Herons finish off season sweep of Red Raiders
CANEY BAY — Brantley County and visiting Bacon County completed a Region 1-A season split here Tuesday night.
In a battle of Top 10 Atlanta Journal-Constitution and MaxPreps public programs January 20, the unbeaten Lady Red Raiders (19-0 overall, 7-0 region), ranked sixth by the AJC and seventh by MaxPreps, knocked off the Lady Herons (14-4, 5-3), ninth in both polls, 53-39 for the season sweep.
Bacon County posted a 6053 home victory in the January 3 matchup.
The Herons (8-10, 4-4) won for the third time in four games posting a 61-53 decision in the nightcap over the Red Raiders (9-11, 2-5) to finish off the season sweep.
Brantley County escaped with a 47-40 victory in Alma.
N0. 6 Bacon Co.............53 No. 9 Lady Herons .......39 Marnay’jah Reynolds exploded for a game-high 32 points leading the Lady Red Raiders past BCHS.
Reynolds, who scored all 12 of Bacon County’s first quarter points and made four threes (12-of-16 free throws) for the game, bagged 18 points over the final two periods reaching the 30-point mark for the third time this season and sixth for her three-year career.
The Lady Red Raiders, behind Reynolds’ first quarter exploits, claimed a 12-7 lead. Bacon County outscored the Lady Herons 8-6 in the second stanza in takig a 20-13 halftime advantage.
The visitors padded the margin by four points outscoring Brantley County 18-14 in the third period for a 38-27 bulge. Bacon County widened the margin over the final eight minutes outpointing the Lady Herons 15-12.
The Lady Red Raiders connected on seven treys and went 20-of-30 (67 percent) from the foul line. Brantley County made four threes and was 11of-17 at the charity stripe.
Tamiyah Coley (two steals, assist) led eight Lady Herons in the scoring column with 10 points. Julie Carter (four rebounds, assist) netted eight points. Abbie Lee (team-high nine rebounds, team-leading three steals, assist) followed with six points.
Chloe Johns (six rebounds, assist) and Ella Highsmith (six rebounds, team-high two assists) chipped in five points apiece. Anniston Bowers (six rebounds, assist) and Edie Lowther (six rebounds) each contributed two points. Kirsten Smith (two rebounds) canned a free throw.
Bacon County’s Makayla Thomas followed Reynolds’ lead with 10 points. Macie Holton finished with six points. Terie Smith bagged three points with Aaliyah Starling and Nate’vya Chancy connecting on a free throw apiece.
Herons .........................................................61 Bacon County ...............................................53 Brantley County had a trio of double-figure scorers helping the Herons outscore Bacon County.
The Herons jumped out to a 13-8 lead by the end of the opening period. Bacon County cut the deficit by intermission outscoring the home team 12-9 to climb to within 22-20.
Brantley County used the long-range shooting of Hayze Evans’ (four treys; team-high 14 points) three treys to outscore the Red Raiders 20-13 in the third period to open up a 42-33 working margin. Bacon County clipped the Herons 20-19 in the final stanza.
Cole Courson (team-high eight rebounds) and Tristan Dyess (two treys; five rebounds, three assists, steal) bagged 11 points and 10 points respectively to follow Evans’ lead.
Jayden Simmons (team-high four assists, four rebounds, team-leading two steals) finished with nine points. Jayden Byron (rebound, steal, assist) chipped in seven points.
Nathan Howell (two rebounds) and Holton DePratter (four rebounds, assist) netted four points. Tallon Collins (two rebounds) added two points.
Bacon County’s Jamon Ellis (three treys) scored a game-high 20 points. Santiago Bizzell contributed 12 points. A’mare Ryals and K.J. Barnes (two treys) netted nine points apiece. Brayden O’Neal bucketed three points.
