Sandrea Sylman of Central drives to the basket while Naccia Ashley defends as Central hosts Brainerd in a girls' high school basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The way Tuesday's District 6-AA boys' high school basketball game at Central ended wasn't the most pleasant. Even so, in no way did it tarnish the 32-minute back-and-forth battle in what was not only a district-tournament-like atmosphere but perhaps a district-final-like one.
Brainerd's Panthers ultimately won 75-68 in a game that was tied in the waning seconds.
Kentrell Evens made the key play when he made a 3-point shot from the left wing right before Central got a timeout with 1.7 seconds remaining.
The Panthers' Jesse Walker intercepted a long inbound pass but was called for a foul when he crashed into the Purple Pounders' Terron Hayes on the play. With 0.7 second showing, Hayes missed the front end of a one-and-one. Then at the other end Brainerd's Marques Tipton made four of four free throws courtesy of two technical fouls on the play -- one on Hayes and the other for a team member leaving the bench and coming onto the court.
"I think either team could've come out ahead," Brainerd coach Levar Brown said. "I think we just made one more play. We made a play."
The largest lead for Central (5-1, 3-1) was 31-24. Until the final margin, the largest lead for Brainerd (7-1, 3-0) was five -- the last at 64-59.
A 9-3 run by the Pounders put them up by one before Evans made the first of two free throws with 30.6 seconds left. Central also missed a front end of a bonus situation with 24.2 seconds to go, setting the stage for Evans' 3.
"The difference in the game was in the last 30 seconds we missed two layups and a one-and-one free throw," Central coach Rick Rogers said. "You're not going to win many of these kinds of games doing that. A great team like Brainerd, you can't give them hope.
"You get a limited number of opportunities to put a team like that away. We didn't do it. I hate that we lost, but I loved watching the game."
Both coaches were equally complimentary about the other, given the loud, maddening conditions inside a full house. Some late-arriving patrons were turned away.
The Panthers face another district unbeaten in Tyner at Brainerd on Thursday.
"We haven't experienced that this year," Brown said of the aura surrounding the game. "We needed a game like that. Now we've got to turn around and play Tyner."
Walker led the Panthers, who had two seniors dismissed recently, with 26 points. Evans finished with 20 and Tipton scored 11.
Ryan Montgomery's 26 points topped the Pounders, who have had three season-ending leg injuries already and Tre Tiller waiting to return from a concussion. Emmanuel Lane scored 13 points, and Jamichael Poole's 10 were all after halftime.
• Central girls 57, Brainerd 50: Although standout point guard Sandrea Sylman fouled out with 6:15 to play, the Lady Purple Pounders managed to hang on and win despite some struggles from the free-throw line down the stretch.
"The most important people on the team is your bench," said Central coach Rick May, who credited assistants Don Brock and Ken Smith for some decision-making in the victory. "We've been depending on Sandrea a little bit too much. When she went out, they had to step up. This was a very, very important message to our bench. They stepped up without her."
Sylman not only scored 28 points but was primarily responsible for the foul trouble Brainerd (3-5, 2-1) was in all night. She was 12-of-14 from the line and added eight rebounds, three assists and three steals.
"Due to foul trouble, we got in an early hole," Brainerd coach Tyrus Ward said. "I looked up and it wasn't even halftime and everybody's got three fouls. You can't dig yourself in a hole against a good team such as Central. We'll learn from it."
Miracle Miller scored her 10 points in the second half for Central (5-2, 4-0), which got eight points and eight rebounds from Rebekah Hill.
Jamee Ward paced the Lady Panthers with 23 points. Keniah Watson added 11.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.