Derrick Curran 4-7 0-0 9, Jared Jackson 0-1 0-1 0, Brandon Corbin 4-11 2-2 10, David Tippett 2-10 0-0 5, Enoch Bunch 2-4 2-2 6, Melvin Smith 6-10 4-7 16, Ryan Murphy 1-1 0-0 2, Jonathan Jarrett 1-2 1-1 3. Totals 20-46 9-13 51.

MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY (55)

Blake Sloan 1-3 2-7 4, Omari Booker 7-10 2-6 17, Whit Smith 5-9 8-11 18, John Ozier 0-2 0-0 0, Allen Huggins 1-2 4-4 7, Barton Simmons 3-7 0-0 6, Ingle Martin 0-4 0-0 0, Blake Bergeron 1-2 1-2 3, Jonas Rodriguez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-40 17-30 55.

3-point goals: Father Ryan 2-10 (Curran 1, Tippett 1), MBA 2-5 (Booker 1, Huggins 1). Fouled out:: Father Ryan (Tippett), MBA (None). Rebounds: Father Ryan 26 (Corbin 6), MBA 34 (Booker 8). Assists: Father Ryan 1 (Tippett 1), MBA 5 (Ozier 2, Huggins 2). Total fouls: Father Ryan 26, MBA 15. Attendance 1,500

In three previous meetings with its cross-town Nashville rival, MBA and Father Ryan had taken turns winning.

Today in the first TSSAA Division II State Basketball Tournament boys championship game, MBA did better than even the score. It won the first basketball state championship in school history, turning back the Fighting Irish 55-51 in an emotionally charged contest at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center.

"The rivalry between our schools made for better atmosphere, but the fact that it was a state championship game is what made it special,’’ said Big Red Coach Ricky Bowers, who also doubles as the school’s head football coach.

"Any time you’re playing in a tournament, it’s a little different, and this is the biggest tournament for us."

In the biggest game of the year, MBA’s big men came up huge. Whit Smith, the Big Red’s 6-8 senior post, scored 18 points and pulled down five rebounds, while 6-7 forward Omari Booker, selected as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, added 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds .

MBA ended its championship season with a 17-10 record, winning nine of its final 11 games.

Father Ryan, 25-8 on the year, got 16 points from Melvin Smith today with Brandon Corbin, the Irish rebounding leader with six, adding 10 more points.

Robert Russell 3-8 1-4 8, Will 1-1 0-0 3, Troy Fleming 0-1 0-0 0, Jason Porter 1-3 2-10 5, Mark Thompson 2-5 0-1 4, Neal Howard 2-10 3-4 7, Ryan Brown 3-7 3-4 9, Jay Davis 0-3 0-1 0, Christian Lyles 1-4 0-0 2, Blanding Beatty 0-1 0-0 0, Andrew Usery 0-1 0-0 0, Richard Joyner 0-1 0-0 0, Ryan Fesmire 0-1 0-0 0, Jason Belcher 0-0 0-0 0, Brad Davis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-46 9-24 38.

MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY (58)

Blake Sloan 0-2 1-4 1, Omari Booker 3-6 6-11 12, Whit Smith 5-12 6-9 16, John Ozier 2-6 0-2 5, Allen Huggins 3-6 4-4 13, Barton Simmons 1-2 2-2 4, Ingle Martin 0-1 1-5 1, Blake Bergeron 1-2 1-1 3, Jonas Rodriguez 0-0 0-2 0, Carlton Stewart 0-0 1-2 1, J.R. Rudolph 0-0 0-0 0, Clark Lea 0-0 1-2 1, James Pitman 0-0 1-2 1, Dan Banko 0-1 0-0 0, Eric Larence 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-38 24-46 58.

