MCMINNVILLE — Deion Subaran caught an inbound pass with 2 seconds to play, fired up a 3 at the buzzer and buried it to win the game for the Red Raiders Friday.
But it was wiped away.
The officials said Subaran stepped on the sideline before his shot left his hand and the Warren County Pioneers held on the beat the Coffee County Red Raiders 50-48 in a crazy finish Friday night.
It was shocking that the Raiders even had a chance at the win in the first place.
Junior Jackson Shemwell was hit with two technical fouls and ejected from the game with only a few seconds to play. Sawyer Seymour hit three free throws and appeared to put the game out of reach with the Pioneers up 60-54.
But the Pioneers were whistled for a pair of technical fouls during Seymour’s free throws, sending Deion Subaran to the free throw line with 1.4 seconds to play. Subaran hit all 4 free shots. Coffee County went right back to Subaran for the game winner – it went in but was called off and the Pioneers held on.
Coffee County actually had the lead late, up 39-34 and then 42-38. But the Raiders turned the ball over on 3 straight trips down the floor to open the door for a 7-0 Pioneer run and a 45-42 lead that the Raiders would never get back.
In total, Coffee County turned the ball over 20 times – somewhat of a repeat from the first performance against the Pioneers 10 days prior, when 18 second half turnovers cost the Raiders at 9 point lead and the game.
Early on the Raiders got off to a hot start, leading 14-2. But the Pioneers went on a 26-5 run to get back in front.
Coffee County was led by Cooper Reed’s 14 and Subaran’s 13 points. Shemwell had 11 before his ejection. Jahlin Osbourne had 7 and Treyton Williams had 3.
The Raiders were playing without senior Dayne Crosslin and his 9.9 points per game due to an ankle injury.
The Pioneers can wrap up first place in the regular season with a win over Shelbyville Tuesday. The Raiders will finish third in the district at 3-3.
Coffee County is off for the next week before traveling to McCallie for the Dr. Pepper Classic next Saturday, Feb. 11. The District 6-4A tournament will start the week of Feb. 13 and will be held in Manchester at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium.
