Jahvin Strikes

Carter, Alcoa prevail in battle of Mr. Basketball finalists

Alcoa senior Jahvin Carter poured in 32 points in a district championship game win over longtime rival Austin-East.

By Stefan Cooper
Editor
Blount Press Row

Editor: Before we get started, at about the 1-minute mark of the accompanying video, Alcoa senior Jahvin Carter lofts and alley-oop pass to freshman sensation Jamir Dean on the break. Dean really got up. After the basket, focus in on the ball boys at the end of the Tornado bench. It’ll make your day.

Mr. Basketball finalist met Mr. Basketball finalist when the ball went up at the District 4AA Tournament championship game on Tuesday at Alcoa.

Tornado senior Jahvin Carter and Austin-East standout Shane Cherry lived up to the billing in a fearsome shootout. Carter, the tournament’s most valuable player, poured in 32 for Alcoa in a 74-66 win. Cherry lit it up for 27 for the Roadrunners.

Defending state champion Alcoa hosts 2023 Class 1A champion Hampton in a Region 2AA quarterfinal on Saturday.

Tipoff is 7 p.m.

Only the winner advances.

Alcoa is the host school for both the region semifinals and championship game.

Carter, a finalist for the state’s top basketball honor a year ago and the first player in school history to eclipse 2,000 points, delivered a virtuoso performance in pacing Alcoa to back-to-back district crowns. While Cherry very nearly equaled Carter, he had to work for it.

A switching, doubling defense from the Tornadoes made most looks a tough one.

Meanwhile, no other Roadrunner would reach double figures.

On the home side, Alcoa got 16 from senior guard Brady Haun. With the effort, Haun reached the 1,000-points plateau for a career. Freshman standout Jamir Dean tossed in 14, Eli Owens and Jabriel Koko six each.

So how good is Carter?

Along with some sensational feats of ball handling and assist work, the Tornado star connected only once from 3-point range in the contest. That’s largely because Carter was pretty much killing it getting to the basket, distributing the ball and drawing fouls.

The Roadrunners sent him to the free-throw line a lot, where the record-setting guard finished a crisp 11-of-13, including 6-of-8 down the stretch.

Good stuff.