By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

The MCHS basketball teams went nine-for-nine this week against region opponents Oconee County and Hart County and non-region opponents Putnam County.

The JV boys appeared to be a little rusty during the first couple quarters of their game Oconee County early last week – it was their first game since Jan. 4. – but they quickly got back on the ball, hanging in with the Warriors and pushing farther ahead as the game progressed, finishing with a 59-51 victory.

Hart County provided little challenge for the JV team, who won 53-30. Hart, who only scored 10 points in the first quarter, never led over Morgan County.

Deshaven Reynolds was the lead scorer for the JV team in both games, making 15 points against Oconee and 12 in the face of Hart County.

The JV team rounded out their week with a victory against Putnam County at home, constituting the second victory over Putnam for JV this season.

The girls’ varsity team’s perfect record for the week was extremely hard fought; all games were decided by two points or fewer.
Despite an early lead in their game against Oconee County, the girls fell behind before the half, and, trailing by five points by the beginning of the fourth, Coach Charlemagne Gibbons had to deliver a plea for aggressiveness, which has all but become commonplace late in girls games.

Alexis Brown was able to tie the game in the final seconds of the fourth quarter from the free throw line for Morgan County to send the game into overtime, and Sydney Nash’s single free throw point in overtime was enough to give Morgan County the win 52-51.
The girls were trailing by three points against Hart County as well in the fourth quarter, when Brown was at the receiving end of a foul caused by a Hart County player’s elbow.

Coach Gibbons, adamant that the referee should have called a technical foul, gave the ref a piece of his mind. The combined effects of injury and Gibbons’ argument gave the girls enough of a charge to pull out the win against Hart County 39-37.
The girls led most of the game before their 49-47 victory over Putnam County, but the close score kept the level of excitement up through the very end.

The boys varsity had fewer challenging opponents this week; no team was able to compile a final score within 15 points of Morgan County’s corresponding total.

Although Oconee County provided a distinct defensive challenge for Morgan County, the Dogs were able to wear them down over the course of the game, culminating in a 55-41 victory.

The members of the Dawg Pound, whose calls filled the air during the Oconee game, were particularly ruthless, chanting out “air ball” when Oconee players missed their shots entirely.

Against Hart County, Tookie Brown’s 27-point total, which included 15 points solely from three-point field goals, helped Morgan County on to their 85-60 lead.

Joshua Salette drew a foul during the second quarter by inadvertently elbowing a nearby Hart County player in the face as a part of the natural motion of raising his arms to catch a pass.

As the official called the foul, a Morgan County supporter cried from the stands, “He can’t help that he’s short!” referring to the Hart County player who received the foul. “He’s just in elbow reach!”

The boys varsity’s biggest win of the week came last Saturday with a massive 86-32 win against Putnam County. The disheartened Putnam team’s offense dwindled over the course of the night to the point that they only scored two points in the fourth quarter of the game.

MCHS basketball has another busy upcoming week. After facing region opponent North Oconee away on Tuesday, the teams will be home Friday and Saturday to face East Jackson and Elbert County, respectively. The games at home this week will begin on each day at 5:30.

The final home games of this season will take place next Tuesday against Jackson County. It will also be Senior Night, so come out to wish the graduating players well and see the team at home for the last time this year.