CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville boys basketball hosted rival Rossview Tuesday in the District 10-AAA semifinals.
In what proved to be a tightly contested battle throughout, the Hawks were eventually able to make a few more plays down the stretch, notching a 59-53 overtime victory.
With the win, Rossview earns their first District 10-AAA title bid in school history.
“It’s amazing,” said Rossview boys basketball coach Johnny Jackson. “We’ve had so many guys step up at different times throughout the year and we’ve had multiple guys who have led us in scoring. I just can’t tell you enough as a coach just how proud I am of them. They never hung their head and if they made a mistake, they wanted to get it back for us. They played for each other tonight.”
The first half mirrored a heavyweight prize fight with both teams exchanging blows back and forth.
“I thought both teams came in and went to their strengths all night long,” said Clarksville boys basketball coach Ted Young. “If we shoot free throws a lot better, we could’ve padded our lead a little bit more, but we just didn’t shoot them very well tonight and that comes from the days of not practicing.”
Wildcat bigman Charles Freeman recorded seven points in the opening quarter, connecting on two threes along the way. Young shared what makes the Georgia transfer such a unique talent.
“Charles has been a nice addition this year,” Young said. “He’s got skills to be able to put the ball on the floor, shoots the three-point shot and gets rebounds on both ends for us. He had to play a lot of minutes tonight and still held up well. The players really like him. He’s just a good guy, studies real hard in the classroom and just the kind of player you want on your team.”
End of the 1st QTR@CHSWildcatHoops 16@Rossview_ballin 14
Charles Freeman with seven first-quarter points for Clarksville. pic.twitter.com/uoFjsnkZUI
— Neil Rye (@NryeTBB) February 24, 2021
The Hawks did an effective job of limiting the reigning District 10-AAA Player of the Year JJ Wheat’s offensive output throughout. Jackson was pleased with how his team was able to execute the game plan defensively.
“I thought we did a great job on him,” Jackson said. “It’s tough to do on a kid that talented. It seems like he gets downhill at ease. He’s not a guy that you can just go one-on-one with. We had our eye on him and tried to make sure that when he put it on the deck, we were giving plenty of help.”
Rossview took a four-point lead into the fourth quarter before Clarksville battled back.
Wildcat junior Jahiem Berry nailed a three-pointer from the right wing which was then followed up by two points in the paint from his teammate Jaheim McDonald to tie the score at 51-all. With just under four minutes remaining in regulation, Jackson was forced to call a timeout to try and stop Clarksville’s run.
“Every possession matters,” Jackson said on the message to his team during the stoppage. “You can’t come down and punt one offensively and if you do, you have to come back and make up for it defensively and I thought we did that down the stretch.”
The Wildcats held onto the ball for the final three minutes of the fourth quarter to ensure the last shot of regulation. Despite coming up short, Young was pleased with the look that his team received.
“We got exactly what we wanted,” Young said. “I always want the ball in my hands with the game tied at the end no matter how much time is on the clock. I knew I had the best player on the floor with JJ Wheat who was going to be able to create something out of it. We got exactly the shot that we practiced on.”
End of Regulation@CHSWildcatHoops 51@Rossview_ballin 51
After taking the last 3:30 of the fourth quarter, this is the look that @CHSWildcatHoops got. pic.twitter.com/zucdu2jv9l
— Neil Rye (@NryeTBB) February 24, 2021
Rossview guard Tim Williams Jr. gave his perspective from a defensive player’s standpoint on what it’s like having to guard for such a long period of time.
“It’s very tiring,” Williams Jr. said. “When they’re looping around, they’re trying to get you tired so that they can capitalize, but we were locked in, stayed down in our stances and didn’t let them get anything easy.”
The senior was superb for his team, time and time again in clutch situations. With under three minutes remaining in overtime, Williams Jr. drove the lane before double-clutching in the air and hitting a layup to put Rossview back in front 55-53.
“Coach was preaching attack the paint,” Williams Jr. said. “I went up strong and fortunately the ball went in. I was just looking to score no matter what happened.”
4th QTR- 2:41
Tim Williams Jr. somehow gets this to go to put @Rossview_ballin back out in front 55-53. pic.twitter.com/5RgwWPkQZq— Neil Rye (@NryeTBB) February 24, 2021
After the Wildcats came up empty on their next possession, Williams Jr. was fouled and sent to the line where he proceeded to knock down both free throws to put the game on ice.
Williams Jr. scored a team-high 14 points followed by Ronald Jessamy with 13 points and Spencer Mimms with 12 points.
“Well this is our last year so we really want it,” Williams Jr. said of the seniors. “It starts at practice, during film sessions and at walkthroughs. We try do everything right so that the younger guys that come up behind us do everything right on the floor too. As long as we’re executing, things usually flow good for us.”
Wheat led all scorers with 18 points while Freeman finished with 12 points for the Wildcats.
Clarksville travels to take on Henry County Wednesday, Feb. 24, in a consolation game before beginning region play.
“I will not do any scouting for Henry County tonight,” Young said. “We already know what they do and they know what we do. As soon as I get home, I’ll be on the phone talking and texting with coaches from the other side to see who’s first and second over there. We’ll start preparing for those two teams tonight as a coaching staff…We have to play tomorrow, but Saturday is the next game to us.
Rossview hosts Northeast Wednesday, Feb. 24 in the District 10-AAA championship game. The Hawks took the regular-season series against the Eagles two games to none.
“I told the guys, ‘what’s the chances of us getting to host a district championship game against a team that you’ve battled with since the school has been open’,” Jackson said. “Just to have that opportunity to be there, you have to take advantage of it.”