CANEY BAY — Host Brantley County completed back-to-back nights of recording season sweeps knocking off Pierce County on a brutally cold Saturday night.
The MaxPreps 16th-ranked Lady Herons (17-5) posted a third consecutive win January 31 turning back the Lady Bears (5-14) 50-24 inside a warm packed Herons Nest. Brantley County captured the December 19 meeting in Bearville 48-25.
BCHS’s three straight victories have been by an average of 49 points.
The Herons (10-12) notched a second straight weekend victory holding off the Bears (6-13) 51-45 behind a barrage of three-point baskets. BCHS turned back Pierce County 59-46 in the first meeting.
Brantley County will play two of its final three games at home. Region foe Worth County visited Tuesday, February 3 on Senior Night.
The Herons and jayvee Herons board the buses Friday, February 6 for a trip to Adel to face Cook. BCHS finishes the regular season Monday, February 9 against Montgomery County with a 6:30 p.m. tip.
Pierce County hosted Clinch County Tuesday, February 3. PCHS finishes with a weekend road trip starting Friday, February 6 at Appling County with a 6 p.m. start and ending Saturday, February 7 at Tattnall County with the girls’ game tipping at 5 p.m.
No. 16 Lady Herons.........50 Pierce County .................24 Brantley County scored the last 26 points of the first half overcoming a three-point deficit en route to downing the Lady Bears.
PCHS led 9-6 just over midway through the first period when the basket closed. The Lady Herons scored the final seven points of the opening stanza to grab a 13-9 lead. BCHS held the Lady Bears scoreless in the second period using a 19-0 run to build a comfortable 32-9 lead.
PCHS played the Lady Herons close in the second half. Brantley County outscored the Lady Bears by a basket in the third period holding a 10-8 scoring advantage to push the lead to 42-17. The Lady Herons outpointed PCHS 8-7 in the final stanza.
Abbie Lee (trey; team leading five assists, team-high four steals) recorded a double-double scoring a game-high 15 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds. Tamiyah Coley (two treys; two assist, two steals) contributed nine points.
Ella Highsmith (five rebounds, three assists, two steals) and Grace Carver (three rebounds, steal, assist) tallied seven points and six points respectively. Chloe Johns (three steals, rebound) and Edi Lowther (five rebounds) bagged four points apiece. Anniston Bowers (trey; team-high tying four steals, three rebounds, two assists) netted three points with Julie Carter (four rebounds, steal) chipping in two points.
Pierce County’s Claire Murray (two treys) scored 11 of her teamhigh 14 points in the second half. Madi McGatha (trey) followed with eight points. Saharra Minott added two points.
Herons................................51 Pierce County .....................45 The Herons overcame a coldshooting third period to outscore Pierce County by five points over the last eight minutes to escape with the victory.
Brantley County, coming off a season-best 11 treys a night earlier against Berrien, buried 10 against the Bears including six in the first period. Jayden Byron (five treys, game-high 19 points - 17 in the first half) drained four of the six helping the Herons claim a 20-12 first quarter advantage.
PCHS chipped away at the deficit cutting five points off the margin outscoring Brantley County 17-12 to get to within 32-29 at intermission.
Both teams suffered through shooting woes and turnovers during the third quarter ending with the Bears holding a 5-3 scoring advantage to close the deficit to 35-34. BCHS regrouped during the final period outscoring the Bears 16-11 for the final six-point margin.
Tristan Dyess (three treys) was the only other Heron to reach double figures finishing with 11 points. Jayden Simmons bagged seven points.
Hayze Evans (trey) and Holton DePratter each netted five points. Cole Courson and Zary Harris added two points apiece.
Nigel Brown led PCHS with 18 points. Chezz Armstrong (two treys) dropped 10 points.
Jamil Strickland, Deontre Clark and D.J. Moody bagged four points apiece. Jikeyse McGauley and Shavez Warren contributed three points and two points respectively.
