MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Some things never change.
Like the Chattanooga Howard and Liberty Technology basketball rivalry in the TSSAA boys state tournament.
The Crusaders pulled away from the disjointed Hustlin’ Tigers in the fourth quarter and posted a 62-52 victory in the Class AA quarterfinals at Middle Tennessee State University on Wednesday, eliminating Howard for the third consecutive year.
“I’m disgusted and frustrated with the way some of my guys played,” veteran coach Walter McGary said.
“The biggest (problem) is jealousy and I’ve got to do a better job picking my players. This is a heartbreaker because we had the team to win. I’m surprised (at the outcome). We should have won this game.”
Howard (21-10), appearing in its 24th state tournament with runner-up finishes in 1972 and 1980, had a 41-38 lead with 5:32 left in the game.
The Crusaders (29-6), who won last year’s tournament and finished second in 2010 with another title in 2006, outscored the Hustlin’ Tigers, 24-9, and cruised into the semifinals against Memphis Mitchell.
Mitchell (22-9) routed Alcoa, 53-34, in Monday’s first of six games.
With 6-foot-9-inch, 272-pound Brandon Walters a non-factor, the Hustlin’ Tigers turned to 6-5 freshman Wayne Caudle, who responded with a team-high 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting, 13 rebounds (10 defensive), and nine blocks.
“I played hard and tried to keep the team in the game,” Caudle said.
Reserve Cudjoe Young was the only other Howard player in double figures with 10 points. Walters, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, finished with seven points – none in the first half – and 10 rebounds.
Coming into the state tournament, Walters had averaged 24.7 points and 10.4 rebounds.
“Our plan today was to go to Brandon inside, but he just wasn’t there,” said McGary, who had a Hall of Fame career at UTC. “When he’s making excuses, he’s one of the world’s worst. He started even before we left the hotel this morning. He was talking about ‘self.’ You just can’t reach him.”
Walters picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and eventually went to the bench with 1:34 left in the period.
Walters had zero points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots at intermission and didn’t return to action until the third quarter began.
The Crusaders’ game plan was obvious.
“We couldn’t let (Walters) catch the ball clean down low,” said Liberty’s Matt Smith, a 6-6 senior who spent a lot of time around Walters and Caudle. “As big as (Caudle) is, he didn’t force the issue at all. He played about the same way last year and I’m surprised he hadn’t gotten more aggressive. He’s older.”
Smith said Liberty wasn’t aggressive enough against Caudle, especially early in the game.
“He did just about what he wanted in the first half,” he said.
Even without Walters’ normal contribution, the Hustlin’ Tigers, whose 24 tournament losses are second only to Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett's 28, were in a 21-21 tie with the Crusaders at halftime, mainly due to Caudle’s 10 points and six rebounds.
Caudle was less effective in the second half due to Liberty doubling down on him and a full-court pressure defense rattling the Hustlin’ Tigers’ guards.
“They were coming at me right at the free-throw line,” Caudle said. “They were double teaming me and pressuring me. They kept an eye on me.”
And the turnovers kept piling up.
Howard committed 10 miscues in the first quarter, six more in the second and finished with 25, and no one was immune to mistakes. Caudle had five turnovers, Anthony Smith and RodDarius Martin four each and Antonio Smith, Walters and Rashad Brummitt had three apiece.
“We started rushing and started turning the ball over,” said Young, who had two miscues.”
That wasn’t the worst headache for the Hustlin’ Tigers.
“We started arguing on the court,” Young said. “We started going against each other. Everybody got down and we didn’t play our game.”
Tavarius Gause led the Crusaders with 16 points. Daniel Hill had 13 points and Emmette Lindsey had 11 points and 12 rebounds, as Liberty enjoyed a 45-35 rebounding edge.
Liberty’s pressure-packed defense helped make up for its poor shooting – 19 of 61 for 31.1 percent. Liberty was 3-of-11 from the stripe almost four minutes into the fourth quarter, but drilled 16 of 18 down the stretch to send Howard packing again.
Howard made 21 of 48 shots (43.8 percent) but was just 7-of-17 from the free throw line.
And it’s Liberty that’s moving on.
“This is where we’re supposed to be every year,” Liberty coach Jarrett Jones said. “It’s more than just tradition.”
BOXSCORE
Liberty Tech 62, Chattanooga Howard 52
Chattanooga Howard (21-10)
Anthony Smith 1-11 2-6 4, Antonio Smith 1-2 1-1 4, Wayne Caudle 8-11 0-3 16, RodDarius Martin 3-7 0-0 6, Brandon Walters 3-6 1-2 7, Lorenzo McCauley 0-1 0-0 0, Rashad Brummitt 2-3 0-0 5, Cudjoe Young 3-7 3-4 10. Total: 25-56 7-12 60.
Liberty Technology (29-6)
Taylen Douglas 2-9 0-0 5, Daniel Hill 3-10 7-8 13, Tavarius Gause 5-13 4-4 16, Rashad Crisp 4-15 0-1 8, Matt Smith 2-6 5-10 9, Emmette Lindsey 3-7 3-6 11, Ty Taylor 0-0 0-0 0, Kenneth Beard 0-1 0-0 0, Trae Reams 0-0 0-0 0. Total: 19-61 19-29 62.
Chattanooga Howard 11 10 12 19 – 52
Liberty Technology 10 11 14 27 – 62
3-point goals: Howard 3-8 (Anthony Smith 2-6, Antonio Smith 1-2, Brummitt 1-1, Young 1-2); Liberty 5-14 (Douglas 1-6, Gause 2-5, Lindsey 2-3).
Fouled out: Howard – Martin; Liberty – None.
Rebounds: Howard 35 (Caudle 13); Liberty 45 (Lindsey 12).
Assists: Howard 8 (Antonio Smith 3, Young 3); Liberty 7 (Hill 3).
Total fouls: Howard 23; Liberty 19.
Technical fouls: Howard – None; Liberty – None.
(E-mail Larry Fleming at fleminglrry@aol.com)