Cam Swearengen (left) and Jaylen Pompey celebrate the Webb School of Knoxville Spartans 58-40 win over the Ensworth Tigers in a TSSAA Division II-AA state tournament semifinal at Hooper Eblen Center on Friday, March 7, 2025, in Cookeville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
COOKEVILLE — For Webb School of Knoxville’s boys basketball team, the task Friday looked quite demanding.
Not only did the Spartans have to mute Mr. Basketball finalist and high-scoring Ensworth guard Jonathan Sanderson, but they also had to find a way to thwart a 7-foot-1, 270-pound center named Ghana Solongo.
Done and done.
Webb School of Knoxville placed four players in double figures scoring and limited Ensworth to 23.6 percent shooting and just three assists in a 58-40 win in the Division II-AA state semifinals at Tennessee Tech’s Eblen Center.
The Spartans shot 48.8 percent from the floor and made all 12 free-throw attempts — even out-rebounding Ensworth, 33-32.
Cam Swearengen starred for Webb with 11 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Owen Lentz scored a team-high 12 while fellow guard Jaylen Pompey had 10 points. Wilson Luton had 10 points, as well.
Next up: Webb (33-2) faces defending state champion Briarcrest (26-4), which boasts Mr. Basketball hopeful Fred Smith (6-8, junior, forward). That game will be played at 6:30 p.m. Central time on Saturday and will mark Webb’s first state-finals appearance since winning it all in 2019.
“I’ve said all year that I love this team and that they have a chance to be special,” Webb coach Ricky Norris said. “We’re one game away from it and finishing the deal. We know that challenge lies ahead.
“But, shoot, this team — they’re a special bunch.”
Ensworth finished the season 20-12.
Sanderson, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard with more than 10 Division I offers, wound up with 16 points on 5-for-21 shooting. Norris lauded the defensive work of Webb junior guard Shavar Young on Sanderson.
As for the 7-footer, Solongo battled foul trouble but posted nine points and seven rebounds when on the floor.
Webb and Ensworth kept pace with one another until late in the first half, when Webb’s 3-point prowess started creating separation for the Spartans.
Lentz and Luton connected on consecutive 3s to turn a 19-17 Webb lead with 2:30 left before the half into 25-17 lead just 48 seconds later.
“(Webb) has five guys on the floor who are all offensively capable — whether that’s athletic enough to get down hill and score at the rim, or getting shooters to space you out and make shots. I think they’re greatest strength is: they don’t have a weak guy out there,” Ensworth coach Bradley Pierson said about Webb.
“They have five capable guys. They run a really good offense. They play well together. … There’s a reason why they’ve only been beaten twice this year; they’re a really good team.”
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Alex Leeth sank a wide-open 3 at the top of the key in the opening minute of the third quarter to push Webb’s advantage to 30-22.
Ensworth couldn’t shake Webb’s defense, though. It scored just five points in the third quarter, and the Spartans managed to keep their lead in the 10-14 point range throughout the second half.
But when Swearengen rose up for an emphatic two-handed jam with just over 2 minutes left to play, that put the stamp on the victory. And it made amends for his missed attempt from earlier in the game.
“I thought defensively, we were as locked in as we have been in a while,” Norris said. “And we’ve been pretty consistent with our (defense), but having four days to prepare for them (Ensworth) was a big deal. They’re a challenge. When you’ve got a kid like Sanderson, who can get his shot just about whenever he wants it, and a 7-footer inside you have to pay attention to, they’re a hard team to defend.
“And, so, I was just really proud. Digesting a scouting report in high school can be difficult. And I thought they did a good job. Their effort was just so consistent, both guarding the ball and when they were supposed to help. They were just locked in.”
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