With the score tied and the Class 7A semifinals down to its final seconds, Berkmar Patriots junior Destin Logan stood at the free throw line, having missed his first attempt. To make the second and give his team the lead over the McEachern Indians, he drew inspiration from a discipline the team has taken up this season — yoga.
A sense of calmness came over Logan and he sank the next one, then the Indians’ prayer of a half-court shot, which was heavily defended, stood no chance and the Patriots escaped with a 59-58 win Saturday in front of the home crowd.
“We’ve been working so hard to be prepared,” said Logan, whose game-winning free throw was his only point scored. “Our program is doing yoga and everything we can to be ready for this moment. So, just being able to go to state and have a chance to win it is an amazing feeling.”
The No. 5-ranked Patriots (26-5), a No. 1 seed from Region 7, advance to the title game for the first time since 2001, when, under David Boyd, they won 5A a year after winning 4A.
Berkmar will play the winner of No. 3 Pebblebrook at No. 1 Milton in the championship 8 p.m. Saturday, March 13 at the Macon Centreplex.
The Patriots lost 62-54 to Milton on Nov. 28.
Saturday’s game was a rematch from Dec. 12, when McEachern won 88-81 in triple-overtime. Before Logan’s free throw, the two teams were headed toward another overtime affair, and neither team led by more than seven, when Berkmar went up 15-8 with 1:43 left in the first quarter. There were 11 lead changes in all.
The Indians took their largest lead at 37-32 with 2:45 left in the third and would hold it until 4:13 remained in the game. That’s when Berkmar’s Jermahri Hill hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 49. With 3:12 remaining, he hit another 3 that would put the Patriots ahead 52-49 — a lead they never surrendered.
Hill wasn’t done, though. With 48 seconds remaining, he hit a field goal to make it 56-53. Then on McEachern’s ensuing possession, the Patriots got a steal that led to a Hill transition basket and a 58-53 lead with 32 seconds left.
The Indians came out of a time out their next possession and Cam McDowell hit a heavily-contested corner 3 to make it 58-56 with 21.3 seconds to go. On Berkmar’s inbound pass after, the Patriots were called for a travel in the backcourt, giving McEachern the ball back. That resulted in a Bobby Moore put back off an offensive rebound for the Indians, tying the game with 15 seconds remaining.
From there, the Patriots quickly inbounded the ball and got it across mid-court when Logan cut toward the basket and drew a foul while attempting a layup.
“We didn’t call a timeout,” Patriots coach Greg Phillips said. “I trusted in my guys and they went to the rim and made a play.”
The Patriots’ offense came from a balanced attack led by three double-digit scorers in Hill (16 points), Jameel Rideout (12) and Malique Ewin (11).
Now, Berkmar is a win away from their first title in 20 years.
“You just try to take one baby step at a time,” Phillips said. “Tonight was another among many, and we still have one more to go.”
The No. 4 Indians, a No. 2 seed from Region 2, see their season end at 24-4 as they sought their second state title in three seasons. They were led by McDowell’s game-high 25 points.
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