Panthers stun Tuscaloosa Academy in regional semifinal
By Daniel Schmidt
MONTGOMERY — Facing No. 1 Tuscaloosa Academy, the Lanett High School boys’ basketball team knew it faced a tall mountain to climb in the first round of the 2A central region tournament.
That peak was not too high for the Panthers (12-13) as they flipped the script with a massive 42-36 upset victory over the Knights (21-6) on Feb. 17 to reach the regional finals.
After the game, a somewhat dazed LHS boys’ head coach Trentavious McCants praised his senior-heavy rotation for keeping their composure throughout a pressure-packed semifinal, especially in the fourth quarter.
“We play Opelika, we play all the big schools, and we get used to running with those guys. When we play teams in 2A, [the game] slows down,” McCants said. “For this group right here, this is far as they've been in the region, the region finals. So, they’re just on a high right now. We’ll let them enjoy the night and come on down.”
As one of those seniors, forward Shamar Patterson was called into action early and often, finishing with eight points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes. Although he and his teammates were considered heavy underdogs, the result was unsurprising to him.
“We've been doubted since day one, and I’m just glad that everybody came together and we were able to do like we did and come out with the win,” Patterson said. “Our coaching staff teaches us to just keep going no matter what, no matter the sacrifice or whatever, just to keep going, to keep pushing.”
After a rough offensive start that saw TA take a 7-0 lead within the first three minutes, LHS closed the gap behind Lorenzo Truitt’s three-pointer and by making five of their six free throw attempts. However, excellent offensive rebounding by the Knights and a late three put the Panthers in a 15-8 hole entering the second quarter.
LHS then found much more success by keeping TA off the offensive glass and dominating in the fast break en route to securing a quick 6-0 run. Having cut the lead to a single point, the Panthers ramped up their physicality in the paint in the final two minutes to secure a 21-17 halftime lead.
After the break, the Knights quickly tied the game at 21 and later took a six-point lead by driving into the paint and baiting LHS into unnecessary fouls. However, the Panthers rallied and entered the fourth quarter down 31-29 despite some undisciplined passing at times.
Entering a crucial fourth quarter, Eddie Mitchell restored LHS’ lead with an early three-pointer, and Fred Broughton extended it by going four-of-four from the free throw line. The Panthers ultimately sealed the deal by forcing long shots and numerous turnovers before playing a near-perfect game of keep-away in the final two minutes.
Patterson paced the Panthers with eight points, while Lorenzo Truitt, Jeramiah McGillberry and Broughton added seven points each. Lawson Young led all scorers with 14 points for the Knights, and Bryant Brown added eight points.
