By Chris Sokoloski

csokoloski@gtowntimes.com

Andrews High’s boys basketball team led by as many as 21 points Jan. 4, and then fought off a furious Georgetown rally in the fourth quarter to win 54-49.

The Yellow Jackets scored the first seven points of the game, and Jonathan Grant’s shot at the end of the first quarter extended the lead to 13-2.

Georgetown struggled to find the basket in the first half, and didn’t score again until 1 minute into the second quarter. The Bulldogs then scored the next four points to cut the lead to 13-8, but Andrews extended it 24-14 at halftime.

Monte McCrae scored on dunks on back-to-back plays to extend the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 34-17 about 3 minutes into the third quarter and send the Andrews crowd into a frenzy.

Johnel Grant scored the next five points for Andrews before Charlie McGirt scored a basket and a foul shot to cut the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 39-20.

Two foul shots by Jonathan Grant with 2.7 seconds left in the third quarter gave the Yellow Jackets a 19-point lead at the start of the fourth.

Georgetown then went on a 13-2 run to cut Andrews’ lead to 43-33. It was the first time since the opening minutes of the game that the Bulldogs were within 10 points of the Yellow Jackets.

Andrews scored the next five points to lead 48-34 before A.J. Walker’s basket made it 48-36 with 3:25 left.

The teams traded points until Anthony Blair’s basket made it 51-40.

After a Georgetown timeout, Andrews was called for an offensive foul on the inbounds play, giving the ball back to the Bulldogs. Leslie Chen hit a 3-pointer to cut the Andrews lead to 51-43.

The teams traded free throws to 54-45, and Blair and A.J. Walker scored the last two baskets of the game for the 54-49 final.

“Credit [Georgetown] coach [Alvin] Walker, they fought back hard,” Andrews coach Kevin Branham said. “We have a tendency to get a little bit complacent and with our press it’s a little risk/reward, but I thought our press did really well.”

“We could play better but Andrews played very well. They had more energy, more spirit. They outplayed us,” coach Walker said.

Johnel Grant had 12 points to lead Andrews.

Travis Collins had 11 points and eight rebounds; Jowan Grant had 11 points; Jonathan Grant had seven points; D.J. Lawrence had six points; and William Lewis had four steals.

Monte McCrea, who had six points and eight rebounds, made his presence felt on defense.

“He didn’t have a lot of points, but he jumps so high and he contests so many shots, and I think that’s why their post [players] were missing some,” Branham said.

Blair had 13 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs.

McGirt had 11 points and 10 rebounds; A.J. Walker had seven points and seven rebounds; Eddie Anderson had six points, seven rebounds and seven steals; Dae’Quan Gibson had five points and three steals; and Stephon Cuttino had three points and four rebounds.

Andrews won one game and lost two at the Carolina Invitational in Charleston over the holiday break.

“I think our Christmas tournament helped out down in Hilton Head,” Branham said. “They figured some things out and played more like a team.”

In the first game, Andrews trailed White County, Tenn., by 10 points but rallied to win 92-84.

Jowan Grant had 26 points, three rebounds and three steals to lead the Yellow Jackets.

Jonathan Grant had 16 points; Collins had 14 points and seven rebounds; Lawrence had 13 points; McCrea had eight points and 11 rebounds; Johnel Grant had five points and four rebounds; and Jackie Wilson had five points.

In game two, Andrews lost 79-46 to Hilton Head.

“With us it’s either full out going at you and it’s going to be a close game … or we’re going to get beat by 30,” Branham said.

Lawrence had nine points to lead Andrews.

Jonathan Grant had seven points; Collins had six points and three rebounds; Lewis had five points, three rebounds and four steals; Marquish Williams had four points; Johnel Grant had four points and four steals; Jowan Grant had four points and three steals; and McCrea had three points, four rebounds and three steals.

Andrews then took on White Knoll in the consolation game. The Yellow Jackets battled back from a 27-point deficit, but lost 69-68.

McCrea had 20 points to lead Andrews.

Collins had 16 points; Jonathan Grant had seven points; Johnel Grant had seven points; Wilson had six points; Lawrence had five points; and Lewis had four points.

“I’ve got some guys that are more offensive oriented and I’ve got some more defensive guys and it’s taken us a long time to figure out a balance, just because I’m learning these young kids,” Branham said.

The Lady Bulldogs beat the Lady Yellow Jackets 52-32 on Friday night.

