Maryville guard Joe Anderson. (Photo: Kenneth Richmond/5Star Preps)
By MIKE BLACKERBY
MARYVILLE – Maryville looked like a team on a mission Thursday against Oak Ridge in the Region 2-AAA tournament championship game.
The Rebels blitzed the Wildcats from the opening tap and were never seriously challenged in their 61-48 victory.
Maryville scored on its first five possessions to bolt to a 12-2 lead in the opening two minutes of play.
The Rebels extended their lead to as many as 22 points in the second half on the way to claiming their first region title since 2015.
Rather & Kittrell is a proud sponsor of 2020 postseason basketball. Learn what R&K can do for your financial status and future at RKCapital.com
“We’re getting where we thought we could be,” said Maryville coach Mark Eldridge.
“As long as our mindset is where it needs to be we feel like we can compete with anybody in the state.”
Both Maryville and Oak Ridge advance to sectional play on Monday with the winners moving on to the eight-team state tournament in Murfreesboro.
The Rebels (29-4) host Dobyns-Bennett (19-13) while the Wildcats (26-5) travel to Johnson City to face Science Hill (32-3).
The Hilltoppers defeated D-B 57-40 in the Region 1-AAA championship game on Thursday in Johnson City.
Oak Ridge coach Aaron Green said the inexplicable horrendous start by the Wildcats was simply too much to overcome against the potent Rebels.
“You give up a 9-0 start to them and you’re in trouble,” said Green.
“I hadn’t really seen that face on our guys this season. It looked like we were in some kind of trance.”
Five of Oak Ridge’s 14 turnovers came in the first quarter.
As poorly as Oak Ridge played early the Wildcats still had a chance at the half, trailing 31-22.
But any thoughts of a comeback vanished in a decisive 24-13 third quarter dominated by Maryville.
🏆CHAMPS🏆 #GoRebels
📸: @JeffWeaver9 pic.twitter.com/CToPGJa6si
— Maryville Athletics (@homeoftherebels) March 6, 2020
Junior guard/wing Josh Seiler fired in four 3-pointers in the quarter to spark Maryville.
The 6-foot-4 Seiler led the Rebels’ balanced attack with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Joe Anderson and Jack Brown scored 12 points apiece for Maryville. Ashton Maples had 11 and A.J. Davis eight.
Anderson, the tournament MVP, added five rebounds and five assists.
“Without question, Joe is our guy, but other guys have stepped up,” said Eldridge.
“We thought we had good matchups tonight. We’re tough to defend and we’ve got five guys shooting over 40 percent from 3.”
Maryville hit 7 of 20 triples against the Wildcats and the Rebels were right at 50 percent overall (23 of 47) from the field.
Johnathan Stewart (10 points) was the lone Wildcat to score in double figures.
Kell Slater had nine while Jeremy Miller and Jonathan Milloway scored eight apiece.
Both Green and Eldridge were upbeat about Monday’s sectional games.
“We’ll be fine,” said Green.
“We’ve (still) got a chance to go to the state tournament.”
A win over Science Hill Monday would earn the Wildcats their fifth trip to the state tournament in the last eight seasons.
Oak Ridge last made the state tournament in 2016-17.
Maryville’s most recent appearance at the state tournament came during the 2014-15 season.
“We’re really good at home,” said Eldridge.
“We look forward to hosting (Dobyns-Bennett) Monday night.”
It will be the second matchup of the season between the teams.
The Rebels downed the Indians 73-58 way back on Nov. 23.