Blessed Trinity Loses in Overtime During Second Round of Playoffs

By Mike Blum

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School erased a 7-point deficit with just over two minutes to play to force overtime in a second round state playoff game Thursday night at home against Thomson, but the Titans’ furious finish did not carry over into the extra period.

In the four minutes of overtime, the Titans attempted at least nine field goals and missed every one, failing to score after hitting one of two free throws to take a 48-47 lead with three minutes to play. Thomson won 55-47 to advance to the quarterfinals against undefeated Upson-Lee, the top-ranked team in AAAA.

Included among BT’s overtime misses were six 3-pointers and a pair of blocked shots, as a quality Thomson defense made it tough for the Titans to score with their patient, motion offense. Blessed Trinity also gave the Bulldogs problems with a sagging man-to-man that made Thomson work hard for good shots. But the Bulldogs also had plenty of patience on offense, as well as athleticism that enabled them to get to the basket and control play on the inside at both ends.

The Bulldogs recovered from their shaky play in the closing minutes of regulation, scoring a pair of baskets to take a 3-point lead with 2:10 left in overtime. They made four of their last six free throws in the final minute after a pair of misses at the foul line helped prolong the Titans’ hopes.

The Titans end the season 21-7, capturing the 7-AAAA regular season and tournament titles, winning nine straight games prior to their loss to Thomson, holding all nine opponents to under 50 points. The region tournament title was the first in school history.

BT coasted to a 56-31 win over Troup County in its state tournament opener, but ran up against a veteran Thomson team that also won in overtime on the road in the first round over state-ranked Americus-Sumter.

“I’m proud of the kids and how they competed,” Blessed Trinity coach Patrick Hughes said. “Give credit to Thomson. They executed well on defense and ran a lot of the same stuff we run on offense. “

Blessed Trinity held leads in each of the first three periods, jumping out to a 10-4 margin before a 10-0 Thomson run. The Titans regained a 4-point advantage several times in the second period before the Bulldogs went ahead 23-22 at the half.

The last time BT led in regulation was 33-32 late in the third quarter on a pair of baskets by Andy Swade on assists from Ben Shappard. But the Bulldogs hit a 3 just before the buzzer to lead 35-33 going to the fourth quarter.

The Titans pulled even on a pair of free throws by Kyle Swade, Andy’s older brother, but the Bulldogs scored the next six points, using their athletic ability to get to the basket.

A three-point play by Kyle Swade with 3:15 to play cut the Thomson lead to three, but the Bulldogs went back up by seven before the BT senior scored again on a baseline jumper at the 2:05 mark.

Following a Thomson turnover, Andy Swade scored on a rebound basket with 1:40 on the clock, and his brother tied the game at 47-47 on a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left in regulation after a steal by Shappard.

Kyle Swade rebounded a Thomson miss to give the Titans one last shot with 7.2 on the clock, but after a brief discussion regarding how much time remained and the spot from where BT should make the inbounds pass, the Titans missed a contested 3 with time running out. Kyle Swade managed to gather up the loose ball in the lane and put in back in, but the shot came after the buzzer.

The Swade brothers scored all 14 of BT’s points in the fourth quarter, with Kyle finishing with a team-high 15 and Andy adding 11. Shappard scored nine points including a pair of 3's, but C.J. Abrams, part of the Titans’ main trio of offensive threats along with Kyle Swade and Shappard, was held to just four points, none after halftime.

Abrams spent half the third period and most of the fourth on the bench with four fouls, picking up his third on a questionable charge call and his fourth seconds later on defense. Shappard and the Swade brothers kept BT close in Abrams’ absence, but the late 7-0 run that forced overtime did not begin until Abrams returned to the lineup.

Hughes did not think Abrams’ long stretch on the bench was the difference in the game, but pointed out, “You want to have your best players on the floor.”

Four different BT players missed 3-pointers in overtime, including one by Shappard with 45 seconds left and the Titans down by four that went in and out. BT still had a chance until the Bulldogs hit two free throws with 22 seconds to play to go up by seven. Thomson (16-11) allowed only four overtime points in its overtime win over Americus-Sumter.

Kyle Swade and Patrick Collar were the only senior starters for the Titans, with Andy Swade in line to take over for Collar next year as a starter up front. Shappard, a junior, and Abrams, a sophomore, also return, along with juniors Russell Dorvee and reserve Reid Gonzalez.

Image via Patch