Double Overtime Thriller: Central Boys Going To State

Brainerd Also Qualifies With Comeback Over Cannon County

  • Tuesday, March 3, 2015
  • John Hunt
Central's Tre Tiller pulls up for a jump shot against the Livingston Academy defense. Tiller popped the nets for 11 points as the Pounders gained a trip to the state tournament with a 75-72 double overtime win over the Wildcats.
Central's Tre Tiller pulls up for a jump shot against the Livingston Academy defense. Tiller popped the nets for 11 points as the Pounders gained a trip to the state tournament with a 75-72 double overtime win over the Wildcats.
photo by Dennis Norwood

For all the folks who came to Chattanooga State Tuesday night for the Class AA sectional battle between Livingston Academy and Region 3-AA champ Central, they got their money's worth and more.

And they even got some free basketball to boot.

Needing a couple of overtimes, the Purple Pounders will be heading to Murfreesboro and MTSU's Murphy Center next week for the TSSAA State Tournament after turning away a fierce comeback  by the Wildcats.

The final score was 75-72.

And to make matters even sweeter for Chattanooga and teams from District 6-AA, the Brainerd Panthers will also be heading to the state after posting a 57-45 comeback win at Cannon County Tuesday night.

Brainerd will face Christ Presbyterian Academy on Thursday, March 12 at 1:15 CST while Central takes the court at 4:30 to face Ripley.

But on a night when Central was seeking its 12th straight win, a most unsung hero came through as Rodney Benford ripped the nets for 21 points as somehow and someway, the Purple Pounders managed to hang on for their biggest win in recent history.

Just for your information, Central went to the state in 2000, but none of the current Purple Pounder players even knew that Central basketball even existed at that time.

It was a real challenge for Central as the Pounders won for the fourth time in the last five days.  The good news is that they can rest and regroup in the next few days as the state tournament doesn't begin for the boys until next Wednesday.

 "I don't think anyone in Chattanooga expected this to happen," said an elated Central coach Rick Rogers after the post-game celebration had subsided just a little bit.

"Before the game started, I told them that the Livingston Academy team had been here Monday night, but they didn't know anything about Rodney Benford and what he was capable of doing.  He was our MVP tonight bar none and the biggest reason that we're still playing.

"This has been a great season so far, but I'm not ready for it to end.  All we need is three more wins, but by then, we'll have rested and have our legs back," he continued.

"I expected it to be a one-possession game and it came down to it, but Rodney was the  key for us as he put on an MVP performance tonight.  It seems like it's always somebody stepping up and tonight was his turn," Rogers added.

Livingston Academy coach Jimmy Miller had a long post-game discussion with his team, but he was straight forward and matter of fact when he discussed the game.

"That was close and a tough game to lose," he said after his team had concluded another steller season at 26-8.

"We got down early as Central was shooting the ball well, but they have an outstanding basketball team.  It turned into a game of runs.  We had plenty of opportunity in the second half, but we just weren't able to capitalize.  That's the most fun I've had in my five years as their head coach, but hat's off to Central.  They were the better team tonight," Miller added.

Drew Gore canned a baseline jumper to give the Wildcats the early lead, but Central got a 3 from Terron Hayes and six-straight points from Ryan Montgomery to take a 9-3 lead three minutes into the game.

Emmanuel Lane scored on a putback at the end of the quarter to give Central a 17-14 lead at the first break.

A 17-4 run by Central at the start of the second quarter gave the Pounders their biggest lead of the game at 34-18 with just over a minute remaining before the half, but the Wildcats got two free throws from Wade Eldridge and Zac Craig in the final minute to cut Central's lead to 34-22 at the break.

A 3 by Benford gave Central a 47-35 lead with 1:31 left in the third quarter, but the Wildcats ended the quarter on a 7-0 run to get within 47-42 with one stanza remaining.

That's when things really got interesting.

Hayes scored on a drive to start the fourth before Logan Clark converted a four-point play with 6:57 remaining.  Craig's layup 40 seconds later allowed the visitors to get within one at 49-48.

A steal and a layup by Xander Miller gave the Wildcats their first lead since the start at 59-58 with 1:13 left and Craig's free throw with 33 seconds made it 60-58.

Central's Tre Tiller sent the game into overtime with a layup at the 10-second mark.

The Wildcats had leads of 63-62 and 65-64 in the first extra period, but Benford sank the first of two free throws to knot the score with 37 seconds left.

Livingston Academy couldn't convert as the clock wound down and Tiller's half-court heave was off the mark to force the second overtime.

Another 3 by Benford with 1:30 to play gave Central the lead for the last time at 70-69.  A three-point play by Montgomery with 56 seconds left made it 73-69 before Eldridge scored on a drive down the lane.  He added a free throw with 24.5 seconds left on Montgomery's fifth foul to make it a one-point game, but Benford sank two free throws in the final 15 seconds -- the last with 4.8 seconds -- to give Central a three-point lead.

A long shot from the wing by Tanner Dillon was off the mark as Central players, fans and cheerleaders stormed the court in celebration.

Montgomery had 25 points and a dozen rebounds to lead the winners while Benford finished with 21 points.

Hayes added 13 for the winners while Tiller was also in double figures with 11.

"I can't believe it. We're headed to the state," Tiller, one of three Central seniors, said during the post-game celebration.

"I was tired in the second half, but I just had to keep pushing as we really wanted to win this game," he added.

Eldridge finished with 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Wildcats before fouling out late in the second overtime.  The big guy is quite an athlete and is headed to Tennessee Tech on a football scholarship.

Craig was next with 13 points while Gore finished with 10.

Kentrell Evans scored 15 points and Malik Beavers a dozen as Brainerd bounced back from Monday's Region final loss to beat Cannon County, 57-45.

Da'V Moore finished with 11 points while Marques Tipton added nine, all in the fourth quarter.

"We played really hard from the opening tip," said Brainerd coach Lavar Brown as his team was on its way back to Chattanooga.

"Cannon County shot the lights out in the first half and had a three-point lead at the break, but we came out in the second half and turned up the pressure.  Da'V got a big dunk and that sparked us the rest of the way.  And I'm really happy to hear that Central won," Brown added after his team ijmproved to 22-7.

LIVINGSTON ACADEMY  14  8  20  18  5  7  --  72

CENTRAL  17  17  13  13  5  10  --  75

LIVINGSTON ACADEMY (72) -- Eldridge 26, Craig 13, Qualls 3, Crowder 5, Gore 10, Miller 6, Hayes 2, Clark 7.

CENTRAL (75) -- Tiller 11, Billingsley, Hayes 13, Montgomery 25, Hudgins, Benford 21, Poole, Lane 5.

3-POINT GOALS: Livingston Academy 5 (Craig 2, Qualls, Clark 2); Central 8 (Tiller, Hayes 3, Benford 4).

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@Comcast,net)

Rodney Benford puts up a layup for two of his 21 points to help lead Central to a win and its first trip to the state tournament since 1997.
Rodney Benford puts up a layup for two of his 21 points to help lead Central to a win and its first trip to the state tournament since 1997.
photo by Dennis Norwood
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