Bowling Green takes south stateSouthern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
In what most consider to be the one of the best rivalries in the MAIS the Brookhaven Cougars and Bowling Green Buccaneers battled for four quarters in a thrilling and intense filled South State AA Championship game before a jammed packed and boisterous crowd in the John R Gray Gymnasium last night in Brookhaven. It was the fifth meeting this season between the two teams but none was more important than last night’s game in which a number one seed and first round bye in next week’s state tournament was at stake. In the end Bowling Green edged the second ranked Cougars 61-57 to capture their second consecutive South State AA Championship.
Bowling Green moved out to a 6-2 lead following a Jaron Edwards 3-pointer from the wing less than two minutes into the opening quarter. Jake Reed’s assist to Jamison Powell knotted the game at 6-6 at the 6:01 mark but Brookhaven had no answer for Bowling Green center Shod Fortenberry who accounted for 9 first quarter points. Fortenberry’s offensive rebound and put back with 5:15 remaining in the quarter started a 13-6 Buccaneer run that ended on a Jaron Edwards 17 foot jumper near the end of the first quarter to give Bowling Green a 19-14 lead after eight minutes of play that included three lead changes and three ties.
Jamison Powell’s offensive rebound and score followed by a Jake Reed jumper from the elbow pulled the Cougars to within one point at 19-18 to begin the second quarter. After two consecutive Bowling Green buckets pushed the Buccaneer lead to 23-18 Brock Smith drilled a 3-pointer from the corner at the 3:35 mark to keep Brookhaven close at 23-21. Bowling Green matched their biggest lead at 27-22 after Shod Fortenberry sank a jumper from the elbow and Colton Owens served up an assist to Fortenberry with 2:36 left in the half. Jake Reed converted on two free throws for Brookhaven as the half ended with Bowling Green maintaining a slim 27-24 advantage.
It took Brookhaven fifteen seconds to tie the game at 27-27 to start the second half on a Jake Reed driving lay-in plus one but Bowling Green freshman Mac McElveen helped the Buccaneers counter with three straight baskets to go back on top 33-27 with two minutes gone in the quarter. McElveen went baseline for a basket off the glass and then set the table for a Colton Owens lay-in on a fast break before hitting another banker at the 6:01 mark. Bowling Green’s six point cushion was short lived as Bubba Keene and Sidney Chaffin delivered consecutive 3-pointers from the same spot on the floor to tie the game at 33-33. Following a Jaron Edwards driving lay-in that put Bowling Green back up 35-33 Brookhaven took their first lead since the 2:55 mark of the first quarter when Jake Reed stroked a 3-pointer from the corner. The Cougars added to their lead as they finished the quarter with a 12-4 run to take a 45-39 spread into the final quarter of play.
Bowling Green moved out to a 6-2 lead following a Jaron Edwards 3-pointer from the wing less than two minutes into the opening quarter. Jake Reed’s assist to Jamison Powell knotted the game at 6-6 at the 6:01 mark but Brookhaven had no answer for Bowling Green center Shod Fortenberry who accounted for 9 first quarter points. Fortenberry’s offensive rebound and put back with 5:15 remaining in the quarter started a 13-6 Buccaneer run that ended on a Jaron Edwards 17 foot jumper near the end of the first quarter to give Bowling Green a 19-14 lead after eight minutes of play that included three lead changes and three ties.
Jamison Powell’s offensive rebound and score followed by a Jake Reed jumper from the elbow pulled the Cougars to within one point at 19-18 to begin the second quarter. After two consecutive Bowling Green buckets pushed the Buccaneer lead to 23-18 Brock Smith drilled a 3-pointer from the corner at the 3:35 mark to keep Brookhaven close at 23-21. Bowling Green matched their biggest lead at 27-22 after Shod Fortenberry sank a jumper from the elbow and Colton Owens served up an assist to Fortenberry with 2:36 left in the half. Jake Reed converted on two free throws for Brookhaven as the half ended with Bowling Green maintaining a slim 27-24 advantage.
It took Brookhaven fifteen seconds to tie the game at 27-27 to start the second half on a Jake Reed driving lay-in plus one but Bowling Green freshman Mac McElveen helped the Buccaneers counter with three straight baskets to go back on top 33-27 with two minutes gone in the quarter. McElveen went baseline for a basket off the glass and then set the table for a Colton Owens lay-in on a fast break before hitting another banker at the 6:01 mark. Bowling Green’s six point cushion was short lived as Bubba Keene and Sidney Chaffin delivered consecutive 3-pointers from the same spot on the floor to tie the game at 33-33. Following a Jaron Edwards driving lay-in that put Bowling Green back up 35-33 Brookhaven took their first lead since the 2:55 mark of the first quarter when Jake Reed stroked a 3-pointer from the corner. The Cougars added to their lead as they finished the quarter with a 12-4 run to take a 45-39 spread into the final quarter of play.
