The 2024 Dr Pepper Classic was opened up with a pop. McCallie and CCS would take center stage at McCallie’s home gym for their third meeting of the year. McCallie won the first matchup, while Chattanooga Christian School would win the second, and with a third matchup on the horizon in a marquee event, the stakes felt all the higher. The Blue Tornado would end up winning in this matchup beating CCS, 67-59.
Kenneth Chime, the big man for McCallie, made all the difference in this matchup. Chime in the fourth quarter came alive defensively. His presence at the rim, along with his aggressive on-ball defending, caused havoc for the Chargers and was able to slow down their star player as well, Dre Jackson, which head coach of McCallie, Steve Robinson, will admit is no easy feat.
“You know one guy is going to have kind of a hard time slowing him down, so it’s really a team behind it. Closing passing lanes, making him try to settle for loose shots, fortunately, he missed some,” said coach Robinson.
Jackson finished with a game-high 19, which is a solid scoring output but given the fact that he doubled that scoring 38 in their previous matchup, McCallie can be said to have done a great job containing Jackson.
CCS would still have a chance in the game late with a Sam Russell steal and score to make it a one-possession game at 62-59 with 52.6 seconds remaining. McCallie would get fouled on their inbound following Russell’s basket and would come down and split a pair of free throws making it 63-59. CCS now trailing by four would be doomed by another Chime defensive play during their possession. Chime would swipe the ball away from a Charger player and secure his team the ball with 34.4 left in the game.
Following his steal McCallie would go on to hold CCS scoreless the remainder of the game, winning, 67-59. McCallie would get their revenge against the Chargers and would also snap the line of a five-game losing streak. It was a great win for the Blue Tornado, but they face a much greater task Saturday night as they take on Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, KS).
Here is coach Robinson’s take on what goes into preparing for a team of Sunrise’s caliber. “Not a whole lot. It’s an experience for our guys, we’re gonna go out there and have fun, try to do what we can do, they can limit us a little bit easier than probably most teams. There’s no pressure just go play and have fun and try to make it competitive and stay in it as long as you can.”
It will certainly be a healthy challenge for coach Robinson and his McCallie team as they take on the number three-ranked team in all of high school basketball.
CCS 12 20 15 12 -- 59
MCCALLIE 18 14 17 19 -- 67
CCS (59) - Reid Conley 15, Dre Jackson 19, Wescher 7, Russell 5, Stinson 2 Caiden Bauldwin 11
MCCALLIE (67) - Kwasigrach 7, Bryce Kennebrew 16, Gallman 8, Smith 3, Millner 3, Ryan
Wingard, Trell Knight 11, Kenneth Chime 11
3-point goals: CCS 4 (Wescher 2, Conley, Russell); McCallie 5 (Kennebrew 2, Gallman, Smith, Millner)
Records: CCS, 9-11; 1-4 McCallie 15-6, 1-4.