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By JESSE SMITHEY
NASHVILLE – At Lipscomb’s Allen Arena, host site of the Division II state tournament this week, there is no permanent 3-point line for high school play.
Only one made of blue painter’s tape for the week.
The makeshift arc didn’t seem to matter to the Catholic Fighting Irish on Friday afternoon.
They made treys behind all three of the 3-point lines on the court with ease.
B.J. Edwards (5) of the Knoxville Catholic Fighting Irish. (Photo by Danny Parker)
Catholic made six of nine 3s in the first half to build a 16-point lead and coasted past Christian Brothers, 75-60, and into Saturday’s Division II-AA state championship game.
The Irish (24-4) will take on Briarcrest (25-5) at 7:30 p.m. Central at Allen Arena for the title. Catholic has never won a state championship, though it finished as Class AA runner up in Division I in 2017. The program tallied runner-up finishes in 1974 and 1976, as well.
“It means a lot,” said Catholic sophomore guard B.J. Edwards on advancing to the finale.
“I’ve always wanted this.”
Catholic wanted it more on Friday, as it shot 66.7 percent from the floor.
Christian Brothers (19-11) couldn’t stop Catholic’s 3-point barrage but did well Friday to cut the deficit to 46-37 with 4 minutes, 2 seconds left in the third quarter.
But B.J. Edwards and Blue Cain added easy scores to push the lead to 13.
Then, Presley Patterson and Sam Sompayrac (10 points) buried 3s. Through three quarters, Catholic was 8-for-14 on 3s.
Just like that, Catholic led 56-37.
Akeem Odusipe added a dunk in the final seconds of the third quarter, and that 21-point lead proved ample comfort for Catholic to close the win.
Edwards finished with 22 points and nine rebounds. Cain had 17 points on 3-for-4 shooting from 3.
Akeem Odusipe had 12 points and nine rebounds. He said there were zero nerves prior to the state semifinal because of the national schedule Catholic played this season and all the AAU and camps he’s attended.
“I’ve been to so many games, so many camps. I have to guard people taller than me, bigger than me,” he said. “On my AAU team, I’m our only big. So those games are harder than this one because I’m used to it.”
Briarcrest should give Catholic more resistance Saturday than Christian Brothers did Friday. It is the defending state champion and its junior point guard, Kennedy Chandler, is a 6-foot-1, 5-star prospect likely headed to Duke.
He scored 19 in Briarcrest’s 61-41 win over Baylor on Friday. Senior guard Marcellus Brigham, who is 6-6, had 26 points and eight rebounds.
The Saints also use Tennessee football signee Omari Thomas (6-5) in their lineup.
Catholic coach Mike Hutchens said his team must handle Briarcrest’s quickness. That will be the key.
“You’re never going to have a weak night (in Division II-AA). Everybody can play,” said Hutchens. “They’re going to throw it at you and play well.”