Armuchee boys routs Gordon Central for win
Colton Rood, by all accounts, was a team player that never sought the spotlight by trying to make shot after shot to build up his stats.
He always found the right teammate to pass to and get the easier basket in order to build up his team.
As the Armuchee Indians remembered their former teammate in a small ceremony Friday night prior to their game against Gordon Central, they also honored him in the way they played over the next hour and a half.
Ten different players got in the scoring column for the Indians as they put together run after run against the visiting Warriors on the way to a 55-39 Region 7-AA win.
“That was one of the best games we’ve had where the team was unselfish,” Armuchee coach Kerry Wildes said. “I liked how we shared the ball out there tonight. That’s something that we’ve had problems understanding at times this season.”
Armuchee’s Drew Cummings scored 22 points to lead all scorers while hitting six 3-pointers, while Seth Stanley went 4-for-4 at the line on the way to 15 points and Will Leonard dropped 10 for the Indians.
Their performances came on a night where they paused to pay tribute to Rood, a 2015 Armuchee graduate who died in a motorcycle wreck last September.
“Colton Rood was one of my most favorite players I’ve coached in my entire 30-year coaching career,” Wildes said. “He was one of those players who seemed to get what high school sports was all about.
“This was the kind of game where I think Colton would have been happy with his teammates.”
Armuchee (8-12, 4-6 7-AA) wasted no time in getting an advantage on Gordon Central as Cummings hit three treys in the first quarter on the way to a 20-6 Indians lead.
The Warriors (3-15, 1-9) were able to pick up the pace to start the second quarter, going on a 7-2 run to get within nine of the home team, but an 11- 2 run by the Indians paved the way for a 41-23 halftime lead.
Cummings added 10 points during a stretch in the third period where Armuchee outscored the visitors 16-2 to seal the victory.
Corey Dixon was the leading scorer for Gordon Central with 15 points, while teammate Quan Curtis added 10.
Model boys hold off Pepperell in return home
After nearly three weeks away from their home gym, Model basketball fans were delighted to see their team come back to Shannon. They were even more delighted after the game.
The Blue Devils returned home with a physical defense to beat Pepperell 56-33 Friday. It is their second largest win of the season and it snaps a four-game losing streak that occurred exclusively on the road.
“I think we were calm throughout the game, which is great against a full-court pressure team,” Model coach Jacob Travis said. “That allowed us to get the ball inside often, and we were able to get second and third chances. That was the difference in the game.”
Junior forward Jackson Lively killed the Dragons with an inside and outside game, posting 17 points including two 3-pointers in the second quarter. Fellow forward Justin Roberts recorded 11 points as Model (7-10, 4-4 7-AA) was a constant force in the paint.
Darlington knocks off Trion in region matchup
The Darlington Tigers used a second- half surge to pull away from Trion and get a 60- 44 win Thursday on Senior Night at the Huffman Center.
Holding onto a 27- 24 halftime lead, Tigers coach Tim Garrett said they went to a man-to-man game plan and put pressure on the visitors in the Region 6A-A game.
Darlington (12-4, 7-2 6A-A) was led by Elijah McKoy, who scored 27 points, while JT Mumber added 16. The Tigers will be on the road Saturday to play Christian Heritage.
Lady Blue Devils score
big over Pepperell
For three quarters, the Pepperell Lady Dragons kept up with Model in their own gym. But for that one other quarter, the Lady Devils displayed why they have yet to lose a Region 7-AA game this season.
Model did not allow a point for the first six minutes of the second half as its defense led the team to a 51-35 win against Pepperell in Shannon.
Defense is what Model prides its program most on, and it certainly showed on Friday evening.
“We play defense, and that is what we do first,” Model coach Sally Echols said. “And we weren’t getting it done in the first half, so the challenge was for them to step on the floor and have pride in the program. And our girls certainly answered the challenge.”
Junior center Victaria Saxton was contained by Pepperell in the first half, but a 15-point outburst in the last two quarters gave her 21 points for the night. Bailey Upton scored in every quarter and recorded 16 points.
Lady Indians dominate
Gordon Central
Livia Skinner and Morgan Copeland posted double-doubles, and the Armuchee Lady Indians rode a first-quarter wave Friday night to a 55-39 win over Gordon Central.
Skinner finished with 17 points while Copeland added 15 and both had a big presence inside to lead the Lady Indians to a Region 7-AA win in front of their home crowd.
Armuchee (9-9, 8-2 7-AA) opened the game with an 11-3 run as Skinner found her groove early. She posted 11 points in the first quarter.
Copeland came on later before the Lady Indians finished the first quarter with an 8-0 run to lead 2510 heading into the second.
Gordon Central (7-11, 1-9) fell behind 34-16 at the half and, despite an 8-0 run in the third, couldn’t get within range of Armuchee’s double-digit lead.
Olivia Fleming led the Lady Warriors with 11 points, including three 3-pointers.
Lady Tigers put up double
digits over Trion
Three Darlington players scored in double digits as the Lady Tigers rolled to a 57-26 win Thursday over Trion.
Darlington (13-5, 8-0 6A-A) was 15-of-19 from the free throw line and held the visiting Lady Bulldogs to seven points in the second half.
Anna Claire Atha scored 21 points to lead the Lady Tigers on Senior Night, while Caroline Dingler added 14 and Sydney Seymour had 10. Darlington next plays Saturday at Christian Heritage.