BEARVILLE — Pierce County suffered a pair of double- digit home losses heading into the Christmas break.
The Bears (3-6) dropped their second straight tilt Tuesday, December 16 losing the season series to visiting Jeff Davis (6-3), winners of six straight, with a 7156 setback. The Yellow Jackets won the December 4 meeting at home 62-39 to kickstart their winning streak.
Jeff Davis scored at least 71 points for the third straight game and fourth in five games.
“We are not playing to our abilities and it shows the last three games starting in Montgomery County,” said head coach Shannon Batten.
Visiting Brantley County (3-5) won for the second time in three games taking down PCHS 59-46 Friday night, December 19, handing the Bears a three-game losing streak entering the Christmas break.
Pierce County is off until Friday, January 2 when the Bears open Region 3-AA play hosting Crisp County. PCHS visits Wayne County Saturday, January 3.
Jeff Davis ......................................................71 Bears............................................................56
The Yellow Jackets outscored PCHS in all but one quarter to get the road victory.
Each team had a trio of double figure scorers. Jamil Strickland (two threes) scored 13 of his team-high 14 points in the final period for the Bears. Jikeyse McGauley netted 14 points with Chezz Armstrong following with 11 points.
Jeff Davis was paced by the 16 points of A.J. Sampson with J.J. Benjamin and J.T. Bryant contributing 15 points and 14 points respectively.
The Yellow Jackets outscored PCHS 19-16 in a fast-paced opening eight minutes. They widened the margin to double digits by intermission outpointing the Bears 19-10 in the second stanza for a 38-26 lead.
Jeff Davis continued to increase the margin during the third period using a 1710 scoring advantage to open up a 55-36 lead. Fueled by Strickland’s outburst, the Bears outscored the visitors 20-16 in the final period.
“Our shooting woes continued,” said Batten. “We played better at the start, but we just didn’t compete the entirety of the game. Our play at times was very inconsistent. We loafed down the court after missed or made shots and their (Yellow Jackets) transition speed made easy baskets before we knew the ball was in the basket.
“Jeff Davis beat us in transition all night. They (Yellow Jackets) played inspired and aggressive. They out rebounded us and out hustled us. We have to play fearless, compete for the entirety of the game and play team ball.”
PCHS received five points from Shavezz Warren and four points each from Nigel Brown and Chance Williams. Nasir Sealy and Amir McKenzie finished with three points and two points respectively.
Herons 59 Bears 46
Visiting Brantley County scored the first nine points of the game and was never headed in beating the Bears.
The Herons scored 15 of the first 17 points in claiming a 15-6 lead at the end of the opening period. Brantley County connected on five shots from behind the arc with four coming in the last two minutes of half fueling a 21-13 scoring advantage and a 36-19 halftime lead.
PCHS chipped one point off the deficit in the third quarter outscoring the Herons 14-13 to trail 49-33 with eight minutes to play. The Bears cut three points off the margin in the final stanza outscoring BCHS 13-10 for the final margin.
Strickland was the lone scorer in double figures for PCHS finishing with 12 points. Brown and Armstrong (trey) were next with nine points apiece.
McGauley (trey) and Williams followed with seven points and six points respectively. D.J. Moody added three points.
Brantley County was paced by the game-high 19 points of Cole Courson. Jayden Simmons (trey) and Tristan Dyess (two threes) netted 13 points and 12 points respectively.
Kent Thomas (trey) followed with five points. Jayden Bryon and Hayze Evans each connected from long distance scoring three points apiece. Nathan Howell and Holten DePratter each bucketed two points.
