CHARLESTON, S.C. – Ooltewah’s streaking Owls ran out of steam Saturday.
Drexler Clark scored a game-high 23 points, and 6-foot-9-inch post players Luke Maye and Theo Mack combined for 30 and Hough High of Charlotte, N.C., thrashed Ooltewah, 72-53, Saturday in the Peper Law Firm Classic championship game at West Ashley High School.
The Huskies (10-1) outscored Ooltewah (9-2), 48-28, in the second and third quarters to snap the Owls’ nine-game winning streak.
Antonio Jackson, Ben Snider and C.J. Fritz each scored 10 points for the Owls, who knocked off Hanahan (S.C.) High and host West Ashley to reach the title game.
“We didn’t get enough pressure on their guards,” Owls coach Jesse Nayadley said. “We allowed them to get into their half-court (offense) too much and couldn’t match their two 6-9 posts.”
The Owls trailed by 12-11 after one quarter, but after Hough’s strong second and third quarters were on the short end of a 60-39 score going into the final eight minutes of play.
“I think we could have played them (better) on (Friday) night, maybe even beaten them, but after two days of tough full-court pressure we just didn’t have enough pressure to pull it off,” Nayadley said.
The Owls’ Jackson and Snider earned spots on the all-tournament team. The Ooltewah duo scored 42 and 41 points, respectively, in three classic games.
Owls’ guard Jacqueze Robinson, who scored 32 combined points in the first two games, was held scoreless in the title game.
Ooltewah returns to action on Dec. 27 when it participates in the Best of Preps tournament at Chattanooga State Community College.
SUMMARY
Ooltewah 11 12 16 14 – 53
Hough, N.C. 12 22 26 12 – 72
Ooltewah (53) – Antonio Jackson 10, Robinson, Ware 9, Ben Snider 10, Presley, Hasanbegovic, Turner, C.J. Fritz 10, Boyd 1, Maston 7, Carr 2, Bass 9, Jones, Cothran, Wooden.
Hough, N.C. (72) – Jackson 7, Drexler Clark 23, Poff 8, Theo Mack 11, Thompson 4, Luke Maye 19, Friday 1.
(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com)