After losing a big lead and some of their poise, the Wheeler Wildcats pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory in the Georgia High School Association basketball tournament.
Facing the 30-1 Grayson Rams, who had beaten them earlier this season and were ranked No. 2 in a national poll, the Wildcats climbed back from a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday night at the Macon Coliseum.
Then, with one second remaining on the game clock, they got the clinching point they needed, on a free throw by Sam Hines Jr., to earn the seventh state championship in school history with a 60-59 win in the Class 7A finals.
Hines scored 28 points in a brilliant finish to his high school career, as he made 11 of 12 shots from the field, sank 6 of 8 free throws and pulled down nine rebounds.
The biggest of those points and the biggest of those rebounds came in the waning seconds.
He had made two free throws with 26 seconds to play to give Wheeler a 59-56 lead. But Grayson’s Toneari Lane tied the game with 10 seconds left on a long 3-point basket.
The Wildcats played for the final shot, as point guard Nash Kelly drove to the basket. He missed, but Hines grabbed the ball and was fouled.
Hines made the first free throw for a 60-59 score, but missed the second after Grayson called timeout.
Grayson’s Caleb Murphy heaved a long shot at the buzzer but it wasn’t close.
Wheeler’s comeback exemplified much of its play in the post-season. The Wildcats dug out a second-round win over highly-regarded Shiloh, held off Berkmar in the quarterfinals and cruised over Milton in the semifinals.
The Wildcats led 42-31 in the third quarter when Hines scored a basket. The Rams then went on a 15-2 run that extended into the fourth quarter, as Wheeler looked sapped of energy and couldn’t get the ball to Hines.
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He hit a jump shot from the free throw line to cut Grayson’s lead to 54-48, then teammate Ja’Heim Hudsom scored on a three-point play to make it a 55-51 game.
Another basket by Hines and two free throws by Prince Davies tied the score at 55-55, part of a 14-5 closing run by the Wildcats.
Grayson retook the lead 56-55 on a free throw, and Hines lost the ball out of bounds closing to the basket on Wheeler’s next possession.
The Rams missed two free throws on the other end, giving Wheeler a glimmer of hope in the final minute.
Kelly was fouled and made two free throws, and Grayson missed an easy shot underneath the basket with a chance to go ahead.
Hines was fouled on the rebound, and made two free throws.
Even after Lane’s heroics looked like the game might head to overtime, Wheeler (23-7) found a way to win its first title since 2015.
The title was the first for third-year head coach Larry Thompson, who won two Class A private school state titles at Greenforest Christian Academy in DeKalb County and succeeded Doug Lipscomb, the architect of Wheeler’s powerhouse program.
Thompson’s mantra for Wheeler in the playoffs was defense, and trying to hold opponents under 50 points. While the Wildcats couldn’t do that against Grayson, they did just enough to bring back another trophy to East Cobb.
It’s also the sixth state title thus far in the school year for East Cobb high schools, as the Wildcats join Walton volleyball, Pope softball, Walton boys cross country, Pope duals wrestling and Lassiter girls swimming.
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