Lake County ends MAHS bid for trip to state tourney

A dream of a first state tournament trip turned into a bitter first lesson for Memphis Academy of Health Sciences as Lake County rallied for an 8985 double overtime win in their Class A sectional matchup at Douglass on Monday night.

It is the third straight trip to Murfreesboro for the Falcons, who won the title in 2011 and reached the semifinals last year.

They came into Monday’s game with a 7-22 record, having forfeited 11 games (only four were wins) earlier this season because of an ineligible player.

The Falcons fell behind 29-21 after a quarter and spent most of the next three stalking, but never catching the Lions

We didn’t make plays, we turned the ball over ... the better team won tonight.”

Todd Day, MAHS coach

until midway t hrough t he f i nal period when Devon Jones (26 points) hit a layup to make it 6159.

“I told our kids, ‘Composure, composure, composure all night,’” said Lake County’s Dawn Barger, the team’s coach through the three-year run. “But they’re the ones who kept it.”

Lake County junior guard Zay Coleman who scored 27 points and poked through the Lions’ defense like an industrial laser all night long, hit a free throw with 1:11 left in regulation to tie the game at 68.

MAHS (26-5), took a 77-74 lead late in the first overtime on a 3-pointer by Jamarius Anderson, who had 14 points. But with 1:11 left to go in the period, the Falcons’ Rashawn Taylor was fouled beyond the arc and hit all three free throws to keep things going.

In the final overtime, MAHS’ offense coughed up three turnovers. Jones and Coleman each scored five to help open an 89-83 cushion with 28 seconds left.

“We didn’t make plays, we turned the ball over … the better team won tonight,” MAHS coach Todd Day said.

Jamie Coleman had 24 points, nine in the fourth quarter and overtime, to lead MAHS. Kevin Pruitt added 15.

Dominique Kimble had 14 points for the Falcons.