When Memorial Day School lost one of its key all-around players, Raliyah “RiRi” Rivers, to a left leg injury in the first quarter on Friday night, the Matadors girls basketball team went to Plan B.
That was Lillie Brown, who came in for Rivers and poured in a game-high 15 points as host Memorial Day never trailed in beating Citizens Christian Academy 49-36 on Mark Sussman Court at the Matadome.
Freshman Johnkeria Miles and junior Nyla Edwards, the Matadors’ leading scorers this season at 14-plus points per game, added 13 and 10 points, respectively, as Memorial Day improved to 15-4, 3-1 in GIAA Region 6-A.
In the boys game at the Matadome later Friday, Memorial Day snapped a five-game losing skid by edging Citizens Christian 41-40. The Matadors improved to 5-16 while earning their first GIAA Region 6-A victory in six outings. The Patriots of Douglas fell to 17-8, 1-5 in the regular-season finale for both schools.
Brown, a sophomore who was averaging 5.8 points, had been preparing this week for more playing time “for times like this,” Memorial Day girls basketball coach Emon Grayson said. The coach said Brown had a breakout game.
"It really was,” Grayson said. “She brings the energy to the team. The whole season we were struggling in that point guard position. We were trying to get her to step up, and tonight she did.”
Rivers, one of the team’s most productive players on offense and defense, went hard to the floor on a drive to the basket with 6:49 left in the first quarter and hurt her left knee, Grayson said. Brown replaced her to shoot two free throws (making one) and went on to lead all players with nine points as the Matadors led the Patriots 21-18 at halftime.
Citizens Christian (12-11, 2-2 region) had stayed within two or three possessions in the first half with the help of three 3-pointers. The Douglas school’s best offensive options ran through junior forward Arabelle Roberts (team-high 11 points for the game) for inside scoring, and eighth-grade guard Bleu Carter (10) from the outside.
“No. 12 (Carter) can sit down in that corner and knock down some big-time threes,” Grayson said. “Our goal was to stop the 3. I told them, although we may not be able to stop them all, if we contest them, we’ll stay in the game.”
The Matadors did more than that, surging to a 19-point lead on a 20-4 third quarter.
Edwards opened the scoring in the period with two free throws, then after the Patriots were called for a shot-clock violation, Miles and Brown put on a show.
Miles made a layup on a 2-on-1 fast break, then pulled down a defensive rebound and threw a deep outlet to Brown for an assist on another fast-break score.
Playing with maturity beyond her years, Miles said she likes to slash to the basket but doesn’t really like to shoot, preferring to pass to open teammates.
“I’ve got to do my thing,” Miles said. “We’ve got to win. I like to win. I don’t like to lose; I’ll be crying.”
After another fast-break layup pushed Memorial Day’s advantage to 29-18, Citizens Christian broke the 8-0 run on Bristol Barrs’ basket with 5:24 left in the third quarter. After Edwards responded by driving for a layup, the lead was back to 11 points, and her next layup pushed it to 13, 33-20.
When Matador's freshman forward Kyrsten Eiland sank a short jumper from the right baseline for 35-22, the Patriots called a timeout with 2:13 left in the quarter. Less than a minute later, Eiland grabbed her own rebound and powered to the basket for a 15-point lead.
Brown’s jumper from the baseline and Eiland’s steal and layup rounded out the scoring in the final 30 seconds for an imposing 41-22 difference on the scoreboard.
Grayson said that she expected Citizens Christian, which had lost at home to Memorial Day 55-36 on Jan. 27, to focus on stopping Miles.
“That’s what we were looking for,” Grayson said. “We told the other players that they were going to have to step up, and that’s what they did.
“My other freshman, Kyrsten Eiland, made a couple of big baskets in that third quarter,” the coach added. “She made a couple of big-girl moves. I’m just proud of her. She stepped up tonight.”
The Patriots made one more push, scoring the first three baskets of the fourth quarter, but then Miles again made her presence felt.
Miles drove the lane for a basket and a 43-28 advantage with 6:24 remaining in the game, and later broke the Patriots’ press again for another score.
“That’s my role,” Miles said. “We all have different roles. That’s my role to help break the press. We’ve all got to do our thing.”
At the same time, she liked how the team played together and players “kept their heads up the whole game.”
Grayson said of Miles: “She loves the sport. She puts a lot of time in and it’s showing on the court.”
The Matadors, as they prepare for the postseason (opponent and date to be determined), are showing progress, the coach said.
“What I like is the grit,” Grayson said. “They’re really, really young as far as the knowledge of the game. They’re locking in to what we’re giving them. I’m just proud.”
|
Memorial Day 49, Citizens Christian 36 |
|||||
|
Team |
1Q |
2Q |
3Q |
4Q |
Final |
| CCA | 7 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 36 |
| MDS | 14 | 7 | 20 | 8 | 49 |
|
CITIZENS CHRISTIAN (36) |
|||||
| Barrs 5, Harris 3, Shrouder 3, Bleu Carter 10, Arabelle Roberts 11, Vickers 4. | |||||
|
MEMORIAL DAY (49) |
|||||
| Lillie Brown 15, King 1, J. Brown 4, Johnkeria Miles 13, Nyla Edwards 10, Eiland 6 | |||||
| Records—CCA 12-11, 2-2 GIAA Region 6-A; Memorial Day School 15-4, 3-1 region. |
Savannah Area Final Scores
Friday, February 6, 2026
GIRLS
GHSA Class 6A – Region 1
Richmond Hill 79, Tift County 64
GHSA Class 3A – Region 3
Calvary Day 45, Islands 28
Jenkins 85, Southeast Bulloch 22
Johnson 545, Beach 51
Liberty County 46, at Long County 36
GHSA Class A Division I – Region 3
Swainsboro 72, Savannah Christian 21
Vidalia 57, Woodville-Tompkins 39
Savannah Country Day 69, St. Vincent’s Academy 49
GHSA Class A Division II – Region 3
Bryan County 66, Claxton 30
Savannah 42, Portal 38
GIAA AAAA/AAA – District 2
St. Andrew’s 63, Bulloch 49
GIAA Class A – Region 6
Memorial Day 49, Citizens Christian Academy 36
GAPPS
Trinity Christian 30, The Habersham School 22
Non-Region
Savannah Athletic Association 44, Hilton Head Prep 41
BOYS
GHSA Class 6A – Region 1
Richmond Hill 79, Tift County 64
GHSA Class 3A – Region 3
Windsor Forest 67, Groves 43
Jenkins 60, Southeast Bulloch 50
Liberty County 42, Long County 37
Calvary Day 82, Islands 24
Beach 62, Johnson 41
GHSA Class A Division I – Region 3
Vidalia 64, Woodville 50
Swainsboro 54, Savannah Christian 42
GHSA Class A Division II – Region 3
Bryan County 77, Claxton 63
Portal 52, Savannah 49
GIAA AAAA/AAA – District 2
St. Andrew’s 76, Bulloch Academy 61
GIAA A – Region 6
Memorial Day 41, Citizens Christian Academy 40
GAPPS
The Habersham School 61, Trinity Christian 39
SCISA
Bethesda Academy 73, HTCC 28
Non-Region
Effingham County 52, Savannah Country Day 45
Hilton Head Prep 67, Savannah Athletic Association 41
Photo Credit: lensbyshaunce_
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