RIVAL ROUSING
Jackets need overtime to top Bulldogs while RHS girls complete sweep
It took Rockmart and Cedartown deep into the season before renewing their cross-county rivalry on the basketball court, but it was nonetheless exciting when the two programs finally met.
The Lady Jackets re-energized themselves with a 15-0 run in the second half to win 55-36 in the first varsity game Saturday evening at Rockmart High School, while the host Jackets were able to force the Bulldogs into overtime and come out ahead 67-60.
Cedartown’s boys led Rockmart for over 30 minutes, grabbing an 8-2 run at the start of the nightcap and holding as much as a nine point lead as late as two minutes into the fourth period.
An 8-0 run by the Jackets however got them within one of the visitors and a pair of free throws from Tristan Anderson with 1:51 left tied the game up at 55 apiece. Xavier Holiday put the Bulldogs back on top with a long jump shot for two a few seconds later and Anderson pushed his way to the basket for a layup with five seconds to go in regulation.
Rockmart controlled overtime, going on a 10-2 run to put the game out of reach in the final minute of the fourminute period. The Jackets went 5-of-8 at the line while Cedartown was 1-of-7 in the extra frame.
Rockmart’s boys (9-8) had five players reach double digits scoring. Dennis Sims led the team with 15 points, while Cam Ferguson and Anderson each had 14. Tyler Crumley finished with 11 points, and Jake Bailey had 10. Both players finished with three 3-pointers each. Lanear McCrary had three points, all from free throws in overtime.
Cedartown’s boys (0-13) came within two minutes of getting its first win of the season. Xavier Holiday scored a gamehigh 18 points, while teammate Elijah Diamond had 12, including two 3’s. DJ Whatley had nine, followed by Quinlan Cothron with eight, Grant Dempsey with seven, and Demarcus Gardner with six.
In the earlier game, the Rockmart girls survived a second-quarter comeback by Cedartown to pick up the rival win and keep the Lady Bulldogs winless on the season as well.
The Lady Jackets (4-13) led 13-4 midway through the second period when Cedartown caught some momentum and went on a 10-2 run to end the half. The stretch was capped by a buzzer-beating three by Maryn Barrow that gave her squad a 16-15 lead heading into the locker room.
Rockmart would waste little time recovering at the start of the second half as a layup from Emma Hindmon combined with 3-pointers from Sky Myers and Zori Williams to ignite an 11-2 run to put the Lady Jackets back out front for good.
Myers led all players with 22 points and four 3’s, while teammate Jacambrea Alexander finished with 13 points. Hindmon ended the night with 12 and Williams had a pair of treys for six points.
The Lady Bulldogs (0-14) were led by
Barrow’s 16 points and Iris Ortiz’s eight points. Both girls had a pair of 3’s each.
All four teams return to region play this week with Rockmart traveling to Gordon Central in Region 7-AA on Tuesday and Cedartown at fellow Region 7-4A opponent Central-Carroll. Cedartown’s teams will host Southeast Whitfield on Friday while Rockmart will host Cartersville in non-region contests Saturday.
Rockmart will travel to Cedartown High School for the second part of the home-and-home rivalry series on Feb. 4.