Central Bounces Back To Advance To Region 3-3A Semifinal

Pounders Overcome South Doyle, 51-46

  • Saturday, February 25, 2023
  • Danny Webb

Three-point shooting and fundamentally sound basketball from Koxville’s South Doyle Cherokees gave Central High School all they could handle on their home court on Saturday night.

The pounders struggled to keep the visitors off the offensive boards, and five triples from Tai Cates certainly gave them a scare, but Central’s balanced attack and enhanced second-half defense granted them a 51-46 win.

In white uniforms with burgundy box-lettered script reading “Kees” across their chest, South Doyle found their key early. From the outset, sturdy Nate Thompson and company were a terror on the offensive glass, creating second-chance opportunities for their squad and helping them jump out to a 12-5 lead as the first-quarter clock expired.

“We talk a lot about accountability,” said Central head coach Kantonio Davis. “If he’s in your area, you have to box him out. I know he’s a little bigger, a little thicker, a little stronger but hey… tonight it takes heart,” said Davis.

The Pounders tapped into that heart and grit, ignited by a Ronye Watson and-one to begin the second quarter. Following a first quarter where they converted just one field goal-a wing three from Matthew Sharpe, the Pounders became tougher on the boards and outscored South Doyle 19-11 in the quarter, many of those 19 coming in the paint.

The quarter also included a pair of triples from three-point sniper Drew Williams who finished the game with 10 points and three hits from downtown. Williams is hardly one-dimensional though. He was a major part of the improved defensive effort, at one point deflecting a Cherokee pass, diving out of bounds, and flinging the ball blindly behind his back right to Sharpe who flew through the open court and gave the Pounders their first lead of the night.

Willaims’ three-point shooting was impressive, but it dulls in comparison to the prolific performance from Tai Cates. Cates, the game’s leading scorer, seemingly couldn’t miss from outside. Though his shot looks a touch unorthodox, the result took precedence over the righty’s delivery. He finished the night with an efficient 17.

The squads matched each other for most of the third quarter, neither team giving an inch given what was at stake. Then, the Cherokees were hit with a bad break. Dribbling through traffic, Cate lost the ball and grabbed his hand as he grimaced. The injury sidelined the Cherokee star for the rest of the third and the team didn’t score again in the quarter, finishing the period with just seven points.

Backed by their home crowd, the Pounders finished the quarter on a 13-0 run and took a six-point lead into the deciding period.

Central’s prolific scorer Matthew Sharpe had been a bit passive through the game’s first three quarters and had just six points as the game moved into crunch time.

In those waning minutes, Sharpe played the role of the finisher, the closer, the grim reaper.

Tai Cate returned to the game and knocked down a couple of clutch three-pointers to keep his team close, but Sharpe more than doubled his own scoring output in the quarter and scored six of Central’s final eight points to spoil the dreams of the Cherokees who had scratched back to within three points more than once in the game’s final two minutes.

“The guys stepped up and played a great game tonight,” said Davis. “In 2023, our confidence has just been lifting and lifting and lifting and lifting, and each game gets bigger. I think this makes them realize that hey… we do belong. We are good players and we can come out here and compete,” said Davis.

Cherokee players left the court, several of them summoning all of their might to clinch their eyelids closed hard enough to prevent any tears from escaping after the close loss.

Central will advance to take on Austin-East in the regional semifinal.

 

SOUTH DOYLE        12       11         7       16     -     46

CENTRAL                   5        19       12       15     -     51

SOUTH DOYLE (46) - Tai Cates 17, Nolan Brandy 10, Tipton 6, Thompson 6, Elder 3, Webster 2, Reynolds 2.

CENTRAL (51) - Matthew Sharpe 14, Drew Williams 10, Kelsean Patillo 10, Watson 8, Sanderfer 8, Steward 1.

3-point goals: South Doyle 6 (Cates 5, Elder); Central 6 (Williams 3, Patillo 2, Sharpe).

Records: South Doyle 12-14; Central 16-13,.

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