Tattnall outlasts scrappy Athens Christian in Class A Private opener
Tattnall Square head coach Todd Whetsel expected the Trojans to have to contend with an Athens Christian squad that would fight for loose balls and attack the basket in their GHSA Class A Private School Tournament first-round contest Friday night.
Athens Christian delivered just that, forcing sixth-seeded Tattnall, the highest-seeded team that wasn't a region champion, to battle for the full 32 minutes before the Trojans could secure a 49-44 victory.
Tattnall (25-2) trailed at halftime and lost the lead again in the fourth quarter to an 8-0 Athens Christian run, but the Trojans' two seniors, Brianna Beasley and Jordan Allen, came up with important points in the final two minutes to send Tattnall to next week's quarterfinals at Kennesaw State.
Eleventh-seeded Athens Christian, which was held off the scoreboard in the final two minutes, ends its season at 18-9.
THREE WHO MATTERED
Allen: She went 4-for-4 from the line and picked up an important offensive rebound off a missed free throw in the final 30 seconds to ice the game for Tattnall. Allen finished with 14 points.
Allie Gordon: Gordon scored eight of her 14 points in the third quarter, helping Tattnall turn a one-point deficit into a seven-point lead heading into the final eight minutes.
Olivia Pineo: The four quick points she scored in the first 30 seconds of the fourth quarter set the tone for Athens Christian's fourth-quarter comeback. She led the Eagles with nine points.
TURNING POINT
Beasley's clutch shot -- two of the four points she scored -- with 1:36 to go stopped Athens Christian's run and put Tattnall back on top.
OBSERVATIONS
Eagles rally twice: Athens Christian's fourth-quarter comeback was its second of the game. The Eagles trailed 12-6 with 1:54 to go in the first quarter before going on a 9-0 run to take a 15-12 lead 45 seconds into the second quarter. The Eagles didn't fall behind for the rest of the first half.
Gordon big inside: With post player Abby Rouse picking up three first-half fouls, Tattnall's rebounding load shifted to Gordon. She wound up with nine rebounds, eight coming in the second half. Rouse, meanwhile, finished with six points, eight rebounds and six blocks.
Tightening things up: Although Athens Christian had 19 turnovers, the Eagles committed just three in the second quarter and three more in the fourth, coinciding with the team's rallies.
Clean game: Until Athens Christian was forced to foul in the final minute, only 17 fouls had been called. Neither team reached the bonus situation until the game's final 30 seconds.
WORTH NOTING
Two-for-two for Tattnall: The Trojans reach the Class A Private quarterfinals for the second time in two years. Last year, Tattnall hosted Stratford, with Stratford winning 45-31. A format change puts this season's quarterfinals at a neutral site, in this case Kennesaw State's Convocation Center.
THEY SAID IT
Allen on adjustments made after trailing at halftime: "We talked about our defense, how it wasn't strong. We just needed to come out as a team, ready to work, ready to get our defense back like we did earlier in the season."
Whetsel on the battle Tattnall faced: "You could see on the film that they were athletic and they would work hard. They certainly had a good game plan, and they worked it (Friday). Hats off to them; they were certainly a big challenge, and we were fortunate to have gotten the win."
Allen on going 4-of-4 from the line at crunch time: "Honestly, I just tried not thinking about it. Just do it like we do in practice, focusing on the rim and not paying attention to anything around me, and doing it for my team."
WHAT'S NEXT?
Tattnall's quarterfinal opponent will be determined Saturday, when No. 14 seed Paideia and third-seeded Greenforest Christian meet at Cedar Grove Middle School in Decatur. The winner of that game faces Tattnall at 3 p.m. on Friday at Kennesaw State.
This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 9:14 PM with the headline "Tattnall outlasts scrappy Athens Christian in Class A Private opener ."