By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

Region opponent, the Jackson County Panthers, came to Morgan County last Tuesday to challenge the MCHS boys and girls varsity basketball teams. The boys’ put down the Panthers 87-43, but the girls suffered a close 50-52 loss after attempting to make a late comeback.
In the first two quarters of the boys game, the Dogs didn’t look like the same team that had beaten Jackson County 68-18 just three weeks ago. Although Morgan County maintained a lead in the first and second quarters, they only led by 11 points at the half, a spread barely comparable to the 30-point gap from the halftime score of the earlier game.
The Dogs seemed sluggish against the bumbling Jackson County team, playing as if they were already resting on the laurel of victory.
Still coasting along to an assured victory, Morgan County were shocked into action in the third quarter when teammate Trae Guinn found himself on the receiving end of a flagrant foul perpetrated by a Jackson County player.
In the remaining minutes of the third quarter, the Dogs turned that 11-point lead into a 33-point lead, aided by 13 points from the free throw line, and continued pressing their lead on towards the final score of 87-43.
CJ Turman led the team in scoring with 18 points as well as managing nine rebounds – all in the first three quarters of the game.
The girls team didn’t fare as well against the Lady Dogs, who lost 50-52 despite a near-comeback in the final minutes of the game.
The Lady Dogs trailed behind Jackson by a small but steady gap through the first half. Morgan’s offense proved mostly ineffectual against the Panther defense, which prevented the Dogs from both charging the basket and attempting long shots throughout the night.
In the third quarter, the Panthers began to build upon their lead. The point difference still amounted to 11 points early in the fourth quarter, but Morgan County began to make a comeback in the last minutes, prompted by an old-fashioned three point play by Carvetta Williams.
With four seconds left in the game, Morgan County was only trailing 49-52, when Alexis Brown was fouled outside of the line and was granted three foul shots – three shots that could potentially tie the game.
Alas, Brown only made one of the three, bringing the score to 50-52 and giving Jackson County possession of the ball with only four seconds remaining.
The buzzer ended any hope of a complete comeback by Morgan County, as no further points were scored by either team in the final seconds.
The final games of the regular season for MCHS basketball take place this week. Tuesday, the teams were in Oconee to play the Warriors.
Franklin County will set the stage for the final game of the season; Morgan County takes on the Lions this Friday in Franklin County beginning at 7 p.m.

Printed in the February 7, 2013 edition