It's only a slight exaggeration to say that Ware County put a defender on Benedictine's elite scorer Caleb Jones in the gym parking lot before Friday night's game in Savannah.
The Gators did try to blanket Jones from baseline to baseline when the Cadets had the ball. Even when Benedictine guard Micah Williams was shooting free throws, his four teammates huddled courtside with Cadets head coach Frank Williams.
PHOTO: Jones all game long with a Gator in his space - PSR
It was hard to miss Ware County's 6-foot-5 forward Dedrick Jackson, who literally followed Jones into the huddle and stood elbow-to-elbow with him with 3:37 left in the second quarter.
"It was crazy," Jones said afterward of the Gators' coverage, confirming that the Cadets told Jackson to get out of their huddle but without the Southern hospitality.
Despite the Gators' efforts to get in his personal space, Jones posted 38 points, including the Cadets' last seven, for a 71-58 victory as BC overtook Ware Country for first place in Region 1-4A.
PHOTO: Caleb Jones with the dunk - PSR
"Caleb has been helping (opposing) coaches design special defenses for three years, ever since his sophomore year," Benedictine coach Frank Williams said of the senior guard. "He saw his first diamond, his first box-and-one, and double-teams, and there have been times he's been triple-teamed.
PHOTO: Jones for two more of his 38 - PSR
"He's never rattled. He's never unnerved. He seeks his shots and pretty much, if he gets a small opening, it's a bucket. It's got to be disheartening for defenses when they've thrown everything they can at him and he still scores like that."
Benedictine (17-3, 6-1 region), which has three postponed region games to make up because of inclement weather, is in a position to be the top seed with a first-round bye and host the region tournament.
Ware County (17-6, 7-2 region) was the league leader because of a 69-60 home win over Benedictine on Jan. 17 in Waycross. The Cadets won by 13 on Friday.
"We just wanted to win," said the 6-4 Jones, who entered the night averaging 30.5 points per game. "We were hungry from the last time. We went there and they tore us up, so we had to respond back."
Gators second-year coach Lenny Williams, who knows Savannah basketball well after a highly successful six-year run at Woodville-Tompkins, said Jones stepped up his game in the squads' second meeting.
"The difference is, (Jones) was tougher tonight," Williams said. "He was a tougher player tonight. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Caleb Jones put them on his back, and they won the game."
The Gators used a 21-4 second quarter in the first meeting to grab the lead and hold on for victory. On Friday, they again fell behind early by as many as 13 points, only to tie the game at 29 when their standout guard, Jarvis Wright, created a shot off the dribble and buried a 3-pointer with 2:05 before halftime.
Wright followed with two free throws with 56 seconds remaining, and Darius Ward made two more with 13 seconds left in the second quarter for a 33-29 advantage.
Wright finished with 23 points, many from long range, and Benedictine's coach Williams credited Ware County for getting the ball in his hands.
"We pride ourselves on defense, but there's no defending Jarvis when he can shoot like that, from that distance," said the Cadets coach, who thought his team's defense was "spotty" on Friday. "His teammates look for him; they find him in the right places. We've got to start mimicking some of the things they do, looking for Caleb (Jones), seeking him out, setting screens and getting him in the clear."
Jones is very good at creating his own shots, too, and he led the Cadets' third-quarter surge to retake the lead. Jones drove the left baseline and banked in the first basket of the second half.
After Josh Washington put back an offensive rebound to tie the game at 33, Jones scored the Cadets' next 11 points on a fast-break layup, a short jumper, two free throws, a 3-pointer contested by two defenders, and a dunk for a 44-41 lead and a Ware County timeout with 4:04 left in the third quarter.
PHOTO: Josh Washington relentless all over the court -PSR
The Gators responded to tie the game at 44 and 48, then led 50-48 before Jones went on another scoring binge.
He split two foul shots, then assisted on JoJo Sutton's layup, drilled a 3-pointer, and then drew a foul with 1.5 seconds remaining, making both free throws.
PHOTO: Jo Jo Sutton for three - PSR
Ware County -- which made two free throws when BC got a technical for having six players on the court due to a delayed substitution on an inbounds play -- trailed 56-52 through three quarters.
Shaun McClam sank a jumper on the Gators' next possession to close within 56-54, but they couldn't match Jones and his teammates' steady play as the clock wound down.
Micah Williams sank two foul shots and moments later went the length of the court for a fast-break layup. After Jones drove the right baseline for a layup, the Gators' Ward drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 62-57 deficit with 6:02 left in regulation.
