The News Sentinel proved itself to be the headline act of the Pilot Rocky Top League regular season Wednesday night at Bearden High School.
Dane Bradshaw scored a season-high 20 points and dished out 11 assists to lead the Sentinel to a 118-117 victory over Ray's ESG.
Ray's squandered a nine-point half-time lead, but made a furious final run with Jon Higgins hitting three 3-pointers and a two-point bucket in the final 1:24.
But in the final seconds, Ray's C.J. Watson missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer, Higgins missed a put-back and Kenny Hall missed two tips, his final attempt rolling off the rim at the buzzer.
The win puts the News Sentinel (5-1) into the league title game at 7:30 tonight against the HT Group (4-2).
"We struggled in the first half, and when you're on a team that doesn't practice and you're struggling offensively, guys don't talk or hustle,'' Bradshaw said. "But in the second half we got things going, getting the ball to Scotty (Hopson).''
Hopson scored 33 to lead the Sentinel, 25 of his points coming in the second half.
But Bradshaw was the driving force, charging to the basket to draw fouls when he wasn't dishing out assists.
Bradshaw, who was on his honeymoon in Hawaii when the Sentinel lost to the HT Group last week, hit 9 of 11 free throws.
"It's all mental,'' said Bradshaw, who wasn't nearly as efficient from the free-throw line as a player at UT. "If I could go back, I wish I would have been relaxed more. But when you're playing at UT, you want to make every shot so bad, sometimes you press.''
Higgins led Ray's with 27 points, and Watson and Ryan Westbrooks scored 25 apiece. Ray's (3-3) plays Richardson Construction (3-3) in the third-place game at 6 p.m. tonight.
First Tennessee 127, HT Group 122: Bobby Maze scored 47 points to lead First Tennessee (3-3) to the victory over a short-handed HT Group (4-2).
Emmanuel Negudu added 23, UT-Chattanooga's Ricky Taylor had 20 and former Vol Rashard Lee 19 for First Tennessee, which season came to an end.
Wayne Chism scored 35 on 15-of-19 shooting, and said he's excited about playing in tonight's championship game.
"This is the first time I've played in the title game,'' said Chism, one of only six players to suit up for the HT Group. "We wanted to win tonight, too, but Bobby (Maze) pressed hard down the stretch.''
Boo Williams told his HT Group teammates in the post-game meeting that, "This next one is real important, guys.''
Richardson Construction 120, ChoiceSpine 106: Tyler Smith scored 27 points to lead Richardson Construction (3-3) to a victory and a spot in the consolation game against Ray's. Josh Tabb had 25 and Micah Williams and Tony White Jr. added 17 apiece.
Choice Spine (0-6), played without Chris Lofton and C.J. Black again. Lofton has left to play with the Boston Celtics in the NBA Summer League and Black pinched a nerve in his neck in a fall in Monday night's action.
Cameron Tatum led ChoiceSpine with 30 points, East Tennessee's Mike Smith had 23 and Brandon Armstrong 15.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
NCAA Tennessee 83 - Ohio 68
Vols' spring practice wit…
Tennessee defeats San Diego State 62-59
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 15
BillsBrother writes:
One more game...and then there is nothing to interrupt us until August two-a-days!
02champs#209256 writes:
defense is a little better than last year...not much...but C.J. said it all..."the competition's not that great but at least I'm staying in shape". BUT.....this league has a chance next year to REALLY improve...watch for wholesale coaching changes...
BigOrangeJeff writes:
He can still take your racist butt every day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
DonJuan writes:
Stats from his jr. year.
