Photo: Etowah’s Jamin Graham follows through on a slam dunk as Coosa Christian’s Dartavious Britton (1) and Mikel Mooneyham look on during the recent Greater Gadsden Area Christmas Classic at Gadsden City High School. (Gary Wells)
By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
The championship game of the Greater Gadsden Area Christmas Classic lived up to its advance billing on Dec. 28.
In a game in which neither team went on an extended run, host Gadsden City held on for a 65-60 victory.
With the game tied 59-59 with 42 seconds remaining, the Titans went on a 4-0 run to take the lead. GCHS senior guard Dee Pearson then put the game away with a pair of free throws.
Dee Pearson finished with a game-high 37 points along with five assists. He shot 80 percent (8-for-10) from the foul line.
Demetrius Huff added seven points. Calvin Williams grabbed 15 rebounds, while Huff pulled down eight.
“We felt like we had the game in hand and almost gave it away at the end,” said GCHS head coach Reginald Huff. “Dee Pearson turned it loose tonight. He got to the free throw line and put it away for us. He’s is a heck of a player.”
The game was a slugfest from the start, with Gadsden City (10-9) taking a 20-16 lead after the first eight minutes. Pearson scored 14 of his points in the first quarter as he hit four three-point buckets.
The Titans led 35-30 at the half and 48-43 after three quarters.
DeRickey Wright led Etowah (8-6) with 12 points, followed by Trent Davis with 10, Justin Harris with nine and Emil Smith and Jamin Graham with eight each.