Chattanooga Christian brought inclement weather inside the gymnasium at east Hamilton as the Chargers rained all over the Hurricanes’ Senior Night celebration winning both the boys’ and girls’ contests.
If the boys’ game had ended after the first quarter, East Hamilton would have won in a blowout. But, proving the age old story of why we play four quarters, the Chargers overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the Canes in overtime, 79-69.
The Hurricanes opened the game on fire. The starting rotation was hitting on all cylinders as East Hamilton reached an 11-3 lead early in the first quarter. But a disastrous injury to Hurricane star Kaden Herman would stunt the momentum.
As the second quarter ensued, East Hamilton would climb up to a 27-10 lead when foul trouble began to eat away at the Hurricane starters. The team collected nine fouls by the seventh minute in the second quarter. CCS would take advantage of the misfortune.
“Our kids have a never quit attitude. If you compete for all 32 minutes then you don’t know what is going to happen,” said CCS Head Coach Wes Moore. “Tonight, is a perfect example. When you go down 17 (points), we have had two difficult games this week, they could have said we are tired. But that is not their mentality. They compete to the end and the results show.”
The Chargers would lead a 17-point run to answer the East Hamilton lead, tying the game with 2:43 left in the second quarter. It was a dog fight from this moment onward.
The largest lead held by the Hurricanes in the second half would be by four points. As East Hamilton tried to capture the lead with a dunk, CCS’s Dre Jackson would sink a running 3-pointer as time expired in the third quarter to reel them back in.
“At the beginning of the game, I was off, and nothing would fall. So, I tried to go downhill and get to the rim. After that, everything fell into place,” said Jackson. “We had momentum and ran with it.”
The Chargers’ first lead of the night would come in the fourth quarter following Cadin Bauldwin’s layup. The foul trouble by East Hamilton, with multiple starters on the verge of their fifth foul, had the Hurricanes playing on eggshells.
Attempting to stave off the Hurricanes, CCS would get away from what was working offensively in the final minute. With three turnovers in the final minute, East Hamilton’s Zachariah Laboo would make them pay with a dunk that would tie the game, 67-67, and lead to overtime.
Despite all the fight from East Hamilton throughout the game (losing a starter to a significant injury, foul troubles, and senior night emotions), overtime would not fall in favor for the home team.
“I am just physical, and I don’t want to lose,” said Stinson and that attitude flowed through the team in overtime. CCS would hold the Hurricanes to two points while scoring 12 in crunch time.
CCS girls 61, East Hamilton 55: CCS’s Aubriyana Camp would play spoiler before the senior night ceremony as the Lady Chargers slow the Noa Woodruff led Lady Hurricanes.
At one point during this game, I turned to my fiancé and said, “She does not miss,” as I watched Camp dice up the East Hamilton defense. This was nothing new, though, as she has done the same for each team she faces. However, CCS’s Lailani Hatten played arguably her best basketball yet leading to multiple steals and transition baskets.
“Whatever lit a fire under her we are happy about it,” said Lady Chargers Head Coach Laura Cottrell. “She could be special. She has a ton of potential.”
Hatten showed off that potential in the game. The forward helped lead a dominant showing by the Lady Chargers on the glass and was a defensive leader. Alongside her was teammate Ryleigh Bray.
“She is the hardest worker I have ever coached,” said Cottrell about Bray. “There is not a moment where she is not working hard. Her athleticism is unmatched.”
Bray conducted the knockout punch to end hopes of an East Hamilton comeback in the fourth quarter. Coming in following free throws, Bray waited patiently on the defensive end for the Lady Hurricanes to push up the court. As the ball passed towards the center, Bray, on a running start, stole the ball and went coast to coast before being fouled at the rim. With under a minute left, the Lady Chargers were up 59-53.
The next minute would sum up the night for East Hamilton. Foul trouble would only leave four eligible players on the court, and Lady Hurricane Noa Woodruff would knock down a tough shot while double-teamed. It was somewhat bleak, but Woodruff provides a shining example of what is to come for Lady Hurricanes basketball.
“She has a new focus about her,” said East Hamilton Head Coach Kayla Burse. “I am excited for her. She is a gritty kid.”
The Lady Chargers had no answers for Woodruff, but their offense was enough to get the win.
Onto the district tournaments!
GIRLS SUMMARY
CCS 11 19 16 15 – 61
EAST HAMILTON 10 12 15 18 – 55
CCS (61) – Aubriyana Camp 23, Rainey 8, Hatten 7, A. Matthews 6, Bray 5, Duble 5, E. Matthews 4, Brady 3
EAST HAMILTON (55) – Noa Woodruff 25, Etaliah Laboo 10, Calhoun 6, Maddox 5, Casteel 3, Staton 4, James 2
3-point goals: CCS 4 (Camp, Duble, Brady, Hatten); East Hamilton 2 (Casteel and Maddox).
Records: CCS (16-10, 2-5); East Hamilton (11-8, 5-3)
BOYS SUMMARY
CCS 8 21 22 16 12 – 79
EAST HAMILTON 24 9 20 14 2 – 69
CCS (79) – Dre Jackson 27, Cadin Bauldwin 15, Reid Conley 13, Stinson 9, Huston 8, Weschel 6, Timmerman 1.
EAST HAMILTON (69) – Ashton Munson 21, Adarius Brewster 13, Herman 9, Laboo 6, Bullard 6, P. Harris 3, D. Harris 3, Rogers 3, Duffy 3, Scruggs 2
3-point goals: CCS 8 (Conley 3, Jackson 3, Huston 2); East Hamilton 6 (Munson 2, Rogers 1, Brewster 1, Herman 1, Harris 1).
Records: CCS (13-13, 0-6); East Hamilton (19-8, 10-2)