BACK-TO-BACK

Gray Collegiate saved its best effort for the final game of the season.

The defending Class 2A boys’ basketball champions outscored Lower State champion opponent Andrew Jackson 29-1 in the 4th quarter.

The War Eagles came away with a resounding 79-38 victory to claim a 2nd straight Class 2A title at Colonial Life Arena Saturday.

“We were number 1 at the beginning of the season and number 1 at the end of the season,” Gray Collegiate head coach Dion Bethea said. “We embraced the challenge. We knew everybody was gunning for us and give us their best shot. Andrew Jackson gave us their best shot in the 1st half. We just saw their best basketball/ They still hadn’t seen ours and we went out there and performed.”

Senior Tommy Bruner scored a game-high 19 points with 6 assists. Jalil Robinson added 15 points and 5 steals for Gray Collegiate (21-10), which won its 9th straight game.

Jalen DeLoach, who had 5 blocked shots, Robinson and Dallaz Corbitt, each collected 9 rebounds and cousin Khalil, finished with 12 points despite foul trouble.

“I know I went out with 2 fouls,” Bruner said. “(Bethea) just told me to stay in the game. Stay in the game. Then, Khalil went out with 3 fouls and that’s when we knew we had to depend on everybody. So everybody just stuck together and everybody picked one another up and even if both of us had fouled out of the game, we still had confidence that we were going to win because every guy on this team can still play and lead us to victory.”

Bruner scored Gray Collegiate’s 1st 5 points during the team’s 10-0 run to open the game. Foul trouble for the War Eagles enabled the Volunteers to get back to within 2 points in the 2nd quarter.

D.J. Ealey led Andrew Jackson with 10 of his team-high 15 points in the 1st half.

Andrew Jackson (17-6) got no closer the rest of the way. Bruner answered with 7 straight points during a 9-2 run to put Gray Collegiate up 32-21 and it entered the lockerroom with a 34-26 advantage.

The War Eagles dominated the second half, outscoring the Volunteers 45-13 and holding them to 4-19 shooting from the field and 0-6 from 3-point range. By the 4-minute mark of the 4th quarter, the War Eagles fans were starting the “back-to-back” chant. (SEE PHOTOS ON B3)

3-PEAT & CURTAIN CALL

Despite coming a victory short of reaching the Class 5A title game, Lexington High School still had a presence at Colonial Life Arena last Friday.

The championship game featured 2-time defending champion Dorman led by former Wildcat Thomas Ryan. Sparked by a strong defensive effort which forced 21 turnovers, the top-ranked Cavaliers came away with the 46-39 win over Berkeley.

The win also put Ryan in elite company of South Carolina boys’ basketball coaches who’ve won 3 or more straight titles. Those names include Zam Fredrick (Calhoun County), John Smith (Great Falls), Mark Huff (Gaffney), George Glymph (Eau Claire), Frank Morse (Charleston) and Artie Knight Jr. (Holly Hill).

”Those are special, awesome coaches in our state’s history, but it means that I’ve got great players and they’ve bought in,” Ryan said.

For the second straight year, Ryan’s former head coach, Bailey Harris presented him a commemorative gameball. Harris had announced his plans to step down after 32 seasons.

“Coach Harris, presenting the ball, was very special to me,” Ryan said. “He’s done a lot, but professionally, really helped me as a basketball coach. Even more important, our personal relationship. What he stands for and the character he has, that meant the world to me coach Harris presenting me the gameball.”

ALL-CHRONICLE TEAM NOMINATIONS

Coaches of Chronicle Country basketball teams are asked to submit your player recommedations to the Lexington County Chronicle sports department. Send via email at chroniclesports@yahoo.com or faxed to (803) 359-2936 by March 16.