(Above) Brookhaven Jake Reed (#11) had a game high 26 ptsBowling Green slowed the Brookhaven run with two straight Jaron Edwards baskets to start the fourth quarter and following a Jake Reed free throw the Cougars held a 48-43 advantage with 5:30 remaining in the game. Bowling Green jumped back ahead at 50-48 after an Edwards steal and basket plus one and an Edwards 3-pointer from the top of the key plus one with 4:25 left. Jamison Powell sliced through Bowling Green’s press and converted on a lay-in plus one with 3:45 left in the game to put Brookhaven back up 53-52 but a Mac McElveen basket plus one move Bowling Green back ahead and the Cougars would only score two baskets the remaining three minutes as Bowling Green sealed the win with a 9-4 run to win 61-57.
Jaron Edwards led Bowling Green with 22 points, Shod Fortenberry contributed with 17, Mac McElveen added 12 and Colton Owens 10.
For Brookhaven Jake Reed had a game high 26 points, Jamison Powell added 12, Bubba Keene 11, Sidney Chaffin 5 and Brock Smith 3.
Bowling Green improves to 26-8 and enters the state tournament as the #1 seed from the south and will have a first round bye. The Buccaneers will play the winner of the first round game between Columbia and Canton.
Brookhaven slips to 24-6 and will take on Hillcrest in the late game on Tuesday.
(Above) Bowling Green freshman Mac McElveen drives late in the fourth quarterPost game comments:
Bowling Green head coach Pat King
“The game plan was to go to Shod Fortenberry early and often but I think they changed some things defensively after the first quarter because he had nine points. The changes they made defensively opened up things for our guards. I thought Jaron Edwards and Mac McElveen got some open chances to go to the basket. Defensively I still don’t think we’re very good, we are not where we need to be but hopefully we’ll get there. I think we defended well in the fourth quarter but we were shaky at times in the first half. I’m proud of my kids, they get out there and work hard everyday and I bust them up and they continue to come out here and fight and the funny thing is that I’ve been questioning their mentality all year and for me to see a bunch of young men grow up tonight after being down six points going into the fourth quarter says a lot about how they’ve continued to grow. They showed me tonight that they are capable and I am very proud of them as young men as much as I am of them as basketball players.”
How important was this win with regards to earning the #1 seed heading into the state tournament?
“I’m smiling, it was big. We get a week off. Shod’s knee is bothering him and we need it.”
How big is getting a win over Brookhaven heading into the state tournament?
“It’s big for mental purposes especially having to play them here and being down in the fourth quarter. I think it’s huge for our kids and I think its great momentum for next week to know that no matter what the odds are that if we pull together we can do it. I’m proud of them very much.”
BG...19...8...12...22...61
BA...14..10...21...12...57
(Photo at top of page) Colton Owens (#2) of Bowling Green and Brookhaven's Jamison Powell (#3) fight for a loose ball
Comments:
*Anonymous said...
How do BA boys drop to 4? they only have 6 losses, 3 of which came when football players were out. 2 came from MRA and one came from a good bowling green team who they have beaten 4 times already. just wondering how you figured that out.
How do BA boys drop to 4? they only have 6 losses, 3 of which came when football players were out. 2 came from MRA and one came from a good bowling green team who they have beaten 4 times already. just wondering how you figured that out.
*DT said...
The rankings are a current snapshot only. Hillcrest and Brookhaven (#1 and #2) lost this past week to the very teams that moved around them in the polls, while the #3 and #4 ranked teams won. Why shouldn't they move up?
*Anonymous said...
Since rankings are meaningless until the season is over why is that even an issue? BUT, since your feelings are obviously hurt by the 'alleged' snub I will point out what was obvious to me from the start. Marshall and Bowling Green (#1 & 2) both WON their respective regional tournaments while Canton and Brookhaven (#4 & 5) LOST. Hillcrest won their consolation game so they get the nod at #3.If you feel Brookhaven is better than #4 then they will certainly show it at Indianola
Since rankings are meaningless until the season is over why is that even an issue? BUT, since your feelings are obviously hurt by the 'alleged' snub I will point out what was obvious to me from the start. Marshall and Bowling Green (#1 & 2) both WON their respective regional tournaments while Canton and Brookhaven (#4 & 5) LOST. Hillcrest won their consolation game so they get the nod at #3.If you feel Brookhaven is better than #4 then they will certainly show it at Indianola
