Tattnall snags first region title in 16 years with 53-48 win over Piedmont

When Piedmont Academy’s last-ditch shot from long range flew into the air above the basket after thudding off the rim, the entire Tattnall gym seemed to hold its breath.

The tension was fitting — after all, the Tattnall Trojans’ first region championship in 16 years hung in the balance.

“I thought it was gonna fall. Just the way the game had been going, they got hot in the second half, I thought it was probably gonna fall,” Tattnall head coach Christian Palmer said.

But the shot came down into the hands of a Tattnall player instead of into the net, forcing the Cougars to foul Jayce Veal, who went on to hit both free throws at the other end to secure the 53-48 victory and the GIAA Class 4A/3A District 6 trophy for the Trojans.

“Our guys did a great job battling and getting the rebound. I’m glad it came down to us having to get a stop on defense because that’s been our identity all year long. We’re a defensive team that plays offense,” Palmer said. “For us to earn this championship getting one stop, I’m very proud of them for that.”

The lead that Veal’s foul shots helped extend came courtesy of sophomore Micah Clyde, who hit a clutch shot from beyond the arc and a free throw in the final two minutes to put Tattnall in position to win. Clyde finished with a team-high 15 points, including six in the final quarter.

“It was huge. He does a lot of really good things, super athletic kid that I think is gonna conitnue to get a lot better,” Palmer said. “This is really his first time being at the varsity level, and he’s gotten some really good experience this year.”

Palmer got to cut down the nets after winning the region title in his first season with the Trojans. The game had extra meeting for head coach, who came to Tattnall after being the head coach at Piedmont last year.

There were lots of handshakes and hugs waiting for Palmer after the win on the Tattnall sideline, but a few on the opposite sideline, too.

“The guy at the end there was Aubry Payne, the head football coach at Piedmont. We kind of came in together last year over there,” Palmer said of one hug on the Cougars’ side of the court. “It was hard leaving those guys over there, but I still maintain a lot of those relationships. It was an emotional night for me, but I’m so proud of this team.”

It was a dramatic night, though it looked at the start like Tattnall might put Piedmont on the ropes early. The Cougars struggled shooting as the Trojans shot out to a 9-0 lead and eventually took a 17-8 advantage into the second quarter.

The rest of the contest was much more defensive, however. After taking a 26-22 lead into halftime, Tattnall faltered a bit and allowed Piedmont to get cleaner looks and take the lead during the fourth quarter. A big part of that was the Cougars’ Cam Moss, who led the floor with an electric 25-point effort that included 16 points in the second half.

“We talked about it before the game. It was gonna be a game of runs, it’s a championship game,” Palmer said. “When we go on a run, we can’t get too high. When they go on a run, can’t get too low. We just have to do what we’re supposed to do.”

The Trojans stayed composed even as Piedmont pulled even late, which led to a frenzied final few minutes that saw both offenses suddenly ramp up the scoring. Clyde hit some impressive shots in the span, including a free throw that made it 51-48 with only 17 seconds left.

After a timeout with 10 seconds left, star player Corbett Crews hoisted up the 3-pointer that clanged off the back iron and went up in the air before falling to Tattnall. Veal’s free throws then wrapped things up to send the Trojans’ home crowd into a celebration.

Senior Whit Davidson, one of the team’s key leaders all season and a star scorer, had 8 points, including some important free throws in the fourth quarter. Evan Boney had 9 points with two 3-pointers for the Trojans, while Veal finished with 7 points.

Tattnall will compete in the GIAA Class 4A state tournament next week and will be the No. 9 seed.