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The Black Knights of Chuckey-Doak made the trip into Cumberland Gap for a opening round game of the 2021 district tournament.

The Panthers were the higher seed and seemed to be expected to win. When the ball tipped off, the Panthers ran off to a 9-0 lead.

They kept scoring but more importantly pitched a shut out the entire first period at 15-0.

The Knights scored first on a three pointer to start the second but the Panthers worked hard and built a 20 point lead. Chuckey-Doak tried to make a comeback but at the end of the first half the score was 31-17.

The Knights came out of the locker room a more focused team and quickly got to within nine points of the Gap. They were not yet finished and had the game quickly down to a two point one and by the end of the third led 37-35 after a questionable basket that beat the buzzer. The Panthers were held to four points.

During the final period, the Panthers scrapped back into the game before the Knights put them away by the final score of 61-53.

The four point third period was what actually doomed the home team.

Chuckey-Doak was led by Christian Derry with 15. Caden Tullock had 14. Tyler Ramsey had 13 as did Kameron Yost.

Cumberland Gap was led in scoring by Jake Templin with 14. Jaden Schertz had 10 as did Logan Daniels. Jon Graves, Dylan Ellison and Lance Owens both scored five. Elijah Lawson scored four.

When asked what he said to his team at halftime to turn the game around Knights Head Coach Sam Broyles said this, “I told them we were going to double team #5 and slow him down. If we could be within six points we could win this game. They believed and went out and did it.”

With the win Chuckey-Doak goes into round two play at Greeneville and the Panthers will begin focusing on soccer, tennis and baseball.

By ALLEN EARL

allen.earl@claiborneprogress.net