BY DAN FLESER
NASHVILLE — Charlie Wyrick and Ricky Norris saw Webb School’s first basket Friday afternoon a little differently.
Wyrick, a senior guard, considered teammate Emory Lanier’s thunderous dunk to begin a 69-47 victory over Christ Presbyterian Academy in terms of voltage.
“It’s a big energy boost for me,” said Wyrick, “and, I think, for the whole team.’’
Coach Norris, on the other hand, simply did the math on the play.
“Us old people just like two points,” he said, smiling. “It doesn’t do much for our adrenaline.”
Lanier served both views, suppling points and power to the Spartans’ victory in a Division II-A semifinal game at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena. He put down two more dunks but he also struck from long range, hitting a pair of 3-pointers.
Some of Webb’s starters celebrate the easy win over CPA on Friday in the Division II-A state semifinals at Lipscomb. (Photo: Charles Pulliam).
The junior guard made all eight of his shots in scoring a game-high 18 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds and gathered three steals.
“That’s what a leader does,” CPA coach Drew Maddux said. “He came out and seized the moment.”
With the victory, Webb (29-6) returned to the championship game for a second consecutive season. The Spartans will face Tipton-Rosemark Academy, a 67-62 winner over The Webb School – Bell Buckle in Friday’s other semifinal, at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday.
That means the Spartans won’t have to face likely two-time Mr. Basketball winner Keon Johnson, a 6-foot-5 junior shooting guard with offers from Tennessee, Virginia, Florida and Virginia Tech.
“It’s hard to get back,” Norris said. “…To be able to get back says a ton.”
Lanier’s opening act drew a distinction between the Spartans and Lions and previewed the one-sided outcome.
CPA (26-11) was playing without Bryce McCormick, who suffered an ankle injury in Monday’s 52-50 quarterfinal victory over Grace Christian. The senior guard was the Lions’ primary ball-handler and one of their best players.
His lone appearance and only basket came during the game’s final seconds. It served as a final nod of respect.
“You take out your comfort, the guy who makes you go,” Maddux said.
The Spartans responded by making the Lions even more uncomfortable. Defensively, they were alert in switching off screens, thereby minimizing drives. And they preyed on the Lions’ perimeter passes.
The Spartans then used their speed and athleticism to convert their effort into quality shots. Webb led 39-19 at halftime.
“Obviously with McCormick out, I don’t know if we tried to ramp it up another notch,” Norris said. “But we wanted to be ultra-aggressive in the halfcourt.”
Emory Lanier’s early dunk against CPA set the tone for Webb in their Division II-A state semifinal win Friday. (Photo: Charles Pulliam)
Lanier, who scored all of his points in the first half, was a primary instigator and benefactor. He often was deployed on the front line of Webb’s defense, where his size and quickness created havoc.
“He set the tone defensively up top with his activity and length,” Norris said.
Lanier’s positioning also served as a prime launching pad for his transition shots. A turnover and brief loose-ball scramble sent him away for that opening dunk, which he described as an emotional release.
“I kind of wanted to set the tone,” he said. “Coming back from last year, we had a lot of emotions bottled up. It was a good way to get those emotions out.”
For Maddux, the play was concerning enough to immediately call a timeout.
“It was the quickest timeout of the year,” he said. “I was trying everything to give our guys confidence and calm.”
And nothing worked. Webb made a point of being too powerful to handle.