By Erik Harris, sports editor
CENTER POINT — Center Point senior Jordan Chatman refused to let it happen.
Facing elimination in the Class 5A, Area 12 tournament semifinals Wednesday, the rangy wing buried a mid-range jumper at the buzzer, breaking a tie and lifting his seventh-ranked Eagles past Cordova 56-54. The emotional win secures a Class 5A playoff bid and puts Center Point in the area championship game on Saturday night opposite the winner of Hayden-Corner.
What a finish in Center Point tonight, as the Eagles keep their season alive with a buzzer-beating shot from Jordan Chatman in the first round of the 5A, Area 12 tourney. @CoachBates7
FINAL: CP 56, Cordova 54 pic.twitter.com/LyhB3l3dfE
— Erik Harris (@jeharris2) February 11, 2021
Chatman kicked his game into gear following a slow first half that saw him bag only four points for the Eagles, who went to the locker room up 24-18. The senior needed every bit of his team-high 23 points after Cordova opened the third on an absolute tear.
The visiting Blue Devils built a 15-0 run to claim a 33-24 advantage midway through the third period. Sophomore guard Japeth Howell led the surge with two 3-pointers sandwiched between a Dylan Hendrix trey, as the momentum quickly flipped in their favor.
Hendrix would go on to finish with 25 points to go with 12 more from Howell.
But Center Point clawed back after Chatman broke the 15-0 run with an inside make at the 4:12 mark of the third quarter. He proceeded to pop off a quick nine points for the Eagles, and fellow senior Desmond Gaines ripped a runner at the third-quarter horn to put the home team back on top 39-38 going into the final eight minutes.
It was a back-and-forth final frame, however Hendrix had his team up 52-48 with little more than a minute remaining and later gave Cordova a 54-51 cushion with 0:45 left. But Chatman scored the game’s final five points thanks to an and-1 finish in the paint and the subsequent game-winner at the buzzer.
Center Point moves to 3-0 against Cordova following a pair of regular season wins that went final at 51-34 and 45-35. In total, the Eagles swept their area slate, which includes wins over the Blue Devils, Hayden and Corner.
With a win in the area finals this weekend, Center Point would complete an undefeated area championship run.