By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
GAYLESVILLE – The Collinsville Panthers faced some adversity on the court in the Gaylesville Boys Christmas Classic championship game on Friday night. They were missing two starters in Jake Middlebrooks and Zach Clanton, both of whom are battling sickness.
But even with their absences, the Panthers proved to be tough competition for the Westbrook Christian Warriors.
Dawson Cothran gave the Panthers the lead on a 3-point play with 30.4 seconds remaining in regulation, but Warrior senior forward Eli Edge tied the game at 37 on a baseline jumper with 3.5 seconds to go to force overtime.
Edge carried that momentum over to the extra period. He scored eight of his game-high 26 points to lead the Warriors to a 55-44 victory.
Edge also grabbed 10 rebounds and was 7-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line.
“Eli has been our best player this year,” Westbrook Christian first-year head coach and former Cherokee County High School head coach Neal Wester said. “He hit the shot he had to make to get it to overtime, then he just kind of took over. He’s had some really good games for us. I’m really proud of his mentality. He decided to step up and that was really good to see.”
Wester said the Warriors (8-9) knew the Panthers (11-5) were without Middlebrooks and Clanton, but that didn’t alter his game plan coming into Friday’s championship game.
“They’re a really good team and they take care of the ball really well. They make you work on defense,” Wester noted of Collinsville. “It’s hard to get out there and pressure them. They’ll make you pay. If you back off of them they shoot it well. They’re very well coached. They’re a tough team.
“We tried to force the pace but never really could get it going. We had played two really good games this week, but we weren’t as sharp tonight for whatever reason. Collinsville had a lot to do with that with the defense they played.”
As Wester said, the game was a defensive battle. The Warriors led 9-6 at the end of the first quarter and 19-16 at halftime. Collinsville was in front 26-25 at the end of the third quarter and had a 36-34 lead after a basket and free throw by Cothran with just over 30 seconds left in regulation.
That set the stage for Edge in the clutch and in overtime.
Gavin Lang led Collinsville with 19 points, including five 3-pointers. Cothran came away with eight points. Sam Stewart posted seven points and six rebounds. Mason McAteer finished with five points.
Keaton Brown tossed in 10 points for Westbrook. Cooper King finished with seven points.
“We’re proud to win it,” Wester said. “I’m proud of our guys for doing what we had to do.
“These four seniors, this is their third coach in three years. They’ve stuck through it. We didn’t start out very well. We lost some close games, but our seniors have stuck with it and really the last two weeks have been our best basketball. I hope this propels us into the new year. I think we’re getting better and I’m proud of our guys.”
In the girls tournament championship game, Fyffe downed Hokes Bluff 52-30.