McAdams blows past West Union, into 1A Championship
JACKSON — The thirteen-year drought is over for McAdams.
Behind a big second and third quarter and the two-headed monster that was Tyrick Davis and Cameren Fleming, the Bulldogs got past West Union 63-51 in the Semifinal Round of the MHSAA Boys Class 1A Basketball Playoffs Monday afternoon at the Mississippi Coliseum.
McAdams (24-2) will face McEvans for the MHSAA Boys Class 1A State Championship at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Mississippi Coliseum.
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“We got the lead, and we like to move the ball around and find the open opportunity to score," McAdams coach Kenyon Ross said. "My kids moved around and put pressure on the defense. Something we talk about is we've got kids that want to live and die by the three-point line, and we didn’t want to do that. Just attack and make them play basketball.”
The Eagles and Bulldogs were tied 12-12 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started like a mirror image of the opening quarter, with each team trading baskets, but McAdams scored the final five points of the half to take a 26-19 lead into the break.
The Bulldogs opened the third quarter on a 6-2 run to stretch their lead out to 32-21, and never led by fewer than nine points the rest of the way.
McAdams held a 43-29 lead at the end of the third quarter and midway through the fourth the Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run to take a 51-34 lead to seal the game.
“Our guys are consistent, and we go as our three-headed monsters go. I stay on them a lot, but I’m proud of them,” Ross said. “We get to live to fight for another day and chance to play for state championship.”
Davis had 18 points to lead McAdams, while Fleming added 16 points for the Bulldogs.
“We had to come together as a team and play together because this is the moment, we all wanted and had to fight for,” Fleming said. “Scouting report was they got two shooters that just want to knock down shots, so we had to pressure the shooters and play defense like we do. This is the moment we all wanted to play for a gold ball, so we've got to come ready.”
Cole Willard had a game-high 19 points to lead West Union. The Eagles (26-6) were in the semifinal round for the first time since 1995.
“We came out and wanted to get the ball inside and score off drives, but then we started to miss shots,” said West Union coach Justin Hayles. “With McAdams, you had to win the 50-50 balls and out-rebound them and not them get behind you. Once we started missing shots, they were able to go on a run. We kept fighting, but we could never get back into rhythm.”
