Release Date:12/31/2008
News Title: Classic win-Brookwood Boys Win 2008 Title


(From the Gwinnett Daily Post)

By Will Hammock
Sports Editor

SNELLVILLE - Chris Bolden entered the Deep South Classic as a relative unknown, a 15-year-old freshman guard who comes off the Brookwood bench.

He left with much more respect, along with the tournament's MVP trophy.

Bolden's late-game scoring surge - he had 14 of his team's 21 fourth-quarter points - closed out a 54-49 win over Peachtree Ridge on Tuesday that gave the Broncos their first Deep South championship since 2000.

The champions' last 10 points were scored by Bolden, who finished with a team-high 17 points.

"(Bolden's) played well," said Brookwood head coach Craig Witmer, who led his team to Deep South runner-up finishes in 2002 and 2004. "He's done it for us consistently in the tournament and he's done it fairly consistently during the season. He doesn't play like a freshman."

Bolden's performance capped a strong overall team showing from Brookwood, which improved to 10-3 and matched its win total from the 2007-2008 season.

The Broncos started well, forcing 16 first-half turnovers from Peachtree Ridge, and led 28-19 at the break. Clint Cooper scored all of his 11 points in the first half to build the advantage.

Up by as many as eight in the third quarter, the Broncos went scoreless for nearly four minutes to close that period. Meanwhile the Lions (7-3), who had mounted a huge comeback in a semifinal win over Greater Atlanta Christian, went on a 13-0 run.

Khalid Mutakabbir scored 12 of his game-high 28 points (on 9 of 11 shooting) in the third-quarter rally, giving Peachtree Ridge a 38-33 lead after three quarters.

"I liked how calm we were after the third quarter," Witmer said of losing the lead. "I looked in (the players' eyes) and you could tell they weren't in panic mode."

Instead, it was the Broncos who settled down for a comeback of their own.

Peachtree Ridge went scoreless for the first 4:57 of the fourth quarter, allowing Brookwood to go up 42-38 before a Mutakabbir 3-pointer cut the gap to a point. Lavon Hooks (nine points, six rebounds) answered with a big basket and Bolden followed with a 3-pointer.

Another Mutakabbir 3-pointer gave the Lions a chance, but Brookwood made defensive stops and got Bolden, a confident free-throw shooter, to the line. He didn't disappoint.

The freshman made 7 of 8 free throws in the game's final minute, missing only his last attempt, a meaningless shot with 7.4 seconds left. He also made 4 of 6 field goals.

"I don't really look at it like (I'm a freshman) out there," said Bolden, who went to middle school in the Brookwood district, moved to Tifton and then moved back to Gwinnett last March. "I just see myself on the varsity like anyone else."

Thomas Higginbotham (seven points, four assists) also had a steady game at point guard for the Broncos, who forced 24 turnovers and made 15 steals. Hooks led the way with four steals, all-tournament selection Patrick Kelley had three and Taylor Mann had three to go with his six points.

They chipped in to a meaningful tournament victory for Witmer, who lost in the inaugural Deep South tourney in 1991 as a senior player. His father Les is now the event's tournament director.

But it meant just as much to a young Brookwood team, one that had a jubilant on-court celebration when the final horn sounded.

"It's special," Witmer said. "The kids were very excited. They know the history of Brookwood basketball. And I'm very excited for them."