‘Canes Fall To State’s Top Seed
The varsity basketball ‘Canes traveled to Irwinton Tuesday to take on the Wilkinson County Warriors, ranked number one in the state by the Georgia Coach’s Association and number two by the AJC. It turned out that the Warriors probably deserve that ranking after they defeated the ‘Canes 106-47.
The scoring for the ‘Canes was led by Nick Standifer with 25, followed by Coddy Carter with nine, B. J. Ross with seven, Octavious Epps with four, and Chill Gude and Lance Dennis with one each.
On the Friday night before, in their first region game of the season, the ‘Canes were defeated at home 67-57 by Hancock Central, also state ranked at number six by both polls. However, the game was much closer than the score indicated with the ‘Canes actually leading at half time.
Coach Spruell said, “The final score was a little misleading because we fouled a lot at the end. We actually led 28-27 at half time and it was close all the way through the game. We played very well against them, but just didn’t make a lot of shots in the second half. That’s what it came down to, we played good defense, played hard, and we took good shots but just didn’t make them.
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“We certainly had our opportunity to win. It was right there for us. They are a good basketball team and very well coached. They have size, they have good guards and I would say they are well deserved to be ranked in the state top ten”
Scoring in the game was led by Keldrick Davis with 16 points, followed by N. Standifer with 15, Carter with 14, James Lawrence with six, Dennis and Ross with two each, and Epps and Alton Standifer with one each.
Tomorrow night the ‘Canes are scheduled to play the Twiggs County Cobras in Jeffersonville, and next Tuesday the Georgia Military Bulldogs at home. The Twiggs game is scheduled for tip off at approximately 8:30 p.m., and GMA at approximately 7:30 p.m.
These two games are perhaps the most important of the season so far for the ‘Canes, because Twiggs and GMA are the two other teams in Region 7A-A, and the ‘Canes have to get by these two teams in order to finish in third place behind Wilkinson and Hancock Central to make the play offs.
A third place finish in 7A-A would earn the team a play off slot versus the winner of 7B-A, the other half of Region Seven, which includes Aquinas, Warren County, Glascock County, Lincoln County and Taliaferro County.
The five teams in 7B-A appear to be the weaker half of Region Seven with only five wins and 27 losses among them, and on paper, the ‘Canes have an opportunity to make the playoffs and go from there—if they can get by the Cobras and the Bulldogs.