Harriman Defeats Oneida for District 3-1A Title
By Terry Futrell
It is surprising that fire engines were not called when Harriman’s District MVP Jaylen McCullum took the floor in the district championship game with Oneida. McCullum was on fire, sinking six 3-point baskets and a total of 25 points in the first 12 minutes of the game. McCullum’s performance was instrumental in leading the Blue Devils to a 91-81 victory over the Oneida Indians and earned McCullum Tournament MVP honors. Playing about half of the game due to foul trouble, McCullum amassed a total of 32 points for the Blue Devils.
As good as McCullum’s performance was, Oneida’s Kolby Morgan was high scorer in the game with 34 points. Morgan sank 11 2-point baskets, two 3-point baskets, and shot six-of-six from the free throw line.
Harriman took an early lead and built it to seven points late in the first period. The Blue Devils could never pull away from Oneida, and the Harriman lead was cut to 25-22 at the end of the first quarter. Harriman dominated the second quarter, outscoring Oneida 20-10, and took a 45-32 lead into halftime.
The Indians came fighting back in the third quarter and cut Harriman’s lead to six points, 50-44, midway through the quarter. With McCullum on the bench with foul trouble for the last half of the third quarter, Oneida slowly battled back and cut Harriman’s lead to one point at 55-54 with 2:08 remaining in the period. Harriman fought back Oneida attempts to take the lead and closed out the quarter leading by five points, 64-59.
The Blue Deils built their lead to 11 points, 74-63, with 5:07 remaining in the game. The Indians could never close the gap to less than eight points, 80-72, with 2:30 left on the clock. Harriman answered every Oneida charge and held on for the 91-81 victory and the District 3-1A Tournament Championship.
Harriman had five players in double figures. McCullum led Blue Devil scoring with 32 points, while Brady Stubbs added 13 points, including three 3-point baskets. Kylann Love scored 12 points for Harriman, Trezdin Copeland added 11 points, and Ethan Adkisson contributed ten points to the Blue Devils victory.
Oneida’s Kolby Morgan had a superlative evening as the games high-scorer with 34 points. Nathan Bowling scored 15 points for Oneida, and Chance Botts and Dalton Yancey each scored 10 points.
Harriman faces Copper Basin at home on Saturday, and Oneida hosts Lookout Valley.
