District 5-4A Tournament Champions

In attempting to return to the state tournament, Cleveland’s Blue Raiders are peaking at the right time. Walker Valley (21-10) is playing wonderful, team-centric basketball right now too.

In a Tuesday night clash, Walker Valley overcame a 44-36 lowpoint following Gabe Leeper Gabe Leeper 6'1" | PG Cleveland | 2023 State TN ’s world-beating third quarter (11 points) to win, 55-52.

Cleveland-Walker Valley. The game was certain to be electric. That much could be expected. But, to see the Blue Raiders and the Mustangs meeting in the District Tournament Championship after the seasons they each had was absolutely unexpected. Walker Valley finished fourth in the district and Cleveland entered the game losers of 17 games!

Nonetheless, the two teams earned entry into the District 5-4A Tournament Championship Game. It included many unexpected moments.

The Unexpected

Senior Tate O’Bryan opened the game with two uncontested three-pointers to the delight of Cleveland (13-17) fans, but the unrivaled shock of the opposition. O’Bryan is not considered or respected as an outside shooter.

Hobert Brabson Hobert Brabson 6'3" | PG Walker Valley | 2023 State TN provided much of the Mustang offense early. Brabson pulled [player_tooltip player_id=”1034399″ first=”Judah” last=”Sault”] out of the paint a bit too. No player had a bigger impact in the opening five minutes than Brabson whether touching the ball or tugging away one of Cleveland’s best post defenders.

Heath Davis buried his own corner three-pointer to give O’Bryan’s three-pointers a retort. Turnabout is fair play though and just after Spencer Jackson (Walker Valley) hit a key three-pointer late in the first half, Jasen Brooks Jasen Brooks 6'1" | PG Cleveland | 2023 State TN (Cleveland) responded with his own.

Unlike Heath Davis, a consistently-potent scorer all February, Jasen was incapable of scoring throughout February while suffering from a modest injury. He is back now, as evidenced by his sparkling second quarter hits from deep. Brooks showed off that elite quickness too. He might not be 100% just yet after that month away, but he is dynamic and threatening as a scorer already.

The Expected

Gabe Leeper Gabe Leeper 6'1" | PG Cleveland | 2023 State TN picked up two fouls in the first quarter, but played through the challenge. He exploited the Mustang defense with his excellent first-step. On one play, Leeper crossed his man up and then blitzed down the baseline for a smooth layup. Shortly thereafter Leeper hit a bomb from the wing.

There have been multiple games during which Leeper was the Blue Raiders’ best player. The guard was frequently fourth fiddle prior, to Jasen Brooks Jasen Brooks 6'1" | PG Cleveland | 2023 State TN , Alex Hyder Alex Hyder 6'3" | SG Cleveland | 2023 State TN , and Judah Sault Judah Sault 6'5" | SF Cleveland | 2023 State TN . This season Leeper took a, pardon the pun, leap forward as a scorer. The Blue Raiders are best when he is hunting his shot and still penetrating with the purpose of passing.

“Gabe was great,” said Cleveland Head Coach Reggie Tucker. “Gabe was great last night. Every game he is getting better and better…Guarding. Playing at a different pace. Attacking in transition. Keeping other teams scrambling. He would have been MVP of the tournament if we won. It wouldn’t have been close. I hate it for him that he didn’t get MVP, because he should have been MVP.”

In an indication of how narrow the margins were Tuesday night, Leeper missed shots at heroism. He missed a corner three-pointer and also a acrobatic, though makeable layup during crunch time. The two shots beautifully fell in the third quarter and barely missed in the fourth quarter. The scooped layup swirled around the top-side, the bad-side of the cylinder.

Final Minute

Alex Hyder Alex Hyder 6'3" | SG Cleveland | 2023 State TN tied the event 52-52 in the final minute. Unsurprising. Fantastic. The designed play worked largely because Alex Hyder Alex Hyder 6'3" | SG Cleveland | 2023 State TN is a special talent with continuously refined skills.

Hobert Brabson Hobert Brabson 6'3" | PG Walker Valley | 2023 State TN slipper, er accepted a key foul with 0:22 seconds left. He split the pair. Jasen Brooks Jasen Brooks 6'1" | PG Cleveland | 2023 State TN tried to take it right to the rim on the other end. Unfortunately for Cleveland, Brooks missed the front end. Walker Valley closed it out with a critical timeout call, and two primed Brabson free throws. Cleveland drew up a final play.

They needed to go the length of the floor and make a three-pointer or an and-1.

Drew Lambert in-bounded to Leeper. Leeper returned the ball to Lambert, who shot a running half-court hope. It bounded hard off the back iron and high into the air.

Walker Valley captured an improbable District 5-4A Tournament Championship with consecutive wins over Bradley Central, McMinn County, and Cleveland. They earned it and knocked off three strong teams on their path.

All-District Tournament Team
Heath Davis (Walker Valley)
Cole Harbison (Walker Valley)
Hobert Brabson Hobert Brabson 6'3" | PG Walker Valley | 2023 State TN (Walker Valley)
Spencer Jackson (Walker Valley)
Alex Hyder Alex Hyder 6'3" | SG Cleveland | 2023 State TN (Cleveland)
Gabe Leeper Gabe Leeper 6'1" | PG Cleveland | 2023 State TN (Cleveland)
Judah Sault Judah Sault 6'5" | SF Cleveland | 2023 State TN (Cleveland)
Ty Runyan Ty Runyan 5'11" | PG McMinn County | 2022 State TN (McMinn County)
Tucker Monroe Tucker Monroe 6'3" | SF McMinn County | 2023 State TN (McMinn County)

Congratulations to our 2022 DISTRICT CHAMPIONS! 🏀🏆🐴 #OneValley #dubVfamily pic.x.com/j1o2l4m8Ig

— Walker Valley Athletics (@dubVathletics) February 23, 2022