News

Recent memories – and not fond ones – provided all the motivation Benedictine star guard Caleb Jones needed on Tuesday night for the host Cadets against the New Hampstead boys basketball team.

The Phoenix had defeated the Cadets in all three of their meetings last season, when Benedictine lost only eight games total. The first two were each decided by one point. New Hampstead won the Region 3-4A regular-season title and later the tournament championship by virtue of a four-point victory.

Tuesday night wasn’t close, as Jones poured in a game-high 30 points and junior point guard Micah Williams 20 as Benedictine won 62-47 in the Region 1-4A contest.

“I had to work very hard,” Jones, a senior, said of his 30 points. “That team had beaten us last year three times in a row, so it’s kind of personal. We wanted to come out aggressive from the start and just win the game.”

Benedictine improved to 14-2, 3-0 in the region in extending its win streak to five games. New Hampstead dropped to 10-9, 2-1 in the region.

“Tonight, we struggled on the offensive side of the ball,” Phoenix first-year coach Christopher Owens said. “We had a hard time making shots. We struggled getting in transition. (The Cadets) executed well. They played good ball.”

Both teams were a bit off-target in the first quarter – perhaps because of the stakes and the energized, packed gymnasium. The Cadets led just 9-6 and benefitted from the Phoenix’s 10 turnovers.

“It could have been the magnitude of the game that disturbed them a little bit,” Benedictine coach Frank Williams said. “They are a very well-coached ballclub. They shoot the ball extremely well. I think we were just fortunate that they didn’t make (more of) the shots that they took early on. It wasn’t because of our defense so much because they got open looks.”

Benedictine found more of a rhythm in the second quarter, when on consecutive possessions, Jones drilled a 3-pointer from the left baseline with a hand in his face, then came up with the basketball in his hands after a wild scramble and scored inside for a 17-10 BC advantage with about 4:30 left. 

Jones later hit another 3-pointer, then Micah Williams made a steal and a fast-break layup before Jones closed out the first half by sinking all three free throws after an attempt beyond the arc with 4.3 seconds left.

Benedictine outscored New Hampstead 18-5 in the second quarter to lead 27-11 at the half.

“That’s just chemistry right there,” Jones said of the second-quarter surge. “We work on that in practice all the time.”

Jones said that getting to the foul line early helped get him going, and he also trusts his teammates to score. He entered the night averaging 31.9 points per game, so when asked if he feels like he has to carry the load, Jones said, “It’s no pressure at all.”

The Phoenix lost ground in the third quarter, when they were outscored 20-15. Rashawn Truell, who led New Hampstead in the game with 16 points, sank a couple of 3-pointers. Jones got the final score of the period with a 3-pointer after working through a double-team for the Cadets’ largest lead to that point, 47-26. 

“He’s seen double-teams before, he’s seen triple-teams, and I don’t blame them,” Frank Williams said. “I’d send the kitchen sink at him, too. He was pressing, but I think it was because he knew the magnitude of the game.”

The coach said that Jones badly wants to win and puts in the work with that goal in mind. 

“What I tell (college) coaches when they call asking for Caleb is that he’s a constant basketball player,” Frank Williams said. “After practice, he’s going to practice (more). When his shot’s not ready, he’s working on his shot. He’s always in the gym. Nobody wants to win more than Caleb. If he was pressing, it was because he was trying to accomplish our goals as a team.”

The team won three playoff games last season and advanced to the GHSA Class 4A state semifinals, while New Hampstead reached the quarterfinals, losing to eventual champion North Oconee. 

Before either team can think about playoffs, there is still the regular-season slate, including the Jan. 28 rematch at New Hampstead.

“I’m happy to be a part of it. Hopefully, we can be on the winning side next time,” Owens said of the Phoenix facing their region rivals.

As for facing Jones in particular, the New Hampstead coach said, “He’s a good one, he’s a good ballplayer.” Owens also promised, after Jones’ productive night against the Phoenix defense, “We’ll have something better for him next time.”

Among those in attendance was Georgia Southern men’s basketball coach Charlie Henry and some of his assistant coaches. Jones’ father, Hamp Jones, was a four-year standout for the Eagles. The 6-foot-7 forward was voted to the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team for the 1996-97 season, and to the all-conference third team in 1999-2000.

Caleb Jones said he didn’t know before the game that the coaches would be there. He also said that he has college offers from Georgia College & State in Milledgeville, and from Clayton State in Morrow.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy Benedictine Military School Athletic Department

FOLLOW the Prep Sports Report on Twitter @PrepSav and Instagram savannahsportsreport. If you have any scores, information, or story ideas to share, please email kdemasi@prepsportsreport.com.

Optim Orthopedics: Championing Savannah's Prep Sports Scene! 

From the gridiron to the hardwood, Optim Orthopedics stands tall as a dedicated supporter of high school athletes across Savannah. They're not just sponsors—they're game-changers, delivering top-notch medical care to nine standout schools:

• Dr. Don Aaron: Bryan County Middle/High School
• Dr. David Sedory: Benedictine Military, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County
• Dr. David Palmer: Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham
• Dr. Thomas Alexander: Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent's

As Southeast leaders in fellowship-trained orthopedic care, Optim Orthopedics fuels Prep Sports Report's basketball and football coverage. Because when the game's on the line, Optim Orthopedics gets you back in it!