Stellar season

Stellar season
War of attrition ends poorly for Clarksville
By GEORGE ROBINSON
The Leaf-Chronicle

MURFREESBORO — In a season that saw Clarksville surpass most of the school's historic basketball legacy, the final push toward a state championship would be within its grasp.



But fate dealt the Wildcats the cruelest blow of all, as Maryville's Ryan Click drained a fade-away 3-pointer as time expired to dramatically capture the TSSAA State Basketball Championship 69-66 against Clarksville in double overtime Saturday night.

The Wildcats, who fought off Oakland in three overtimes during Friday's semifinal, found enough magic to rally from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit and snatch a breath of life after the first overtime.

But Clarksville (33-3) who earned its first lead of the game in the first extra period, couldn't find the magic as the second overtime period salted away.

The Wildcats held a 66-63 advantage with just under 2:00 left in the game when the tournament's Most Valuable Player, Jordan Damron, lifted the sixth of his six 3-pointers to tie the game at 66 with 1:50 left.

Clarksville tried to melt the clock looking for a last shot, but reserve forward Shawn Dowlen was caught in the backcourt with the ball as the Wildcat guards tried to relieve Dowlen of the ball. With the officials counting off the five-second rule, Dowlen made his move to the basket and was called for a charge.

Maryville followed with a shot that veered off its mark but Clarksville couldn't corral the rebound, leaving 2.2 seconds left. The Rebels took a quick look inside to 6-foot-6, 245-pound Aaron Douglas but Damron floated a pass to Click, instead, as the sophomore guard drained the game-winning shot.

"We're looking for a big man inside and Clarksville swallowed him up," Maryville coach Mark Eldridge said. "Our next option was our perimeter players and Click happened to be the one. What a shot."

The loss is the first for Clarksville since a December defeat at the hands of Independence and is the second state runner-up finish for the Wildcats.

In two days, the Wildcats played a total of 13 periods and 84 minutes.

"I'd like to see four more minutes on the clock just to see these young men play again," a dejected Ted Young said about his Clarksville team. "What a joy to watch them play."

Tyrone Caldwell took over the final period of regulation and saved his team from elimination in the first overtime period. He finished with 26 points and six assists and was 11-of-13 from the foul line.

"We weren't playing well in the first three quarters and I didn't score a point before halftime," Caldwell said. "I just didn't want that to be my last memory and I willed myself to play better."

Wildcats forward Shaun Merriweather figured out the mystery of playing against the larger Douglas — a University of Tennessee football signee — to collect 16 points and eight rebounds while Ryne Harper finished with 10 points.

"Tyrone carried us," said the senior shooting guard. "I'm going to miss playing with him."

Maryville dominated much of regulation, using a bruising half-court offense to lean on Clarksville's speed. Douglas, who had 17 points, changed the Wildcats'offensive attack by controlling the paint for eight blocks.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats couldn't find any rhythm and looked fatigued after that marathon triple-OT game the night before as well as playing one of the tournament's toughest teams in Memphis Ridgeway last Thursday.

But somehow, Young's crew found a way to scratch back into the contest. Clarksville trailed 41-27 with 7:26 left in regulation when it exploded on a 10-0 run led by Merriweather and Caldwell. The junior's foul shots with 4:54 left cut Maryville's lead to 41-39.

The Wildcats finally evened the game after forcing a 10-second violation with 39 seconds left. Caldwell drove to the basket, drawing the foul. He sank his two shots to tie the game at 50-50 as regulation ended.

Maryville looked to have Clarksville put away in the closing seconds of the first overtime with a 62-60 lead and the ball under Clarksville's basket. But the Rebels threw their inbound pass to Caldwell who drew another foul on Douglas and hit both foul shots with 1 second left to send it into the second overtime.

"All hope really looked lost," Young said. "And Tyrone makes the steal and gets clobbered and stepped up to hit his two free throws. Another overtime and we see another four minutes on the clock."

"Seeing another four minutes on the clock right now would be the most rewarding thing for me."

Caldwell, Merriweather and Harper were each named to the All-Tournament Team.

George Robinson is the prep writer for The Leaf-Chronicle. He can be reached at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com or by telephone at 245-0747.