Second on the team in assists (116), rebounds (5.4 rpg) and third in steals (56) and blocks (11) ... Assist/turnover ratio of 2.76 led the Southeastern Conference ... 1.87 steals per game were seventh in the SEC ... Led the Vols in rebounding seven times, including a career-high 12 boards against ETSU (11/18/05) and Vanderbilt (2/1/06) ... Had a streak of 181 minutes (seven games) without a turnover ... During the streak, which started in the first half of the Appalachian State (12/6/05) game, recorded 34 assists ... Led UT in assists 14 times, including a career-high eight against South Alabama (1/4/06), Georgia (1/11/06) and at Georgia (2/11/06) ... Scored the game-winning baskets in both of Tennessee's wins over nationally-ranked Florida ... Gave the Vols a 78-76 lead over the second-ranked Gators with a lay-up with 20 seconds left in Knoxville (1/21/06) ... Stole a Florida inbounds pass and took it in for a lay-up with 15 seconds left to give the Vols a 76-72 win in Gainesville (2/22/06) ... Returned to his hometown of Memphis (1/18/06) and had a career-game leading the team in points (21), rebounds (12), assists (4) and steals (5) ... Registered his first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds while also recording a career-high six assists in the season-opener against East Tennessee State (11/19/05) ... Had his second double-double of the season scoring 10 and grabbing 12 rebounds versus Vanderbilt (2/1/06) ... Called by South Carolina head coach Dave Odom "the MVP of this league" following UT's 81-65 win over the Gamecocks in Knoxville (1/28/06).
b_neas writes:
Loving seeing the Eman score. I hope so bad he can get at least 15-20 minutes a game next year. Put him on the inbounder on the press and we can play like we did in the first 3 years of CBP ball. Kid is a freak, as big as he is he can jump higher and is faster than anyone on the team!!!!
b_neas writes:
Ignore the idiot. He either is just nagging because he has issues or he would rather watch high light reels that end is losses rather than good solid basketball that end in wins. If you are going to be a Vol basketball fan better get used to hearing and seeing Dane forever. If this trend of UT basketball being a top 25 program continues Dane, JuJuan, and C-Lo will forever be linked as the ones who got it all started. You can have your scoring and dunks and highlights - i will take LEADERSHIP, HUSTLE, HEART, and basketball IQ all day and beat your high flying teams eyes out.
roobomb writes:
Your boss said that while you posted that last comment you let the fries burn and you messed up on the drive-through order. Let's take a little more pride in your work, you know that whole "grow where you're planted" thing.
FRIES UP!!!
BasketVols writes:
That steal, drive and bucket to pull one out over Florrible has to be one of the best plays I've ever seen.
kiffownsfla writes:
A true vol ICON that bradshaw!GO VOLS!
randoguy writes:
Hey losers who never played a day in college...Why are such haters? Bradshaw could kick any one of your butts on and off the court. He wasn't just loved for playing thru injuries, playing the 1,2,3,4, AND 5 position, diving after balls, incredible passes, and game-winning baskets, but he was also loved because he was more of a leader on and off the court than any thug that put up 30 pts a game. Off the court, he is a stand up individual that everyone loves because he's a great kid that carries himself amazingly. He has now been able to become successful outside of the sports arena as well. Stop hatin. I'm sorry you have no life but to hate on UT bball players and live through OTHER people's stats. Why don't you take a look at your own stats before hatin' on someone else like that. You guys have no idea what it's like to play college, so you can talk one day when you know. Athletes hate people like you that talk so much phooey and don't know anything about it. That's why other athletes don't talk the phooey you guys do. Punks.
randoguy writes:
In addition, if one of you 'bloggers' can tell me something more impressive you've done with your life than Dane, I'll agree with you that Dane sucks.
b_neas writes:
Hey moron ASSISTS lead to scoring. Look up what an assist is. Dane always dished out plenty of assists!!
TurboFan writes:
Hey Rando, not sure why you are using the plural form of "guy" and "blogger". There is only one "guy" "blogger" that fits your rebuke and he does it just to get it. Play along with him or ignore him, just know the tirades only feed him.
CoachFulmer writes:
Why do fans bash Bradshaw all the time? Sure he wasn't the most skilled guy on the team but he had the most heart on the court everytime he laced up. He had so much love for the game and heart, something our team lacked from last year. Go Dane!
Bigger_Al writes:
UT fans don't bash Dane. Only losers do.
Thanks for all you did for UT, Dane!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.