The Alcoa Tornadoes matched up with the Frederick Douglass Red Devils in the TSSAA Class 2A state championship game at the Murphy Center on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Alcoa boys won 76-67. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — Jahvin Carter had to document the moment for himself Saturday night. The Alcoa senior point guard, who had just led the Tornadoes to a second consecutive state championship, took his cellphone with him when he and his teammates received the gold Class 2A trophy.
He had a Instagram Live feed going, so those in his social media circle could celebrate with him, too.
And why not? The more the merrier for Carter and Alcoa.
After all, they’d just done what no other team in Alcoa boys basketball program history had done.
And they had just done what no other team in the state had done this season — beat Douglass.
Carter scored a game-high 28 points, Alcoa built a 21-point, second-half lead and the Tornadoes beat back a furious late rally by Douglass to repeat as Class 2A state champions, 76-67.
The Tornadoes (26-13) finished the season on a nine-game win streak and notched their first-ever title defense. Moreover, they put the first loss on the season ledger for Douglass (35-1).
Carter, who was named 2024 Class 2A Mr. Basketball earlier this week, earned tournament MVP honors for the second year in a row. The Penn State signee went 10-for-13 shooting with five assists, two blocks and two steals.
Joining him on the all-tournament team from Alcoa were: Jamir Dean (14 points), Moro Ayl (11 points), and Brady Haun (nine points).
Carter leaves as the program’s all-time leading scorer, finishing with more than 3,000 career points.
“It’s very rewarding. I’ve accomplished everything. I feel like I’ve left everything here,” Carter said. “I’ve done what I wanted to do. I left my legacy here.
“I’m going to take a break, for sure. Rest for a week. Get my body right and then get ready and prepare for the next level.”
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GETTING THE WIN
Alcoa had some breathing room coming out of the halftime break, holding a 33-20 lead on Douglass. The Red Devils tried to crank up the pace offensively and turn up the heat defensively.
That backfired early in the third. Alcoa didn’t wilt and didn’t turn the ball over in the first four minutes of the second half, which was critical.
The Tornado advantage grew to a 16-point lead (40-24) thanks to a Dean 3 and a Carter-to-Ayl fast break opportunity.
Ayl later sank a 3 in the corner for a 47-29 lead near the midpoint of the third.
Carter popped in a 26-footer at the top of the key to make it 50-29, bringing the Alcoa faithful to their feet. Alcoa made seven of its first 11 shots to start the third.
Douglass’ pressure finally forced Alcoa into a handful of mistakes, though, and the Red Devils constructed an 18-5 run over the final four minutes of the third quarter to trail just 55-47 with eight minutes remaining.
Alcoa scored the first four of the fourth quarter to get back in front by double digits.
But Carter went down with a leg cramp at the 6:57 mark of the fourth. And with him relegated to the sideline, Douglass sliced Alcoa’s lead back down to 59-51 over the next 29 seconds.
After receiving some treatment from Alcoa trainer Peggy Bratt, he came back in and hit a running 17-foot floater from straight on for a 61-53 lead.
“Man, Peggy gave me lots of stuff,” Carter said with a smile. “She gave me salt packets. She gave me gummies. She gave me Gatorade with salt in it.
“I was about to throw up, at one point. I was like ‘Peggy, you gotta chill.’ But, yeah, Peggy was supplying me with my needs. Then my right leg started to cramp, too. I was like, ‘Lord, just get me through this game.'”
Douglass’ speed and unrelenting swarming defense just never waned. And with 4:35 remaining, Alcoa was ahead just 61-57.
But down the stretch, junior forward Eli Owens of Alcoa — who’s more known for his football prowess as a Michigan commit — authored quite a heroic effort.
He scored in the paint for a 64-57 lead at the 3:39 mark. He battled for a crucial defensive rebound on the opposite end of the floor. He recorded an assist on a dunk by Dean with 2:52 to play that made it 66-58 Alcoa.
He later added an offensive rebound, a block, a steal, another offensive board, and his score at the rim with 1:10 remaining put Alcoa ahead 70-60.
He even scored the final point of the contest, on a free throw with 23 seconds left. Alcoa went 10 of 16 at the foul line in the fourth.
Owens finished with nine points, 10 rebounds, three block and two assists, in what is believed to be his final basketball game at Alcoa; he’ll likely graduate Alcoa early in December 2024 in order to mid-term enroll at college.
“To be 100 percent honest, it was a gift he got in foul trouble early,” Collins said of Owens, “because he was well-rested for the second half.
“When it was closing time, he closed it.”
FIRST HALF
Haun proved to be Alcoa’s first-quarter hero, the senior guard making two 3s in a 9-2 run that gave Alcoa a 13-8 lead. He later got a steal that ultimately produced an easy bucket for Ayl to push the lead to 15-8.
The Tornadoes led 15-12 after the first eight minutes and had just three turnovers.
Carter’s baseline floater to open the second quarter kept Alcoa’s momentum flowing. Haun then popped in another 3 with 7:02 left in the second quarter for a 21-14 advantage.
By the 2:22 mark of the second quarter, Alcoa had but five turnovers. Douglass had 10 — and plenty of fouls, too, with nine. Douglass defenders constantly held Carter’s jersey and Carter made them pay when officials called the foul.
His two free throws with 3:10 left before half made the lead 29-20. Dean added a tip-in bucket about a minute later to increase Alcoa’s advantage to 11.
Carter’s euro-step score in transition gave Alcoa the 33-20 halftime lead it enjoyed at the break.
He reached the half with 12 points on 4-for-4 shooting.
Alcoa shot 52.2 percent in the first half and forced 12 turnovers.
Douglass shot 36 percent — including an 0-for-5 clip from 3 — and coaxed Alcoa into only seven turnovers. Douglass harassed Austin-East into 29 turnovers on Thursday.
Alcoa didn’t suffer the same fate and wound up with just 15 for the night.
Translation: Alcoa had Carter. Douglass didn’t.
“What else can we say about Carter?” Douglass coach Greg Williams said.
“Good player, man.”
5STAR PHOTOS powered by SmartBank — Alcoa Tornadoes vs. Douglass (2024 Class 2A Championship)