LYNX CLAIM D2-A BOYS BASKETBALL TITLE
Win helps this team match Lausanne football success
NASHVILLE - Football players. Basketball players. These Lausanne Lynx are simply players.
Schyler Forrest scored 23 points as the Lynx won their first basketball championship since 2013 March 4 at Allen Arena, turning back Franklin Road Academy, 64-55 in an intense Division 2-A final. The title will sit nicely alongside the football trophy the Lynx won in December, making them the first Shelby County school since White Station in 2008-2009 to win both in the same school year.
“I’m not afraid to say it,” said James Babb. “This is the best senior class in Memphis. Private school, public school. Doesn’t matter.”
Babb, Forrest and several others played on both title-winning teams. And both championships were equally sweet for all involved.
“All the adversity we overcame,” said Cameron Simms. “Injuries, players leaving the team . ... People overlooked us all year but we kept grinding and now we’re bringing that dub (“W,” as in win) home.”
At time, the championship game resembled football with both teams trading blows. But Forrest, Lausanne’s backup quarterback, was right at home.
The 6-5 sophomore was far more aggressive with his offense than he was in the March 3 semifinal victory over Harding Academy and softened FRA up early with a 3-pointer and some nice midrange jumpers. He also added eight rebounds.
“We want (Sky) to keep shooting,” said Simms. “Just go hard.”
Babb, a linebacker who is headed to Brown to play football, chipped in with 11 points and did yeoman defensive work on FRA big man Jack Doherty.
“He’s a different kind of player,” said Babb. “Not a skinny guy that can jump out of the gym ... you have to try and push him out of the lane and interfere with his shots. It takes up a lot of energy.”
Simms, Ashton Smith — who hit the game-winner against Harding — and Jesse Neloms each finished with nine points as Lausanne outshot the Panthers (47.8 percent to 41.2), outrebounded them (31-28) and committed just 10 turnovers.
It was the second straight year FRA (26-11) ends this season with a title-game loss. They blew a 31-point third-quarter lead in losing to Harding Academy last season. Doherty and Brennan Cook each had 15 to lead FRA.
After the game Babb and Neloms, yet another football player, walked off the court together all smiles. The two were eighth graders on Lausanne’s last basketball championship team.
“And now we’ve come full circle,” said Babb. “We’ve had our ups and downs but now I think we’ve left a legacy. Not just for Lausanne but for the whole city.”
Said second-year Lynx coach Marvis Davis, “We just have a sense of family, you can see it. This year, we haven’t had one bad situation . ... I couldn’t be prouder.”
Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@ commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas