Visiting Statesboro closed out the regular season here Friday with a sweep of Region 1-AAAAA action against Ware County.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution eighth-ranked and MaxPreps No. 7 Lady Blue Devils (18-7 overall, 6-4 region) won for the third time in four outings rallying for a 43-41 victory over the No. 13 Lady Gators (16-7, 6-4), who lost for the third time in four games, for a split in the season series.
Ware County, who has lost five of the last seven meetings between the two programs, notched a 36-27 road win January 21.
In the nightcap, the No. 17 Blue Devils (15-7, 6-4) continued their mastery of the No. 44 Gators posting a 61-38 victory. Statesboro, a 65-46 winner in the first meeting, has posted 14 consecutive victories in the series.
Up next for Ware County is the region tournament with play-in games for both the Lady Gators and Gators.
The third-seed Lady Gators, who enter the Monday, February 13 game as the play-in host, meets sixth-seed Jenkins while fourth-seed Statesboro faces fifth-seed Coffee. The winners advance to the tournament semifinals hosted by Bradwell Institute at Liberty County High School.
No details were provided of the boys’ tournament by press time.
No. 8 Statesboro 43
Lady Gators 41
Statesboro took the lead for good with less than a minute remaining capping a furious fourth quarter comeback to beat the Lady Gators.
Ware County led 31-24 entering the final period. The Lady Blue Devils closed the game outscoring the home team 19-10 for the win.
The Lady Gators led at the end of each of the first three periods. Ware County claimed a 7-3 lead after one quarter and doubled up the Lady Blue Devils 20-10 at intermission after outscoring the visitors 13-7 in the second stanza.
Statesboro chipped four points off the deficit during the third quarter outscoring the Lady Gators 14-11.
Charlese McClendon and Trinity Jenkins (trey) led Ware County in the scoring column with 12 points and 10 points respectively. Alexis McNeal canned a pair of treys to finish with six points.
Aniyah Welsey bagged five points with Rhianna Mateyka and Charlacia Jones netting three points each. CoCo Moody chipped in two points.
The Lady Devils’ Alyssa Staten scored all 14 of her game-high points in the second half. Lindsay Johnson and Ashari Washington added 12 points and 11 points respectively.
Statesboro 61
Gators 38
A 25-point third quarter helped the Blue Devils open up a insurmountable lead in turning back Ware County.
Statesboro’s defense limited the Gators to eight points or less in each of the first three periods as it built a 28-point advantage.
The Blue Devils led just 9-5 after one period. They doubled up Ware County 14-7 in the second stanza to take a 23-12 halftime lead.
Statesboro surpassed its first half production in the third quarter outscoring the home team 25-8 for a commanding 48-20 advantage. The Gators outscored the vistors 18-13 in the fourth period.
Brandon Washington and Te’Zhan Bolds paced Ware County with 11 points apiece. Tayshaun Franklin followed with eight points.
R.J. Boyd contributed four points with Kent Hereford chipping in three points. Darius Ward and Damian Williamson netted two poines each.
Statesboro’s Nick Murray led four players in double figures with a game-high 15. Leslie Black added 14 points, Kam Mikell finished with 13 points and JaCaiden Cone bagged 12 points.
