DII-A (Middle) District Semifinals

Jordan Carter accepted a bounce pass from C.J. Tinnon, head-faked Stephen Olowoniyi Stephen Olowoniyi 6'7" | PF Webb Bell Buckle | 2023 State TN up into the air, stepped underneath the basket and made a now-simple reverse layup. Tinnon followed it up with a 21' three-pointer. An Arnett Hayes Arnett Hayes 6'2" | PG Battle Ground Academy (football) | 2025 State TN push-off was whistled as a charge. Webb just lost their way late in the first quarter. The muscle of Tinnon, Carter, and Ben Caldwell helped tremendously. Caldwell lofted a beautiful in-bounds lob to Jordan Carter from the baseline. Carter finished without a challenge, opening up a three-point lead on the district's favorite. Taveon Comage Taveon Comage 6'2" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2024 State TN dribbled into a charge, seconds later. Grace just played expertly in the final stages of that first quarter.

C.J. Tinnon gave a glorious subtle fadeaway to Olowoniyi. Game then 19-14!

College-bound Olowoniyi was not having another fade attempt from Tinnon though, swatting down cleanly to whack it away. Grace's Tinnon was anything but sheepish following the ferocious block. Tinnon heaved a 25' leaning shot as the horn sounded, kissing it home off the glass oddly to end the first, 22-18 Grace Christian!

In the second quarter, Jax Howard Jax Howard 6'0" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2025 State TN darted all around. He made sharp decisions, like a flashy 22' pass between a thicket of arms, to the soft-handed Olowoniyi. SO collected, then exploded up above the rim, like only he can, ramming it in with both hands. Again, Jordan Carter played so physical, so tough. Even if he couldn't get his hands above Stephen, at times not as high as Hector Larsson, he swiped at it, tapped it, poked it. He just make the taller bigs work for every single catch. Heroic effort by Carter.

A high-percentage Hector miss slipped over the rim after hitting the backboard seemingly pure. Olowoniyi immediately flushed another "easy" two points home.

For as wonderful as Arnett Hayes Arnett Hayes 6'2" | PG Battle Ground Academy (football) | 2025 State TN played all season, he was just not the ordinarily probing player, making Webb struggle to find good looks at the basket. When Webb is right, Arnett is blowing by the perimeter defenders with speed or carving them up with knifeblade-sharp precision.

Grace Christian fought so hard, and so long that the Jax Howard Jax Howard 6'0" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2025 State TN three-pointer to improve the Webb score from 54-53 to 57-53, hurt all that much more.

Final Three Minutes

Arnett showed more of his typical self in the final push. As Grace was forced to extend and chase the Webb spread offense, Hayes burst between closing out defenders, and drew a simple foul. He made the two ensuing free throws, opening the game up again to 59-55 with 1:51 remaining.

Again, attacking the wide-open, wholly spread Grace Christian defense, Arnett took a simple pass from Jax Howard Jax Howard 6'0" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2025 State TN , put the basketball between his legs, crossed his man, and then found his way to the free throw lane, lofted a beautiful pass to Stephen Olowoniyi Stephen Olowoniyi 6'7" | PF Webb Bell Buckle | 2023 State TN , and Big Pogo slammed it home. In truth, the final minutes just included excellent dribbling and passing and stalling by the narrowly-leading Feet. Taveon Comage Taveon Comage 6'2" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2024 State TN , Jax Howard Jax Howard 6'0" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2025 State TN , and Arnett Hayes Arnett Hayes 6'2" | PG Battle Ground Academy (football) | 2025 State TN handled the moment quite well.

And then, out of nowhere, freshman Fred Deshazo made an unlikely, banked three-pointer from 20'!! Tie game with 16.6 seconds left. Credit C.J. Tinnon with a slick dribble-handoff, including a wide-bodied screening of 1.5 guys to give Fred some breathing room.

To win the game, Arnett Hayes Arnett Hayes 6'2" | PG Battle Ground Academy (football) | 2025 State TN sprinted towards the basket, tried an acrobatic, scooped layup, and barreled into a standing Tinnon. Charge! What a turn of events. From up three points to tied without the basketball with 3.6 seconds left, Webb was again lost and scrambling to get a grip on the game they once seemed so close to winning.

The lower-seeded Grace Christian tried a corner three-pointer, but Jackson Hiett airballed it to send the game to overtime.

Extra Basketball

The feet of the Feet hardly moved in overtime. In fact, they held the basketball for almost the entire frame, electing to attempt the final shot when the clock eventually winded down to the final seconds.

"We wanted to control the overtime," said Coach Micah Williams. "We won the tip and held ball for about three minutes."

Head Coach Micah Williams liked his chances with Jax Howard Jax Howard 6'0" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2025 State TN and Arnett Hayes Arnett Hayes 6'2" | PG Battle Ground Academy (football) | 2025 State TN making late-game decisions with the basketball in their hands. Jax was hounded, so he split two defenders, and endured a smashing foul.

At the free throw line, Jax hit two shots. Now 64-62 with 1:03 left to play. Big shots for a sophomore starter.

"Guys made plays and big free throws."

C.J. Tinnon attacked the rim directly, tried a turn-around jumper, but suffered an athletic blocked shot from the finger tips of Taveon Comage Taveon Comage 6'2" | PG Webb-Bell Buckle | 2024 State TN . Arnett drew a foul, but surprisingly split the free throws. Olowoniyi made perhaps the play of the night, reaching above the tree-tops to both catch and tip Arnett's miss back up and into the cylinder! He was also fouled.

"He is amazing," shared Head Coach Micah Williams. "One thing that stands out about Stephen is his motor and intensity...how hard he plays. Energy. Effort. He is a great athlete, but on top of that he has a high motor. When you play hard those types of plays follow you."

Missed his free throw. Webb stole a late Tinnon dribble, and figured their way to the win, 72-66.

Final score: 72-66.

"At this point in the year any win is better than a loss," said Coach Williams. "Ugly, pretty, it doesn't matter."

Grace Christian will get Battle Ground Academy in the District Consolation Game.

Grace Christian:
PG Trace Phillips (6'3")
#15 Jordan Carter G/F
#14 G C.J. Tinnon
#12 G Jackson Hyatt
F Ben Caldwell

Columbia Academy:

DII-A (Middle) District Semifinals

In this article:

#5 Grace Christian (66) vs. #1 Webb-Bell Buckle (72)

#3 Columbia Academy (78) vs. #2 Battle Ground Academy (72)

Malachi Picks Big 10 School, Fitzpatrick Offered

2026 class: What’s the latest?

Launch: 2026 Prep Hoops Circuit

Coaches can’t go wrong (Part 6)

PrepHoopsTN Picks District 9-3A Preseason All-District Team

BGA		23	17	21	72
CA		23	20	28	78