COLLEGE PARK – This time the buzzer-beater didn’t fall.
Madison County rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit at Banneker Friday but couldn’t knock down a game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds in a 54-51 loss in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs.
The Red Raiders entered the state tournament as a no. 3 seed, beating Clarke Central 60-57 in the region consolation finals Feb. 20 with a 3-pointer from Bradley Raines at the buzzer. But Stan Maxwell, who took the final shot against Banneker, couldn't recreate the magic in the closing moments Friday to send the game into overtime.
His attempt from beyond the 3-point arc with about two seconds left drew iron and time expired.
The loss to Banneker (20-8) ended Madison County’s first state tournament appearance in 13 years. The Red Raiders finished the season at 22-7.
Bradley Raines -- who scored nine points in the third quarter to help rally Madison County -- finished with 19 points to lead the Red Raiders. He fouled out of the game with 46 seconds left.
Maxwell added 10 points.
Patrick McCrary, who went held scoreless for the first three quarters, finished with seven points. His 3-point play with 1:58 left cut Banneker’s lead to 48-46. McCrary later hit two free throws with 33 seconds left to again pull the Red Raiders within two points of the Trojans, 53-51.
But Banneker’s Sherrod Wade converted a free throw attempt with 30 seconds remaining to put Banneker up by three, and Madison County couldn’t capitalize on two opportunities on the other end of the floor. McCrary missed a shot under the basket with 16 seconds left, and Dominique Parrish misfired on a 3-point attempt with 10 seconds remaining, forcing the Red Raiders to foul with 7.2 seconds left.
But Banneker's Demetruce McNeal kept Madison County's hopes alive by missing both ensuing free throw attempts, giving the Red Raiders the chance to tie the ball game on their final possession.
Facing Banneker’s swarming defense, Madison County trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half. The Red Raiders, however, went into intermission on a 6-0 run to cut the Trojans' lead to 28-20.
Banneker scored the first two buckets of the second half to go up 32-20, but Madison County closed the third quarter with a 17-8 run.
Banneker 54, MCHS 51
MCHS 9 11 17 14 -- 51
BHS 16 12 12 14 – 54
Scorers: Raines 19, Maxwell 10, McGuire 8, P. McCrary 7, Parrish 3, Burton 2, T. McCrary 2
