Douglass shuts down Madison Central in fourth quarter to advance to region semis
With its season on the line, Frederick Douglass avoided the kind of second half collapse it suffered Friday against Bryan Station in the 42nd District championship game and pulled out a 62-52 win at Madison Central in Tuesday’s win-or-go home boys 11th Region Tournament quarterfinals.
DeMarcus Surratt scored 19 points and teammates Aveion Chenault, Jaunte Jenkins, Tate Robinson and Dakari Talbert each made a pair of free throws in the game’s final 48 seconds to seal the win and advance the Broncos to face Lexington Catholic in Saturday’s semifinals at Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Douglass (24-4) held Madison Central without a field goal in the fourth quarter and allowed only two points over the last five minutes — a pair of free throws with 14.2 seconds left and the game out of reach.
“Battling through adversity is what we want. It just brings us together more,” said Surratt who rebounded from a poor performance against Bryan Station in which he went 1-for-8 from the field and scored seven points. “We got in the lab. We had a rough film session. Then we got back in the gym and got it behind us.”
Chenault put the exclamation point on the Broncos’ closing 10-2 run with a steal near midcourt that sprung him for a windmill dunk as time ran out.
“They showed some mental toughness and mental fortitude,” Douglass coach Murray Garvin said. “We knew that coming into Madison Central that it was going to be us against the world. But I give credit to Bronco Nation. I heard them tonight.”
The game in Richmond was one of four region quarterfinals held Tuesday at the home of each district champion. Great Crossing and Bryan Station both advanced to face each other in Saturday’s other semifinal game at Dunbar.
The girls quarterfinals were held Monday with each district champion winning — Franklin County advancing to face Frederick Douglass and Lafayette moving on to face Madison Central. The girls semifinals are Thursday evening, also at Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Tuesday, Madison Central trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half and was behind 33-24 at the break. But the Indians battled back.
After Douglass botched a play for a final shot to end the third quarter, Madison Central executed its own with three seconds left. Cody Morrison’s 3-pointer from the left wing at the horn trimmed their deficit to 47-45.
But the Indians could get no closer despite having three opportunities to tie the game or take the lead with the score at 52-50 from the 5:01 mark of the fourth quarter until Chenault began the Broncos’ free throw parade with 47.9 seconds left.
Part of Madison Central’s frustrations included the Broncos’ 33-24 advantage on the boards that included 12 offensive rebounds. Four of Chenault’s six rebounds were on the offensive end to go with 13 points and two blocks. Talbert added 11 points.
“I’ve got to bring the energy to show the team how we’ve got to play to win games,” Chenault said when asked about his determination in the game. “If I bring the energy, the whole team will. I’ve been playing varsity for four years, so I know what it takes, and everybody just follows my lead.”
Jake Feldhaus led Madison Central (20-12) with 19 points. Luke Asher and Morrison added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Tuesday’s other boys quarterfinals
Lexington Catholic 72, Western Hills 59: Max Meagher and Ryan Harward scored 18 and 17 points, respectively, as the Knights (23-9) used a third-quarter surge to help put away the Wolverines (10-21).
LexCath outscored Western Hills 21-8 in the third quarter and stretched its advantage to as many as 20 points. Kentucky football signee Javeon Campbell led the Wolverines with 26 points. Elijah Thompson added 11.
Great Crossing 81, Lexington Christian 51: Vince Dawson scored a game-high 25 points and Malachi Moreno notched a double-double with 18 points and 16 rebounds to go with three blocks in the Warhawks’ (29-4) romp over LCA. Saxton Howard led LCA (15-18) with 20 points. Caleb Marshall added 10.
Bryan Station 82, Berea 47: Amari Owens scored 11 of his game-high 30 points during a second quarter run that turned a 21-21 tie into a 41-29 halftime lead for the Defenders (25-6). Bryan Station kept the pedal down in the second half. Justin Richmond and Rashaad Faulkner added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Finley Blevins led Berea (14-17) with 14 points. Tommie Banderman added 12.
Monday’s girls quarterfinals
Franklin County 51, Lexington Christian 23: Keyonna Taylor and Juliana Frazee led the Flyers with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Franklin County (26-5) held LCA (25-8) scoreless in the fourth quarter. Claire Roberts led LCA with nine points.
Lafayette 58, Henry Clay 34: Four Generals (26-4) scored in double figures in the rout, led by Tess Nelson’s 12 points. Addison Combs and Anna Clay Denton each added 11. Abbey Popham scored 10. Charlianne Robinson led the Blue Devils (10-19) with 12 points.
Frederick Douglass 88, Berea 13: Jaelee Knowles scored 24 points and Mikalee Bennett added 18 as the Broncos (23-7) demolished the Pirates (14-17). Berea trailed Douglass 53-4 at half and 76-4 at the end of the third quarter.
Madison Central 70, Great Crossing 55: Region player of the year Nataya Strader led the Indians with 23 points in a game her team never trailed. Cameryn Ridderikhoff and Jordynn Miles added 14 and 12 points, respectively for Madison Central (27-2). Great Crossing (17-14) was led by Samantha Brown with 14 points, Kendall Kearney with 13 and Jaelle Henderson with 11.
11th Region Tournaments
At Paul Laurence Dunbar
Thursday’s girls semifinals
6 p.m.: Franklin County vs. Frederick Douglass
8 p.m.: Madison Central vs. Lafayette
Saturday’s boys semifinals
Noon: Great Crossing vs. Bryan Station
3:30 p.m.: Frederick Douglass vs. Lexington Catholic
