Is Georgia Public Broadcasting, your PBS station, and back the other way.

That's of the champions of history in the Lady Red Devils of Georgia Public Broadcasting presents the 29 Georgia High School Association's state basketball championships.

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As we approach St Patrick's Day, it is only fitting that the Irish of Dublin go against the Blessed Trinity Titan's.

Hi everyone.

Welcome to the Metroplex here in Macon.

Real life for Double-A Boys State High School Championship basketball.

There you see the records 26 and six, Dublin at 30 and one at the top ranked Double-A team in the state.

Good afternoon.

I have to fly ten to get always my pleasure to be along with Herb White.

What a difference a year makes.

What a difference in these two teams.

What expected to be here?

Herb one really surprised to be in the finals.

Yeah.

Dublin was in the quarterfinals last year.

They made it a goal to get back from day one senior laden team.

A lot of experience.

They like to get it up and down the floor, 77 points a game.

Contrast that with Blessed Trinity.

A lot of folks surprised that they got here.

They like to control the tempo 61 points a game, but they're a very smart team and they if they can get control the tempo, they can make it tough on you and one guy for Dublin that's going to try to keep that tempo from being controlled is Sherrard Brantley.

He's a62 senior guard, gets 16 and a half points a game about five rebounds and two or three assists and the offense will run through him.

They do have some size in that starting lineup 676262 and they will try to control the tempo.

There you see a familiar name.

Crimmins Happens to be Bobby Crimmins nephew so a little pressure in that name, but he's a good player who runs the show.

On the other hand, you look at this, this Dublin team and they are absolutely loaded.

Yeah, Dublin is loaded, but Blessed Trinity, as you mentioned there, they got again, Irish Brundage.

And this is a guy, it's about six foot four and he can match athletically with this Dublin team is probably the one guy on Blessed Trinity that can do that.

But as you mentioned, Sherrard Brantley is a62 senior guard and he's going to run the show for Dublin.

He's the one that's in that high powered offense, 77 points a game for this team, and they also good defensively holding their opponents to 53 points a game.

Well, I don't know if it's going to take the luck of the Irish, but as you look at this team, they are loaded with talent.

So but three way athletes, guys who play basketball, baseball and football, it's an athletic team.

It's a team that goes ten deep.

It's an exciting game.

Has her mentioned it will be a battle of the tempos.

One wants to slow it down, the other wants to get out there and just run with the ball and keep it going.

So let's hear tonight's starting lineup as we get ready for double a championship basketball from making this afternoon's game, we'll have the Blessed Trinity Titans with a record of 36 and six dressed in green as your visitors on the scoreboard and the Dublin Fighting Irish with a record of 30 and one dressed in white as your home team.

Now have your attention for the starting lineup.

First for Blessed Trinity at Guard number two, a five foot eight junior, Austin Crimmins at Forward, a six foot two senior number 11, Sean Rouse at forward number 21, a six foot three senior Cole Heck and Tyler at guard number 23, a six foot two senior.

Right.

Look, Yates high forward number 25, a six foot four senior.

Harris brought the and blessed Trinity's head coach Brian Marks.

And now for your Dublin fighting Oranje at guard number one, a five foot ten senior Rashad Smith at guard number 23, a six foot one senior Chris Smith at guard number 22, a six foot two senior, Sherrard Bradley at guard number 13, a six foot four.

Robert Thomas at forward number 32, a six foot seven junior to watch him, and Dublin's head coach Marvin Latham.

This is Georgia Public Broadcasting, your PBS station.

Welcome back to the Metroplex here in Macon.

As we get better, ready for double a basketball.

Our third man coming the sidelines.

That's Eric Hunter.

Let's see what Eric has before the ball game starts.

Eric Well, this is my kind of match up.

We've got the Dublin Irish taking on Blessed Trinity, a Catholic school, Irish Catholic.

I'm Irish Catholic, so this is perfect.

So how did these two teams get here?

In the semifinals, Dublin defeated greater Atlanta Christian winners from Region six.

The Who was the runner up?

Well, that was Blessed Trinity, who in the semifinals defeated Green County Green Irish.

You see how all of this is related?

We've got a clash of the Titans in the Irish tonight.

Happy early St Patrick's Day to you to stew in there.

All right.

We are underway it all seems to be fitting here.

Let's see who it fits better as we get ready to go.

You see the Irish going in the white jersey.

They, of course, have Dublin.

Blessed Trinity will switch off in defense is starting with a zero 2 to 3 zone and then going to man them have it mostly they will stay in a zone because this Irish too much deeper There we go.

He started Smith from the corner What's the hoop and full court pressure right away by Dublin and that's what they want to do.

They want to keep the pace of this game quick and fast.

I talked to Coach Latham before the before the game.

He said, We'll go ten deep.

We want to keep a fast paced game.

Talk to us.

O'Brien, Marx.

Before the game, he said The first few minutes of this ballgame very important.

Kirby to his team to keep it slow, to keep the pace slow, and to work with a good percentage shot short plus return.

He played Decatur a few weeks ago.

I was impressed with the way they control their offense and they're spreading it out right now in the Irish Open.

Man to man.

There you can see the contrast.

These teams just think about it.

Dublin in the quarter, fighters who they lost last year.

It is blessed Trinity's first trip in school history to the final.

So maybe a little experience here.

Just get a little loose, worked it around and try to get for that good shot.

Patience on offense, patient patience on defense.

Let's see who wins out.

Some of the fans already taking issue with the Blessed Trinity attack or lack thereof.

Look to the hoop to the hole.

Brundage tried to go and he is a key underneath that he is called for traveling the first turnover of the game now is going to have to be patient defensively.

That's going to be a key for them.

CRAWFORD Rush picks your officials.

He'll be calling this game deep down underneath.

Good back up all of this in here.

A nice follow up by Bradley and it is four to nothing.

Now this Irish team is quick and they can leap and Blessed Trinity is going to have to find a body and block them out.

Can't be given up second shots.

I don't want to age myself, but it looks like that four corners of North Carolina with Phil Ford was under control.

Nice move there.

Won't go to Trinity.

They still have control under the ball basket and no good.

And look at the Irish.

Get out and run Trinity with the board trying to get the numbers.

If they don't have it, they will pull it back out.

And there you see another turnover back and forth.

It goes for nothing early going Dublin up more positivity with all 3 minutes almost gone in this first quarter.

There you saw the quick hands of Sherrod Brantley and he can steal that pickpocket if you're not careful with that basketball journey trying to find that good shot underneath will up for the jumper and rebound and take it back that off balance and nicely done Very strong outs with the hoop and the foul.

Well text and reverse English on that one he's going to get it to sit up there on the arc softly and foul in here you see it off the rebound of the short jumper lots of spin he puts on this ball.

Nicely done you look at this blessed Trinity team was supposed to be a rebuilding team.

They had lost seven of last year's team, seven seniors for starters, and all of a sudden we're back in the finals.

So nicely done.

And when a team gets something they don't think they're going to get at the beginning of the year, It's all gravy.

They can play relaxed a lot of times.

No pressure.

Trinity.

You're going to see a fundamentally sound team.

Good box out there.

They bring it up, they do what they can do and they just keep spreading it out.

Looking for the good shot.

All this reminds me of those Princeton teams, early seventies and eighties people who are opening up try to go back door and really slow down game.

It was quite effective.

You have got to trade at all times against your team.

What does that say to you?

Well, no, you go to sleep for a moment.

They'll get a funny idea.

