BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Tyrese Chandler and Garrison Smith combined to score 16 points in the second half as the Lake Butler Middle School boys basketball team never relinquished its lead in defeating Bradford 48-35 in the semifinals of the Suwannee Middle Athletic Conference tournament on Jan. 23 in Keystone Heights.
The second seed Tigers will play for the championship on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. at Keystone Heights High School.
Third seed Bradford scored six of the game’s first nine points. The Tornadoes’ Terrence Slocum had the first basket of the game, while Damarion Dodd scored off a Caiden Carn steal to put Bradford ahead 4-2. A basket by Dylan Ruise would later put the Tornadoes up 6-3.
The Tigers, who had a first-round bye, evened it up on a Smith three-pointer. It was the start of an 11-0 run to close out the quarter. Smith added two free throws and then forced a backcourt turnover, which led to a basket by Cayden Harold. Cadenz Merriex had a basket off a Smith steal, while Jackson Andersen-Davis scored off an offensive rebound, sending Lake Butler into the second quarter leading 14-6.
Baskets by Andersen-Davis, Chandler and Merrie put the Tigers ahead 20-8.
Bradford then scored five straight. Slocum got a basket and made the awarded free throw for getting fouled, while Ruise scored off a turnover.
The Tigers’ A.J. Chandler had the last basket of the half as Lake Butler went into the locker room leading 22-13.
A basket and free throw by Tyrese Chandler put Lake Butler ahead 27-16 in the third quarter. Andersen-Davis then grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled the length of the court and dished the ball off to Smith for a basket and a 13-point lead.
The Tornadoes opened the fourth quarter with a 7-2 run. Mekos Henderson had a three-pointer to get it started. Slocum scored off an offensive rebound, while Ruise scored off a turnover, leaving the Tornadoes trailing 33-26.
Lake Butler didn’t allow Bradford to get any closer.
Andersen-Davis, Smith and Tyrese Chandler led the Tigers with 12 points each. Lake Butler also got five points from Merriex, four from A.J. Chandler, two from Harold and one from Gavyn Smith.
Bradford was led by Ruise and Slocum, who each scored eight points. The Tornadoes also got seven from Carn, six from Henderson and two each from Dodd, Brilan Cliffin and Kaedan Parks.
