PEMBROKE -- Bryan County basketball Coach Brent Anderson was talking before last Friday’s Region 3A Public game with Claxton about how some people were saying his team couldn’t play with a lead.
“I tell them they’re right,” Anderson said. “And that’s because they haven’t experienced playing with a lead.”
The last few years have not been kind to Bryan County basketball. The Redskins have not had a winning season since 2015 and the last two years have seen them win one game combined.
This season has seen the senior-less Redskins (7-3, 3-1) make a quick U-turn as they carried a four-game win streak into Tuesday night’s game at unbeaten Metter (2-0, 1-0).
In five of its seven wins Bryan County has had to come from behind, most notably when it trailed Jenkins County by 15 points before rallying for a 69-67 win behind freshman Elijah Mincey’s 40 points.
Before playing Claxton, the Redskins picked up a 72-53 win at ECI but started that game in a 9-0 hole.
“It takes us a while to get in the flow,” Anderson said. “We’re a young team and we’re just learning what it takes to win. We’re just taking it a game at a time.”
Playing Claxton in a gym that was already packed when the girls game started looked as if the Redskins were going to blow a rare halftime lead when they came somewhat unglued in the third quarter.
Bryan County led 23-19 at the half but watched the Tigers open the second half on a 13-0 spurt to seemingly take charge of the game.
By the time Tanner Ennis scored for the Redskins with a little over two minutes left in the third quarter it was a 32-27 game and Claxton responded with another basket.
“They slowed down the tempo,” Anderson said. “They know we like to play at an up-tempo, get the ball out and run.”
Fueled by two tough buckets inside by Ennis who was giving up inches on the boards the Redskins went into the final eight minutes trailing 37-33 but with momentum on their side.
They quickly grabbed a 40-37 lead as Jordan Flannel hit a pair of free throws, Jamal Campbell drilled a three-pointer and Devontae Bowers put back Mincey’s miss.
After the Tigers tied it at 41-41 the Redskins were able to close out on a 7-3 spurt with Bowers getting the go-ahead basket and Mincey, who had not scored since the first quarter, wrapping a basket and two free throws around a Claxton score.
Campbell, who scored 27 points in the win at ECI, had 12 points to lead four Redskins in double figures. Flannel and Mincey had 11 each while Ennis added 10.
