Resource KT
Related Articles
VALDOSTA –– The Highland Christian Academy Eagles and Lady Eagles swept Grace Christian in their final games of 2020.
In the boys game, the Eagles won 42-40 in overtime as Trey Bennett came off the bench late in the game to make a winner when time expired, stealing what looked like a win for Grace.
Throughout the fourth, the widest margin was just two points, with both teams taking the lead on the volley.
With 15.4 seconds left in the game, the score was tied at 38-38. Highland stole the ball and made a quick break to the basket for a layup but would miss. Highland got the offensive rebound and shot again but couldn’t find a field goal and forced overtime.
Both teams struggled to get a shot in overtime and the first score didn’t come until about two minutes from time. Grace would score twice and it looked like they were going to win.
Several key McCormick rebounds and a layup would cut the lead to two points.
A Millsaps steal and a quick break seemed to seal the game, but the shot didn’t go in.
McCormick grabbed a key offensive rebound and passed out to Bennett, who faked to create space and drove for the game-winning shot just as time expired.
“I feel good after this one,” said Highland boys coach Randy Arnold. “We actually played four quarters of this game and then extra time. We have not been complacent. …During the break, I feel like we can do a good job as a team. You know, we only return two guys. The rest of these guys are transfers and newcomers. We can really mesh during the break.
Junior point guard Caleb McCormick led the Eagles in scoring, followed by junior Damarri Copeland with 12.
Arnold felt like he and his team had learned some things in the win.
“I feel like we were able to grow tonight,” Arnold said. “We needed that as a team. We lost to Georgia Christian and got into a battle and we won. It was good for us.
The game remained tight for much of the night, with Highland’s biggest second quarter lead of seven points.
McCormick also finished with several rebounds on the night, which led to plenty of points for his team.
Micah Robinson had several key blocks in play to stifle Grace’s attack.
Highland took a one-point halftime lead after Grace raced 10-4 to close the lead at 18-17.
Sam Millsaps played a vital role in the game, adding four points on offense and had several rebounds and steals on the night.
Trading baskets throughout the quarter, Grace beat Highland 12-10 to take a 29-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Lady Eagles 37
Christian Grace 36
The Lady Eagles would also win their game in the final seconds, by a score of 37-36, but they would not go to overtime to do so.
Freshman Chasity Degale stole the show with 16 points on the night.
The fourth quarter turned out to be a heavyweight fight as the two teams traded shots throughout the quarter. Towards the end of the fourth, Highland had a 33-29 lead and they were looking to close the game.
Grace proved they wanted it just as much, and they raced 5-2 to close the gap, with Highland up 35-34 with 34.4 seconds left.
Grace scored another basket and the Lady Eagles appeared to be against the wall as they led 36-35 with less than ten seconds left.
Highlands playmaker Degale showed up again when it mattered most, as she scored the go-ahead basket to put the Lady Eagles ahead 37-36 with four seconds left.
Both teams kept the game close all night, with the widest margin being a seven-way Highlands leave in the third.
“We fould a lot more than we would have liked,” Eagles girls’ coach Tim Kelsie said. “We’re young, so we’ll clean that up over time.”
The Lady Eagles passed Grace all night, but it looked like they couldn’t knock down the baskets in their path.
Grace looked set to take a 13-12 halftime lead, but senior Neveah Wallace drained a three just before time expired, to take a 15-13 halftime lead.
Wallace didn’t make many points, as she finished with five points, but she was very effective at both ends of the court all night.
Highland got its biggest lead of the night in the third, as the Lady Eagles went up 20-13, but Grace didn’t go so easily as they made a 10-7 run and cut the gap at 27-23 to close the third.
Kaley Degale added nine points in the game and Courtney McCormick had four more and several rebounds as well.
Haley King added three more and Marie Philor came off the bench and played a vital defensive role in her day.
“I feel like this win was good for us,” Kelsie said. “We fought hard all night and we deserved that one. I feel like we wanted it the most. We have work to do, but I’m happy with what I saw.
FOLLOWING
Highland hosts Fullington on January 8. The girls game starts at 6 a.m., while the boys start at 7:30 p.m.