PHOTO: Micah Williams going to the basket - PSR
With the Cadets attacking the offensive boards, Micah Williams got a rebound and heaved a shot as he fell on his back. The ball banked in for 64-57.
The rest was all Jones. He sank all three foul shots after a 3-point attempt, then got fouled hard on a fast break and landed on his back. He split two shots.
Benedictine's offense slowed down to chew up time, and Ware County failed to make up ground in the final four minutes – making one of two foul shots and seeing a 3-point attempt roll around the rim and spin out.
When Jones drained a 3-pointer for the game's final points with 1:28 left, he smiled as he made his way back on defense.
"I had to smile, at least show some emotion," said Jones, who was honored before the game on Senior Night as well asfor scoring his 2,000th career point on Jan. 18.
PHOTO; Caleb Jones 2,000 point ceremony - PSR
Ware County's Lenny Williams said the Gators expected Jones and Wright to put up big points. It was what he called "the role players" for each side who would weigh in on the outcome.
Benedictine got 11 points from Micah Williams, and teammate Caron Hall started the game sizzling from the baseline and finished with 12. Ware County didn't have another scorer besides Wright in double figures.
PHOTO: Caron Hall draining a three - PSR
"They made their free throws, they made their layups," Lenny Williams said of the Cadets. "We missed our free throws, we missed our layups. When you're on the road, you have to make layups."
PHOTO - Coach Williams and the Cadets with the win! - PSR
BENEDICTINE 71, WARE COUNTY 58
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| WARE COUNTY | 10 | 23 | 19 | 6 | 58 |
| BENEDICTINE | 17 | 12 | 27 | 15 | 71 |
| WARE COUNTY (58) | |||||
|
Williams 5, Jarvis Wright 23, Ward 8, Jackson 8, Franklin 6, McClam 8. |
|||||
| BENEDICTINE (71) | |||||
|
Micah Williams 11, CaRon Hall 12, Sutton 2, Washington 2, Caleb Jones 38, Cannon 4, Lilly 2. |
|||||
|
RECORDS—Ware County 17-6, 7-2 Region 1-4A; Benedictine 17-3, 6-1 Region |
|||||
Savannah, Georgia Area High School Basketball
FINAL SCORES
Friday, January 31, 2025
Girls
GHSA Class 6A Region 1
Richmond Hill 38, Tift County 25
GHSA Class 5A Region 1
Greenbrier 51, Effingham County 44
Bradwell Institute 67, South Effingham 8
GHSA Class 4A Region 3
Warner Robins 77, New Hampstead 20
GHSA Class 3A Region 3
Calvary Day 67, Long County 21
Liberty County 58, Groves 41
Jenkins 67, Johnson 9
Windsor Forest 57, Southeast Bulloch 22
GHSA Class A - D1 - Region 3
Vidalia 70, St. Vincent'sVincent's 44
Savannah Country Day 54, Savannah Christian 37
GHSA Class A - D2 - Region 3
Bryan County 42, Emanuel County Institute 30
Savannah 44, Jenkins County 39
GIAA AAAA/AAA District 2
Pinewood Christian 50, St. Andrew's 24
GIAA A Region 6
RTCA 55, Memorial Day 45
Boys
GHSA Class 6A Region 1
Richmond Hill 38, Tift County 26
GHSA Class 5A Region 1
Greenbrier 46, Effingham County 43
Bradwell Institute 84, South Effingham 50
GHSA Class 4A Region 3
Warner Robins 75, New Hampstead 51
Benedictine 71, Ware County 58
GHSA Class 3A Region 3
Beach 60, Islands 50
Calvary Day 52, Long County 32
Liberty County 50, Groves 43
Johnson 54, Jenkins 53
Windsor Forest 75, Southeast Bulloch 49
GHSA Class A - D1 - Region 3
Savannah Christian 51, Savannah Country Day 45
GHSA Class A - D2 - Region 3
Bryan County 55, Emanuel County Institute 41
Savannah 63, Jenkins County 38
GIAA AAAA/AAA District 2
St. Andrew'sAndrew's 77, Pinewood Christian 27
GIAA A Region 6
RTCA 55, Memorial Day 50
SCISA 2A Region 3
Bethesda Academy 70, Cross 39
NOTE: All scores as posted on MaxPreps.com and "X"
Photos: Prep Sports Report
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