Heroism in 4A, Dobyns-Bennett Wins After Bearden Comeback

<p>Saturday evening the Dobyns-Bennett Indians earned the 4A TSSAA State Championship, defeating Bearden’s Bulldogs, 69-60 in overtime. </p> <h3><b>Dobyns-Bennett vs. Bearden</b></h3> <p>The 4A Championship morphed from a blowout lead by Dobyns-Bennett to a total DB collapse coinciding with Bearden’s fantastic pressure-induced comeback, into a buzzer-beating three-pointer preceding a poised Indian overtime. </p> <p>Hayden Moseley took over the game individually as Bearden's defense dominated the game collectively in the fourth quarter, erasing a 15-point deficit.  </p> <p>Moseley recovered a couple steals, finished an and-1, buried that overtime-forcing three-pointer.  He prodded his team into the overtime session, looking like a hero himself. </p> <p>The game was anything but traditional or straight-forward, which is perhaps appropriate considering the unlikely participants.</p> <p>The Indians needed to defeat Bartlett, a team rightfully pegged as favorites.  Malachi Hale was the last-second hero that night.  He played very well Saturday evening too. </p> <p>But, the title game belonged to one [player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"]. Aside from dominating the rebounding, the paint offensively, the three-point arc, Browder made an incredible block in the final minute of regulation on Mr. Basketball Finalist [player_tooltip player_id="1025784" first="Elijah" last="Bredwood"].</p> <p>The block by [player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] on [player_tooltip player_id="1025784" first="Elijah" last="Bredwood"] was as risky and as amazing a play as you will see in the final minute.</p> <p>Browder repeated the greatness in the overtime. </p> <p><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">Within 15 seconds Browder </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">hit a corner 3 and drew a charge , sending Mr. Basketball Finalist [player_tooltip player_id="1025784" first="Elijah" last="Bredwood"] from the game with 5 fouls.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>All-Tournament Team<br /> </strong></span>[player_tooltip player_id="1039192" first="Jarred" last="Hall"] - Lebanon<br /> Jaylen Abston - Lebanon<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1019406" first="Amarr" last="Knox"] - Bartlett<br /> Jonavon Gillespie - Dobyns-Bennett<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1408711" first="Brady" last="Stump"] - Dobyns-Bennett<br /> Darian Bailey - Bearden<br /> Hayden Moseley - Bearden<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] - Dobyns-Bennett - MVP<br /> [player_tooltip player_id="1025784" first="Elijah" last="Bredwood"] - Bearden<br /> Malachi Hale - Dobyns-Bennett</h3> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Only one other player in the state was routinely collecting double-doubles like Jack this season and that was 3A Mr. Basketball Finalist [player_tooltip player_id="1011978" first="JaSteven" last="Walker"] (Fayette Ware). </p> <p>He and his team celebrated with glee after the final horn.  It was something only they thought was possible.  Outsiders, @PrepHoopsTN included dubbed them a Top 10 team, possible Top 5, but not once this year was DB considered a favorite to win the title.  Inside their locker room the belief was there.  [player_tooltip player_id="1201721" first="Jack" last="Browder"] was confident that this was a team capable.  [player_tooltip player_id="1280331" first="Carter" last="Metz"] consistently touted their strength after wins over strong teams like Science Hill and Morristown East.  </p> <p><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"These guys are awesome," said Chris Poore of Dobyns-Bennett after the win. </span></p> <p>https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTN/status/1505317469443039240?s=20&amp;t=ME_nRl_UK8A8kQLtoM5Xzg</p> <p><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"Such a great group of guys," Coach Poore continued.  </span>Senior Malachi Hale was excellent in the title game, scoring 16 points with seven rebounds.  <span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">"They sacrificed all year long. To have this moment is unreal, so I am proud of these guys."</span></p>