photo by Wesley Hallman

Oak Mountain High School senior forward Chris Pegg retrieves a pass and scores a basket in the Eagles' 47-46 overtime win against Spain Park in the championship game of the Class 6A, Area 10 tournament Feb. 11.

Oak Mountain claims area title with overtime win against Spain Park

By Wesley Hallman (Contact) | Shelby County Reporter

Originally published 11:04 p.m., February 8, 2010
Updated 08:56 p.m., February 9, 2010

NORTH SHELBY — Oak Mountain High School senior forward Cary Baxter has heard plenty of adjectives tossed around about his talent as a pitcher on the baseball diamond.

Baxter, a University of Alabama baseball signee, can add a new one that covers both his baseball and basketball ability courtesy of his high school basketball coach Chris Love.

After watching Baxter pour in 28 points, including 17 after halftime, in Oak Mountain’s 47-46 overtime win over Spain Park in the Class 6A, Area 10 tournament championship game Feb. 8, Love used a suitable word to describe his star player’s performance.

“He’s just a warrior,” Love said of Baxter. “I’d go to war with him. He’s one of the toughest, hard-nosed competitors I’ve ever coached in 20 years. I’m glad we’ve got him.”

Baxter scored the first five points of overtime, including a pair of layups and a free throw, to put the Eagles up 44-39 and senior guard Mark Caldwell hit 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Caldwell hit 1-of-2 free throws with 6.2 seconds remaining before Spain Park senior guard Jake Lee’s jumper came up short as time expired, which sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

Baxter was named the Area 10 tournament’s most valuable player, but the honor wouldn’t have meant as much without the area championship trophy, he said.

“It’s even better to be able to say we won,” Baxter said. “Everybody stepped up and made big plays.”

Caldwell added eight points for the Eagles, who improved to 20-7 overall. Senior forward Chris Pegg added four points.

Senior forward Josh Drum led Spain Park (22-10) with 20 points. Lee added 13 points, all of which came in the second half. Senior forward Matthew Bowerman chipped in five points.

The game capped a busy day for Spain Park athletic director Gena Morris. Morris met with Hoover High School and AHSAA officials Monday morning following an altercation in the Jags' 57-35 win over Hoover in the Class 6A, Area 10 semifinals Feb. 5, where senior guard Reid Cunningham was the target of an open-handed punch by a Hoover player.

Cunningham played in the area championship game against Oak Mountain. Morris said Spain Park will not be subject to any fines or suspensions by the AHSAA following the incident. The AHSAA fined Hoover a total of $4,800 and placed the school on a one-year probation for actions by Bucs' players during the semifinal contest.

Drum helped the Jags take an early 4-2 lead before baskets by Baxter and Oak Mountain senior forward Alex Few helped the Eagles even the game 6-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Drum, who led the Jags with seven points in the opening half, added a layup and free throw early in the second quarter to give Spain Park an 11-8 lead. Baxter took control in the final three minutes of the first half with back-to-back baskets and a 3-pointer, which capped a 10-2 run by Oak Mountain.

The Eagles led 18-13 at the break.

Oak Mountain extended its lead to 22-17 midway through the third quarter before Lee hit a 3-pointer — his first of basket of the game — with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter to cut the lead to 22-20. Bowerman hit a 3-pointer with 40 seconds left in the quarter to give Spain Park a 26-24, which was the Jags’ first lead in the second half.

Baxter responded with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 28-27 early in the fourth quarter before back-to-back buckets by Pegg gave Oak Mountain a 31-28 advantage with 6:05 remaining. Baxter hit another 3-pointer to push the lead to 34-28 less than a minute later.

Caldwell hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to 37-30 with four minutes left before Spain Park closed the game with a 9-2 run to send it into overtime.

Lee hit two free throws and a 3-pointer in the final 1:06 to help Spain Park even the game at 39-39 at the end of regulation.

“(Jake) almost willed us to a win,” said Spain Park coach Brian Moon. “He comes to practice everyday and plays hard just like that.”

Overtime began as a back-and-forth battle between Baxter and Lee, with Baxter’s personal 5-0 run to start the period. Lee responded with a free throw and two layups to tie the game at 44-44 with 1:34 remaining.

Caldwell hit two free throws and Spain Park junior forward Mitchell Holt added a layup to tie the game at 46-46. Caldwell drove down the lane, drew a foul and hit the second of two free throws to seal the win.

Moon said his players didn’t give up despite a seven-point deficit with just over one minute left in regulation.

“I thought we had a chance,” Moon said, “but they’re really good.”

Moon was especially impressed with Baxter, who helped the Eagles’ pick up their second win in three meetings with Spain Park this season.

“He’s the simplest player,” Moon said. “He understands how to play. There’s no trash in his game.”

Love wasn’t pleased with the final minute of regulation, but he was proud of how his team responded after the Jags sent the contest into overtime.

“Overall we maintained our poise,” Love said. “Our group is so tough-minded. They were going to find a way to overcome it.”

Spain Park will travel to Mountain Brook for a Class 6A sub-regional contest Feb. 12 in the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs. Meanwhile, the Eagles will host Homewood in a sub-regional game. Both games have a 7 p.m. tip-off time.

Love, a longtime Eagles’ assistant who is trying to lead Oak Mountain to a regional tournament appearance in his first season as head coach, said his players will be ready for the Patriots.

“They’re a great basketball team,” Love said. “We’re having fun and we’re up for the challenge.”

Pegg joined Baxter on the Class 6A, Area 10 all-tournament team for Oak Mountain. Cunningham joined Bowerman and Drum on the team for the Jaguars. Thompson seniors Josh Neville and Kenny Johnson and Pelham junior Xavier Lacey were also named to the team.

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