The Bartlett Panthers gritted out a tough 51-45 win over a sharp-shooting Brentwood squad in a tightly contested first-round matchup of the TSSAA Boys Basketball Championship. Bartlett overcame Brentwood’s fiery three-point barrage with rebound dominance and clutch free-throw shooting to secure the hard-fought victory.
Brentwood, ignited by Daniel Cochran’s 21 points including three 3-pointers, refused to back down. But Bartlett consistently responded, with Christian Alston leading the charge with 13 points. The Panthers dominated the boards, outrebounding Brentwood 26-13, a key difference in the low-scoring affair.
Bartlett’s defense clamped down in the second half, limiting Brentwood’s outside shooting while capitalizing on second-chance opportunities. R’Chaun King was a force for the Panthers, scoring 10 points, with 8 of those coming at the free-throw line.
The victory propels Bartlett (32-4) into the next round of the state tournament, where the Panthers will continue their quest for a championship title.
Key Stats
- Rebound Advantage:Â Bartlett’s decisive 26-13 rebounding margin proved crucial.
- Free Throws:Â The Panthers shot an impressive 78.6% from the charity stripe, converting 22 of 28 attempts.
- Defensive Adjustments:Â Bartlett limited Brentwood’s three-point shooting success in the second half, a sign of strong in-game adjustments.
