Gators near 20-win mark heading into tournament
Ware County had its busiest week of the season playing four times in five days producing three Region 1-AAAA victories.
The Gators (18-6 overall, 8-2 region) bounced back from their loss at the MLK Classic eight days earlier to finish off the season sweep of Wayne County (5-15, 1-7), losers in 10 of its last 11 games, winning 63-43 Tuesday, January 28. Ware County, winners in 10 of their last 12 games, rolled to a 92-49 victory January 14 over the Yellow Jackets in Jesup.
The sweep was the first over Wayne County since 2014-15. Ware County, which had lost 14 of the last 15 matchups in the series against the Yellow Jackets entering this season, trails Wayne County 17-9 since 2012-13.
The Gators made up the Tuesday, January 21 cancellation with New Hampstead (12-11, 4-4) winning 71-62 Wednesday, January 29 in Savannah for the season sweep. Ware County posted an 86-75 win January 7 at home.
Ware County was unable to make it three straight sweeps falling 7158 Friday, January 31 to Benedictine (17-4, 6-2) in Savannah. The Gators knocked off BC 69-60 at home January 17.
The week ended Saturday, February 1 with Senior Night against Perry (4-20, 1-8). Ware County rolled to an 80-23 demolition of the Panthers, who lost for the 13th time in 14 games, to complete the season sweep. The Gators notched a 66-43 road victory January 10.
The region tournament begins this week.
Gators 63 Wayne County 43
Ware County steadily pulled away from the Yellow Jackets after breaking a 9-9 deadlock late in the first quarter.
The two teams played even through the first six minutes before the Gators took charge. An 8-0 run was ended by a Wayne County buzzer-beating three to cut the margin to 17-12. Ware County put together a 19-7 scoring advantage in the second period to open up a 36-19 halftime lead.
The Yellow Jackets sliced one point off the deficit during the third quarter outpointing Ware County 14-13 to trail 4933 with eight minutes to play. The Gators closed the game with a 14-10 scoring advantage for the final margin.
Darius Ward led four players in double figures with 15 points. Sabari Williams bagged 11 points while Dedric Jackson and Tezhan Bolds (two treys) added 10 points apiece.
Jarvis Wright (two treys) followed with eight points. Tayshaun Franklin netted six points and Shaun McClam (trey) contributed three points.
Dwayne Smith topped Wayne County with nine points. Eric Hodges was next with eight points.
Gators....................71 New Hampstead....62 SAVANNAH — The Gators overcame a fivepoint deficit entering the final period outscoring homestanding New Hampstead by 14 points for the come-from-behind win.
A fast-paced opening period ended with Ware County clinging to a 20-19 lead. The furious pace continued in the second stanza with the Phoenix outpointing the visitors 20-18 to take a 39-38 lead into the break.
New Hampstead added four points to its margin during the third quarter outscoring the Gators 139 grabbing a 52-47 advantage. Ware County found an offensive and defensive rhythm in the final period outscoring the Phoenix 24-10 to escape.
The Gators hurt themselves at the charity stripe converting just 17-of-34 tries (50 percent). New Hampstead made 8-of-14 attempts.
Wright connected on six of Ware County’s eight long-range bombs en route to scoring a gamehigh 21 points leading four players in double figures.
Franklin finished with 16 points with Jackson adding 15 points and Ward netting 10 points. Bolds (two treys) chipped in eight points with Mc-Clam hitting a free throw.
New Hampstead had three players reach double figures led by Antoine Youmans’ 14 points. Rashaun Truell netted 12 points with Kentavious Woodbury bagging 10 points.
Benedictine ...........71 Gators ...................58 SAVANNAH — BC’s Caleb Jones scored 26 of his game-high 36 points in the second half as the Cadets outscored Ware County by 17 points to rally from a four-point halftime deficit.
Benedictine claimed a 17-10 advantage by the end of the first period. The Gators stormed back in the second quarter outscoring the home team 23-12 to take a 33-29 halftime lead.
BC nearly matches its production of the first 16 minutes outscoring Ware County 27-19 to grab a 5652 advantage after the third stanza with Jones pouring in 17 points. The Cadets closed the game outpointing the visitors 15-6.
Wright (three treys) led the Gators with 23 points. Ward (trey), Jackson (trey) and McClam netted eight points each. Franklin and Williams (trey) contributed six points and five points respectively.
The Cadets’ CaRon Hall and Micah Williams joined Jones in double figures. Hall (four threes) scored all 12 of his points in the first half. Williams added 11 points.
Gators...................80 Perry.....................23 Ware County had all 13 players dressed score at least two points in the rout of over matched Perry.
Ward (two treys) and Jackson paced the Gators’ uprising tying for gamehigh scoring honors with 15 points apiece. Wright (three treys) and Bolds (two treys) followed with nine points each.
Ware County, which led by 18 points at intermission, outscored the Panthers 45-11 over the final two periods to blow the game open.
The Gators jumped ahead 20-7 after the first eight minutes. A 15-10 scoring advantage in the second quarter extended the margin to 35-17 at intermission.
Ware County used a 246 scoring run in the third period to build a 59-23 lead. The Gators’ reserves finished out the “mercy rule” final six minutes outscoring Perry 21-5 for the final margin.
McClam (two treys) was next in the scoring column with eight points. Franklin and Masiter McCoy each bagged five points with Williams and Leo Gardner (trey) netting three points apiece.
Luke Hinely, Dauvun Jones, Elan Jones and Malik Holmes each chipped in two points.
Perry was paced by the 11 points of Jamarion Brown.
Ware County’s Jarvis Wright mans up against the Wayne County guard as the Gators apply manto-man pressure all over the floor during first half action Tuesday night. Photo By RICK HEAD
