Annual tournament showcases high scorers, memorable wins
There was no shortage of highlights and nail-biting action in the 66th annual Seven Hills Rotary/ Rome News-Tribune Christmas Tournament that took place last week at Georgia Highlands College and Berry College.
On the boys’ side, Coosa coach John McFather earned his first Gold Ball trophy as the Eagles defeated Model 50-48 in the championship game. The win was the eighth championship for the Eagles, making them one of the most successful teams in the tournament’s long history.
Tournament MVP Jaquze Morgan scored 11 points in the title game, and totaled 67 points during his three games, including a 33-point performance against Pepperell in a triple-overtime game in the semifinals.
Rounding out championship action that featured only teams from inside Floyd County, Darlington came out on top in the girls’ championship in Hazel Hall’s second year as coach. The Lady Tigers topped Rome 53-37 in the title game, handing the Lady Wolves their first loss of the season.
Darlington’s Caroline Dingler was named Tournament MVP for the girls as she racked up a gamehigh 26 points in the win, giving her a point total of 55 over her three games.
Other high scorers for the tournament were Pepperell’s Payton Rhoades and Model’s Montana Moats.
Rhoades had a huge game for the Dragons in the semifinals scoring 28 points and grabbing 26 boards against Coosa. Rhoades finished with 68 points during the tournament.
Moats had her best game against Cartersville in the third-place game scoring 25 points against the Lady Hurricanes. She finished with 53 points in tournament play.
Over two days of the tournament, fans got to see some free basketball as three games were decided in overtime.
On the opening day, Cartersville’s girls outlasted Armuchee 52-47 to move on to the semifinals, where the Lady Hurricanes were defeated by Rome High. Also in first-round action, Woodland’s boys’ topped Darlington 54-52 when Woodland’s Jamison Lawrence sank two free throws with 0.6 seconds left on the clock.
Last Wednesday, the overtime periods just kept coming as Coosa’s
boys took Pepperell to three OT periods before coming away with a 73-70 win in the semifinals.
Pepperell’s Hunter Henderson sank a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in regulation to send the game to the first overtime period, but Coosa was able to stay in front for the win.
The tournament was a homecoming for coaches Emily Claytor and Jacob Selman. Claytor played in the tournament in her high school days for Pepperell from 2001-2005, but this year led the Lady Dragons as their coach.
Selman, who played for Model, is in his first year as coach of the Woodland boys’ team and went up against his old team in the semifinals. The Wildcats were routed by the Blue Devils, 48-22, and eventually fell to Pepperell in the thirdplace game.
The 2019 Christmas Tournament girls’ all-tournament team is Tournament MVP Caroline Dingler, Darlington; Olivia Adams, Darlington; Emmaline Ratledge, Darlington; Amberly Brown, Rome; Justyce Moore, Rome; Lehla Thomas, Cartersville; Montana Moats, Model; Jordan Thompson, Woodland; Olivia Moses, Armuchee; and Kinsey Wright, Pepperell.
The 2019 Christmas Tournament boys’ all-tournament team is Tournament MVP Jaquze Morgan, Coosa; Keshaun Kindred, Coosa; Zeph Philyaw, Coosa; Jared Bomer, Model; Jabari Burge, Model; Payton Rhoades, Pepperell; DiAnthony Heathcock, Woodland; Justyn Smith, Rome; Kam Callahan, Cartersville; Patrick Shelley, Darlington.