GIRLS
PEMBROKE -- Bryan County girls’ basketball coach Mario Mincey isn’t into speculating, looking ahead or talking about the what ifs.
The veteran coach, who has built the Redskins into being one of the top programs in the state annually in Class A Public—Bryan County is currently ranked No. 2 to Montgomery County (13-2) by sandysspiel.com--lives in the moment, i.e., the only thing he is looking at is the next game. Nothing beyond that.
That next game is a key Region 3A game Tuesday night at No. 10 Claxton. The winner is likely to finish second to No. 5 Screven County in the regular season standings.
“Our philosophy hasn’t changed,” Mincey said. “We play ‘em one game at a time. The only one that matters is the next one.”
The Redskins (17-3, 8-2) are currently the hottest team in the region after beating ECI, 55-20, for their 11th straight win last Thursday night to set up the rematch with Claxton (9-4, 7-1). The Tigers, who were No. 4 in the state in pre-season rankings, won the first meeting, 41-35.
Bryan County’s other region loss was 42-34 at Screven County (12-3, 8-1) for which it later made amends by beating the Gamecocks, 34-23.
Barring any major upsets Screven should win out to finish first and carry a No. 1 seed into the region tournament despite Mincey’s protestations, the only thing that stands between the Redskins and winning out is Claxton. Bryan County finishes against Metter, Portal and McIntosh Academy who are currently a combined 8-30.
“We’re just playing, playing hard,” Mincey said after the romp over the Bulldogs. “I like the fact they’re all playing together and having those freshmen (nine) get the chance to play. That’s huge.
“I like the leadership, too, we’re getting from our two senior guards (Niyah Shuman, Anderia Jackson) and I like how the team is balanced.”
Bryan County was never in any trouble against the Bulldogs who struggled to get the ball up floor and then find a way to get an open shot against the relentless Redskins defense.
It was 27-12 at the half and ECI got a quick basket to start the third quarter. From that point on it was all Redskins.
Kenzie Stucker hit three straight baskets, the first was a three-pointer, to jump start an 11-0 run that also saw freshmen Ashanti Brown and Soniya Whitaker score before Shuman drilled a trey.
Stucker scored 15 points to lead the attack and Shuman hit four three-pointers—the Redskins had seven for the game—for 12 points and Brown continued her improved play with 11 points as she controlled the boards and closed down the inside defensively. Jackson scored seven.
Bryan County is now averaging 43.8 points per game while giving up only 28 which leads the region. Screven is scoring 50.5 points per game while allowing 32.8. Claxton is outscoring its opponents 47-41.
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BOYS
Bryan County started hot and finished hot Thursday night to roll to a 63-44 Region 3A Public win over ECI.
The Redskins (14-5, 8-2) hit their first four shots of the game and never trailed in knocking off the Bulldogs (4-13, 3-7) for the second time this season in keeping pace with Portal in the race for the regular season region championship.
Freshman Elijah Mincey scored 23 points and junior point guard Jamal Campbell continued his strong play as he added 21 including seven in the fourth quarter. Mincey also had a big finishing quarter as he scored six as the Redskins thwarted any Bulldogs comeback hopes.
“They were a matchup problem for us,” Coach Brent Anderson said, “because of their size. They beat Metter who beat Portal.”
Anderson’s comments regarding Portal and Metter outcomes says everything anyone needs to know how the Redskins’ surprising season is progressing.
Scoreboard watching is now a must do at Bryan County as the Redskins, thanks to a Metter overtime win over Portal (9-5, 6-2), drew even with the Panthers in the loss column. Metter (6-6, 4-3) is in the thick of the race, too.
Bryan County plays at Claxton (2-11, 1-7) on Tuesday before hosting Metter Friday night in what—if they can avoid a hiccup against the last-place Tigers—would be their biggest game of the season before playing at Portal the following Tuesday.
While the region tournament is all-important in determining what teams advance to state tournament play and seedings, a first or second-place regular season finish also guarantees those teams a state tourney berth with automatic seeds into the region semifinals.
That’s heady air for the Redskins who are assured of their first winning season in seven years and are doing it without a senior on the team.
Bryan County hit five of its first six shots in jumping out to a quick 10-0 lead and although the Bulldogs settled in and managed to hang around and grabbed their only lead of the night at 21-20.
That lead lasted all of 24 seconds as Campbell scored on a follow up of Devontae Bowers’ miss and Mincey then got a layup off the fast break.
From that point on it was all Bryan County as it closed the half on a 15-3 run to take control. ECI got within seven, 44-37, by scoring the final seven points of the third quarter but the Redskins quickly ended those comeback hopes by scoring the first seven points of the fourth quarter to break it wide open.
“We got back out there and pushed it,” Campbell said. “We went full throttle and didn’t let up.
“This season is going better that I imagined,” Campbell said. “We’ve got good coaching, everyone is working together and pushing one another. Everybody’s got a job and doing it.”
Bowers added eight points, Tanner Ennis had seven and Jordan Flannel five. The Redskins capitalized at the free throw line as they made 19 of 25 attempts against the Bulldogs who were forced to foul.