BY BRIAN HAMILTON
SEVIERVILLE – Knox West jumped out to an early lead and led most of the way during the Winterfest Shootout finals against Lipscomb Academy, but were unable to hold onto the lead late. The Rebels clung to a 63-62 lead with less than a minute left until Lipscomb’s Nick Duke nailed a three with 45 seconds remaining to give the Mustangs a 65-63 advantage. West was never able to score again in the waning moments, falling 68-63.
Devyn Martin (13) goes up for a shot against the Lipscomb Academy defense. Photo by Brian Hamilton
“They’re a very talented bunch and we knew that going in,” West head coach Tommy Eggleston said after the game. “I felt like we matched them, but we just made a few strategic errors at the end of the game and we want to make sure we clean that up for the next game. We just made a few basic mistakes that cost us the game.”
The Rebels controlled the game early, holding a 16-12 lead at the end of the first quarter behind eight points by senior Devyn Martin.
Lipscomb Academy hit a three to open the second quarter, pulling the Mustangs to within 16-15. Martin then split a pair of free throws and hit a layup to give West a 19-15 lead with just under six minutes remaining in the quarter.
Christian Blivens hit a floater to cut the Rebels’ lead to 19-17, but West would extend the lead back to 23-17 on a Jailon Hill jumper midway through the second quarter. A three by Garrett Burch would stretch the Rebels’ lead to 26-18 with just over four minutes until halftime.
Another Burch three-pointer would put West ahead 29-22 with 3:05 remaining and a rebound and putback by Martin later gave the Rebels a 31-24 lead.
Lipscomb would pull to within 33-31 on a three by Nash Stark with 51 seconds left in the first half. A layup by Cam Blivens would tie the game at 33-33. Stark grabbed the rebound on West’s last shot of the half and was fouled, which sent the junior to the line for two shots. Stark converted 1-of-2 free throw attempts, sending the Mustangs to halftime with a 34-33 lead.
Kalou Fofana hit a basket to give West a 40-38 lead midway through the third quarter, which was followed by a layup by Hill to make the score 42-39 with 3:23 remaining in the quarter.
A short jumper by Fofana would extend the Rebels’ lead to 44-39, but Cam Blivens converted a traditional three-point play to make the score 44-42 with 2:33 remaining in the third.
Martin responded with a basket to increase the West lead to 46-42, but Lipscomb would go on a 5-0 run to take a 47-46 lead with 26 seconds left when Cam Blivens hit a layup.
West would take a 49-48 lead into the final quarter after Martin hit a layup through contact in the waning seconds of the third period.
Lipscomb Academy would take a 52-49 lead early in the fourth quarter on a Stark basket, but a triple from the corner by Fofana would tie the game at 52-52. Martin then hit a layup to put the Rebels back in front 54-52 with just under six minutes remaining.
Christian Blivens gave the Mustangs a 57-54 lead on back-to-back threes, but a basket by West’s Kevin Jack would trim the deficit to 57-56.
Martin would tie the game at 58-58 on a layup with 2:15 left and then give the Rebels a 60-58 lead with another basket with just 1:33 left in the game.
West would trail 62-60 when Burch nailed a three to put the Rebels up 63-62 with just over one minute left. Nick Duke responded with a three to put Lipscomb Academy in front 65-63 and West was unable to recover, falling 68-63 in the Winterfest Shootout championship game.
Lipscomb Academy’s Cam Blivins finished with a game high 25 points, while sibling Christian Blivins finished with 16. Nash Stark added 15 for the Mustangs.
Devyn Martin finished with 24 for Knox West, while Garrett Burch finished with 15 points on five three-pointers. Jailon Hill added 11 for the Rebels.
West (10-3) will be back in action on Monday, January 6, when the Rebels host Morristown West (8-8).