COALMONT, Tenn. – After losing by 17 points in each of the two regular season matchups, the 4-seed Community Vikings (14-16, 2-6) nearly pulled off the upset against the 3-seed Cascade Champions (16-12, 5-3) in the District 9-AA Consolation Game, but the Champs found a way to pull out the 55-53 win in overtime on Monday night inside of Ricky Richards Gymnasium.

Noah Watson, who returned to the starting lineup for this game, scored seven points in the first half, but he hit the biggest shot of the game with 58.5 seconds left in the extra session on Cascade’s ninth three-pointer of the night from the left wing to put the Champs in front for good, 54-53. Henry Stone, who went 7-8 at the free throw line and finished with 11 points, split a pair of free throws with 9.5 seconds left after a Charlie Haskins layup rolled off the rim on the previous possession. 

Community called timeout to set up a play to win the game, finding Moe Berman wide open in the right corner, but his shot careened off the rim at the buzzer, allowing Cascade to escape with the win and improve to 3-0 against the Vikes this season. 

Cascade jumped out to a 26-19 lead at halftime and went on an extended 11-4 run into the third quarter to take a 34-23 lead, but the Vikings came storming back in response with a 16-3 run to close the period, taking a 39-37 lead going into the final frame. Charlie Haskins, who had just two points in the first half, exploded after halftime, scoring 20 points in the final 16 minutes to finish leading all scorers with a game-high 22 points, including 11 in the third. 

Charlie Haskins (3) scored 20 pts in the 2H on Monday.

David Smith

However, in the fourth quarter freshman Cooper McElroy, took over for Cascade. Reminiscent of his older brother, Isaac McElroy, scoring 32 points in last year’s consolation game win against Community, Cooper led Cascade with seven points in the fourth quarter to give Cascade new life and help get the game to overtime. He opened the quarter with his third three-pointer from the corner, then he drove to the basket, finishing through contact for an old-fashioned three-point play to give Cascade a 44-42 lead.

A Haskins drive tied the game at 44, then a Stone layup put Cascade back in front, 46-44 with 3:34 left. Haskins split a pair of free throws to cut the lead to one, Stone responded with another layup, then Landon Lovvorn, who ended the night with 11 points, connected on a 15-foot pull-up jumper. McElroy then split a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 49-47 with 2:07 to go.

Cooper McElroy (14) lays in two of his 10 second-half points. The freshman made three threes and scored seven points in the fourth quarter to help send the game into OT.

David Smith

Another Lovvorn bucket tied the game at 49 with 26 seconds left, but the Champions had one last chance to win the game in regulation. Kaleb Kelso, who scored seven points in the first half, got a good luck at the buzzer on the left wing, but his shot went just long off the back iron, sending the game into OT.

In overtime, Tyler Rodgers jumped the passing lane on Community’s first possession, and Kelso followed his missed layup to put Cascade in front, 51-49. Haskins responded with another strong drive to tie the game, then Haskins gave Community the lead, 53-51, on the Vikes’ ensuing possession. As the clock ticked below one minute, Cascade swung the ball to Noah Watson, who connected on a deep three-pointer for his only basket of the second-half to put Cascade in front, 54-53, with 58.5 seconds left. 

McElroy and Watson, who averaged 4.4 PPG and 5.9 PPG on the season, respectively, combined for 23 points on the night to help push the Champs over the top. Jason Cullum, who averaged 19.5 PPG in the two previous meetings with Community, was battling an illness going in and did not score in a game for the first time this season. His backcourt mate, Kaleb Kelso, connected on a pair of three-pointers in the middle two quarters and finished with 12 points.

 Cascade took a 12-10 lead after the opening period after a slow-paced first quarter. Moe Berman and Lovvorn connected on two of Community’s three total three-pointers to keep the Vikes within arm’s reach.

In the second quarter, Kelso led all scorers with seven points, spearheading the Champs to a 26-19 lead going into the halftime locker room. 

Community outscored Cascade, 20-11, in the third quarter behind Haskins’ 11 points in the period to take a 39-37 lead going into the eventful fourth quarter. 

With the loss, Community will have to travel to the District 10-AA Champions, Loretto, on Saturday night for the Region 5-AA Quarterfinals with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m.

Cascade will travel to Mt. Pleasant, who fell to Loretto, 58-41, to take on the Tigers in a rematch from the final week of the regular season in the Region 5-AA Quarterfinals on Saturday night, LIVE on The Zinger 100.9 and AM 1400 starting at 6:45 p.m.