By Jesse Smithey
In the 36-year history of the prestigious Arby’s Classic in Bristol, Tenn., no Knox County program had ever reached the tournament’s title game.
Bearden changed that.
And changed it in a major way Monday night.
The Bulldogs rallied from an eight-point deficit entering the fourth quarter against undefeated Carmel Christian and claimed the Arby’s Classic championship, 61-57.
Check this video out! 🐶🏀
Final seconds of Bearden’s Arby’s Classic Championship!!!!!!!!!!
@BeardenHoops @5StarPreps @prepxtra @wvltrick @WBIRSports @WATESports @BHS_Myers @donald_balcom @AndrewPeters01 pic.twitter.com/y5HXNgWrPv— jack tate (@coachtatebhs) January 1, 2019
Bearden (12-3) trailed 48-40 entering the final quarter but closed the gap to 50-49 with 4 minutes, 31 seconds remaining. Trent Stephney’s jumper with 1:10 to play gave the Bulldogs the lead (57-56) for good. Stephney led all Bearden scorers with 17 points on 8-for-20 shooting. He added seven rebounds and three assists on Monday and averaged 21.5 points over the four-game stretch during the tournament.
Bearden outscored Carmel, 21-9, in the fourth quarter.
Introducing the 2018 Arby’s Classic Champions
THE BEARDEN BULLDOGS
Rally from 13 down to win!
🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
@prepxtra @5StarPreps @wvltrick @WBIRSports @WATESports @BHS_Myers @donald_balcom @BeardenHoops pic.twitter.com/KSrEOWzMcO— jack tate (@coachtatebhs) January 1, 2019
Sharmarcus Brown had a double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds). Bearden won the battle of the boards, 40-30.
Bearden guard Ques Glover was the Tournament MVP. He scored 14 points in the title game on 5-for-17 shooting and averaged 20.8 points per game. Tennessee signee Drew Pember returned to action and had four points and two rebounds.
Carmel Christian (20-1) suffered its first loss of the season, having carried over momentum from last year’s Class 2A state championship run in North Carolina. Its top player, Donovan Gregory, is an Appalachian State signee and scored 18 points against Bearden on 8-for-16 shooting. He’s a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, who added nine rebounds.
(Thanks to Bearden’s Jack Tate for providing information for this report.)
Congrats to @BeardenHoops for becoming the first EVER team from Knox county to win the @arbysclassic and first team from Tennessee to win since 2009. 👀👀
📹: @WJHL_Kane pic.twitter.com/Q2ePaUvLTP
— Jordan Crammer (@JordanCrammer) January 1, 2019