King picks six seven with the board, and here we go.

As the Irish try to set up that low, it's going to be good boxing out to go the other way.

You can see it through the paisley.

They're slow, too.

Quick, slow, quick.

I can already see Austin Crimmins has more athletic, athletic ability than his uncle right now.

We saw that in warmups way, way outside for the three, the trigger pulled and no good by the gate.

So the numbers for Dublin.

Good call hurt Easy Look by Chris Smith six to halfway through this first quarter up championship basketball There you see coach Brian Marks his 82 and 81 year old parents are here flown in from the north to watch the finals.

Didn't expect to be here.

So come on, mom and dad, come on down.

Coach March from Albany, New York.

Albany.

The folks in Georgia.

Yes.

And started the program and Blessed Trinity, instead of a great job, has done a tremendous job as the Irish try to get out on the break again pull up jumper and that is a three nicely done by Brantley And there you can see right now Brian Berkshire Let's not let this game get out of hand early.

Yeah well Dublin's in their comfort zone right now getting the ball off the defensive board taking it up a moment ago with a nice great got the layup and then there's the pull up jumper on the break nicely done for three Brantley averaged just under just under 17 points a game this season for this throw in one double team they expected to be here their only loss to College Hill that's a 518 the only lost by force this team is loaded so like I said they made the quarterfinals last year and they felt like they were better than that.

Felt like they should have got the state championship game last year.

And the seniors got together and just said, listen, we're going to make it this year.

And here they are so close to Trinity's got their work cut out for them.

But they need to stay patient on offense.

Don't get out of your rear.

They don't get out of what you try to do.

9 to 2.

But you can get back in this thing with some good shots.

Pressure still on there.

Changed up a little man to man and Trinity spreads it out again.

And this is probably the best group athletes at the start of the season this year 392 ballgame, 3 minutes to go.

This first quarter they come up and the basket that they needed back right in a game right Really nice that they could see the Irish go right back at the other end relentless on offense but they don't force it.

You see how they look See if they had something off the break they didn't have it.

Looked for the second break when they're now they run their offense well at this Irish team for you and Coach Latham, sort of the thing that changed them around was their defense up and no good follow up.

They're all over the boards.

Dublin's got the tap out.

Here comes Trinity, almost what you call a controlled break, how they dodged a bullet there.

They're going to have to do a better job of block it out because Dublin had two men on the board stand.

It shouldn't have been there.

If you get the body on somebody, go to the other.

They've got a couple of steps, fellas.

Let's go ahead and save them.

Rutgers gets it, gets the basket instead of the call.

We've got a ball game.

Oh, Irish get those second shots will throw eventually catch up.

Nicely done, Smith to the hole.

Well, they're getting inside just about any time they want and they are getting second shots.

So Blessed Trinity is going to have to make sure that they get a good shot and knock them down because it looks like the Irish are on a pace to get close to their scoring average.

Irish have pulled it back a little is to beat three quarters pressure now just half court pressure and that man to man loosened up just a bit short.

He tried to take it there for what could have been a little bit of a make up call.

But he did slide that trip before he put it on the floor.

So right from the get go, I said, he's our first.

And welcome back.

Let's go to Eric Hunter, who is on our side.

Watch this evening.

I'm here with Tim Scott from Dublin High School.

And Tim, we always love to hear from the principals about what else is going on at your school.

Well, Deb was not only rich in athletics, it's rich in academics.

Also, we're getting ready for the Georgia high school graduation test emerging, going on our band just got back from festival, so we have a lot of activities constantly going at school.

It's an exciting time.

Well, thanks for your time, Tim.

All right, back to you guys.

We should mention that Brian Marks, the head coach of Blessed Trinity, is not only the head basketball coach, but he is also the assistant principal on walking off the court.

Maybe a story that we have to cover for Dublin.

Yeah, I'm trying to.

You weren't there last night, but I don't believe Eric Hunter had that Irish brogue last night when we were in Atlanta.

That's not something I'm not sure we just saw, though, Teresa King walking off the court and into the locker room.

So we'll try to see what's what's going on with him and get an update.

But the Irish continue to go at the basket suddenly going the other way long, three pointer and you go nuts.

You got to do so.

You're going to have an open top 50 or excuse me, cold with 213 pointer Got us the ballgame 11 nine.

Blessed Trinity gets the good looks and they knock them down in that zone.

Still two, three.

That's how good it was.

Smith With the jumper so far, Herb I think Trinity's done a pretty good job of keeping the pace where they sort of want it.

Not too many transition baskets so far for this Irish team.

Yeah, but you got two senior guard players that you can't address and there's one just like Philip when it comes to senior guards on your team in the state championship game means a whole lot.

The Irish Ball 31 seconds.

I'm guessing it might not go for the last shot.

Let's see.

I would think that Dublin's the kind of team, if they see something that looks like their shot, they're going to take it.

And there it is with Smith.

Yeah, just got a good look at the rim and just throw it up.

It's kind of guy like wouldn't hurt to have Trinity get a little momentum out of this first quarter with a hoop 6 to 10 on the score.

We count down the first quarter.

Pretty much need to move to the hilt now.

You're not going to get a good shot off and they don't get shot at all.

So not exactly what Brian Marques would want.

16 to 9.

The Irish have Dublin in control.

We just pick up.

This is Georgia Public Broadcasting, your PBS station on doubling up to 2016 to 9 in the Boys Double-A High School Championship.

As we get ready to start the second quarter and portions of the first quarter, well wait, but well-played by both teams.

Not a lot of fouls, not a lot of turnovers.

Coach Marques was not happy at the end of that quarter, though.

As you mentioned, if you've got a team that gets fouled, fundamentals, discipline and execution, then they only have a certain amount of possessions each game.

They limit those.

So you got to take advantage.

They didn't get a shot off in the quarter and he let them hear about it.

Let us mention that the big two was a king is back.

So probably nothing serious Big six seven junior that press thrown what happened to the skinny basketball players we used to have in high school strong and only a junior as Trinity still walks and weaves for that good open look.

But so far they haven't gotten just underway in the second quarter.

What's it Trinity 2066, double 30 and one and there's the foul and that's what you need to take it to the hole and they go to the foul line and nice strong move by blood group and blessed Trinity has a spot up shooters and if Brandon stated that he'd be drawing a lot of attention here you see it put it on the floor drew two defenders and the foul but he needs to be aware of where shooters are as well when he takes it, because they've had a couple of guys who can stroke it from the corners.

Coach Mark said before the game.

That allocates a broader to have to have big games underneath in order for this Trinity team to stay with the Irish.

So far, Brundage has got to his point.

Park has had some pretty good numbers 18 points, eight rebounds a game.

Not bad for a season if the big guy King with the rebound and the fast break Smith underneath he is found and will go to the line to shoot too And that's that's the old Celtics.

Don't let the ball touch the floor and get two passes You get to help great execution and I like that foul.

And here's why the man did not score too many times.

I see a guy foul, a guy on a lay up and he lets him score and they get the three point play.

It's good clean play, but fouling hard enough that he doesn't get the basket and the free throws.

Chris Smith has now outscored blessed Trinity by himself.

Yeah he had nine in the first period and that gives him ten so he's in double digits already there you saw coach Mark Latham win his first year as head coach was an assistant last year.

Obviously very excited there.

