Cham and Wright Lead Tigers to Comeback Win
Marion, AL. – With only seven players available for their home game Saturday afternoon, the MMI Tigers fought back from a double digit second half deficit to defeat MOC Valley Prep 101-100 behind 21 points from Nicholas Cham and Tyrone Wright. Wright recorded another double-double with a team high 14 rebounds.
Both teams traded baskets in the first five minutes of the non-conference game before Marion went on a small run and built the lead to double digits when Julius Morris scored on a drive to the basket. After the Eagles from MOC Valley connected on back-to-back trips to the free throw line, a three-pointer from the left corner by Aidan Driggers got the lead back to eleven with 10:16 on the clock.
Foul trouble began to affect the Tigers over the next three minutes and allowed the visitors from Chattanooga, Tennessee to tie the game as 31 points apiece. After an MMI turnover, MOC Valley took the lead 31-33 but a layup by Dashley Estime evened the score. Nicholas Cham found Tyrone Wright for an easy dunk and an old fashioned three-point play by Driggers gave Marion a 36-33 lead with under five minutes to play before halftime. With both teams trading baskets, the Eagles were able to draw up a play before intermission to score and take a slim one-point lead, 43-44, into halftime.
The second half saw the Tigers build a nine-point lead within the first five minutes before the Eagles called a timeout. MOC Valley put together an offensive run and cut the lead to just two points with 10:41 to play in regulation. After a couple misses on the offensive end for the Tigers, MOC Valley took their first lead of the second half, 73-74, with a little over nine minutes to play. They would build their lead to ten, 76-86, before Marion started their comeback.
A layup by Julius Morris cut the lead to six points and a steal by Cham got the ball back to the Tigers' offense. Julian Whitfield hit two free throws and a layup by Cham got Marion back even with the Eagles, 86-86. MOC Valley built their lead back to four points with 3:12 to play before Wright scored inside and was fouled. Driggers secured the offensive rebound off the free throw miss, but MMI couldn't find the basket. An MMI foul allowed the Eagles to score twice from the charity stripe and with the Tigers down four, 91-95, head coach Timothy Rodgers called a timeout. Wright scored on a midrange jumper and Marion's defense got a steal with 1:40 to play. Wright was fouled on Marion's next possession and after two free throws, the game was tied once again, 95-95.
After both teams traded baskets, an MMI turnover allowed MOC Valley to take a slim 99-100 lead. With 14.6 seconds on the clock, Marion called their last timeout. Wright timed a missed shot coming off the rim for an easy putback dunk to give the Tigers the one-point lead, 101-100. Wright finished the game off on the defensive end with a block and an Eagle turnover with one second left to play, secured the win for Marion.
Jamarion Ezell scored 18 points while Julius Morris contributed 14 points for the Tigers, who will play at home Thursday, December 14, against SBA Prep at 6:00 p.m. Also scoring for MMI was Julian Whitfield (9), Dashley Estime (7), Aidan Driggers (7), and Jaylen Vaughn (4).