Warner Robins’ boys struggled at times to find the basket. They at times even wrestled with handling the ball – preventing turnovers. Thus they fell to Ware County 60-57 Friday at home in a Region 1-AAAAA matchup.
The Demons, on their Senior Night, came into the game 8-6 overall and 1-1 in the division. The Gators came into the game 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the division. Further, they had lost five of their six. All of that affected them little, as they got out to a 7-2 lead early and led after one, 13-8.
Warner Robins regrouped a bit in the second quarter, twice got with a basket of tying it, but still trailed – outscoring the visitor 9-8 – 47-30 at the half.
The third got worse for the home crowd. The Demons got within a point twice early in the quarter, but then Ware County began to pull away. At one point, after an 8-0 run, it was 43-27, Gators. By the buzzer it was 47-30.
That held fairly steady until there were just a few minutes left. Warner Robins then closed and closed fast. A turnover by Ware, a steal by the Demons and a jump ball that also went in their favor eliminated an eight-point deficit and turned it into a one-point game, 56-55, with just over 30 seconds left to play. The Gators made a basket to make it 58-56. Warner Robins got one back with a free throw. Ware missed but retained possession, then was fouled and missed on the one-and-one. The Demons called timeout with 5.8 seconds left, then missed a 3-pointer as play resumed and the clock ran out.
Raushan Tomlin led their effort with 12 points. Vic Burley had 10. Xavier Hill and Antwoin Jackson each had nine.
The girls had a much-easier time in the early game. They won 70-45. Led by Courtney Davis’ 23, they jumped out to a 13-5 lead after one. By the half, on the wings of an 18-4 advantage, they were up 31-9.
The Lady Gators did show some perseverance – refused to just go away – with a 19-18 advantage. Still, they trailed 49-28 heading into the final frame. There, they were outscored 22-17.
Chaniya Felton also had 10 for the Demonettes. Hayley Shepherd had eight.
Charlese McClendon, pretty much the lone scoring machine in the first two quarters, led Ware County with 19. Ta’kerrah Moody, a late threat, netted 15.
Warner Robins improved to 11-3 overall, 3-0 in 1-AAAAA. Ware County fell to 6-5, 1-3.
Elsewhere, Northside’s girls and boys got swept by Valdosta on the road in a 1-AAAAAA matchup. The Lady Eagles fell in double overtime, 63-57. The boys lost 77-63.
They trailed 25-11 after one but gained a little ground in the second with a 21-16 advantage. That made it 41-33 at that point. The Wildcats pulled further away with a 20-point third to the Eagles’ 12 and then won despite being outscored in the final frame, 19-16.
The girls, who beat Valdosta back on Jan. 15 – the boys lost both games – led 15-12 after one. The Lady Wildcats responded in kind in the second, 16-10, to make it 28-25, host, at the break. Valdosta outscored Northside 13-6 in the third, but the Lady Eagles outscored it 21-11 in the fourth to send it into the extra period.
Both could manage only one point in the first overtime. The Lady Wildcats won it with a 10-4 advantage in the second.
They improved to 10-5, 2-2. Northside now stands at 6-5, 2-3.
