Chattooga hits road for quarterfinal
SUMMERVILLE, Ga. — Jared Groce obviously had hoped for one more home game in the GHSA Class AA basketball playoffs, a place where the coach’s Chattooga Indians have become quite comfortable over the past month.
But not too comfortable, he hopes.
Chattooga (26-1) plays at Swainsboro (19-10) tonight in the quarterfinal round, the first road game for the Indians since Jan. 24.
“Well, playing on the road is a bit of unfamiliar territory lately,” Groce said Tuesday with a laugh as the team was making the five-hour trek to Swainsboro. “We are going to try and keep things as normal and as comfortable for the boys as we can.
“We are taking a charter bus, staying in a nice hotel and having a walkthrough in a nearby gym. I’m sure Swainsboro’s gym will be standing-room-only and it will be hostile, but we have a lot of experience on our team and I think our boys will handle this situation well.”
Chattooga, the Region 7-AA champion, used its own rowdy environment to help spur the Indians to a 68-51 win over Thomasville in the second round. The game was tied after three periods, but a couple of early Chattooga baskets in the fourth got the crowd into a frenzy and senior guard Isaiah Foster scored 12 points, including eight of eight free throws.
It was an eight-minute period that helped erase any doubts as to whether the Indians belonged with the state’s best in double-A.
“The maturity and experience that our boys showed during this time was outstanding,” Groce said. “Until the fourth quarter we had an uncharacteristically cold night shooting. We moved the ball well against their
zone and had great shot selection all night. The shots just weren’t falling. Even though the boys were struggling with their shooting, we told them to keep shooting with confidence, and they did.”
They will need that and more tonight against the Region 2 champions Tigers, who will be the most balanced team the Indians have faced. Point guard Jaylan McKinney, the region player of the year, is a great penetrator who is also the team’s best shooter. Center Eddie Roberts is a rebound machine, while wings Justin Harris and Jamil Watkins are adept at getting to the basket.
“Swainsboro is a very athletic team that mixes up defenses throughout the game,” said Groce, whose own athletic team also features Isaiah’s twin, Isaac Foster, as well as region player of the year Jay Shropshire.
“Swainsboro predominantly plays a matchup 2-3 zone,” Groce noted. “We’ve got to just pick up where we left off against Thomasville. If we rebound and play defense like we did and we play unselfishly and with patience on offense, I think we’ll be playing Saturday.”
The winner will face the survivor between Laney and Dublin at 4 p.m. Saturday at Georgia College and State University.
Tonight’s other semifinal involving area teams is at Calhoun, where the Region 6 champions are hosting Jenkins at 6.
The Yellow Jackets (22-4) are coming off what coach Vince Layson said was their best effort of the season in a 67-61 win over Central of Macon. Tonight’s winner will face the Lovett/Morgan County winner Saturday at 8 p.m. at Armstrong Atlantic University.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@ timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22