We see some full court pressure from the Irish and it is working 1 to 2 trap and they came up with the steal Irish looking out at eight for the easy shot Curtis Nicely done that is Thomas with the jumper and more double team get pressure turning he trying to work it over work it over half court and there jazz got to beat that tech got to get it across the you got to get the ball in the middle of the floor as you know against that press too and that's the key to breaking it.

Well, sometimes the key to break it is if you have a good big man to to come back and get it off three pointer, no good Trinity.

We'll get another shot.

Try to look inside, but nothing going in there.

Maybe backdoor up and good.

And that's the way it done Nice move Well credit Brian with get Ryan engaged with a nice pass all the way across from the open hit him.

We'll talk more about the score score as this game goes on what had happened he is on hand even harder.

That's 13 for Chris Smith I would say five where 23 is sure to be more than doubled up.

Try to look inside for that good shot and the picks going underneath.

And I'm not sure that's what he needed right now.

There's a walk on a break maybe on that 23 to 11.

The Irish have opened up a 12 point lead, primarily with some nice jump shooting.

They've hit a couple of three.

Smith has 13 himself.

So you're right.

They need to limit him and make sure they know where he is on the floor at all times.

2311 with 602 to go Irish up in the championship game.

Glad you're with us to play ten again here at White Live from the Metroplex here in Macon trying to keep this game so Trinity in the green grip the jumper and that's what they needed to run the gates with the big jumper for 314.

Those man slipped down in the gates, jumped over him.

He he's going to be open.

There's a walk the gates as a heads up player.

His man fell down.

He actually had to jump over him.

As I mentioned, he jumped over and pulled up, shot the jumper and knocked it down.

And that was a big whoop for blessed, trendy of Coach Marks was too was honest about.

He said, look I Trinity guys they know what they can do.

They don't try to do anything else and they better not against the simple they get blown out.

Good defense, good man the bad trinity to the hole.

And let's see what we got to Iraq rocker a charge and it was a walk so back we go Yeah the gates probably did a little too much that time.

Tried to challenge the whole Dublin team.

You see him going in there.

He walked in charge.

They decided to call the walk.

And also for with the offensive foul as well.

So can't force it against this Dublin state and treaty with a little back court pressure.

It's tough to do on a quick Irish team no good rebounders Trinity the other way we will go and a nice rebound by the hundreds if he comes out of there and Chris Smith got him with the hold for you.

Final word.

This Trinity team plays hard.

They play smart The slow down and they are in their first high school state finals.

Irish are used to being here.

Know what it's about?

Pace slowing down a bit.

That is to Trinity's advantage.

Long three pointer.

Oh good.

He does it again by run back to single handler.

He's keeping this team in the ball game.

Well, credit Jake Scholes for that bucket because he put a heck of a pick on Chris Smith then I mean, a solid pick.

And look, this was wide open for the shot.

Who will talk about scoring in the moment after the jumper is good.

That was the shot Thomas score probably at least maybe effective sports basketball.

He's a great baseball player.

Division one football player.

And you could see that maybe by the block or we should say to try to take the time slowing it down, 2517 down by.

And that is when you get the shooter's goal.

He is feeling good running of the games with another who is not the kind of guy that can create a lot.

But he he earned that one.

He just put the move on the man himself and scored.

There's the man with the hot hand down three pointer.

Good.

And Chris Smith is on fire.

He's feeling it that 16 I believe unofficially for Chris Smith now to 28 for Dublin and they were on him at times do what no matter they're not paying attention to him could have been a four point play so now turn to me looking inside this up.

Well the problem with Rutgers taking that shot is there's nobody in and then that's going to rebound on the offensive board if he's not there way in the corner up for good.

Here they go.

That was Ron Bradley with a three pointer and a time out.

His coach, Brian March, has set it up.

He doesn't want this game to get away before the half.

So those two senior guards are just absolutely devastating right now.

Smith And Bradley, as we mentioned, 6 to 6 to senior guard pair of bookends, and they are stroking it sometimes the worst thing that can happen to you here if you're a team that's being pressed, is you make a couple of shots because then you get that sort of mentality that, oh, we're just doing fine.

Meanwhile, the other teachers just keep talking up.

Percentages will come back.

Let's check this replay out what a stroke they both have a really nice shot.

The other nice thing I've seen about Dublin, yes, they can shoot the three, but they're also good at shooting the 1012, eight foot jump shot and save.

There's the one by the shot, Bradley.

And they're shooting from the outside.

They're not doing inside.

You know the interesting thing is Cards coach Marvin Latham said the thing that turned this this Irish team around is they went to a tournament in Florida and he flew his team could play offense, but that tournament in Florida proved that they better play some defense.

And since that earlier time at Florida, Herb, they have been a much better defensive team.

Yeah, their holds their opponents to 53 points a game and so is blessed Trinity but Dublin's playing a much more uptempo game and that's 17 points for Chris Smith.

He had two free throws thrown in there and it's five or six on threes.

There was an unforced error, as they say.

Giannis just started a little shuffle of the feet to join second and all of a sudden we're going the other way.

It's 31 to 19, certainly not a not a runaway yet, but Coach Marques has got to come up with something on offense and again Brodrick Dublin up on Blessed Trinity, 31 to 19.

Let's go courtside with Erik Hunter.

Frank Mora joins me, principal from Blessed Trinity.

A lot of smart kids at your school.

Tell us about some of their other accomplishments.

The last couple of weeks have been really exciting.

A couple of weeks ago, our Habitat for Humanity chapter began a all girl build, complete with her pink hard hats and last Saturday, a week ago today, our academic team won the state championship.

So that's been really exciting.

And also last weekend, our fine arts department put on the best high school musical I've ever seen produced.

Sweeney Todd, thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot, Frank.

Back to you guys.

Well, there's one thing a principal never said about me.

I was on the all academic team at my school.

All right.

A little bit of a different look for Blessed Trevor.

They came out to win three one half court trip.

They found the opening and a good passing team.

And then you figure Irish probably know each other so well after being together for three and four years on this club.

And they're going to be a tough team to craft.

They are a veteran team, have been to the quarter finals last year.

Now they want to take that title home.

Trinity still trying to be patient, looking inside down by 14 seconds quarter and you cannot really deal usually through a whole entire defense and that's what happened.

The gates trying to take a lead on himself to find some picks for him.

It's tough for him to dribble through three guys and all those guys being quick athletes.

The Gates has been hot in this tournament during the season, averaged 16 points a game during the tournament, uptick by 7 to 23 points a game.

So he's got confidence he has to score.

Here you see the one two to halfcourt trap.

This Irish team is tough though.

They are so tough to try to win that ball over the back.

Absolutely.

I think it's going to be king and it is over the back.

So good fundamental.

As we talk about blocking out by Trinity, they're just going to cut it to this lead with 2 minutes left in the first quarter.

Second quarter only have their one score in the game.

Roger, just taking a risk right now.

Spread it out again this fourth quarter, looking underneath, but so far, Irish solid on defense.

There he is again with Josh shot.

No good lips out underneath the covers.

Trinity had a three shots at it Look at the Irish going the other way A little extracurricular under the basket with an elbow cut a good foul by gates.

There's a certain play after that.

It's calling it the act of shooting.

So he saved the basket.

It's just going to be Dublin ball out of bounds and they got run over Irish run.

It was right back in the game.

Coach Myers can't have him out for long.

Irish had control from the start looking to try to find that hole in the zone.

Wow They concluded Brantley with the jumper Well Brantly right there with his guard teammate they are just stroking it and very little bit blessed Trinity can do about that.

