Basketball Roundup: Houston County teams get some games in before holiday break

Non-region play is starting to wind down as teams finish up their 2024 schedules and prepare for the holiday break.

Here’s a roundup of this week’s basketball:

Houston County

Boys: Houston County (10-4) was as busy as ever as they traveled down to Valdosta for the Battle Off Exit 18 at Lowndes High School, where they went 2-0.

That makes the Bears 4-1 in their last five games. On Friday against Florida State University High School they won a close one 61-60 where Malik Gillespie led with 16 points, two assists and three rebounds. Josh Jackson followed with 12 points, three assists and one rebound and Braylin Mills flirted with a double double with 10 points, nine rebounds and a block.

The next day HoCo came away with another win 72-61 thanks to a late surge against Bishop Snyder, again led by Gillespie with 16 points, three assists and four rebounds. Kam Plummer scored 15 points and added one rebound and two assists. Jackson contributed 13 points and five assists.

Their next game will be a home contest against Perry on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 4:30 p.m. Region play starts for them on the road against Northside on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 4 p.m.

Girls: The Lady Bears (4-8) took a break this week, but will be back with a home game against West Laurens on Friday, Dec. 27 at 1 p.m.

Northside

Boys: The Eagles (4-4) are close to finishing their December schedule, the latest a 63-60 clutch time win over New Faith Christian Academy on Saturday in the Screamin’ Demon Invitational. Before that was a 46-28 loss to Tift County Blue Devils on the road.

Jordan Gaines led the effort against the Titans with 21 points, Chastan Brown added 13 points and Braylon Price finished with nine points.

Northside will be back on the hardwood on Friday, Dec. 27 at Lamar County High School against Mt. Zion in the Oscar Wimbley Classic at 2:30 p.m.

Girls: The Lady Eagles (4-4) lost a road game to Tift County 41-16 on Tuesday, and will be back in action against Tri-Cities in the Oscar Wimbley Classic on Friday, Dec. 27 at 1 p.m.

Perry

Boys: The Panthers (3-9) had their two-game winning streak they started on Tuesday at Dooley County snapped with a loss to Central-Macon and Veterans this week.

Their two wins were a 72-57 final at Dooly County and a 50-46 win at Rutland on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Their 67-32 loss to Central came in the Screamin’ Demon Invitational at Warner Robins High School on Friday, and their 59-45 loss to Veterans came at home on Saturday.

Josh Weatherspoon led the effort against the Chargers with 10 points, Juju Carswell added six points and Jamarien Greene contributed five points.

The Panthers’ next game will be on Saturday, Dec. 28 on the road against Houston County at 4:30 p.m.

Girls: The Lady Panthers (7-1) continued their best start in years with a 60-31 road victory at Dooly County. Their next game will continue a five-game road trip at Houston County on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 3 p.m.

Veterans

Boys: Veterans (7-4) is continuing their turnaround from a 1-3 start on the season, and have now won five straight.

Their two latest are a 63-55 final at home against Bleckley County and a 59-45 road win at Perry. Tristen Abner led the charge against the Royals with 15 points, Aiden Sweenor added 12 points and Jaivyon Dawson scored 11 points.

That wraps up the Warhawks’ non-region schedule; Their next game will be a region contest at home against Coffee on Friday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Girls: The Lady Warhawks (7-3) split their two games this week at home and at a neutral site.

Their home win was a 67-48 final over Bleckley County where Nariah Nelson led in scoring with 21 points, Jessie Ortiz contributed 14 points and Addyson McClendon added 12 points.

Their neutral site game against Lowndes in the Girl Power Classic at Lee County High School was a 62-44 loss. That also wrapped up the Lady ‘Hawks non-region schedule, their next game will be a home region game against Coffee on Friday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m.

Warner Robins

Boys: Long breaks have not been kind to Warner Robins (5-4), who fell in both of their games in the Screamin’ Demon Invitational at Warner Robins High School.

The Demons opened the Screamin’ Demon Invitational with a 66-46 loss to Grovetown, where they had plenty of opportunity to win but couldn’t get over the hump. Trey Bradley had a team-high 20 points, Gabe Jacobs added 15 points and Rykeem Ashley scored five points.

Against St. Anne-Pacelli, the Demons lost 53-40 in a game where they could not generate offense outside of Bradley, who led the team with 19 points. Ashley scored five points and Jaylon Rhymes added four points.

The next game for Warner Robins will be a home region contest against rival Ware County on Friday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Girls: The Demonettes (9-0) just barely preserved their undefeated start with a 64-61 win over Grovetown on Saturday in the Screamin’ Demon Invitational. Trinitee Thomas had some clutch time buckets on her way to 20 points, Korveanna Slaughter contributed 16 points and Laila Howard-Haney added nine points.

Their next game will be at home against rival Ware County in a region contest on Friday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m.

Westfield

Boys: Westfield (5-5) had a busy week with three games where they went 2-1.

Their two wins came at the beginning of the week against Gatewood 64-57 and Robert Toombs Christian Academy 80-61. Their lone loss of the week was against Frederick Academy 73-53.

The Hornets’ next game will be on Friday, Jan. 3 at home against Stratford at 7:30 p.m.

Girls: The Lady Hornets (5-5) also went 2-1 on the week with wins over Gatewood and RTCA, and their loss coming against Frederica Academy.

On Thursday, Westfield beat Gatewood 42-31, on Friday they beat RTCA 45-33 and on Saturday they lost to Frederica Academy 71-48.

Their next game will be against Stratford Academy in the Hornets’ Nest on Friday, Jan. 3 at 2:30 p.m.