Kyle Cannon knows exactly how to build a champion in Warren County. Quick guards and athletic bigs, like the Bulldogs have, are a great start, but defense is always the key when it comes to title games. Eastside showed it has a true lockdown defense when it mattered most Tuesday.
The Bulldogs put the clamps on Dibrell in the District 2 elementary boys championship game, winning 27-10. On its way to another title, Eastside didn’t allow the Wildcats to score in the first half and held its opponent to single digits until the final minutes.
Dibrell’s defense was no slouch early in the title game, especially against an Eastside attack armed with PG Kingston Judkins and a rotation of big men – led by Kaiden Bell – that can crash the glass and get easy buckets. The Wildcats kept the game low scoring through six minutes and trailed by just six.
Eastside’s defense turned into its best offense in the second quarter, with steals and fast breaks becoming a way to push the lead. Braylon Burch, a tenacious Bulldog who loves to run and defend, was the beneficiary of the pace picking up as he scored all six of his points in the second period.
By the time Judkins drained a 3-pointer before halftime, the Bulldogs were ahead 17-0.
Dibrell was able to breathe a sigh of relief in the third quarter when Trigg Culwell broke the drought on offense. Culwell was able to power to the hoop and finish through contact to start the scoring for the Wildcats. Although Culwell couldn’t complete the 3-point play, his bucket seemed to give the Wildcats some momentum after the break.
Halen Myers, one of the league’s leading scorers this year, found a little bit of space to fire late in the quarter and connected on a layup, while JD Witt also charged into the paint for another Dibrell bucket. By the time the fourth quarter started, the Wildcats had clawed back to trail 19-7.
Judkins wasn’t going to let it get any closer though. Eastside’s floor general, who was named MVP after an 11-point performance in the title game, took over in the final six minutes. Judkins was relentless attacking the heart of the Dibrell defense and dug deep into his bag of tricks to finish over multiple Wildcats.
His favorite move was a teardrop floater, which he sunk twice in the final four minutes. Judkins had the perfect touch on both shots, rising high just as he approached Dibrell’s posts and lofting each with precise arch as both hit nothing but net.
Not too long after Judkins’ final bucket, Eastside was rushing the court to celebrate its championship.
Along with completing a perfect season in District 2 – complete with a preseason tourney title and six straight wins in the regular season – the Bulldogs also earned the right to compete for the county championship by downing Dibrell in Tuesday’s title tilt.
Eastside will go on the road to play the District 1 champion Friday night. Final details for the matchup were not available at press time, but check Sunday’s Standard for the latest information on the best of the best in Warren County elementary basketball.
