MOULTRIE — Ware County’s Lady Gators captured two of their three contests here in the three-day Colquitt County Christmas Tournament with both victories 30-plus point decisions.
The Lady Gators (10-3), ranked fifth by MaxPreps, opened play Wednesday afternoon, December 28, rolling to a 66-13 victory over winless Cairo (0-7).
They suffered a controversial 55-54 defeat Thursday, December 29 against Albany private school Deerfield-Windsor when a potential game-tying trey with three seconds remaining was ruled a two-point field goal.
Ware County routed winless Bainbridge (0-12) 60-29 in the Friday, December 30 finale. The Bearcats posted 18 wins last year and reached the second round of the Class 4A state tournament.
The Lady Gators traveled Tuesday (January 3) to Valdosta to wrap up the season series while the Gators (5-6) hosted Lanier County.
Ware County returns to Region 1-AAAAA action Friday traveling to face Jenkins in Savannah. WCHS goes to Douglas Tuesday, January 10 to face Coffee in a region matchup.
Lady Gators 66
Cairo 13
Eleven of the 12 Ware County team members scored at least two points as the Lady Gators swarmed Cairo.
Rhianna Mateyka and Charlese McClendon led the balanced attack with 12 points and 11 points respectively.
McClendon scored eight points in the opening period to spark a 17-4 run. Seven players scored in the second stanza helping Ware County to a 20-4 scoring advantage and a 37-8 halftime lead.
Mateyka poured in nine of the Lady Gators’ 16 third quarter points as they used a 16-2 run for a commanding 53-10 working margin. Ware County outpointed the Lady Syrupmakers 13-3 during the “mercy rule” final period.
Charlacia Jones and Alexis McNeal were next in the scoring column with eight points and seven points respectively. Kyla McKelvin and Lydia Munford contributed six points apiece.
Bre Hill and Aniston Delk bagged four points each with Aniyah Wesley contributing three points. Trinity Jenkins and JaMiracle McMillan each netted two points.
Deerfield-Windsor 55
Lady Gators 54
A potential game-tying three signaled by two of the three officials with three seconds remaining was ruled a two during a Lady Knights’ timeout.
Ware County, down three at the start of the final eight minutes, trailed 55-52 in the closing seconds.
The Lady Gators hurt themselves at the free throw line converting on 17-of-29 (59 percent) attempts. Deerfield-Windsor was 12-of-19 (63%).
The Lady Knights by two points in each of the first two periods. They led 17-15 after one quarter and used a 13-11 scoring advantage in the second stanza for a 30-26 halftime lead.
Ware County chipped one point off the deficit in the third quarter outpointing the Lady Knights 16-15 to trail 45-42. A 12-10 scoring advantage in the final period brought the Lady Gators to within one.
Jenkins (10-of-15 free throw line) topped Ware County with a game-high 20 points. CoCo Moody was next with 11 points.
McClendon added eight points with Mateyka chipping in five points. Wesley and Jones followed with four points apiece. Delk chipped in two points.
Lady Gators 60
Bainbridge 29
Ware County pulled away from a three-point first quarter lead in rolling past the Lady Bearcats.
McClendon led a balanced scoring attack finishing with a season-high 22 points to pace nine players in the scoring column.
Ahead just 11-8 after eight minutes, the Lady Gators outscored Bainbridge 16-4 in the second quarter to take a 27-12 halftime lead.
Ware County followed with a 16-5 scoring advantage in the third period extending the margin to 43-17. The Lady Gators finished the game outpointing Bainbridge 17-12 in the final stanza.
Jones followed McClendon’s lead with eight points. Jenkins, Moody and Mateyka each contributed six points. Munford chipped in four points with Wesley and Delk netting three points apiece. McKelvin added two points.
