Liberty Technology Magnet High School (TN)
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Liberty Technology Magnet High School
Mascot: Crusader
Colors: Maroon, Silver
Liberty Technology Magnet High School is located in Jackson, Tennessee. Liberty was established in 2003. Liberty is home to two class 2A Boys' Basketball championships, in 2005-06(against Mitchell) and 2006-07. This has earned Liberty a ranking of 14 in Boys High School Basketball. Former Liberty Crusader and current Murray State guard Jewuan Long was named MVP of 2006 and Mr. Basketball of TSSAA Class 2A in 2007.
The Lady Crusaders have had their share of accomplishments as well.
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Liberty Tech(Jackson Tn) wins its 3rd state championship!! March 19,2011 (Jackson Sun article) MURFREESBORO — If Liberty was going to win its third Class AA state title, the Crusaders were going to have to do it for most of the fourth quarter without star guard Kendall Anthony.
Liberty's bench stepped up in the second half to carry the Crusaders to a 67-57 win over East Literature on Saturday at the Murphy Center.
"They knew how to get us and frustrated us early," Liberty coach Jarrett Jones said. "We just had to be aggressive, and early in the second half, we took control."
Anthony played the entire game in the quarterfinals and semifinals, but he went to the bench when he picked up his third foul with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Anthony played six minutes in the second half and fouled out with 4:25 left as the Crusaders were holding on to a 52-48 lead.
"I wasn't able to be on the floor, but I was on the sidelines encouraging them the whole time," Anthony said. "This was a team effort tonight.
"Their defense did a great job switching up on me and making me work for everything."
Holding a 42-37 lead late in the third quarter, Liberty reserve post Matt Smith scored six of Liberty's next eight consecutive points that extended the lead to 50-37. Smith finished with 14 points.
"The shots were open in the first half, but I wasn't communicating with my guards," Smith said. "I remember coming up here in the stands when my brother (Josh Sain) won it, and I saw how happy he felt, and we had to give it all we had."
East Literature came fighting back with an 11-0 run to narrow the Liberty lead back to 50-48.
That is when Liberty's other reserve post Joevante Arnold hit four consecutive free throws to extend the Crusaders' lead back to six at 54-48.
Arnold would again star late scoring seven straight points for Liberty that included a three-point play for a 63-54 lead. Arnold finished with a team-high 15 points.
"We have been there before," Jones said about playing without Anthony. "Kendall gets excited sometimes, but Ryan Yeates took the ball and said 'I got it coach.'
"Our post players did a heck of a job. Joevante (Arnold) and Matt (Smith), we know what they are capable of."
East Literature's Chris Willingham drained a 3-pointer with 40 seconds left to cut the deficit to within five points (62-57) and give the Eagles a chance, but Liberty went 5-of-8 in the final 38.8 seconds to secure the win.
"Momentum can swing drastically," Jones said. "It was like we expected East Literature to give up, and no one is going to give up."
Anthony was hard to guard in the first half, as he finished with 13 points in the first half. That would also be Anthony's final points.
Liberty's DeAndre Barnette also scored in double figures with 10 points, but even bigger was his nine rebounds to help give the Crusaders a nine-rebound advantage.
"The feeling is just overwhelming," Barnette said. "I was it in my teammates' eyes that we wanted this one."
Liberty's only lead in the first half was 1-0 in the first two minutes, and the Crusaders struggled to score on the Eagles' defense.
"They played aggressive and had a good defensive scheme for us," Barnette said. "We had to keep believing in ourselves and have faith in our guards."
