Cooper Brackett applying close defense on Ashton Davis during Waker vs Rhea district championship game.(Photo;GaryBolden)

Rhea County Eagles Drop Hotly Contested Game to Mustangs 70-67

Evensville, TN 2/20/24 -- Rhea County played Walker on Saturday for the 4A 5 District Basketball Championship. Teams had split games during the season and this one looked to be an even contest and that was the result. Walker Valley earned the championship, but it was not easy. Rhea County did not have any quit in them and this game went down to the last minute before Walker prevailed 70-67.

After two minutes of action, Kyler Akin broke the 2-2 tie with an elbow three. Walker's Graham Campbell answered with a 3 on their next possession for a 5-5 tie. Later in the quarter, Ashton Davis hit a 3 for the first of his 4 first-quarter baskets for an 11-9 lead. With just over 2 minutes remaining, Caleb Carr scored on in-bounds play for 2 of his 8 first quarter points, to put Eagles up 12-11. He followed that up with another basket down low for a 14-11 lead. Eagles still had 14-13 lead before Davis had a 5-point trip with basket, steal of inbounds pass, basket and free-throw with about 10 seconds on the clock and Mustangs held the 18-14 lead at end of quarter.

Eagle rebounded early in 2nd and Bryce Dupre put in the elbow 3 for 19-18 lead. Kyler Akin increased that lead with a diving loose ball recovery and acrobatic shot and subsequent free throw for a 22-18 lead with six minutes remaining. With 2:20 left in second, Coates hit a 3, part of his 9 point quarter for the 28-26 lead and he followed that with a rebound basket to push lead to 30-26. A corner 3 ran the lead to 33-26 with 1:11 showing on clock. Kyler Akin finished the 2nd quarter with a jumper to pull Eagles within 35-30.

Braylon Geer opened the 3rd quarter scoring with a jumper to narrow the Mustang lead to 35-32 with 6 minutes remaining. Mustangs sandwiched a couple of 3's around a Carr 2 for the 41-34 lead with 4;29 left in the quarter. Mustangs had moved the lead to double digits before Kyler Akin's three cut the lead to 47-39 with 3:24 on clock. A couple of minutes later Kyler Akin sliced through the Mustang defense to cut the lead to 51-45. Bryce Dupre hit the old-fashioned 3 point play with 45 seconds left and Sam Stumbo hit the buzzer-beating put-back basket for a 51-51 tie after 3 quarters.

Caleb Carr took a steal the length of the court for basket to put Eagles up 55-51 with 5:28 left on clock. Walker went on 8-0 run broken by Bryce Dupre jumper with 2:55 on clock to close Walker's lead to 59-57. Walker then outscored Eagles 4-0 to push lead to 63-57 with 1;38 on clock and with 1:15 Mustangs had 66-60 lead before Geer cut that lead to 66-62 with 53 seconds left.

Despite Mustangs holding the ball, forcing Eagles to foul, Eagles made a break when Kyler Akin forced a charge and Dupre hit the short jumper to be within one possession territory at 67-65 with 13 seconds remaining. Mustangs made one free throw and Eagles grabbed the rebound and after Mustangs , The Eagles had and Akin hit both free throws for a 69-68 score with 5.5 seconds remaining. Davis hit both free throws and a hurried 3 was short and Mustangs earned a district championship.

Kyler Akin led the Eagles with 21 points. Also in double figures were Carr 16 points and Dupre 14 points. Also scoring: Sam Stumbo 6, KeShawn Smith 5, Braylon Geer 3 and Cooper Brackett 2.

Ashton Davis led all scorers with 31 points, Cash Coates scored 14 and Graham Campbell scored 11 for Mustangs. Also scoring: Turner Clayton 11, Landon Shirk 3 and Tucker Campbell 2.