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BY JESSE SMITHEY
COOKEVILLE — The Tyler Tanner who the Webb School of Knoxville got on Thursday in the TSSAA state semifinals wasn’t the same Tyler Tanner they saw at their place back in December.
And while they were expecting that to be the case, the Spartans still couldn’t contain him.
Tanner, a Vanderbilt signee and shoo-in for 2024 Division II-AA Mr. Basketball, erupted for 36 points Thursday at Tennessee Tech’s Eblen Center and dealt Webb a 63-48, season-ending loss.
“For this game, I had a ton of drive,” Tanner said. “We’ve been looking forward to Cookeville all year. What I’ve had to teach myself this year is: to go into every game with a mentality of ‘We have to win. No matter what it takes.’
“I think I was a little sluggish that game (Dec. 21 against Webb). Just not as ready to play. But I promised myself that’s not how I’m going to go out on my last game.”
Promise kept.
The lightning-quick point guard shot 13 of 22 from the floor and 5 of 10 from deep — yes, from deep, not from the 3-point line.
None of the 3s he fired in even sniffed a line. They came from all over and from a good distance away.
“Man, he was awesome. Some of the 3s he made were — I thought we guarded him. He was just fantastic all night,” Webb coach Ricky Norris said.
“I don’t know that that was on our defense. It was just a testament to how talented he is and how well he played tonight.”
Webb (25-5) finished its season in the state semifinals for the second year in a row, having lost to Brentwood Academy in last year’s semifinals. The Eagles also ousted Webb in the 2021 quarterfinals.
Brentwood Academy (24-7) will face Briarcrest Christian (28-4) in the Division II-AA state championship on Saturday in Cookeville. Brentwood Academy won it all last year, 63-52, over Briarcrest.
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Even though Tanner reached the break with 15 points, Webb led 23-22 at halftime.
And Alex Leeth’s foul shot at the 6:15 mark in the third gave Webb a 29-25 advantage. But George MacIntyre, the Tennessee quarterback verbal commit, knocked in a 3 soon after to cut the BA deficit to 29-28. And when Tanner scored on a drive to the bucket with 3:22 left in the third, the Eagles regained the lead for good.
Brentwood Academy used a 13-3 run in the third quarter to go ahead by a 38-32 margin and took a 40-36 lead into the fourth.
Tanner went on a personal 5-0 run to open the fourth and extend the advantage to nine points.
“You watch them over the last month, and he’s just become way more aggressive,” Norris said of Tanner’s performance Thursday as opposed to his one against Webb in December.
“He was really aggressive tonight in getting to the rim. And like I said, some of the 3s he made — I’d have to watch the film — but they were a long way from the rim. He’s just a great player. We did chip away (at their lead). There were a couple of times we cut it to four to end the third, but they’re not a team you want to play from behind because of (Tanner). Ultimately, they made just made a lot more plays, especially at the start of the fourth quarter, than we did.”
Drake Ingram, the lone Webb senior and an all-region talent, sank a 3 to try and keep BA within reach. And Webb trailed just 50-45 with 2:50 to play after a free throw by Jaylen Pompey (17 points).
But the Spartans didn’t make a field goal that final 2:50 span.
Ingram heaved up a 30-footer, trying to summon a quick-order comeback with 40 seconds to go. But it hit back iron, and he ultimately checked out to a warm ovation by the Webb crowd for his final game.
“Drake, it takes him and me about a month and a half every year to get on the same page. My man, he can shoot it. And he’s one of the best shooters I’ve ever coached. He lets it fly,” said Norris. “And I’m so proud of him, because he’s become such a complete player. He’s coachable. I’ve coached him really, really hard. And the guy just takes it. I hope he appreciates that. Because you look at where he was as a freshman and where he was as a senior, and he’s now an all-region caliber player and he has a chance to play college basketball.
“That’s a testament to him and his family, putting the time in and continuing to improve. But, man, I love the kid. And, shoot, we’re going to miss him immensely.”
Webb returns four starters next season and all of its roster, sans Ingram.
Pompey hopes the experience at state will help catapult the Spartans to a different level in 2024-25.
“We’re a very young team. I’ll be the only senior next year, maybe one other,” he said. “All the others will be juniors.
“You just see the potential with the team. I think us being able to get here two years in a row, and a lot of the guys being here two years in a row, gives you good experience. And you need that. You see that with Tyler (Tanner) … you can see that poise he has. That takes a lot to win a state championship, and it takes experience.”