The team battled to a 9-8 score at the end of the first quarter, but Georgetown put the game out of reach with 18 points in the second quarter, and outscored Andrews 25-15 in the second half.

Justis Evans had 15 points, 22 rebounds and six steals to lead Georgetown.

Raven Smith had 14 points and four rebounds; Jamia Porcher had 10 points, four rebounds and three steals; Alexis Groves had five points, 12 rebounds and four steals; and Taziya Moody had four points, three rebounds, three steals and four assists.

While school was closed for the holidays, the Andrews girls participated in the Carolina Invitational in Charleston. The Lady Yellow Jackets won one game and lost two.

Shemeika McCray had 12 points and three steals to lead Andrews to a 33-28 win over Cross. The Lady Yellow Jackets held the Lady Trojans to single digits in scoring in all four quarters.

Nyesha Filmore had seven points; Brittany McKnight had five points and five rebounds; Tionna White had four points and five rebounds; Latesja Deas had three points and five rebounds; Zanayvia Deas had eight rebounds and two steals; and LaRonda Carter had three rebounds.

McCray had 19 points, five rebounds and three steals in Andrews’ 59-46 loss to Cane Bay.

The Lady Yellow Jackets only trailed by two at the end of the first quarter, but the Lady Cobras extended their lead to 31-24 at halftime and outscored the Lady Yellow Jackets 28-22 in the second half.

White had nine points; McKnight had seven points and six rebounds; Zanayvia Deas had six points, 13 rebounds and six blocks; and Filmore had four rebounds.

Andrews only had two points in the third quarter in a 43-33 loss to Baptist Hill.

The Lady Yellow Jackets outscored the Lady Bobcats 23-18 in the first half, but were outscored 25-10 in the second half.

McCray had 14 points and eight steals to lead Andrews. Filmore had five points, three blocks and four steals; Latesja Deas had three points and three rebounds; Zanayvia Deas had 14 rebounds; and McKnight had three rebounds.

Carvers Bay

The Bears improved to 8-5 on the season with a 63-59 win over Johnsonville on Friday night. Carvers Bay led 25-22 at halftime, and outscored the Flashes 38-37 in the second half.

“I was very proud of our effort Friday night especially with the fact that due to injury and sickness we had three players unable to play,” said Bears coach Jeff Mezzatesta. “The leadership of my seniors was evident throughout the game and getting a win over the third ranked team in the state is huge no matter how you look at it.”

Shayton Durand had 11 points and five rebounds to lead the Bears.

Walter Linnen had 10 points and three steals; Darius Williams had eight points and seven rebounds; T.J. Myers had eight points and six rebounds; Nigel Gamble had eight points; Rayshad Dorsey had eight points and three rebounds; Shaquan Durand had eight points.

Carvers Bay was without senior Da’Shaun Aiken, who is chasing the school’s scoring record but has been hampered by injuries for most of the season.

“We just felt that sitting him one more non-conference game would give him a little more time to heal and put us in a better position come region,” Mezzatesta said.

The Lady Bears beat the Lady Flashes 69-48.

Johnsonville led 14-9 at the end of the first quarter, but Carvers Bay took a 29-21 lead at halftime, and outscored Johnsonville 40-27 in the second half.

Desaree Green had 16 points, 13 rebounds and four steals to lead Carvers Bay.

Zaria Blain had 13 points; Jasmine Cobb had 12 points; Jasmine Eaddy had 11 points and 11 rebounds; Anatashia Bromell had nine points, 10 rebounds and two steals; and LaQuasha Coles had eight points and three rebounds.

Carvers Bay fell to South Florence in the Bruins annual Christmas Tournament.

South Florence led 11-8 at the end of the first quarter, but the Lady Bears cut the lead to 25-23 at the half.

The Lady Bruins used a 20-point third quarter to extend the lead to 45-34, and then held off Carvers Bay in the fourth for the victory.

Green had 26 points, 14 rebounds and three steals to lead Carvers Bay.

Blain had 14 points; Bromell had four points and three rebounds; Eaddy had five rebounds; and Coles had three steals.

Waccamaw

The Lady Warriors beat Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach 48-35 on Friday.

The teams were tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter, but Waccamaw broke the game open with a 19-point second quarter and held off the Lady Saints in the second half.

Jaynae Rice had 12 points to led Waccamaw.

Mary Tyler had 11 points; and Jess Benton and Taylor Foster had eight points each; and Madison Bass had five.

The boys won 57-56.