All that District 5-A champion Arts & Sciences needed to do to reach the Region 3-A semifinals was beat the fourth-place team from District 6-A at home Saturday.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, that team was Sale Creek, which had defeated CSAS at home just a few weeks ago.
The Panthers gave Arts & Sciences another battle for three quarters of the region rematch, but the Patriots pulled away in the fourth for a 62-51 victory and a spot in Tuesday’s semifinals at Marion County.
“This wasn’t your typical one versus four game,” CSAS coach Mark Dragoo said. “Sale Creek was one of the top teams in their district all year, but they got upset in the tournament twice. They had beaten us on our court earlier in the year, so we knew it was going to be a tough game. It was no surprise.”
Arts & Sciences took a two-point lead into the second quarter, and could only stretch that margin to four at the break. Sale Creek’s Winston Tullos scored 10 of his team-high 18 points in the first half, which ended with the Panthers trailing just 28-24.
“We were up six or eight points several times in the first half, but we just couldn’t close it out,” Dragoo said. “In the second half, I think our defensive pressure started getting to them a little bit. We got up by as much as 15, but they were still playing hard. They have seniors who wanted to keep playing, just like we do.”
In the third quarter, Cahlib Edwards connected on a 3-pointer on the Patriots’ opening possession, and later contributed a steal and layup to put his team up 34-26. Sale Creek got back within four before a dunk from Jordan House helped swing the momentum in the Patriots’ favor.
Still, the Panthers were within 39-36 after two free-throws from Jason Holland with 2:01 left in the third. Miguel Hamilton responded with a three-point play before leaving the game with an ankle injury, and a 3-pointer from T.J. Pulliam helped CSAS take a 45-38 lead into the fourth.
Edwards’ seven fourth-quarter points helped the Patriots finally put Sale Creek away, and he finished with a game-high 21. Darius Graves followed with 18 for CSAS, including six in the final period.
“It wasn’t the best night for everybody,” Dragoo said. “But we have so many different people who can score that if it’s an off night for some, we have other people who can step up and close it out for us. I think Cahlib did that tonight. I also think the Jordan House dunk and blocked shot in the third quarter really gave us a boost, and T.J. Pulliam played well off the bench.”
Now 22-8, Arts & Sciences moves on to the Region 3-A semifinals, which will take place Tuesday at Marion County. The host Warriors were eliminated Saturday, however, with a 62-47 loss at 5-A runner-up Silverdale Baptist.
The Seahawks will match up with the winner of Saturday’s game between Boyd-Buchanan and Van Buren County, while CSAS will face either Copper Basin or Richard Hardy.
“We’ve played them both and beaten them both twice, but that doesn’t mean anything now,” Dragoo said. “It’s a whole new ballgame. But it’s a big game. That’s the one you want to get to.”
(E-mail Jaime Barrett at jaimenbarrett@gmail.com)
Region 3-A at Arts & Sciences
ARTS & SCIENCES 62, SALE CREEK 51
Sale Creek 15 9 14 13 -- 51
Arts & Sciences 17 11 17 17 -- 62
Sale Creek (51) -- Jason Holland 11, Smith 5, Storey 3, May 6, Winston Tullos 18, Kirk 8,
Arts & Sciences (62) -- Clark, Cahlib Edwards 21, Hamilton 6, Dodds 6, Sterling, Darius Graves 18, Pulliam 5, House 6.
3-point goals: Sale Creek 2 (Holland, Storey); Arts & Sciences 3 (Edwards 3).