Marshall defends title, tops Brookhaven
Southern Sports & Travel
The Marshall Patriots have held down the number one spot in the Southern Sports & Travel Class AA rankings the entire year and last night they proved worthy of that top billing as they successfully defended their title by downing second ranked Brookhaven 64-50 before a packed Kirk Academy gymnasium.
The win last night is the school’s fourth state championship in boys basketball and head coach Craig Dailey’s eleventh overall.
Brad Bennett and Dakota Dailey combined for 34 points and Marshall produced an 18-7 third quarter to propel the Patriots to their second straight Class AA State Championship.
(Above) Marshall freshman Dakota Dailey (#12) drives to the basket in the first half
Brookhaven wasted no time in racing out to a 6-0 lead to start the contest as Brennan Miller canned two free throws and converted in the paint and Zac Smith went baseline to give the Cougars an early advantage with less than two minutes gone in the quarter.
Marshall made themselves known on a Peyton Lewis baseline basket at the 5:37 mark and the Patriots would draw even with Brookhaven at 10-10 on a Chase Ferrell driving lay-in with 2:07 left in the opening quarter.
Marshall grabbed their first lead of the game at 14-12 on Brad Bennett’s fast break bucket as time expired in the quarter.
A Kevin Fitzpatrick steal and basket extended Marshall’s lead to 16-12 fifteen seconds into the second quarter and the Patriots got a driving baseline lay-in from Aaron McAlexander to take their biggest lead at 18-12 with 7:10 remaining in the half.
Brookhaven then erupted firing off an 11-2 run. Brock Smith’s floater in the lane capped the run and gave the Cougars a 23-20 edge with 2:39 left in the second quarter.
That would ultimately be Brookhaven’s last lead of the game as Marshall began imposing their will on both ends of the court.
Peyton Lewis tied the game at 23-23 with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Brad Bennett followed with a 3-pointer from the wing to give Marshall the lead at 26-23 at the 1:37 mark.
With Marshall holding a 28-25 lead Brookhaven would get a huge basket to end the half as Matthew Evans drove the lane and scored at the buzzer to pull the Cougars to within one point at 28-27.
While Brookhaven didn’t regain the lead the Cougars stayed within striking distance and with nearly four minutes gone in the third quarter Marshall was clinging to a 35-32 lead but the Patriots closed strong.
(Above) Marshall's Peyton Lewis (#22) and Brad Bennett (#4) have Brookhaven's Brock Smith contained
Peyton Lewis drained another 3-pointer and following a Brookhaven turnover Brad Bennett hit a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Patriots their biggest lead at 41-32 with 2:19 left in the quarter.
Two Dakota Dailey free throws pushed the Marshall lead to 43-32 and after Brookhaven’s Gage Posey scored a basket off an inbounds play the Patriots went up by twelve points at 46-34 to end the third quarter as Bennett drilled another 3-pointer.
Brookhaven trimmed the deficit to seven points at 47-40 on a Matthew Evans assist to Brock Smith with 6:19 remaining in regulation but the Cougars could get no closer.
With 3:50 remaining and Marshall holding on to a 50-42 lead the Patriots would outscore Brookhaven 14-8 en-route to a 64-50 final.
Junior Brad Bennett and freshman Dakota Dailey each had 17 points to lead Marshall. Kevin Fitzpatrick added 9, Peyton Lewis 8, Aaron McAlexander 7 and Chase Ferrell 6.
Brookhaven (32-4) was led by senior Brock Smith with 14 points, Gage Posey added 10, Matthew Evans, Bubba Keene and Brennan Miller all had 8 each and Zac Smith 2.
Marshall (36-3) will be paired up with Class A opponent West Memphis on Tuesday at 4:00 in Overall Tournament play while Brookhaven will tackle Class AAA Champion Jackson Prep Wednesday at 7:00.
.
Post Game with Marshall head coach Craig Dailey
.
