BOYS HOOPS: Lead, title slip away from Patriots

Sullivan East started with a flourish and ended in a funk.

The No. 2 Patriots saw their 11-point halftime lead slowly dwindle away and ultimately disappear in the final minute as No. 1 Unicoi County rallied for a 56-52 victory Tuesday to claim its second straight District 1-AA boys basketball tournament championship with a triumph on its home floor.

“We knew this was a game of runs and we just tried to make sure we had the last run, the final run to win the game,” said Blue Devils senior Austin Hensley. “We knew after halftime we had to come out and play some big defense.”

Hensley, who was named to the all-tournament team, gave Unicoi County its first lead since 2-0 with a bucket with 48.5 seconds remaining and then hit a pair of clinching free throws with 10.9 ticks left as the Blue Devils (26-4) ended the game on a 7-0 spurt.

After hitting 7 of 8 shots to start the game and 14 of 23 in the first half to take a 35-24 lead at the break, East (22-8) managed just 17 points in the final two periods, including a mere four in the fourth quarter.

“I thought in the second half we tightened up [the defense],” said Unicoi County coach John English. “We felt like we had a run in us even though we didn’t do it in the first half – if we could just start getting stops.”

Chance Davis embodied the tale of two halves for the Patriots as he exploded out of the gate for 19 points in the first half, but managed just two in the second.

“He obviously was feeling it early and making tough shots,” English said. “We just challenged them to guard him a little tougher, a little stronger and a little harder.”

Despite the stellar start for East, Patriots coach John Dyer said he felt like his team could have pushed the lead a little higher.

“Eleven points for Unicoi County is nothing,” he said. “In this place right here, in the district tournament, it’s nothing. … We played not to lose just a little bit.”

Trevor Shelton was named tournament MVP and led all scorers with 22 points for Unicoi County. Blue Devils sophomore Ethan Rice added 16 points and was also an all-tournament selection.

East’s fourth quarter couldn’t have gone much worse as the Patriots hit just 1 of 8 shots, and even more damaging, knocked down just 2 of 7 free throws.

Even so, the Patriots still had a chance to take the lead back with 35.2 seconds down 53-52, but David Casaday missed a pair from the line.

After Shelton hit 1 of 2 free throws, Casaday made a strong move to the hoop but couldn’t knock down a runner to tie it and Hensley closed it out with the final two points.

Casaday finished with 10 points and Daniel Truett added eight for East. Both joined Davis on the all-tournament team.

After East swept Unicoi County in 2009-10 and the Blue Devils returned the favor last season, the teams are now 2-2 in their meetings this year.

The two teams met in the 2010 regional final and could meet again in the same spot on March 1 if each wins another pair of games.

“I’d love to see them again next Thursday – not because I feel like it would be an easy win,” English said. “It would be a hard-fought win and that’s what you coach for. I hope they feel the same way about this rivalry. It’s special every time we play.”

Dyer echoed English’s sentiments.

“I felt like it was an outstanding basketball game between two teams that know each other, fight like crazy and played their hearts out,” he said about Tuesday’s contest. “… Our goal is to play again. If we play them again then both of us are right where we want to be.”

While the Patriots came up short of their second district title in three years – and just their second in school history – they’ll still host a Region 1-AA quarterfinal game at 7 p.m. Saturday against Cumberland Gap, the No. 3 seed out of District 2.

A boisterous crowd hit the road Tuesday to support East and Dyer said he hopes the Patriot Palace will be packed this weekend.

“Our Red Army came out in full force and we need them Saturday night,” he said. “These guys deserve that.”

And Dyer promised that his team still has plenty of fight left for the rest of the postseason despite the draining loss to the Devils.

“We’re disappointed,” Dyer said, “but we’re not defeated.”

nhubbard@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Hubbard_BHCSprt | (276) 645-2543