Titans win another close one

CANDLER – The series between the McDowell Titans and the Enka Jets has been very close over the past few seasons, so it was appropriate that Tuesday’s battle came down to the wire.

But close games are something the Titans have become used to – and very good at – in recent weeks. In the end, McDowell used its mental toughness to hold off the Jets 68-61 in Tuesday’s regular-season finale.

McDowell ends the Mountain Athletic Conference schedule with a 17-6 overall mark and is 11-1 in league play. The Titans’ only loss in the conference was back on Jan. 4 at Erwin on a last-second tip-in.

But since that night McDowell has been on a hot streak, winning its last nine games. The Titans, who secured a season sweep of the Jets, seem to be playing their best ball of the year going into the postseason.

Five McDowell players placed in double figures to provide a good balance on offense.

Cedarius Avery (7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal) and Dalanta Rodriguez (7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) tallied 17 points each. Avery scored 11 of his 17 in the second half.

Forward Josh Pyatt (5 rebounds, 2 steals) added 13 points. Point guard Ethan Freeman (6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals) and post Jared Helms added 10 points each. Helms was a dominant force in the paint, recording a double-double with 12 rebounds and four blocks.

The well-distributed effort helped offset a 24-point outing from the league’s leading scorer, Taylor McCurry, and 11 points from Enka’s Carey Blanton.

The Titans jumped out to an early lead and held a working margin through most of the game. The Jets, however, were able to stay in shouting distance and took advantage of that, making a run during the fourth quarter.

McDowell enjoyed a 57-49 lead after Avery made a pair of free throws with 3:26 left. That was when Enka went on a 12-4 run. McCurry scored six of the 12, including a layup at the 1:47 mark to tie the game at 59-59.

However, the Titans, as has been the case in recent history, withstood the late rally and pushed past the Jets, outscoring them 7-0 in the last minute of play

“Tonight is an example of  this team’s character and how they are just better than the other team in winning the close games,” said McDowell head coach Brian Franklin. “I was very pleased with our effort. We did such a great job on the boards, which I thought was a huge difference in the game.”

McDowell took the lead for good at 63-61 at the 1:07 mark on two free throws from Freeman. Then, after a missed 3-pointer from Jessy Wilkins, the Titans increased the lead to four when Freeman sank two more free throws with 41 seconds left.

McCurry tried to cut the McDowell lead back to two with 27 seconds left, but he stepped out of bounds along the baseline.

Then just seconds later, Helms put the game away, extending the lead to six with an emphatic dunk on the baseline off a Rodriguez assist.

Daniel Jackson (2 points, 6 rebounds) was the only non-starter to score in the contest.

McDowell will finish with the league’s best overall record, but the MAC does not recognize an overall champion. Enka (12-11, 7-4) is tied with Asheville High (15-6, 7-4) at the top of the 3A standings with one game left for both teams.

The Titans will receive a bye in next week’s Mountain Athletic Conference 4A tournament. McDowell will play the winner of the semifinal between A.C. Reynolds and T.C. Roberson next Friday in the tournament championship at Roberson. The Titans have won five of the last six conference tournaments in which they’ve competed.