East Nashville Defeats Stratford in MTIT Championship

The first Middle Tennessee Invitational Tournament of the 21st-century at Franklin High School got the ending it deserved Saturday night as East Nashville grabbed the title first established in 1958 with a 94-92 overtime win over their neighborhood arch-rival Stratford. The fast paced, high-flying dunkfest was a see-saw battle from the start. East trailed 7-1 just a minute and a half into the game, led 14-13 at midpoint of the first quarter, and trailed again when it ended 29-24. Spartans Juwan Carpenter (36 points, 11 assists) and Michael Wallace (23 points, four rebounds) did most of the damage, combing for four treys and three dunks in the first quarter alone. The tide began to shift away from Stratford, though, when Wallace was tagged with a technical foul for taunting after a thunderous dunk at the 1:20 mark of the first. Nine minutes later, East had its largest lead of the night at 13, 51-38.  In the second half, tournament Most Valuable Player Taras Carter (32 points, three rebounds, six assists) continued to orchestrate an Eagle offense that responded to every Stratford run behind Isaiah Jones (15 points, 13 rebounds) and Caleb Grimes (23 points). The Eagles had a chance to put the game away late in the fourth period, but their free throw touch left them in their second straight overtime game of the tourney. It returned in the final seconds of the extra period to ice the win.

EAST NASHVILLE 24 27 14 20 9 94

STRATFORD 29 11 22 23 7 92

East Nashville (94) – Taras Carter 32; Caleb Grimes 23; Isaiah Jones 15; Wilson 9; Cole 8; Stewart 6; Dowlen 1.

Stratford (92) – Juwan Carpenter 36; Michael Wallace 23; Ontario Graham 10; Quanie Clendening 10; Reed 5; Quails 4; Owens 2; Wade 2.

3 pts: East Nashville 6 (Carter 2, Grimes 2, Jones 1, Cole 1); Stratford 6 (Carpenter 2, Clendening 2, Graham 2.

FT's: East Nashville 26-of-35 (74.3%); Stratford 8-of-20 (40.0%)

PF's: East Nashville 18; Stratford 22/Technical Fouls: East Nashville 0; Stratford 2

TO's: East Nashville 11; Stratford 9

Halftime: 51-40 East Nashville

Cane Ridge boys 76, Franklin 73, Third Place 

Cane Ridge shot a blistering 55 percent from the floor, with William Hoye (18), Caleb Wilson (18), Brandon Miller (15) and Kyle Elliott (13) all scoring in double figures as the Ravens captured third place in the MTIT with a 76-73 win over Franklin. The Ravens beat the Rebels at their own game, hitting twelve three-pointers at a near mind boggling 60 percent clip (12-of-20). Franklin could manage only six treys, connecting only 20 percent of their shots from behind the arc. Reese Glover led the Rebels with 29 points and five assists and Ahsharri Haynesworth added 18, but it was Matt Thurman who kept Franklin in the game, scoring 18 at timely spots and adding 11 rebounds. It was the second straight final second, heartbreaking loss for the Rebels in the tournament. It is the first time in nearly two years the team has lost two straight.

CANE RIDGE 24 21 23 8 76

FRANKLIN 13 20 16 24 73

CANE RIDGE (76) – William Hoye 18; Caleb Wilson 18; Brandon Miller 15; Kyle Elliott 13; Starling 5; Simms 5; Tillman 2.

FRANKLIN (73) – Reese Glover 29; Ahsharri Haynesworth 18; Matt Thurman 18; Kemp 5; Bruce 3.

3 Pts: Cane Ridge 12 (Hoye 5, Miller 3, Starling 1, Simms 1, Elliott 1, Wilson 1); Franklin 6 (Glover 3, Kemp 1, Bruce 1, Thurman 1).

FT's: Cane Ridge: 10-of-19 (52.6%); Franklin 5-of-9 (55.6)

Halftime: 45-33 Cane Ridge

Rossview boys 49, Nolensville 47, Fifth Place 

Nolensville got 20 points from Nate Bloedorn and 12 more from Zach Campbell but it wasn't enough as the Knights dropped a close 49-47 decision to Rossivew in the fifth place game of the Middle Tennessee Invitational Tournament at Franklin High School Saturday afternoon. The Hawks did a good job of keeping the ball out of the hands of Bloedorn early, then harassed him constantly in the paint. Nearly half of the big man's points came from the free throw line. Spencer Simms (17 points) and Kole Monson (16 points) led the Hawks.

ROSSVIEW 19 8 17 5 49

NOLENSVILLE 16 10 10 11 47

ROSSVIEW (49) – Spencer Simms 17; Kole Monson 16; J. Perkins 8; Camara 6; Lineweber 2.

NOLENSVILLE (47) – Nate Bloedorn 20; Zach Campbell 12; Gilbert 8; Watkins 7.

3 Pts: Rossview: 4 ( Monson 2, Sims 2); Nolensville 5 (Watkins 2, Gilbert 2, Campbell 1).

FT's: Rossview 2-of-3 (66.7%); Nolensville 11-of-17 (64.7%)

Halftime: 27-26 Rossview

Seventh Place Game

West Creek boys 73, South Gibson 70

Source:  Williamson Herald