Shockwaves in Columbia, Brookhaven upsets Rebels
Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
If you felt the earth shake last night just past 9:00 pm it was due to an enormous eruption inside a packed and tension laden Columbia Academy gymnasium. In what many are calling one of the biggest upsets in recent MAIS history the 7th ranked Brookhaven Cougars took down top ranked Central Private 29-25 in a classic “David versus Goliath” matchup to advance to the semi-finals of the South State Class AA tournament, but more importantly the Cougars qualified for the Class AA State tournament to be held at Brookhaven next week.
With the stunning defeat Central Private’s season ends and Brookhaven’s quest for a 7th consecutive state championship is alive and well.
Speculation was rampant leading up to the contest as to what strategy would be employed by Brookhaven to match the explosive Central Private offense. That speculation ended quickly as Brookhaven displayed superior patience and discipline on their first possession of the night and took a 2-0 lead on a Gage Posey lay-in with just over two minutes gone in the opening quarter.
Central Private answered with a Lance Wicker 3-pointer from the wing for their first basket of the night at the 5:35 mark.
Brookhaven’s spread offensive set paid dividends as Gage Posey converted on another basket created off a back screen, plus one, to put the Cougars back on top 5-3 with 2:55 left in the first quarter. (Above) Brookhaven's Sidney Chaffin (#33) shoots over Taylor Fletcher of CP
Central Private knotted the contest at 5-5 as Jake Flaggert and Taylor Fletcher each hit one of two free throws on consecutive possessions but another backdoor basket, this time from Brookhaven junior Brock Smith, would send the Cougars into the second quarter holding a 7-5 advantage as the Brookhaven faithful were ecstatic and Central Private fans had looks of concern.
Central Private gave Rebel fans what they had hoped for in the second quarter. Jake Flaggert and Taylor Fletcher each drilled 3-pointers to spearhead a 10-2 run that gave the Rebels a 15-9 lead with 53 seconds remaining in the half.
The half would end with what Brookhaven head coach Dale Watts described as a critical basket as Gage Posey victimized the Central Private defense with yet another back door lay-in with 9 seconds remaining to trim the deficit to 15-11 at the halfway point.
In what proved to be one of the more curious strategies of the game Central Private came out in the third quarter in a spread offense and burned nearly two minutes off the clock culminating on a missed jumper from Simpson Anderson. Brookhaven would strike first in the quarter at the 4:08 mark as junior Jeff Rushing converted on a baseline drive to cut the Central Private lead to 15-13 and Sidney Chaffin’s 10’ turn-around jumper off the glass tied the contest at 15-15 with 1:13 left in the third quarter. That would cap the scoring in a quarter that saw Central Private go scoreless. (Above) Dave Jackson (#15) of Central Private with a lay-in
The level of tension reached fever pitch as Brookhaven quickly got a back door bucket from senior Sidney Chaffin and Gage Posey’s lay-in following a Central Private turnover with 6:41 remaining capped a Brookhaven 8-0 run to give the defending champions a 19-15 cushion.
Brookhaven took their biggest lead of the night at 27-21 with 2:39 remaining in the game as Brock Smith capitalized on a Central Private turnover with a lay-in but Central Private fired back with an offensive rebound and put back from Taylor Fletcher and a Dave Jackson basket with 2:01 left cut the deficit to 27-25.
That would be Central Private’s last score of the night. Neither squad could cash in on multiple turnovers down the stretch but Brookhaven’s Jeff Rushing would ice the game with two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to give Brookhaven a shocking 29-25 upset win.
With the win Brookhaven improves to 15-9 while Central Private ends their season at 27-3.
Brookhaven was led by sophomore Gage Posey who had a game high 11 points, Sidney Chaffin added 8, Jeff Rushing and Brock Smith 4 each and Matthew Evans had 2.
Taylor Fletcher led Central Private with 8 points, Jake Flaggert and Lance Wicker added 6 apiece, Simpson Anderson had 3 and Dave Jackson 2.
Brookhaven will take on River Oaks this afternoon in semi-final action.

Postgame Comments: Brookhaven Head Coach Dale Watts