After a season filled with come-from-behind victories, the Arts & Sciences boys' basketball players have grown confident in their ability to rally and finish games.

Still, at least some of the Patriots' fans had to wonder if they had waited too long to begin their latest comeback Monday night in the Class A state sectionals.

CSAS trailed Red Boiling Springs by as much as eight, but recovered to take a 63-54 victory that puts the Patriots in next week's state tournament.

"It wasn't our A-game, that's for sure," Arts & Sciences coach Mark Dragoo said. "But it was enough."

After giving up an early five-point lead, the Patriots ended the first period trailing 15-14 with point guard and leading scorer Alex Stallion on the bench with two fouls. Arts & Sciences struggled with Stallion sitting out the second quarter, and Red Boiling Springs put together a 7-0 run to take a 27-22 halftime lead.

"It was really tough, because we were losing for most of the game, and I was anxious to get back in the game and help my team," Stallion said. "I think we came in too excited and thinking we were going to win. When we realized they could play with us, we kind of got shaken up for a while."

The struggles continued in the third quarter, when Stallion was called for a charge less than a minute into the period. Red Boiling Springs led 32-25 at the 5:41 mark of the third, but six points from Jackson Lenoir in an 8-0 run helped CSAS regain the advantage with 3:37 left in the quarter.

From there, the score was tied seven times as the teams traded baskets the rest of the way, with neither one able to pull away until CSAS did in the final minute.

Malik Dodds finally broke through with the Patriots' first 3-pointer to make it 36-35, but the Bulldogs responded with a three-point play to tie it again. Red Boiling Springs took a 40-38 lead into the final period, but Stallion returned to open it with a 3-pointer, marking the first of five lead changes in the quarter.

"When Alex went back in, he really took over," Dragoo said. "I knew if he could get us going, they wouldn't be able to guard him. But it was Jackson Lenoir that kept us in the game. He was huge for us."

The Patriots never trailed after Stallion's three-point play with 4:38 remaining, but Red Boiling Springs tied the score three more times before Stallion picked up his fourth foul at the 3:31 mark.

Fifteen seconds later, the junior's basket put his team up for good at 55-53, and Brandon Woodruff eased the tension by providing a key steal with just under a minute remaining. Woodruff scored six of his seven points the rest of the way as the Patriots (28-6) closed out a victory, followed by a frenzied celebration of their first-ever home sectional win.

"I was real excited, but it was also just a big relief that the game was over," Stallion said.

Stallion finished with a game-high 18 points despite sitting nearly half the game. Lenoir followed with 15 for CSAS, and Dodds totaled 11. The Patriots will play in the state tournament next week at Middle Tennessee State University against an opponent to be determined on Saturday.

"I think a substate win is the greatest feeling in the world," Dragoo said. "Now the guys know they get to go up to Murfreesboro and keep playing a little longer."

(E-mail Jaime Lackey at jaimenlackey@yahoo.com)

Class A State Sectional

ARTS & SCIENCES 63, RED BOILING SPRINGS 54

Red Boiling Springs 15 12 13 44 -- 54
Arts & Sciences 14 8 16 25 -- 63

Red Boling Springs (54) -- Wes Grace 16, Jake Sttiles 15, J. Grace 2, Mullinix 2, Shelton Watson 13, Meador, Washington 5, Francis 1.

CSAS (63) -- Brogden, Woodruff 7, M. Ball, Alex Stallion 18, Malik Dodds 11, Crenshaw, Bowens 4, Kurtz, Cobb 2, A. Ball 4, Austin 2, Jackson Lenoir 15.