West Brunswick beats West Bladen in overtime to win Bladen Offroad tournament

It was a championship game that will long be remembered for its intensity and edge-of-your-seat action.

Unfortunately, for West Bladen, it was West Brunswick that made the final basket.

Isaac Clarida’s lay-up at the buzzer gave the Trojans an 83-81 win in overtime Tuesday night and the Bladen Offroad Christmas Tournament boys’ basketball title inside Ken F. Cross Gymnasium.

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West Brunswick trailed 81-75 with 48 seconds remaining in overtime, but held the Knights scoreless while getting a basket and two free throws from Clarida and a follow from Griffin before Clarida won it.

“We haven’t been doing well in close games, so for them to grind out a win shows a lot,” West Brunswick coach Bryant Edwards said. “They’re starting to figure out how not to give up, how not to quit.”

Tournament Most Valuable Player Kveon Griffin scored 21 of his 23 points after halftime and Matt McKenney, who was named to the all-tournament team, had 26 before fouling out to lead West Brunswick (9-3).

Tylik McCall scored 31 points and had 14 rebounds and Jackson Pait had 19 points for the Knights (7-5). Both were selected to the all-tournament team.

“We had a chance,” West Bladen coach Travis Pait said. “We were not really good defensively in the half court. I thought we had a chance to win in overtime. I probably should have called time out, but I thought we were fine. We traveled and missed some free throws down the stretch.

“You don’t want to lose, but I hope that it will be something we learn from going forward. Proud of the guys. We played hard. We competed. We have to fine tune some things.”

Neither team shot well from 3-point range nor the foul line. West Bladen was 8-of-43 from behind the arc and West Brunswick was 8-of-24. The Knights made 21 of 34 free throw attempts while the Trojans made 17 of 32. There were 55 fouls called. West Bladen outrebounded West Brunswick 48-33, but had more turnovers, 18 to 11.

The game was tied 13 times, including 28-all at half when McCall hit a mid-range jumper at the buzzer. McCall’s 15 points in the third quarter helped West Bladen open a 56-50 lead at the end of the period.

The Knights led by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter before West Brunswick rallied for a 70-68 lead with 27 seconds remaining. McCall’s jumper with 13 seconds remaining knotted it at 70 and neither team could score on their one possession prior to the end of regulation.

Neither team scored in nearly the first half of the four-minute overtime.West Bladen’s Kendell Lessane bucket snapped the drought. A 3-pointer from the left corner followed by two free throws from McCall put the Knights up 81-75 with 48 seconds remaining.

Clarida scored inside and was fouled, but Griffin rebounded the missed free throw and scored that pulled West Brunswick within 81-79 with 33 seconds remaining.

After West Bladen was called for travelling, Clarida made two free throws with 12 seconds remaining that tied it at 81.

West Bladen’s Jackson Pait was fouled with 9.9 seconds remaining, but missed both free throws. Clarida followed with the game winner.

In Tuesday’s other games, Hoke County defeated Berean Baptist 60-53 for third place, Clinton beat West Columbus 67-48 for fifth place and South Columbus edged Midway 68-66 for seventh place.

WEST BRUNSWICK (83) — Kveon Griffin 23, A.J. Thomas, Jonathan Daniels, Nick Graham, Isaac Clarida 11, Kameron Metters 3, Matt McKenney 26, Aysan Gause 13, Jarrison Dixon 7.

WEST BLADEN (81) — Jackson Pait 19, Damarion Bryan 2, Tylik McCall 31, Kendall Lessane 9, Keonta Hill, Jaquan Lesane 6, Jamari Adams-Peterson 14, Carnell Lewis, Cyncere Jessup, Blake Britt, Justin Spaulding.