew said.

Cross glided to the rim and finished as the clock ticked away its final seconds.

"I was nervous, especially when I got down to these last few steps, didn’t want to mess my steps up or trip or anything," Cross said. "Luckily, it went in."

Unicoi County immediately called timeout after Cross’ layup went through the net with what appeared to be about five seconds remaining.

East fans started to charge the court as the clock continued running, but the clock was stopped with 0.7 seconds showing and the referees eventually determined that Unicoi County had called timeout with 1.3 seconds left.

"How we get 1.3 out of that, I have no idea," said Blue Devils coach John English.

Unicoi County in-bounded the ball having to go the length of the court and Lyle’s desperation shot from near midcourt wasn’t close and appeared to have been released after the buzzer.

English, whose team had been blown out by East three times this season after falling behind early each game, including a 75-52 setback last week in the district final, finally saw his players give the Patriots a game, but in the end it was East celebrating again.

"They’ve been on a mission all year," he said.

"We’re disappointed, no doubt about that, but you got to congratulate them."

After a wide open second half where the teams traded baskets at a furious pace, both East and Unicoi County turned more methodical in overtime as the tension in the gym ratcheted up.

Only six points were scored during the extra four minutes: Cross’ winner, two free throws by Lyle and an opening bucket by Patriots senior center Jeremy James.

James scored 12 points and was a terror on the boards in the second half as he kept East close until Cross took over.

In addition to his role on the game-changing steal and his defense on Lyle all night, DePew also drilled a 3-pointer for his only field goal of the night with under a minute remaining in regulation, a shot that put East up 61-59.

But Lyle hit two free throws with 31 seconds left and Cross for once couldn’t convert, setting the stage for the overtime drama.

"It was a real test of everything we had," Dyer said. "... That’s just the way it should be in a regional championship."

After starting the season 12-0, East has now won 11 straight and will go for win No. 30 on Monday.

"You feel like it’s a dream," Dyer said. "Don’t pinch me. I don’t want to wake up."