3-point goals: BGA (Russell 1-4, Gibson 1-1, Porter 1-1, Howard 0-2, Brown 0-1, Beatty 0-1, Fesmire 0-1). MBA (Sloan 0-1, Booker 0-1, Ozier 1-3, Huggins 3-5, Simmons 0-1), Fouled out: BGA (Gibson, Fleming, Porter, Howard, Lyles), MBA (Sloan). Rebounds: BGA 33 (Russell 5), MBA 43 (Booker 14). Assists: BGA 4 (Gibson, Fleming, Howard, Beatty 1), MBA 11 (Huggins 3). Total fouls: BGA 37, MBA 21. Technical fouls: BGA bench. Attendance 1,342

Both teams could just about smell the roses.

But Montgomery Bell Academy’s 58-38 state semifinal win over Battle Ground Academy was not a thing of beauty. Rather, it had both teams scratching and clawing for anything that would lead to victory.

In the end, MBA emerged victorious because of the strength of its inside game.

The Big Red’s 6-8 Whit Smith scored 16 points and 6-7 power forward Omari Booker added a dozen more in the win.

"The difference in the game was that their big men stayed in it and ours didn’t,’’ BGA Coach Gary Smith said.

Smith’s remarks underscored the unusual physical nature of the game. BGA came within one of having as many personal fouls (37) as points (38), and MBA was called for 21

In addition to Smith and Booker’s production, guard Allen Huggins added 13 points.

BGA, which upset Memphis University School in the semifinals, ends its season at 11-20.

Derrick Curran 3-7 2-2 9, Jared Jackson 3-6 1-1 17 Brandon Corbin 3-10 4-4 10, David Tippett 1-4 5-7 8, Enoch Bunch 4-10 3-6 12, Melvin Smith 1-4 0-0 2, Jonathon Jarrett 0-0 2-2 2, Ryan Murphy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-41 15-19 50.

THE BAYLOR SCHOOL (47)

Andy Brown 2-4 0-0 5, Pete Greenfield 2-6 0-1 4, Tim Parker 8-14 6-6 22, Thomas Frazier 3-6 0-0 8, Tavares Armour 4-10 0-0 8, Will Carney 0-1 0-0 0, Tyler Brasfield 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-41 6-7 47.

3-point goals: Father Ryan 5-14 (Bunch 3, Curran 1, Tippett 1), Baylor 3-13 (Frazier 2, Brown 1). Fouled out:: None. Rebounds: Father Ryan 27 (Corbin 9), Baylor 25 (Parker 10). Assists: Father Ryan 7 (Tippett 5), Baylor 7 (Brown 2, Frazier 2, Armour 2). Total fouls: Father Ryan 14, Baylor 18. Attendance 531

Sophomore guard Enoch Bunch sparked the Fighting Irish to victory, scoring seven of his team-best 12 points in the second half when Ryan outscored the Red Raiders 28-21.

The victory puts the Irish in today’s title 2:30 p.m. title game against Montgomery Bell Academy.

The championship game matchup will mark the third time this season that the two Nashville schools have met.. Ryan holds a 2-1 edge, on the strength of a win over MBA in the Middle Tennessee Region Tournament last week.

Baylor’s Tim Parker was the leading scorer in tonight’s game. The 6-foot-5 senior post scored a game-best 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, also a game-high for either team.

Baylor, the East Tennessee Region champion, finishes its season at 20-7 while Ryan takea a 25-7 record into its decisive showdown against MBA.

Blake Sloan 3-4 2-5 8, Omari Booker 9-18, 8-11, 26, Whit Smith 0-0 2-2 2, John Ozier 0-3 0-0 0, Allen Huggins 3-6 2-3 9, Carlton Stewart 0-0 0-0 0, Ingle Martin 0-0 0-0 0, J.R. Rudolph 0-0 0-0 0, Barton Simmons 6-12 5-8 18, Eric Larence 0-0 0-0 0, Blake Bergeron 1-4 4-6 6, Jonas Rodriguez 0-1 1-2 1, Dan Banko 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-48 24-37 70

WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE (65)

Tracy Wright 9-11 4-9 23, Reese Smith 0-4 7-13 7, Nick Braden 2-4 5-8 9, Dawud Shereef 4-11 1-2 10, Michael Harb 0-4 0-0 0, Bill Roach 3-6 2-2 10, Charlie Farmer 0-1 0-0 0, David Stooksbury 0-1 0-0 0, Andy Rolfes 1-3 4-6 6. Totals 19-45 23-40 65.

