Adrian Scarborough scored 18 points, and Phillip Burwell hit two late three-point baskets, but it wouldn’t be enough as Upson-Lee defeated Millbrook in the opening round of the Acworth, Georgia’s Lake City Classic.
The defending Georgia 4-A state champions were pushed to its limit as the Wildcats erased 13-point deficit in the opening 6:22 of the final period.
On the strength of three three-point baskets, Upson-Lee held a 20-11 lead through one quarter. Jai McRae converted on a three-point play with 1.1 seconds left in the frame to keep Millbrook within nine.
The Wildcats heated up going into the halftime break. Scarborough scored six, and Isaiah Lewis dropped in a three-pointer to spark a 14-point frame, and trail 30-25 through two.
Travon Walker scored 10 third quarter points, and Jacorey Smith added six to give the Knights its largest lead of the game, a 55-42 lead after three.
Matthew McIntyre dropped in a lob on the first play of the fourth quarter, then followed with a floater in the pain to narrow the gap to single digits. Scarborough answered back-to-back Upson-Lee baskets with two of his own, and Burwell cut the score to 60-55 on a left-wing three.
Millbrook got within three following a steal and score from Burwell, then the Wildcat junior knotted score at 60-60 with his eighth consecutive point scored; he finished with a total of 10.
The Knights iced the victory at the free throw line. Fagan scored 8 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, four of them being free throws in the final minute.
Walker sunk 9-of-11 shots from the charity stripe, including six in the third quarter. He finished with 17 points, and 17 rebounds. Traylor’s trio of three’s helped give him 12 in the contest.
Scarborough’s 18 points were a career high. Burwell scored 10, and McIntyre added nine.
The Wildcats will play Parkview (Lilburn, GA) on Thursday afternoon in the consolation bracket of the Lake City Classic tournament.