Madness strikes at TISAC Tournament

RALEIGH — Forgive me if it's taken a few hours to post this — I've been trying to catch my breath. 

The Cary Academy boys' basketball team had fallen behind by as much as seven in the fourth quarter in its TISAC semifinal game with Durham Academy, and it was still down — by three — with 18.8 seconds left to go and the Chargers' Cameron Walton at the line for two.

With Cary Academy's chances at winning still bleak, Walton nailed both to narrow the gap to 49-48. The Chargers were forced to foul on the inbounds.

But the Durham Academy player, like much of those before him in that quarter, missed the first one. The loose rebound was saved back in-bounds to another Cav player, who was fouled in the act of shooting with 13.8 left on the clock.

Durham Academy's Jordan Lawson sank the first, missed the second, and the Chargers called their final timeout with 11.8 seconds left, down 50-48.

In the huddle, head coach Kenny Inge called his final play — and it worked better than he could've imagined.

Guard/forward Christian Council caught the ball in the high post, turned over his right shoulder and drove, drawing contact. As his floater rolled around on the rim, a foul was called. And after the ball fell through, Cary Academy had a chance to win with just 4.0 seconds showing on the clock.

Council, who was just 2-of-8 from the line beforehand, nailed the go-ahead free throw to seal an unbelievable (how else do you describe being down three with 18.8 seconds left, having the other team go the line twice in that span, and somehow coming out on top?) come-from-behind win for Cary Academy, 51-50.

The Chargers, which might have assured themselves of a bid to play for the NCISAA 3-A playoffs, will play Ravenscroft tomorrow for the TISAC Championship.

The Lady Chargers weren't so fortunate. They continued their late-season skid, a skid which may have finally resulted in a thud, by losing to Durham Academy 52-32.

Cary Academy has now lost six of their last seven.