The Irish moved the ball so quickly we put up a graphic for him that show that the Irish will win 30% of the shot is off and they're going to be over 50% for this first half and many up the long distance jumpers as they run with the ball, try to get it down, court Trinity with the steal and the numbers.

Let's see what happens to the whole taking it himself.

Nicely done by Riley Gates.

Nice body control by the gates.

The defensive man stepped in, tried to throw him off balance, but he maintained it, kissed it nicely off the backboard under a minute to go first half.

Glad to have you with us on this double.

A basketball game is a it's a66 for nine That is some kind of shooting.

And I believe Smith and Brantley have all of those working it for that last shot.

Irish will try to find what they can do against this zone defense The Trinity.

That's where you want to start it.

Maybe with a 10 seconds to go take it to the hoop.

Let's watch.

That didn't work.

The gates wants to take it off balance off and no good rebound Jeff Oh, the buzzer.

Oh, they're going to count it.

No reporters got to get it.

So he didn't think that was close.

Let's go down here, Eric Cutter, and see what the first half brings for this Dublin Irish coach.

Coach Latham, are you pleased with the tempo and the effort so far, This effort?

Yes.

Defense wise, no, we got it.

We can get better.

We can get better defensively.

We're not very good right now.

Defensively.

What about offensively?

Chris Smith looking hot.

What about the rest of the team doing all right.

We know we can get in the sun, work the ball a little bit more, better on the inside.

We're not on defense, though.

We've got to get better.

Not very good job by the Dublin Irish right now.

All right.

Good luck in the second half, Coach.

Back to you guys.

Dublin up 33.

This is Georgia Public Broadcasting, your PBS station on the four 3621 at the Ham.

Let's go to Eric Hutter and find out the game plan for Blessed Trinity in the second half of fear.

What do you do to slow down some of their leading scorers?

We're going to try to continue to mix up defenses.

You know, I thought when we showed some different looks there in the in the second quarter, I thought we did a little bit better job.

We got a couple of turnovers.

We got them to run some shots, which was our goal.

The only problem is they're really knocking down almost everything they shoot.

You know, our goal was to take 22 and one and try to slow them down.

There have been their two leading scorers and number 23, he got 17 points.

He's done a great job.

But we've got to continue to mix up defenses.

We've got to do a better job on the boards.

We certainly can't give them second chances.

We just need to get control the tempo once again and try to just chip away at this.

I thought we did good for the first 3 minutes of the game.

It was a two possession game, 3 minutes in, and then we started to run some shots all right.

Thanks, Coach.

Back to you guys.

Thanks a lot.

Well, let's see what happened in that first half and recap it for you for the obviously Blessed Trinity Titans.

Ah, I'm sorry.

Their main guy heard was Riley Gates.

Without him, they would have been lost.

I mean, he was going inside, he was going outside.

He was scoring and keeping his team in this ballgame.

Well, we know that he's got to score and Rutgers has got to score.

And we're going to see some stats.

Here's some stats from the first half.

And look at the field goals, 14 for 25 for the Dublin Irish.

Put those six for nine on three point field goals.

This is what Coach Mark said.

They just stroked it from outside, got many free throws for you.

The team steals about.

Even so pretty even stat wise.

More turnovers though for a blessed trinity and they got a probably not that and have to stay in this ballgame you're absolutely right they can't afford it and this Irish team that that really has the fast pace can and there we go all ready easy and who takes up from where he left off?

It is that man who had 17 in the first half, Chris Smith, this time doing it from the inside.

Yeah, well, that's what happens when you concentrate your run out there to keep him from hitting that three and then he just slips right past him for the layup.

We've said it many times.

We'll say it again.

The start of the third quarter.

So important for this Trinity team.

Well, that's 19 points for Chris Smith in this ballgame.

Number 23 for plus the Trinity as well.

Now he's got 15.

So 20 threes going to Michael Jordan's this evening.

Huge three pointer as Trinity stays back in that zone doesn't want to matchup with the Irish quickness and they did change early played one two to halfcourt trap they played a little 131 now they're in a23.

So they're trying a little bit of everything to keep the Irish from getting comfortable offensively.

But so far nothing's worked.

The coach remarks totally before the game that that's what they would do switch it up without a big guy underneath and a foul to watch.

A pin will go to the line to shoot too.

It's a well-balanced Irish team.

Here we see the replay and King at six seven about three inches taller than anybody on this team and several more pounds and probably not a bad foul.

I think the big guy makes some free throws instead of the dunk mentioned in the first half.

The big guy, six, seven, only a junior bench press half the school cafeteria up and in so he has a touch pretty good touch for somebody who can hoist £300 or a good crowd as always here on to make it metroplex for these finals in high school on 2 seconds so 4020 for a 16 point cushion for this Irish team but they're looking to go 31 and one their only loss to a 518 Oh Blessed Trinity has got to hope that they can just keep this thing close and that the Irish are going to stop making so many three pointers in the third quarter.

Well, caught underneath trying to set the pick with Sean Rouse and he gets called for it.

So the other way we will go behind not exactly what Brian Mark Swanson is going to take off the jacket, try to cool down and see what he can get his team hot, staying back in that two three zone.

It's Trinity Irish.

Pull the trigger and try to get something underneath.

And there it is to the big guy who misses the dunk.

King almost broke down to tie house here we get a travel on Rogers couldn't quite get it under control I kind of got a technical on King on that one he kind of hung on to who they don't call that much anymore they used to when the basket was stationary Bend it down.

First thing I always wonder is it does the place have an extra hoop in case that one smashes Trinity PAC in that zone?

I was lucky to get one.

Another 108 could get much closer than the last one.

He bent that thing to have about the floor.

It's now nine and a half to pulling it back out.

Is Thomas looking inside?

Works it to snap at the top.

Back Out we go He had it out.

Gives it up a little loss of patience there and Trinity with the board the other way we go the gates with the ball he's been the entire offense for this Trinity team and the foul well if that zone is going to be effective, the Blessed Trinity, they've got to keep Rishard Smith from getting into the middle.

Once you break that zone down, get into the middle, you're going to get dunks, you got to get layups.

So that's a trend.

He's got to do a better job of pitching up front with their two guards and keep make Smith give that ball up before he gets between the two defensive players.

Brian Marks it before the game.

If you're in the 50 point range, 57 in there, we've got a shot.

If we're in the 70 point range, were in deep trouble.

Well, we're looking for a game in the sixties, I would imagine, where we are now.

So we're right in between to go either way.

I guess I keep saying to stay tuned.

That's why we're trying to keep you there.

As the second one went and it's 42 to 26, I was looking inside once again, that zone match up the key to it Brantley at the top, they get him in the middle.

Hello.

I was being patient.

They said, Hey, we can win 40 to 26.

Here's the turnover.

So as you say, the patience, they turn it over and back we go as the triggerman.

It's the gates back around looking inside.

Game has slowed down in tempo from that first half.

Good serve he came in 2066, not expected to be back here after losing so much of last year's team and making it to the final 16.

What a job both these coaches have done.

Well, Gates up doesn't have a touch there.

The other way we will go with Brantley.

You hit the ball well, that's a tough shot for the gates.

Try to put it up over Rashad Brantley, who's so quick with the long arms.

And there's the flush for us to ask.

A king gets the dunk and it's a 16 point game and another break down on the zone and that's what happens up no good and we have a jump ball possession will be to the blessed Trinity type Let's see that dunk again once again right down the middle of the zone and that's a killer.

