Fulton falls in final minute of state championship

Knoxville

Fulton's DeShawn Page (44) reacts after falling to Hamilton 60-58 during the championship game for the Class AA state title at the TSSAA boys state basketball championships at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Saturday, March 17, 2018.

MURFREESBORO — The Falcons sat with heads in their hands on the bench as they waited for the silver ball, the runner-up trophy. Fulton had come so close to the school’s fourth gold ball but saw it slip away.

It came down to the wire, again, but this time Fulton finished on the wrong end. After going to double overtime to beat Stratford in the semifinals, Saturday’s Class AA championship game came down to the final minute.

"Nothing is ever easy," coach Jody Wright said after the 60-58 loss to Hamilton. "And it shouldn't be. The reason these are so special is because they're so dang tough to win."

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Fulton wanted to have the lead at the four-minute mark, and it did, but Wright saw some fatigue set in that he hasn't seen this season. That double overtime the night before hurt the Falcons.

Fulton led most of the fourth quarter, when Hamilton took the lead with 2:01 to play. Fulton pulled within one point with 50 seconds to go on a 3-pointer from Edward Lacey, but Hamilton closed it out.

DeShawn Page came up with a huge rebound on a missed free throw, with 30 seconds left, but Hamilton double-teamed Lacey so he couldn’t get a shot or pass off. Josh Berry tried to heave up a deep 3, but it didn’t land.

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Lacey finished with 10 points in the championship, but was a clear leader at point guard. Trey Davis finished with a game-high 23 points. DeShawn Page was a force at center, scoring 14 points.

Even as he received the medal as a member of the all-tournament team, Lacey pulled the jersey over his head to hide his tears. It doesn’t matter that he’s only a sophomore and has another chance, this one hurts. Page, a junior, was sobbing at the post-game press conference and couldn't put his feelings into words.

"Emotions are so raw right now," Wright said. "It hurts and my heart breaks for them. I think we know we leave here knowing we left it all on the court. I told them there's never any shame in ending your season in Murfreesboro."