Half: Webb 27, MBA 25. 3-point goals: MBA 2-16 (Huggins 1, Simmons 1), Webb 4-11 (Roach 2, Wright 1, Shereef 1). Fouled out:: MBA (Sloan, Smith), Martin), Webb (Braden, Stooksbury, Rolfes). Rebounds: Brentwood Academy 42 (Booker 15), Webb (Wright 11). Assists: MBA 6 (Ozier 2), Webb 7 (Smith 2, Shereef 2, Harb 2). Total fouls: MBA 32, Webb 32. Attendance 1,200

With his team trailing 55-52 and time running out late in the quarterfinal game, Huggins nailed a 3-pointer with just three seconds remaining to send MBA into overtime against Webb School of Knoxville.

It was his basket which enabled MBA to go on to a 70-65 win over the Spartans in a game marked by a remarkable 64 fouls, 32 on each team.

"Our win was characterized by just incredible hustle by both teams," said Big Red Coach Ricky Bowers, whose team advances to the semifinal round at Middle Tennessee State.

MBA faces the winner of tonight’s Battle Ground Academy-Memphis University School game at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

Omari Booker, nephew of former Vanderbilt star Barry Booker, led all scorers in the game with 26 points while Webb’s Tracy Wright scored 23 points.

Robert Russell 4-6 6-6 14, Neal Howard 3-8 2-2 9, Troy Fleming 2-4 0-0 4, Jason Porter 3-4 4-8 10, Mark Thompson 2-4 6-9 10, Ryan Brown 0-3 0-0 0, Will Gibson 5-10 2-3 12, Jay Davis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-39 20-28 59.

MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL (52)

Michael Black 4-13 3-3 12, Richard Moore 3-6 0-0 7, Foster Smith 3-10 4-8 10, Brad Wiedman 1-4 1-2 3, Alexander Thompson 5-17 0-0 11, Patrick Akins 0-2 0-0 0, Norfleet Thompson 0-0 0-0 0, Robert Faber 0-0 0-0 0, David Willson 4-12 0-0 9. Totals 20-64 8-13 52.

Halftime score: BGA 559, MUS 52. End of regulation: 47-47. 3-point goals: BGA 1-5 (Howard 1), MUS 4-18 (Black 1, Moore 1, A. Thompson 1, Willson 1). Fouled out:: BGA (None), MUS (Black, Moore). Rebounds: BGA 39 (Porter 7), MUS 34 (Smith 9). Assists: BGA 7 (Gibson 3), MUS 8 (Akins 3). Total fouls: BGA 15, MUS 24. Attendance: 1,400.

The Wildcats, 11-19, overcame a 26-13 halftime deficit and trailed by 10 points (33-23) going into the fourth quarter.

"I’d like to say that it was a great inspirational halftime talk that made the difference,’’ BGA Coach Gary Smith said of the comeback.

"But what we really wanted was to start the second half as if the score was 0-0 and play with a little pride. MUS started the game so hot that, going up front 20-7 in the first quarter, that nothing we did seemed to matter."

BGA placed four players in double figures, headed by Robert Russell’s 14 points.

MUS, which entered the game 29-2, and the No. 1-ranked team in the Associated Press poll, was paced by Michael Black’s 12 points.

BGA plays Montgomery Bell Academy in the semifinals at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

Reed Puckett 1-7 8-8 11, Cory Adair 3-13 2-2 8, Steven Kovacs 5-6, 2-2 12, John Drewhart 0-2 0-0 0, Mark Sandridge 3-10 4-4 12, Josh Orians 0-3 0-0 0, Steve Rhodes 0-0 0-0 0, Frank Grese 0-0 0-0 0, Andrew Holmes 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-41 16-16 43.

