No. 2 Brentwood Academy makes statement with win over No. 1 McCallie

BRENTWOOD — Brentwood Academy’s Camron Johnson didn’t mince words after Thursday night’s impressive double-digit win over top-ranked McCallie.

The two-time reigning Division II-AA champion Eagles, No. 2 in the latest DII Associated Press poll, were playing with something to prove.

“It was definitely a big-time statement,” Johnson said following the 65-49 Brentwood Academy victory. “The media thought that they were better than us, and I think that we really had something to prove — that we’re still the team to beat.”

That message was received loud and clear.

“Our guys had a little incentive coming in,” Brentwood Academy coach Hubie Smith said. “They were ranked No. 1 in the state poll, our guys were ranked No. 2, and our guys didn’t understand that.”

“Yeah we noticed (the rankings),” added Eagles junior Darius Garland, the nation's top-rated point guard for the Class of 2018 who finished with a game-high 23 points. “Coach actually put it on our lockers and we were really upset about it. We came out with a lot of intensity and we wanted to win this game bad.”

Garland was one three Brentwood Academy players to score in double-figures in the rematch of last year’s state semifinal matchup, which the Eagles  won 70-51.

“We handled (their size) really, really well, and we got up and down the floor,” Garland said. “We committed some turnovers — well, a lot of turnovers — but we bounced back, got some rebounds, got some key stops and got them in transition.”

Senior Tate Pierson finished with 14 points — 10 of which came in the fourth quarter — while Jeremiah Oatsvall added 10 points for Brentwood Academy (15-2, 2-0 East/Middle), which resumes region play Friday at Montgomery Bell Academy.

Junior Clay finished with 14 points to lead the Blue Tornado (20-3, 4-1), which committed 20 turnovers and shot just 13-for-28 from the free throw line.

“I think we caught them on a good night,” Smith said of the Blue Tornado. “They’re really good, and they didn’t play that well tonight. I hope our guys had something to do with that.”

ReachMichael Murphy at 615-269-8262 and on Twitter@Murph_TNsports.