Defending champs edge Ramblers in second round
For three consecutive seasons, the LaFayette Ramblers have turned in a win-loss record that has set a new program standard.
And for three consecutive seasons, they’ve had their campaigns end on their own home court at the hands of the Cross Creek Razorbacks.
The third time proved not to be the charm for the Ramblers on Saturday night as the Razorbacks, who defeated LaFayette in the Elite Eight the past two seasons, held on for a 50-47 victory in the second round of the Class AAA state playoffs.
It turned out to be the only loss of the season in a fabulous 25-1 year for the Orangeand-Black.
“That’s the most athletic and the biggest team we’ve played all year,” said head coach Hank Peppers. “But that’s the way it is in the state tournament. The deeper you go in, the bigger and more athletic (the opponents). They are also a very dangerous 3-point shooting team and I thought we guarded them very well.”
The 50 points put up by the Razorbacks was the second fewest they have scored in a game all season along.
LaFayette got a step-back 3-pointer from Aidan Hadaway at the first-quarter horn to grab a 17-13 lead, but a 9-0 run by the defending state champions from Augusta put them ahead 26-20 before the Ramblers were able to chop it back to 30-27 at the half.
Both teams tightened up even more on defense in the third and Cross Creek would take a 41-35 advantage into the fourth. The Razorbacks, who battled some foul trouble most of the night, suffered what appeared to be a devastating blow at the time as 6-foot-7 center Antoine Lorick, one of their primary inside scorers, picked up his final two fouls within 32 seconds of each other and was out of the game for good with 6:10 remaining and LaFayette down by just four points.
But 6-foot-7 Terrenice Streetman slid into the middle to take up the slack and help Cross Creek push the lead back out to eight with 4:30 remaining.
Still, LaFayette continued to chip away in the final four minutes. Hadaway came through with a 3-point play at the 4:05 mark and Jaylon
Ramsey followed up a Razorback miss by driving the length of the floor for a lay-up with 2:40 to go to get it down to a 47-44 deficit.
Ahmad McClain put in a second-chance basket with 1:20 left to get it back a six-point cushion, only to see Junior Barber answer with a 3-pointer that pulled the Ramblers to within three with 1:01 to go as a very pro-LaFayette crowd at Dan Priest Arena roared its approval.
LaFayette was eventually forced to foul to put the Razorbacks in the bonus, but the Ramblers caught a break when McClain missed the front end of a one-and-one with 20.5 seconds left. Unfortunately, the Ramblers could not connect on a game-tying 3-pointer at the other end.
The home team drew a non-shooting foul on the rebound, but missed the front end with 4.7 seconds to go and had to foul again with 1.5 seconds left. Cross Creek missed the ensuing free toss and one final, full-court, desperation heave by the Ramblers was well off the mark as time expired.
Lorick had 12 points to lead Cross Creek (236), while Streetman finished with 10 points.
Hadaway collected a game-high 24 points and Barber picked up 13. Barber’s late 3-pointer also put him over the 1,000-point mark for his career. Ramsey battled his way to five points,
RAMBLERS,
while Barrett and Jaden Morris each scored two.
While Cross Creek will advance to play at Groves in the Elite Eight, the loss signaled the end of a spectacular four years for LaFayette’s senior
class, who went a combined 96-9 with three region championships, two Elite Eight finishes and one Sweet 16 trip in four state playoff appearances.”
“They mean everything,” Peppers said about the seniors. “They are LaFayette basketball, them and the ones that came before them. It’s just been such a blessing
to coach them and watch them grow. (Their run) will likely go down in history as the greatest run we’ve ever had here.”
LAFAYETTE BOYS 65, OCONEE COUNTY 59
The Ramblers found their backs against the wall in the first round this past Wednesday night as they trailed 29-19
at halftime and 44-38 going into the fourth.
LaFayette eventually caught the Warriors and the two teams traded the lead several times in the final period before two free throws by Hadaway with 1:39 to play gave them the lead for good.
After Oconee County was called for an offensive foul on its next possession, Hadaway
made it a three-point lead with a great individual move in the lane and Barber added two free throws with 40.2 seconds left after the Warriors misfired on a 3-pointer.
Hadaway delivered a big block on the defensive end with less than 20 seconds left, but the Warriors recovered to hit a three with 12.6 seconds to go. However, Barber
made two more free throws just two seconds later and, after the Warriors missed another 3-point try, Hadaway iced the game with two final free throws.
He had 23 points, while Barber finished with 17, despite missing all but the first two minutes of the first half after picking up two quick fouls.