THE BAYLOR SCHOOL (55)

Andy Brown 2-5 3-4 7, Pete Greenfield 3-5 3-4 11, Tim Parker 8-15 1-2 17, Thomas Frazier 4-6 4-8 12, Tavares Armour 1-5 3-4 6, Will Carney 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 19-37 14-22 55.

3-point goals: CBHS 3-15 (Sandridge 2, Puckett 1), The Baylor School 3-12 (Greenfield 2, Armour 1). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: CBHS 23 (Adair 6, Orians 6), The Baylor School 27 (Parker 10). Assists: CBHS 6 (Puckett 2, Adair 2), The Baylor School 6 (Frazier 2). Total fouls: CBHS 18, The Baylor School 14 Attendance 600.

The Baylor School will be playing for the right to play in the TSSAA Division II State Basketball Tournament championship game tomorrow night, but Tim Parker isn’t satisfied.

Not even with a 17-point, 10 rebound performance that led the Red Raiders to a 55-43 quarterfinal win over Christian Brothers today.

"We were lucky enough to get by without playing our best (basket-ball)," Parker, the 6-foot-5 senior post said today’s victory.

"But we know that to get farther, we’ll have to play our best."

Baylor, 20-6 and ranked No. 4 in the state, takes on tonight’s Father Ryan-ECS winner tomorrow at 8 p.m. at Middle Tennessee State University.

Christian Brothers, plagued by a 29.3% day shooting, closes its season at 14-19.

Derrick Curran 2-9 2-2 6x, Jared Jackson 0-1 0-0 0, Brandon Corbin 3-5 0-0 6, David Tippett 5-7 4-6 23, Enoch Bunch 1-4 6-6 9, Melvin Smith 4-4 3-6 11, Jonathon Jarrett 1-2 0-0 2, Ryan Murphy 0-1 0-0 0, Joel Givan 0-0 0-0 0, Jonathon Humphries 0-0 0-0 0, Brian Cesseretti 0-0 0-0 0, Charlie Green 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-33 20-26 57.

EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (45)

Warren Frazier 3-5 0-1 6, Charles Butler 3-5 0-3 6, Blake Dickens 2-9 0-0 4, Tucker Davis 0-2 2-5 2, Joey Collums 10-16 1-1 22, Clint Dowdle 0-4 1-2 1, Gene Williams 1-4 0-0 2, Toney Cructher 1-2 0-0 2, Read Morton 0-0 0-0 0, Jason Hodge 0-0 0-0 0, Brad Baker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-47 4-12 45.

3-point goals: Father Ryan 5-13 (Tippett 4, Bunch 1), ECS 1-15 (Collums 1). Fouled out:: Father Ryan (None), ECS (Frazier). Rebounds: Father Ryan 24 (Smith 9), ECS 26 (Butler 11). Assists: Father Ryan 10 (Tippett 5), ECS 12 (Dickens 4). Total fouls: Father Ryan 16, ECS 23. Attendance 900

The 5-foot-8 senior guard, whether passing or shooting, was a difference-maker for the Fighting Irish as they clipped Evangelical Christian School 57-45 in the TSSAA Division II State Basketball Tournament quarterfinals.

Tippett was 5-7 from the field, nailing 4-6 3-pointers, as he scored 23 points to propel Ryan into tomorrow night’s semifinal game against The Baylor School at Middle Tennessee State. Tippett also had a game-best five assists.

"He made a big difference in the game. He was shooting well from the outside, and he passed the ball well, too," ECS Coach Mark Counce said.

"Plus, they were coming up with big rebounds, too. We’ve made our living off of second chanes, and they did a good job of rebounding on our end of the floor."

Ryan, 24-7, lost the rebounding battle (26-24), but the Irish pulled down 18 stray shots on the defensive end.

ECS’s Eagles were paced by Joey Collums, who scored 22 points, going 10-16 from the field.