The coach wandered around the gym with a pleased, almost dazed look on his face. The players yelled and gave each other high fives and proud parents and friends took picture after picture. This was the scene inside the Maryville Christian School gym Saturday afternoon after the Battlefield Parkway Christian Academy Lions downed the Hamilton Heights Hawks 47-39 for the Tri State Christian Athletic Conference crown.
For the seniors, it was the culmination of four years of an uphill climb. Jared Hoskins and Matt Howard, having played together since the eighth grade, finally got the championship that had eluded them, and the school, for so long.
As sophomores, they were part of the North Georgia Christian School team that finished third in the tournament. Then, with the addition of I.V. Elmendorf and Zach Brown during their junior years, NGCS finished second behind Cleveland Christian. And now, as seniors, all four can call themselves champion.
The game began looking like both teams were going to try to shut out the other, as it took over two minutes of the opening frame for either team to score. Finally, a Daniel Troutman trey opened the scoring and gave Hamilton Heights its biggest lead of the day.
BPCA answered with a two pointer of its own, and the teams traded baskets until the Lions began pulling away slightly at the end of the quarter, leading 16-10.
Low scoring and very tight defense again marked the second quarter as the two teams combined for 15 points. BPCA held on to their lead, holding a 22-19 advantage.
In the third quarter, the Lions built the lead to seven. They led by as many as 11 midway through the fourth. A small run by the Hawks trimmed the lead to six, but a technical foul on head coach Duke Stone ended any real threat.
The Lions were led by tournament MVP Jared Hoskins' game high 27 points, while Hamilton Heights was paced by Stephen Stone’s 14.
The Lions will now pack their bags and travel to Dayton, Tn., for the National Association of Christian Athletes tournament beginning Wednesday.
Joining Hoskins on the all tournament team were teammates I.V. Elmendorf and Ryan Ambrosetti, Hamilton Heights' Stone and Daniel Troutman and Cleveland Christian’s Granger Hughes.
BPCA 16 6 13 12 47
HH 10 9 9 10 39
BPCA (47) – Jared Hoskins 27, Adam Ambrosetti 11, Elmendorf 3, R. Ambrosetti 2, Howard 2, Harbin 2, Brown.
HH (39) – Stephen Stone 14, Newlun 8, Hunt 8, Troutman 5, White 3.
3-point goals- BPCA 6 (A. Amrosetti 3, Hoskins 2, Elmendorf); HH 2 (White, Troutman)
Records – BPCA 22-9; Hamilton Heights 24-6.