I'll tell you what this Irish team is trying to do to her.

They're trying to beat that zone back down court before it has time to even set up Trinity to rebound the ball.

And now it's the Irish collapsing inside.

It's going.

They need to hoop here.

They need to answer this.

Things get a little bit out of hand.

Three pointer up, three pointer.

Good.

Just as grinding.

Corcoran, who just came in the game a minute ago and he's got a nice stroke.

Just what the doctor ordered looking inside the king with a nice touch all the time.

That's it.

Nice move.

Reverse pivot, soft kiss off the glass as we approach to 4 minutes mark underneath.

Easy hoop that Sean Ross is giving this team a lift off the bench.

Nice assist and well they needed those last two hoops 13 they've cut it down just a little at a 32nd timeout.

Well you know we talked to Coach Martin late for that halftime and he wasn't satisfied with his defense in the first half.

I don't know what he's thinking in the in the second half.

Let's let's take a break.

We'll give both teams a time to take a breather.

It's 4431.

We're back after this.

And welcome back to the boys Double a high school state championship.

There you see Brian Marks.

And I don't know how his brothers and sisters are exactly doing this across the country here, but they are either streaming our audio or streaming our audio and video around the country.

So he wanted to make sure that all you brothers and sisters of his out there, mom, dad, are safe here.

And he's glad you're listening in hopes that you can route him to a comeback because he's down by 13.

Well, again, just pure penetration against that zone.

And you got to pinch that guy.

You can't let him dribble from the wing all the way to the bucket.

And that's killing goes to training right now.

Offensively, they're playing okay.

They're, you know, kind of on par with what they usually score, but they need to find a way to shut down this Irish team and they just can't find it yet.

Nothing for the Irish underneath.

So they set it up outside.

There's the man who's had the hot hand up and still what a game he is having Chris Smith with another jumper and you know, that's another 15 footer.

And that's almost a lost art these days with the three point shot.

A lot of guys settle for that, but he put it on the floor for a couple of bounces and then the stop pop and drop.

Let's see if this Irish team picks it up defensively.

So the easy hoops, the Trinity long jumper up and off the front of the rim and there's once again who's really coming up big time not a good shot by Bryan taking it three pointer He doesn't have the stroke and he needs to get into the hoop or inside the paint, take his shots, be there because he's the only guy again.

Most of the time it's going to get on the offensive boards.

What are we looking at now?

One to trap trapped underneath the king who considers that he doesn't get it?

He's starting to warm up, but he's up underneath very, very astute passing team.

This Irish team, they have passed for eight or ten layups against that pressure and they're pressing the Irish haven't noticed it on the other side of the ball.

It seems like Chris Smith hasn't missed.

He's hit his last eight shots in a row.

And here we go on the break.

Look, taking the steps and the dunk that he does and it is partly with the dunk 53 basic training need to answer this is getting out of hand they picked up the defense at that time out by the coach he got on it and the Irish tried to make it tough on Trinity long jumper again short again And look out here comes the fast break by the Irish.

And maybe that was a smart foul by Curry on the books as far as well anything to try to slow the Irish attack down but you usually don't want to foul in the back court checking in for Blessed Trinity to score one of their best athletes all around athletes, as I mentioned, basketball player, football player, baseball player.

But he didn't get drafted.

So let's see what he can bring to the table.

There you see this crowd is outside the three and they had six at half four.

They have three in this quarter.

And Irish just doing an excellent job of taking care of the basketball.

Well, in order for Trinity to be in this ballgame, that stat had to be reversed.

You're right.

You're right in it.

They just they've tried everything.

You got to give Coach Morris credit.

He's tried just about every defense he's got in his quiver.

And it just the athletes are just too quick and they're shooting the ball too well.

The Irish settling down a little and looking for the open jumper or inside.

And Trinity tried to get a little pressure.

You hate to see a foul that far away from the ball.

Not him with the body shot.

Ralph just doesn't have the courage to guard the three point guard out there.

So you know, sure.

I just went around and put it on the floor.

One dribble he was passed him and he just body it up.

So George Smith doing a good job of running the show for the Irish.

Well, we talked about it before the game, but let's be honest about it.

You folks have seen the scores in the paper.

You've been doing this as long as anybody.

Why have most of these state finals not been as close as past years?

Well, I wish I had an answer for you, Stu.

It's just there's one race and it's not close today.

The Irish are just knocking the bottom out, especially Chris Smith.

He's probably going to go I don't know what his career high is, but I bet he's going to be right at it for this game's over.

Here's our Apple score with the layup.

Try to keep it tight and the steal.

So that helps.

Two big plays by skill.

Set it back to a 16 point deficit and maybe got to give the I mean the Trinity a little bit of hope.

Just about a minute to go in this third quarter, they'll play action from making some contact and her boyfriend all the action while from the bench flex Dublin and what's blessed Trinity in the green uniforms it's the trinity in a23 zone now and they don't care how much time is left they're not going to do it with that open shot firing.

There's the man doing most of the fire attack goes to his hands off to the hoop and the Irish will maintain possession.

Oh, Chris Smith got out of bed this morning, but he hadn't woke up yet.

Brian Gates checks in for his Trinity team.

He has been the man on offense.

Look at that three point shooting, seven for 11.

And I'm not saying that in a derogatory way.

He's just Draymond.

He's going to make everything and he's broken it.

He finally missed one.

No, he fired it down.

Now pass and look it off.

No good Trinity will control and perhaps go for that last shot of the quarter oh three Smart to go for one he kept this thing down to 14 or 13.

If you get a three and wait hours to shoot, you don't want to give them another shot at the hoop.

And look, Gates is feeling it.

You get the feeling he's going to be the man who takes it off, maybe one of these picks, or maybe we'll have a pick and roll 13 to go.

Third quarter, double team.

That's smart.

Get it out of his hands.

Get.

And that is going to be the second time in this ballgame at the end of the quarter that they had possession and didn't get a shot off the cup.

We got one more quickly.

This is Georgia Public Broadcasting, your PBS station on.

And you saw that wrestling team from last year win the championship game.

There's your chance from the last decade Herb and a different team almost each year except for that you saw team in 2000 prior to 2001 well in Dublin this year looking like they've got a leg up on them.

We still got a quarter to play and it's a manageable deficit, but it's going to have to take a Herculean effort by the Blessed Trinity team.

And remember that Wesleyan game well last year when Howard Tompkins, the third big star now playing at Georgia on the all freshman team, went out early in that ballgame.

And Chris Gorham, the guard that's now Clemson, came in and just took that ball game over in an unbelievable performance and blessed and won that ballgame and swept the boys and girls last week His game at Wesleyan, of course, that team that knocked out the Irish last year, but doesn't look like anybody can knock it out this year.

Beautiful move to go home.

And it is just a combination of Brantley and Smith and just a little too much quickness and talent so far for this Trinity team.

The guards are just breaking that zone down.

It's a nightmare for that's a beauty, that's an NBA player.

That's a great who continues to have that stroke and blessed Trinity showing they're not going gently into that good night.

I've seen Stranger Things.

They are pressing.

They are trying to get all over this court.

This is top two, two threats and a foul on the gates.

Oh, good foul there.

Again, that's for sure.

Basket Gates tried to stop for at least a or two and he got that done and doesn't take the ball out of bounds either.

James Bennett foul trouble and very very few free throws in this ballgame Trinity trying to trap and now it is the Irish who are spreading it out a bit here.

Well they certainly don't have any need to be in a hurry now.

