Spartans outlast Eufaula in 3 OT thriller
BIRMINGHAM – Tyler Davis would have coached all night if it was required.
It may have felt nearly that long for the first-year Mountain Brook High School boys basketball head coach. On Monday afternoon, the Spartans outlasted Eufaula 66-63 in a wild triple-overtime thriller at Bartow Arena in the Class 6A state semifinals.
“The guys, they take ice baths after games. I feel like I got to take an ice bath,” Davis joked following the game.
With the win, Mountain Brook advances to the 6A state championship game, in which the Spartans take on Spanish Fort at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
“If you would’ve told me when I got the job in June, that I would be in the state championship coaching these guys, I would take that under any circumstance,” Davis said. “I’m extremely proud of these guys. I would’ve played 12 overtimes today if it meant we were playing for a championship."
In the decisive third overtime, Mountain Brook (29-6) finally broke through. Bo Barber cemented a strong performance with a drive to the hoop, kissing it off the glass to give the Spartans a 65-63 edge. He hit a free throw with nine seconds to play to seal the deal, as Eufaula’s final attempt went begging.
Following the game, Barber deflected the credit.
“This guy and the rest of my teammates give me the confidence to make those plays,” said Barber, pointing to teammate Rayven Turner.
Mountain Brook held a narrow 15-14 edge after a quarter of play, but Eufaula led by a slim margin for much of the second and third quarters. The Tigers’ largest lead was six points in the third quarter, but Mountain Brook chipped away.
Paulson Wright drained a 3-pointer with 7:30 to play in regulation to give Mountain Brook a 41-40 lead, as the Spartans scored the first five points of the quarter. After Eufaula regained the lead, Mac Swoger converted a layup despite the foul to make it 45-44.
Eufaula took a three-point lead with 1:24 to go but another Swoger basket tied it at 51-51 with a minute to play. In the first overtime period, Barber tied the game with a pair of free throws, followed by a Swoger layup to give the Spartans a 56-54 edge. Eufaula sent it to a second overtime with a pair of free throws.
Julius Clark scored in the opening seconds of the second overtime and Turner gave the Spartans the lead once again later in the frame. Caleb Paige actually gave Eufaula a one-point lead with a 3, but a Charlie McKimmon free throw sent the game to the third extra period.
Mountain Brook would be denied victory no longer.
“We talk a lot about how games are going to have their ups and downs,” Davis said. “A lot of games we’ve been ahead lately, but this game we had to fight uphill. We told our guys to stay the course and keep grinding, and our guys did an excellent job of that.”
Mountain Brook shot 41 free throws in a game that featured a total of 55 fouls. Four Eufaula players fouled out and that was eventually too much to overcome for the Tigers.
Barber led four double-digit scorers for Mountain Brook. He had 15 points, while Clark finished with 11. Turner and Swoger each registered 10 points.
Despite not having his best scoring night, Turner posted a double-double with 13 critical rebounds. He credited teammates McKimmon and Clark for helping him improve by going against them in practice each day.
“I wasn’t that effective on the scoring end, so I knew I had to step it up in other areas,” Turner said.
Dive Rowe finished with nine points and Wright tallied six. McKimmon posted a career-high nine rebounds in the game as well.
“We have a deep bench,” Davis said.
Monday’s game took everything the Spartans had. They will need to be ready to give that much once again in less than 48 hours.
“We’ve got to recover, hydrate, sleep tonight and get ourselves prepared to roll at 11:30 on Wednesday,” Davis said.