U-SAVE-IT CLASSIC: Herald No. 1 Monroe survives North Clayton, 35-32, late Tuesday

ALBANY — Monroe will take it — take it and like it — because coach Marquis Davis knows his team needs to win in every way against every kind of team to get where the Tornadoes want to go.

“This was a defensive game, and we need games like this,” said Davis, whose unbeaten Tornadoes beat Class AAAA North Clayton, 35-32, on Monday night in the U-Save-It Basketball Classic at Albany High. “The good thing is we play all types of teams and all types of styles and that will help us in the long run.”

The long run can be simply interpreted as playing and winning the Class AAA state title. That’s where Herald No. 1 Monroe (7-0) wants to be in March, and winning close games in December can only help.

The Tornadoes put this one away when Bamba Dioum hit a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to lift Monroe to a 35-32 lead it wouldn’t give back. North Clayton missed a 3-pointer that would’ve tied it at the buzzer.

The Tornadoes were led by Herald Super 6er Rantavious Gilbert, who scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked four shots.

“It was a back-and-forth game,” Davis said. “But right at the end we pulled it out. Our defense played real well at the end.”