DASHER —
Georgia Christian’s varsity basketball teams celebrated Homecoming with a pair of wins over Valwood on Saturday at Elrod Gymnasium.
Georgia Christian’s boys routed the Valiants 57-20, while the Lady Generals won their game 49-25.
“I thought we played very well tonight,” Georgia Christian head coach Kent Copeland said.
The Generals are now 4-0, while the Lady Generals are 3-1.
Georgia Christian’s boys held a narrow 7-6 lead after one quarter. But the Generals dominated the final three quarters, outscoring the Valiants 50-14.
Georgia Christian built a 20-9 halftime lead, then outscored Valwood 20-5 in the third quarter. At the end of the third period, the Generals held a commanding 26-point lead, 40-14. The Generals outscored Valwood 17-6 in the fourth quarter to close out their 37-point win.
“Our focus coming out of halftime was to put pressure on them in the press, and then to box out and keep the big guys off the boards. And I thought we did a pretty good job of that,” Copeland said. “We held them to nine points one half and 11 points in the second half.”
Jeremiah Beverly had a big game for Georgia Christian, scoring 19 points and making three three-pointers in the win. Josiah Vaughn added nine points, and according to Copeland, “We fed off his defense.”
Senior center C.J. Lynch, who was crowned Georgia Christian’s Homecoming King before the game, scored eight points and pulled down 15 rebounds for the Generals.
Several of Valwood’s players also played for the Valiants’ state championship football team, and had been practicing with the basketball team for less than a week. Copeland expects Valwood to be a lot better when the two teams play again on Thursday.
“Valwood boys are athletic and big, and fresh out of football. So we know we’ll see a different team next week,” Georgia Christian’s coach said.
Zack Savino was Valwood’s leading scorer, with eight points.
Georgia Christian’s girls started slowly, and trailed 7-4 after the first quarter. The Lady Generals grabbed the lead in the second quarter, and headed to the locker room with a 15-11 halftime lead.
Then, like the GCS boys team, the Lady Generals took command of the game in the third quarter. They outscored the Lady Valiants 16-1, and turned a four-point halftime lead into a 19-point lead (31-12) at the end of the period.
“That has been one of our main focuses (with both teams), to come out of the locker room and get moving and break a sweat and get going. And I thought we did a pretty good job of that coming out tonight in the third quarter,” Copeland said. “That’s been one of our focuses, to come up with a better way in the third quarter to get things going. With the boys, (it was) the press. With the girls, it was full court man-to-man. (Those defenses) got us going.”
Georgia Christian’s Lindsey Levings led all scorers with 15 points, and also blocked three shots. Morgan Sykes scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds. Devon Bordelon also scored 10 points. Haley Garrett grabbed 12 rebounds for the Lady Generals.
Hailee Hathcock led the Lady Valiants with nine points.
Georgia Christian will travel to Douglas to play Citizens Christian Academy on Tuesday. Valwood will travel to Thomasville to play Brookwood on Monday.
Georgia Christian and Valwood will meet again on Thursday at Valwood’s gym.
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Caitlin Brown was crowned Georgia Christian’s Homecoming Queen on Saturday, while C.J. Lynch was crowned the Homecoming King. Brown and Lynch also helped Georgia Christian’s basketball teams defeat Valwood in their Homecoming games. Christian Malone | The Valdosta Daily Times
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Georgia Christian sweeps Valwood in its Homecoming games
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