It's just a well-balanced team, both well-coached Gates trying to knock the way from behind and just going to call that about 95% of the time.

But again, Dublin just doing an excellent job of splitting that zone.

And you know, that's why you play zone to keep people from penetrating.

And Dublin is pretty much just gotten into there at will.

You can see why this college this double team only lost to Hill on Friday to their number one in the state You can see why.

Well some of these kids on that little freshman back then, they saw what it took to win a championship and decided they wanted one for themselves.

For Smith, doing most of his damage from the outside, goes to the wall and will go to the line to shoot to Smith and Grant to guard that a one bad record through scoring.

And of course Rashard Smith has been out there running the show and the three guard combo.

It's just been overwhelming for Dublin so far in his first year as head coach has been an assistant for this squad.

There's Brian Marks, a heck of a nice guy who said, I don't know how we got here.

I'm just glad we're here to try for one and see what happens.

I ran into a buzz saw this afternoon's 5640 with about 645 to go state high school Double-A championship falling backwards here setting out again up and go for he's top AJ comes up wondering what happened back court pressure by Trinity that's Irish teams was just really quick tough to press Smith trying to do a little razzle dazzle to get there going to get a hold almost got the jump ball out of the game scrappy are not going to get for that foul but still number 11 out Sean eyebrows Russ who the coach said before it before the game he's just you know coach Mark said he goes out there and his bench people he's he's like a pinball There's going to be bodies flying when he's out there and he's right play and you mentioned a quickness to Dublin and you're right but you combine that with the senior leadership this team has I mean they just every play I'm just amazed by the way tell you here I haven't seen a team turn it over you know three or four times in a ballgame in high school championship game in a long, long time combined with the pace that they play, it's actually fairly amazing.

SMITH First one good, second one up in.

That's the kind of roll he's been getting all night long.

And let's give Marvin Latham some credit.

First year head coach for Dublin and he'd be the second head coach we've had win a championship.

Any Johnson one one Last night Miller Grove took over after coaching the JV team last year and that's where Marvin Latham came from.

Kent rebounds, by the way, this could get a little ugly now it's gone up and down and Trinity forcing a few, slowing it down, looking inside and up and going and Trinity has control and that's the man.

Ryan Wiggins No, it isn't my fault.

Number three is number 23.

Brandon Porter Yes, he's going to fire.

I don't blame him, but if the ball can have the three guards, it's a ball game.

13 points is doable.

Five more to go.

You hit a couple of pressure right back in there.

And the one thing about this Dublin team is they don't slow it down no matter what the score tell.

That's where that turnover came from.

They held the ball for a little while, lost their rhythm a little bit, and they've got to be careful of that one.

Their Yeah, we hope you're enjoying live broadcast of the best of Georgia high school basketball.

We ask you to stay tuned after the game for your opportunity to become a member of the Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Family and viewers like you that help make great local programs like this possible.

And we always want to thank you for your support in your support of Georgia Public Broadcasting on every year.

But again, it's the high school crowd, too.

It's a high school game.

It's perfect.

That's the person that you that's a trophy crowd.

Can overwhelming the folks down to give some comments.

But you're right, Stu.

It's all about the kids in the community.

That's what this is all about.

And we had some great news last night as we saw Bob Helton and Rob Swearengen announcing the brand new contract between the Georgia High School Association and Georgia Public Broadcasting.

And the key to those two organizations is that first word, Georgia.

It's all about the folks in Georgia.

Chris Smith 27 points.

Jerod Brantley 15 So they combined for 42 points.

The two senior guards, quite a show showing off that Georgia math education on the break, Cain going up strong.

He'll go to the line yeah I can do it the last night.

Well I won't tell you about that right now for that's matching here's the trafficking again so strong so Devin only a junior so you might see him back here as this Irish continues to try to carry on.

Now a tradition Tucker started over 15 last night from the field and as soon as I saw that I was able to give the percentage without hardly giving him a shot.

That's why you are who you are, whoever that may be.

And we I look in the mirror.

I have that same question you go through.

My head came up and nice touch first all the second.

So now if you're Trinity or if you've got to quickly get some shots up, you can't wait.

As we see the second half attacks on the three points.

And it's amazing to see Trinity start to pick it up a little.

You probably got to start looking for threes, mostly looking for threes, pulling the trigger quicker.

And there's the guy that's going to be doing it most of the time and he'll go to the line.

That's why the things.

But like I said, mostly if you can get to the basket, draw the foul anyway, you can score 15 points in 5 minutes and 17 seconds is still doable.

Well, you stop the clock here, you see the replay, the gates throwing his arms out as he goes down the lane game.

Giggling guys, this is all arms and legs.

He's got a nice touch and he's had a good final game for this team.

Those guys who get in there and those elbows and shoulders and everything sharp on him, there's no flash.

Touch him anywhere.

He hurts.

This is a first look at those numbers, 20 and four 50% from the three point range.

Well, that's tough when you know, you got two scores come out against a defensive team like Devlin and he stepped up and got his points.

There's the turnover all the press up and it's Allen lob so nicely done by this Trinity team and Ross will go to the line I think they got the short Bradley let's see it here Yep and not a good foul man's going to get that basket You see that?

Let him have it.

You don't want to stop the clock and you don't want to give up that extra point.

Now we got an 11 point ballgame, which is a four possession game.

So if he makes this, well, you always think about that mental thing of getting it under those double figures that anything can happen and there's more pressure.

And why not Irish having some trouble with it.

The trap work at the top of the ball, the floor and oh, close down.

It's going to be called on the gates.

Oh, that is a tough one.

When you got three guys going for the ball, you see that one again on the replay marks is a little bit distressed that was on the floor.

Let me just tell you that that possession arrow is pointing in the way of Blessed Trinity right now.

So could they have tied him up?

That would have been another turnover.

But Coach Marques made a good point there.

When that ball's on the floor and there's contact, pretty tough to call the foul.

Nonetheless, some big free throws coming up for Rashard Smith, the first time they've looked at all levels all night long.

By the way, all know that one doesn't get the shooter's roll.

All of a sudden, you start taking a three pointer here, a turnover here, and how quickly a game could change.

Interesting to see what kind of defense Coach Latham plays now if he tries to put some full court pressure on Blessed Trinity, if he falls back and tries to play at half court, let's see the answer.

It looks like time out.

Time out looked like he was going to come up with some full court pressure.

What would you do?

I think I would.

I think he needs to get his team back into an aggressive mode.

Defensively, they kind of backed off a little bit and that's allowed us to trade to get back in this game.

Well, if you're the Irish, you've got some athletes, you know that even if the ball gets over half court, they can get back on defensive plays, protect the goal.

So you're not going to give up any easy layups, maybe some jumpers.

But what looked like it was going to be a blowout now for Coach Marks with him, try to pick it up, take and tell me they go with you guys.

You go back, you come all the way back.

You look at with is things are good enough.

And then when these guys look at them, you know what the hell to do.

And this is grim stuff in here and you're going to break board up.

No one's got to go through those two guys.

Tonight is setting up something against the press.

He's looking for the press from Dublin.

And you know, Dublin.

What they want to do here is make pressure, trying to use some time coming up the floor.

You got 5 minutes and 5 seconds, so make them use up some time.

But it looks like now they're going to drop back since the ball is going to be taken out on the side and you don't want to fight for fouls.

Ross navigates.

And so they've been the two piece in the second half for this Russell Trinity team.

