“We got to be tougher”: Long County lives in the paint to down Veterans in first boys game of Cliff Hutto Memorial Bear Brawl

WARNER ROBINS —  Nothing came easily for Veterans (5-4) in their 67-46 loss to Long County (6-1) on Day 1 of the Cliff Hutto Memorial Bear Brawl.

The Warhawks were scoreless through the first five minutes of the opening period as the Blue Tide jumped out to a 13-0 lead.

Veterans never led and the suffocating defense from Long County was a big reason why.

“The biggest struggle was we missed shots early,” Veterans head coach Brandon Driggers said. “[We] let them get a lead and we just couldn’t get it back. [They’re] a good basketball team, they’ll make a deep run in [3A]…They were more physical and they outplayed us.”

Though the Warhawks tried to and did get into the paint, the Blue Tide put three, sometimes four defenders there with them to contest shots, pull down rebounds and get out in the fast break.

That’s if they could get past the sticky man-to-man defense that followed ball handlers out to half court at times.

On the other end Long County passed the ball around to find driving lanes. They constantly had a man or two in the high post to act as a screener or a post up target.

In the event they didn’t score they often grabbed their own miss. 6-foot-6 senior center Jeremy Rollins was the most eye-catching interior presence, but even the guards got in to rebound. If they didn’t they made sure it wasn’t an easy trip up the floor for whichever Warhawk had the ball.

Their shooters, particularly senior Zyi’Air Holt, made sure there was always some kind of pressure on the perimeter.

Veterans put on a 7-0 run as the first quarter winded down but their deficit grew with the continued defensive effort from the Blue Tide. A 14-point halftime lead for Long County turned into nearly 20 by the end of the third before the Warhawks made one last push that fell short in the fourth.

“We got to be tougher. We still ain’t tough enough,” Driggers said. “[Long County] took a few charges and then we get scared of playing off of two feet…That’s not how the game goes. Play on two feet, play basketball the right way. But ultimately we got to be tougher.”

UP NEXT

Veterans will look to bounce back on Day 2 of the Bear Brawl as they face Valdosta on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Long County aims for a sweep as they return to the Bear Brawl for Day 2, facing Warner Robins on Saturday at 1 p.m.