Vinemont backcourt too much for Sumter
By By Jeff Byrd / sports editor
Feb. 27, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The backcourt tandem of Jared Hembree and Tyler McSwain of Vinemont proved to be too potent of a mix for Sumter County here at the Alabama Class 3A Boys Final 4 semifinal on Wednesday night.
The Vinemont duo combined for 42 points in lifting the Eagles past Sumter County 63-58.
The loss denies the Wildcats a chance at a fourth state title. Sumter County had entered the Final Four as the top-ranked in 3A Boys. They end the season as the Southwest Regional champion and owners of a 25-3 record.
Vinemont, who was unranked, improves to 32-4 and will face Calhoun, who beat Litchfield 80-77, on Saturday at noon at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.
Sumter County head coach Johnny Patrick said his team had problems shutting down Hembree and McSwain along with having to deal with a tough zone defense by the Eagles.
That proved to be true in the final 10 minutes of the game. The Wildcats held a 41-38 lead with 3:48 to play in the third quarter when Hembree launched a successful three-pointer to tie the game at 41 with 1:32 left.
Vinemont then took its first lead since the early part of the game with a layin by Cody Pearson. Reaynundo Sturdivant tied it for the final time at 43 with a basket with 15 seconds left in the quarter.
Hembree, though, came right back splitting past a pair of defenders for a basket that would put Vinemont ahead to stay at 45-43 as the quarter ended.
Vinemont head coach Bobby Meyer said teams have the tendency to under-estimate the playing ability of his guards in Hembree and McSwain.
Any chances of Sumter regaining the lead were dashed when the Eagles canned 7-of-11 shots in the fourth quarter including the first five taken.
McSwain made three of the buckets with the last putting the Eagles up 55-45 with 4:23 to play.
The lead grew to 13 at 60-47 following a basket by Hembree and a free throw from Nathan Anderson with 2:57 to play.
Down 11, the Wildcats made one final push in the remaining 1:39 of the contest. Sturdivant started a 9-2 run with a dunk. His putback made it 62-56 with 53 seconds left.
McSwain made 1-of-2 free throws for a seven-point lead with 41 seconds left. Sumter point guard Temarris Coleman answered with the Wildcats' final points on a drive to make it 63-58 with 33 seconds to go.
Sumter shot just 39 percent (13-of-33) in the second half compared to Vinemont's 65.2 percent (15-of-23). For the game, Vinemont was at an even 50 percent while Sumter shot 42.6.
Sumter led 19-13 after one quarter for its largest lead of the game. It was still a 6-point lead late in the second quarter when Hembree converted a three-point to make it 31-28 at the half.
McSwain added 17 points while Cody Pearson added 12.
Sturdivant paced Sumter County with 18 points. McCory and Robert Byrd each had 12.