Well, that's a pretty good position for them to be in.

They can actually give up a couple of fouls before they put Blessed Trinity on the free throw line.

So that's going to work in Dublin's favor that they've played smart all game and haven't fouled a lot and they've dropped back down to play straight up man to man.

The game springs it up, try to find something underneath them.

Does have a nice block but a foul will be called on Chris Well they say they're going to call it close the rest of this ballgame.

That might have gone to block earlier.

But a nice strong move by Harris.

Brandon Brandon's thunder is right there and a couple of big free throws for him coming up.

I took 8 seconds.

That's what you want.

You stop that clock, get some more points on the board, and all of a sudden you've got to happen again.

11 point things to see what happens with the seven double action crowded with three points and three rebounds.

So he has not had the game you would have expected as he averaged 18 points and eight boards.

So that's right there.

More pressure Trinity in the back foot.

This is given the Irish a double.

You don't want to pass it back again, said Chris.

It cost him some seconds here, almost another turnover and if the coach could have reached out on one hand and used up 9 seconds getting that one across, oh, that's a big play king with the tap in.

He just missed getting the ten second call against Dublin on that possession.

Now it is the Irish who look like it's falling back into a own 30, not an open underneath there in the manner that they're just a little bit just about jump out of that penetration goal is not going to take the three pointer try to look inside to get something off this Irish defense wall, three pointer off the front of the rim and pull it out a bit bigger Irish control and this looks like King going to try to finish things off and the score went up.

It's a good clean, foul shot to stop the dunk that would have really given him some momentum.

The Irish let's see it here.

Wait for the ball.

Take it any time you go up high.

He hit him hard, but that's what you want to do.

Put the big guy on the line.

Make him make, too.

It's a clean play.

It's a hard play, but a clean play to watch a king.

The big Junior has shown some touch with the foul line.

See, he gets the shooter's roll again.

6451 of the Trinity showing issomething something, making a comeback here against this team.

And another big free throw coming up for good at that court.

Pressure off of 83 from that job with that thing scored the last four for the Irish chipped in and two free throws.

So nice play by the big guy the junior rock there Fast break and there should be an easy layup Good hustle Harris with the rebound gives it to him he drops it kind of funny they're going to call an intentional foul That could be that's a killer right there.

Well King was going up for the dunk and for Cork and kind of grabbed him around the waist.

It wasn't a dirty fouls, you know, had to keep them from scoring.

But they do call intentional and, you know, that's a semi legitimate call, I have to say.

But before that, that one really hurts because it's a free throw and the possession team will get to the foul shot.

Absolutely.

Right off the front as well it's going to get to switch over to coach said has been your legs you're relax that's one of the toughest things to do in front of the whole crowd out here.

How good of capacity are?

Well Dublin's opened it up to 16.

Could be 17.

No, we missed them both, but they still retain possession on the intentional foul.

Well, they haven't done it so far here tonight with this double.

Try to work a little clock right now.

Well, they did a few minutes ago and they kind of lost their rhythm and had a turnover, too, which they hadn't been doing.

So.

GIBSON To see how we keep attacking the basket.

Now you got you've got the best offensive rebounding team.

You've got the guys who can get into the paint that go ahead and try to get something up.

SMITH Controlling the ball outside Good man and defense by Trinity but it's going to be a foul or Trinity is going to help you out and foul Let me do that straight score with the foul A little early for the foul way out there.

I'm wait and see what Devlin is going to try to do if they're going to take it towards the basket.

You want a foul that's different starts that's one on the penalty.

Well besides kid going to the to the line that last time and this is two three months ours have been pretty solid for the fella just what you'd expect from a senior experience team that they're going to handle the pressure pretty well there.

Put this all the way back up to 17 points.

The Spurs actually made a nice little run.

Adam had it down to 11.

I think there's a nine.

But they couldn't couldn't quite get it.

And now it's going to be a tough task.

Irish with a token backcourt pressure.

Ronald Gates trying to find a shot at 20 points so far tonight, fires it up and that was tipped and blocked by Smith.

Somebody got a hip on Brundage for this.

He took it to the basket, just a good all around effort by both teams, but just a little too much quickness, a little too much depth on this Dublin team where you can see why they only lost one this year.

They've got a little bit of everything for this team.

King does a good job with some size inside and their three guard combination in this case.

The combo as you'll find in any fast food chain saving an outlet for years has was right off the cuff as as Dublin controls two more games to go his high school basketball state championships.

So don't go anywhere and I hope it's become a tradition.

I guess it has for that.

I will of course bring you the triple-A boys and Girls is coming up.

Good match up as the Celtic go against like you.

And then you see West over against South Atlanta with some pretty good talent in that game, to say the least.

Well, yeah, I'd say Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year.

Another Georgia high schooler takes away the big hit.

So hard to say he's going to Georgia Tech instead of Georgia.

Boy, do you have to can you not mention that or what's the matter?

Congratulations to Paul Hewitt in the brackets, Derrick Favors.

We don't know how long he's going to be there.

He might have been in the NBA if the NBA had to change his draft rule, but he will be becoming a Jack has been blessed.

Trinity needs some prayers, throw up and be answered.

And we talked about it earlier as well.

Gates goes to the foul line.

If this game's in the seventies or eighties, it doesn't look good.

As Coach Marks mentioned to us before, the ball game and this is a 70 point game now, probably will be in eighties by the time it gets there.

Well, once the Blessed Trinity started pressing, that allowed Dublin to get out and run the floor and which they love to do.

And with the excellent passing they have, it was just too much for Blessed Trinity.

You brought up a good point, though, Herb.

I mean, this could have been I thought it was good.

Yeah, it was about three or four years ago, but I remember I mean, he actually almost brought up one this evening that, you know, a three pointer here or there when it was a 11 point ballgame.

You know, this could have been a whole different game.

So Trinity did hang in there.

The score won't indicate how good the ballgame is, actually.

Oh, yeah, It was a three possession game and Dublin was starting to feel a little bit of heat and, yeah, a few more points and who knows what would have happened.

But give Dublin credit, they weathered the storm and now they've pretty much put this one away, keeping it outside, slowing it down and just wanted to go to the ladder.

So I thought is Smith takes it in for the layup.

Well when a lot of teams be happy to have one guard that can play like three that are on this Dublin team.

Yeah they've got balance and they have played very well all through quarter like this kid take stock.

He does a lot of good things.

He's just a guy out there.

He's doing the dirty work, he's setting hard kicks, he's getting offensive rebounds, he's working hard into the basket.

There you go.

Hey, don't mind a little contact, that's for sure.

Another one of those jumbo flying watch out.

Could break a nose.

Tough kid.

Got a name like Skoal, you know, chew and tobacco.

You're probably pretty tough.

Oh, he didn't stuff it as closely.

That's all right.

We've got some sensitive people in the crew again, place baseball and football for this trinity, the high school and of course, playing in the state final tonight for the first time to this school's history.

So good for them to get here.

And with coach Marks at the head of this program, they will be back soon.

2 minutes and 20 seconds for the coronation of one heck of a season for this Dublin team.

Yeah, you've got to give these guys credit.

They set a goal in the beginning of the season.

They talked about getting back in here and they came and did it and it is a great crowd.

Blessed Trinity brought the whole community down, was in and of course Dublin just down the road, 30 minutes or so, brought their crew in here and they've been noisy and boisterous and supporting their teams and just what high school basketball is all about.

Thomas hit the line could be back here in his career.

I want a sophomore.

