The curtain came down on one of the winningest classes in Franklin High School basketball history Monday night as the Admirals dropped a bitterly contested 59-53 Class AAA sectional contest on the road at Clarksville. The loss was the second in a row for Franklin, only the fifth time in four years the team suffered back-to-back losses. The team’s six seniors, Connor Beavon, Reed Kemp, Mason Jones, Taylor Spierto, Aidan Smylie and Matt Thurman led the Admirals to a 104-28 (78.8%) record over the last four years. All six scored in their final game. Franklin looked like it might be headed for another trip to the state tourney at the Glass House in Murfreesboro early, jumping in front of the Wildcats 10-5 in the first four minutes of the contest. But Clarksville tied the game at 15 in the first 15 seconds of the second quarter, igniting a fire fight that saw 10 lead changes before the half, where the two teams went into the locker room tied at 26. A pair of Kemp free throws with about five minutes left in the third gave Franklin a 38-32 lead, but the Wildcats ripped off 10 straight points to lead 42-38 at the end of the stanza. Thurman picked up a pair of buckets in the paint to open the fourth frame, tying the game for the seventh time. Kemp added a traditional 3-point play to put the Admirals up on the next possession, but Clarksville answered with a 3-pointer. JJ Wheat duplicated Kemp’s effort, added a steal and a slam dunk to making 8-of-9 from the free throw line, scoring 12 of his team-high 23 points in the last three minutes of the contest, punching the Wildcats ticket to the state tournament for the first time in almost a decade. The game saw nine ties and 20 lead changes. “We’re obviously disappointed,” said Franklin coach Jason Tigert. “Unfortunately, we came up a little short tonight, but I don’t think that takes away from what they have accomplished throughout their careers. “It was a physical game, especially on the perimeter but the refs were consistent and we needed to adjust a little better to that.” Kemp, who led the team in his final game with 26 points, tried to be philosophical after he and his teammates spent an extended amount of time together in the locker room after the contest. “Hats off to Clarksville, they played great," he said. "We obviously didn’t play as well as we wanted to, but it doesn’t take away from this season or the past four years. I wish we could have gotten one more, but I’m glad we got a season.” Thurman, who scored 15, was gracious in the final post-game interview of his high school career, commenting on both teams. “They are a great team," Thurman said. "They were a lot bigger than I thought they were, and it was a really physical game. I guess it was what postseason basketball is. They were better than us tonight, they deserve to move on and good luck to them." “It’s been so much fun," Thurman continued. "I’m very excited that I’ve been able to take this ride with my teammates, my coaches, the students. I’m very thankful for my parents who really pushed me to get through everything. I’ve had a blast. “This team ... they are my brothers for life. They truly are my family and I love all of them.” Franklin ended the season with a 28-4 record. Clarksville advanced to face Houston in the first round of the state tournament on March 18. Other state pairings include Cleveland versus Collierville, Cane Ridge against Bearden and Oak Ridge versus Siegel.
Video Highlights: https://youtu.be/Zntqm3VDBlI
FHS 15 11 12 15 – 53
CHS 13 13 16 17 – 59
FHS (53) –Taylor Spierto 4, Reed Kemp 26, Aidan Smylie 4, Connor Beavon 3, Matt Thurman 15, Mason Jones 1. Totals – 20 8-12 53.
CHS (59) – Jakeim McDonald 13, Javon Martin 4, JJ Wheat 23, Jaheim Berry 3, Charles Freeman 7, Wesley Booth 9. Totals – 18 18-22 59.
3-pointers – FHS 5 (Kemp 3, Beavon, Thurman), CHS 5 (Booth 2, Freeman, Berry, McDonald). Total Fouls – FHS 18, CHS 11. Fouled Out – None.
Source: Williamson Herald
