Knights take title from the line
Matt Hebbard was at the championship game the last time Evans won the Columbia County Christmas Tournament.
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Greenbrier's Luther Holmes (left) is blocked by Evans' Carter Turner during the first half of the Greenbrier game against Evans during the Columbia County Christmas Basketball Tournament. Evans won 58-54 from the free throw line in the final minute of the title game.
Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker
He was an eighth-grader when he saw the Knights win their only Christmas tournament, so it was appropriate that Hebbard, now a senior at Evans, stood on the free-throw line with a chance to win the tournament title for the Knights.
"You want a senior on the line with the chance to win," Evans coach Kevin Kenny said. "That's what we had. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity."
Hebbard made three of four free throws in the game's final minute to give Evans a 58-54 win.
"He came up big for us," said Hank McCladdie, who was named tournament Most Valuable Player after averaging 15 points during the tournament. "But that is what you expect from a senior."
Greenbrier had two open 3-pointers to tie the game with 10 seconds left, but Reggie Rice and Chedric McElderry missed the shots.
"We wanted to defend our home floor," Matt Hebbard said. "I watched Evans win its title as an eighth-grader. As a senior, this is pretty special. It's even more special because it was against Greenbrier."
Hebbard's shots ended the three-year Christmas tournament title reign for the Wolfpack. The Greenbrier boys have won the tournament five out of the seven years the team has competed. No other county team had won more than one.
"We can't begin to be a good team until we stop making mental mistakes," said Greenbrier coach Casey Dees. "We dig ourselves into a hole that we have trouble getting out of by making mistakes."
Greenbrier's Alisha Simmons (left) and Evans' Tiphani Grimes fight for a loose ball during the second half of the Greenbrier 62-34 victory over Evans at Evans High during the Columbia County Christmas Basketball Tournament. Freshman Sara Oland scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half to lead the team to the win. Oland was named to the All-Tournament team.
Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker
The game played out as a mirror image to the game the two teams played earlier this month, which was won by the Knights, 57-53.
Evans jumped out to an early lead, pulling away from the Wolfpack by as many as 13 points in the second quarter and again in the third quarter.
"I don't think the game played out the same," said Greenbrier's Reggie Rice, who was named to the All-Tournament team. "The last time we couldn't match their intensity. It wasn't like that tonight.
"I just had a terrible night. I couldn't get going offensively. They took away the baseline, but other than that, I don't think they devised a game plan specifically for me. And we had defensive lapses."
The Lady Wolfpack won their second consecutive tournament title, dominating Evans 62-34.
Greenbrier didn't look particularly crisp and had its two top players, Melissa Lewis and Michelle Swiec, in foul trouble most of the game.
Freshman Sara Oland stepped up, scoring 10 of her 14 points in the second half to lead the team to the win. For the second time in as many seasons, a freshman point guard was named to the All-Tournament team with Oland following Swiec.
Evans cheerleaders cheer from the bleachers at Evans High School during the Columbia County Christmas Basketball Tournament. Their team would bring home the victory, topping Greenbrier High 58-54.
Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker
Swiec was named tournament MVP.
"It is very comforting to know that we have a team where we can be sloppy and still win," Greenbrier coach Garrett Black said. "That hasn't always been the case here."
Harlem was the other big winner of the tournament, winning its first game in tournament play in five years.
In fact, Harlem won two games, finishing third in both the boys and girls brackets by beating Lakeside in the consolation round games.
"We are moving in the right direction," said senior Sonjay Boyd, an All-Tournament member. "Coach (Kim) Chambers has us playing real good."
The Girls All-Tournament Team: Michelle Swiec (MVP, Greenbrier), Melissa Lewis (Greenbrier), Sara Oland (Greenbrier), Bekah Gibbs (Evans), Lauren Middleton (Evans), April Woodard (Harlem), Tina Campbell (Lakeside).
The Boys All-Tournament Team: Hank McCladdie (MVP, Evans), Glen Miller (Evans), Jerome Manuel (Evans), Reggie Rice (Greenbrier), Luther Holmes (Greenbrier), Sonjay Boyd (Harlem), Earl McCrommon (Lakeside).