CRESTVIEW — A battle of wills and a little bit of Okaloosa County bragging rights were on the line Friday as Crestview High School hosted Choctawhatchee in boys basketball.
Thanks to deadly shooting from 3-point range the Indians built a double-digit lead at the half and then held off a gutsy Bulldog squad. When the final horn sounded Choctaw was able to breath a sigh of relief and celebrate a 57-53 win.
Crestview-Choctaw boys basketball photos>>>
“It’s exciting,” Choctaw coach Andy Thigpen said. “Every time we play Crestview it’s always a tight game and it’s always good to come out on top.
“Any time you can get a district win or a county win it’s really good, especially going into the district tournament.”
Datwoine Clay gave the Indians the lead six seconds into the game as he hit a shot from close range.
Marquis McClain tied things up for Crestview 30 seconds later. From that point on momentum was wearing Indian green.
Seventy seconds into the game a Crestview player was hit with a technical foul. Domenique Lamb hit the two technical free throws. Chris Pickett followed with the first two of his game-high 14 points to put the Indians in front for good.
Keenan Reed scored for Crestview to cut the Indian lead to 6-4. The Bulldogs (13-9). Crestview wouldn’t be that close again until the final three minutes of the game.
Back-to-back Lamb 3-pointers sparked a 10-0 Choctaw lead.
The Indians (12-12) led 22-14 at the end of the first quarter and 36-25 at the half thanks in no small part to seven 3-point baskets.
Three-point baskets didn’t come as easily in the second half as the Bulldogs made the needed defensive adjustments to climb their way back into the game.
“We didn’t have the looks we wanted (from 3-point range) and we shot the ball less (in the second half),” Thigpen said. “It’s team ball.”
The Bulldog climb started with baskets by Redd, Wesley St. Vil and Rusty Moorer as Crestview cut the Indian lead to 37-31.
An Elgin Millet 3-pointer pushed Choctaw’s lead back to nine points with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
The rest of the game would be one of short runs as the Bulldogs would score two or three quick baskets only to have the Indians answer.
Andrew Adkins did his best to pull the Bulldgos even with the Indians in the fourth quarter. Adkins socred eight points in the final period but it wasn’t enough. When Redd hit a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left in the game the Indian lead was 55-53.
Redd’s basket was the last Bulldog score. A pair of Lamb free throws with 18 seconds left sealed the win for the Indians.
Moorer led Crestview in scoring with 13 points. Adkins added nine and Redd seven.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bulldogs drop thriller to Indians (PHOTOS, VIDEO)