At 23, Bessemer City coach Darrian Ivory is only a few years older than the players he barks orders to from the sideline.
His youth, he said, is a big reason the Purple Tigers are doubted.
Maybe not after today's performance.
Williams and his unranked Purple Tigers earned a 61-56 victory over No. 1-ranked Columbia (22-9) in a Class 6A boys Northwest Regional semifinal at Wallace-Hanceville's Tom Drake Coliseum.
“All I heard was, 'No. 1 Columbia, (and) Bessemer City isn’t supposed to be there,” Ivory said. “I believed in them, and they got the job done.”
Bessemer City built a 10-point halftime lead and appeared on cruise control until Columbia rallied in the game's final minutes. "You can't have opportunity for 32 minutes and give four minutes of effort and expect to win," Columbia coach Christopher Blanding said.
Bessemer City missed seven straight free throws in the final minute and a half, but Ezekiel Spain made two with 7.6 seconds remaining to clinch the victory.
Blanding conceded his team's No. 1 ranking put a "bulls-eye" on his team's back.
"Like the cartoon says: 'It's no fun when the rabbit shoots back,'" Blanding said. "That's kind of what happened today. We did not match their intensity."
Stat sheet: For Bessemer City (18-7), Thaddeus Williams scored 20 points and Kameron Harris scored 18. Fernandus Brown added 10 points and six rebounds. … Jamiah Holloway led Columbia (22-9) with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Cameron Turner added 13 points and two assists, and Larry Penn had 10 points.
By the numbers: Bessemer City committed just seven turnovers. ... Bessemer City won the rebounding battle 36-34, including 14 offensive rebounds. ... Neither team shot free throws well, with the Tigers hitting 9-of-18 and Columbia making 12-of-20.
Coachspeak: "They shredded our defense like swiss cheese." -- Blanding
“We’re going to get a ring by any means necessary.” -- Ivory
What’s next?: Bessemer City advances to play Muscle Shoals in the regional championship game on Tuesday.