And of course, Skol also means cheers as he lifted a hefty one to put it down.

When you're in Europe, know that there's several tenths.

This is, of course, on Georgia public television.

Not only do you watch basketball, you also get an education.

I mean, watch it.

And I was living overseas.

So in the day.

So the Irish to the whole John Smith is just having some fun and it's getting close to the time when those subs will get to say, I played in the state finals to look at this pope.

He used all of the glass on that one right up to the top where you used to go on a good day.

Still, you put here a couple of years to play in here, but actually coached over there twice, played a little bit as a player, coach once and then in Belgium and coached in Germany, player coach in Mexico, A lot of international experience.

A lot of people still looking for me.

Sure, I speak all their native tongues, I'm sure fluently.

Raiola engaged with the game as we're count down to the boys, double AA high school championships, still trying to score.

He's up there.

I love this kid.

No giving up in Trinity.

And they cut it back down under 20.

And you know, again, if Dublin is not just super hot early on in this game, this is a whole different story.

But they they were knocking them down.

As mentioned, Chris Smith had I think he had 17 or 19 in the first half.

And they basically that was that was the ballgame right there.

Well, he had eight straight.

Let's go over some of the the finals in previous action here.

As you can see, Atlanta over West Georgia, 3222 yesterday.

I hope you joined us for that action.

Southwest to cap a winner over Fayette County, 5946.

Tucker Miller groping by 18 5931 Rhoden I was impressed with those girls last night.

I mean, they were tough.

Mary Snow was not a bad score.

They were down just very impressive.

Wheeler They did what they were supposed do win by 2073 to 53 over Milton.

As we go down to see these finals and not really a lot of close games, as we mentioned earlier games, a lot of those teams had played twice before in the season and had fairly close games and then they were blown out by their opponent that they played better than that during the season.

And you know what's going to happen to state champion here?

We get what's coming up immediately following this one.

And there's one more after that, of course, Westover over south Atlanta.

So we hope you join us for all this great high school basketball action.

All pleasure to bring it to you as coach goes up.

This is his second dunk of the game, but really doesn't matter right now.

It's just a cat down.

As rival Gates tries to find from the outside step what's the attempted steal and when Dublin is still getting in after it.

Defensively, two guys out there on the gates and then trying to steal the pass and not they're not giving up anything.

And Westover a team with a lot of tradition basketball out of that Albany area.

We've seen a lot of teams come out of Albany over the years with some great players.

So that should be a great match up in the third game, Roger just came out for an ovation.

He's a senior, so he'll be moving on, maybe playing a little small college ball for Trinity Gates, still trying to look for something out.

He's going to get a well-deserved rest.

Mr. Brian Gates did a heck of a ball game.

He kept the better.

He at the point where they looked like they were getting blown out a couple of times, really came up with some big, big shots and has nothing to be disappointed about other than obviously he would have liked to take call the state title.

This went very well.

I tell you what, to go against the three guards that he had to go against tonight and do what he did.

He serves a lot of plays, stole again as the Irish are content to slow this thing down and we're off some clock.

Well, Skol is not going to get a lot of style points but he's certainly as effective and gets the job done and he's got a lot of heart in a good at grabbing and pulling and stealing.

And here they come to adjust.

Chuck Smith lost it out of bounds at sea.

It'll be, I think the Irish ball coming up with the loose ball getting on the floor might be the first turnover you have in a couple of the three or you tag from our own team unfortunately 75 5916 point difference and most of it coming from regards to Dublin this evening.

And there's one of them C Bradley with a big hug from the coach who played a great game tonight.

Well-deserved hugs from all the coaching staff here.

This has been a well played ball game.

Both sides just a little too much speed and a little too much talent, a little too much debt for the Irish.

Why not some kind of stage coming up thanks to our state men's great Malloy for keeping us heads up on all the great shooting percentages for Dublin tonight.

Tough job the way they were stroking it under a minute to go this total a standard they have Coach Latham trying to get everybody in there for a shot to say they played in the state high school basketball championship.

Their score getting a well-deserved hand on the other side and why not just practice all year long and you go against the first team and you make them better every day in practice and you certainly earned.

So you see yourself was part of the state championship teams.

There's the man who had the huge game, Chris Smith could miss first half literally could miss it eight Straight the Wild and then Rashard Smith on the free throw line.

The third guard that really runs the show for them gets it to the right people all day long, penetrating get inside that blessed Trinity zone and a very effective game for that young man.

He's going to go on and play somewhere.

Well, I'll tell you where he's going to go on.

He's going to play football for NC State.

Wow.

He is a football player and a heck of an athlete and he'll have a state championship in basketball to take with him to the Wolfpack.

Just a time to throw in another three.

And then this one will shortly be over for the ACC coming in and getting a lot of Georgia players to come and play in their conference.

We had two great players last night, Richard Howell and Ari Stewart going to NC State and Wake Forest respectively.

And of course we talked about Derrick Favors going to Georgia Tech.

So the SCC feasting on the Georgia Athletic in Sean Smith, all state in football and basketball last year will probably be all state in football and already in basketball this year.

So heck of an athlete on both sides of this ballgame.

So we're talking about our guys that might get drafted in baseball or football.

Stephen Hale also from that team with Stuart and how we're going to on a football scholarship.

Actually, he's played for Miller Grove.

He's going to Georgia Tech, great looking athlete.

He's got six more than a receiver.

Let's throw him up now.

Try to get your name in the scorebook for history as player.

There.

Well, scrubs for Bryce at Trinity coming in and hustling can we say turnover here?

We say substitutes scrubs is said with affection.

Affection?

Yes, we've all been there.

David Schultz, only a sophomore, five eight, will get to go the line and perhaps have his name in the box.

Score and good crowd throughout the high school championships.

There you see some very content.

Dublin Irish players.

Look at that crowd.

I mean, it is packed in here.

And I was driving up for the earlier games.

It wasn't a parking space out here at the Metroplex.

Make that.

There we go.

And in the books got a chance with the tap in and that will just about do it.

We'll let you listen in as the Irish war up and be a great St Paddy's Day in Dublin and that is a final 17 of 64 Dublin.

Your class double a high school basketball boys champions and Irish eyes are shining well playing on both ends as it was.

I think this is Georgia Public Broadcasting, your PBS station.

And welcome back.

There you are, your boys double high school state champs Dublin over Blessed Trinity, 1764.

Let's go courtside to Eric Horner.

I'm here with Coach Latham and a jubilant team.

These guys are going crazy.

Coach, how does it feel to win a state championship?

These guys deserve it, man.

They worked hard.

They did everything they were supposed to do.

We worked hard to summon.

They deserve everything.

They got great team, great, great community, great Thank my coaches.

They did a great job on this.

Have put his guys a blessed trinity.

They made a run there in the fourth quarter.

It got too close.

How are you guys able to win it all the time?

Myself, my guys down there saw and they responded, Well, bless the of the great team.

So I'm just I'm just happy for our guys and everything so congratulate and coach the luck and the talent of the Irish.

Still.

Where are you?

Oh, I'm over here.

Out of the crowd.

What a game and what a well deserving team.

More basketball coming up.

Stay with us.

79, 64, your final funding for this program is provided in part by Georgia's electric membership corporations.

The Georgia Student Finance Commission, Regions Bank, the Georgia Lottery, by viewers like you and the Georgia High School Association.

I wish to thank the Georgia Dodge Dealers, State Farm and naturally Press for their support of GHC athletic activities.