Micah Ballard launched a three-point shot at the end of regulation that would have put Grace Christian in the championhip game of its invitational tournament last Saturday.
But it rimmed out allowing Diamond Grove to escape with a 56-55 victory. Diamond Grove then defeated Meridian Flyers for the championship of the six-team tournament.
Diamond Grove led Grace Christian 42-40 entering the final quarter that went back and forth before Ballard’s near miss resulted in an Eagle defeat.
Marqavis Lucious was the main reason Diamond Grove won with 35 points. Alex Taylor had 21 points and Zach Boyles 13 for Grace Christian.
Grace Christian won its first game in the tournament 43-33 against French Camp. The Eagles led 26-4 at the half and 37-16 through three quarters before being outscored 17-6 in the final period.
“We just went flat for some reason in the fourth quarter. We kind of relaxed,” said coach Bobby Bowman.
Taylor led the Eagles with 13 points.
Lucious and Taylor were joined on the all-tournament team by Jeremiah Ratcliff and Matthew Beene of Diamond Grove, brothers Aaron and Nate Sherman of Meridian Flyers, Ethan Chesser and Coleman McKenzie of French Camp, Tony Minor of Starkville Christian and Justin Phillips of North New Summit.
In an earlier game, Grace Christian came from behind for a 44-37 victory over French Camp. The Eagles trailed by six points through three quarters before outscoring the Panthers 20-7 over the final eight minutes. “We went man in the fourth quarter and got a few takeaways,” Bowman said,
Boyles led the comeback with 10 of his game-high 17 points in the fourth quarter when he made two 3-point shots and was 4-4 from the line. Taylor had 15 points, all in the first half.
GIRLS
The Lady Eagles were defeated by French Camp 75-24. “They’re a better team than us all around,” said coach Talor Troyer.
Tamia Brewer had a team high 13 points for Grace Christian. Madison Klein scored 24 point for French Camp, which shot 72 percent (34-47).
French Camp was the Lady Eagles’ only game last week because the tournament was only boys teams.
Grace Christian has home games Thursday with Hebron Christian.
