News

Woodville-Tompkins rose to the occasion against host Savannah High, and Tyler Grant rose especially high for the biggest play of the game.

The 6-foot-3 senior blocked the Blue Jackets’ 6-8 DeShawn Davis at the basket, just before time expired, to preserve the Wolverines’ 62-61 victory in a Region 3-A Division I battle Friday night.

“A great defensive play,” Woodville-Tompkins coach Travis Priddy said of Grant. “He’s not the biggest kid in the world, but he has to guard the other teams’ biggest guys. He’s played so big: rebounding, defense, he’s played great for us.”

The Wolverines (18-2, 7-1 region) won their sixth consecutive game and avenged a 63-48 home loss to SHS on Dec. 8 with a team effort. They had to withstand the Blue Jackets’ last-minute push after the hosts trailed by as many as eight points in the third quarter.

 

The Woodville lead was 60-54 on Jamir Stevens’ bank shot with 2:14 remaining in regulation, but Savannah High junior standout Maki Joyner delivered less than 10 seconds later with an old-fashioned three-point play on a drive to the hoop for a basket and one foul shot.

 

The Blue Jackets’ full-court press resulted in a 10-second violation, but Woodville scored on its next possession when Jonathan Pickering coolly sank two free throws for 62-57 with 46 seconds left on the clock.

 

Joyner (14 points) drove for a layup with 36 ticks remaining for a 62-59 difference, and teammate Jermaine Edwards (game-high 20 points) made a basket with 24 seconds to go for 62-61.

 

A traveling violation gave SHS possession with 7.8 seconds on the clock. The ball was in its top offensive player’s hands, but Joyner stumbled on his drive to the lane and lost control of the ball. Edwards grabbed it and the ball went to Davis, who took a strong step to the hoop, only for Grant to meet and deny him.

 

“(Edwards) lost the ball and I slid over and helped. Luckly, I was there to get it,” Grant said of his block. 

 

Savannah High coach George Brown thought Joyner was tripped but added he’s not blaming anyone.

 

“Our kids got to keep their balance,” Brown said. “Tyler Grant makes a great block. A very athletic kid, a very great kid. DeShawn Davis gets his shot blocked, and he’s the leading shot blocker in the state. It happens to the best of us. I also told them that this moment is preparing us for something bigger. So now we get back to work.”

 

Savannah High (12-7, 5-1 region) is No. 4 and Woodville is No. 5 in the latest Georgia Class A D-I rankings on sandyspiel.com. Brown and Priddy, both in their first year as head coach of their programs, noted the teams have a lot of season ahead of them.

 

“We talked to our guys all week long about this being another game,” Priddy, a veteran head coach at several area high school programs, said of the motivation for the second matchup with SHS. “It’s a big game because it’s the next game. We’re still in regular-season play. None of this stuff means anything right now; we’re just battling for seedings. We wanted to make sure we came in and played composed, make sure we played good, disciplined basketball.”

 

The first meeting in December featured Grant for only about 10 minutes on the court because of foul trouble and he got a front tooth knocked out.  

 

“He’s kind of the anchor for our defense,” Priddy said of Grant. “We don’t have anybody big. We just don’t. We have essentially five guards out there.”

 

Pickering said that was enough.

 

“We’re competitive. When we play as a team, we’re amazing. I cannot lie,” the junior said. “We just had to pass the ball around. Everybody on our team can score. It’s not just a one-man show. As long as people just passed the ball around, everybody got their buckets.”

 

Pickering scored a team-high 17 points, Stevens had 14, Joey Bell 11 and Nahiem “Bam” Williams 10.

 

Brown noted the Woodville guards were successful beating the Jackets’ guards off the dribble, then driving, using screens and hitting shots. He was proud of his players and thought they played well but need to play better.

 

“Credit to Woodville,” Brown said. “I think they’re the best-disciplined team in Savannah. Those guys play well together. They drive and pick. They share the basketball. No hero ball.

 

“Coach Priddy stepped into a good situation and has done a great job with those guys,” Brown continued.

 

WOODVILLE-TOMPKINS (62)

 

Joey Bell 11, Nahiem Williams 10, Smart 5, Jamir Stevens 14, Jonathon Pickering 17, Grant 4, Rougier 1.

 

SAVANNAH HIGH (61)

 

Anderson 3, Maki Joyner 14, Jermaine Brown 9, Ruth 6, Heyward 3, Davis 6, Jermaine Edwards 20.

 

W-T|16|14|19|13|--62

SHS|11|19|12|19|--61

 

Records—Woodville-Tompkins 18-2, 7-1 Region 3-A, Division I; Savannah High 12-7, 5-1.

 

GIRLS BASKETBALL

 

Savannah High 40, Woodville-Tompkins 18

 

Free throws may be free, but they’re costly if you don’t cash in on them.

 

Such was the case for Woodville-Tompkins, which struggled at the foul line and failed to keep pace with SHS, which was more aggressive in getting to the free-throw line, and more successful when it got there.

 

The Blue Jackets shot 7 of 10 in the first quarter, 5 of 9 in the second, 1 of 3 in the third and 4 of 6 in the fourth for 17 of 28 total.

 

The Wolverines didn’t attempt a free throw until the second quarter, when they went 3 of 8, then 1 of 6 in the third and a missed opportunity to close a widening gap with 1 of 11 in the final period, for 5 of 25 total.

 

WOODVILLE-TOMPKINS (18)

 

Armstrong 1, D. Edwards 7, Pelote 4, Mata 1, Freeman 3, Diaz 2.

 

SAVANNAH HIGH (40)

 

Gusby 2, Middleton 4, Mallard 7, Goodwin 7, Tania Bryant 12, Williams 2, Wright 2, Oates 1, V. Bryant 3.    

 

W-T|7|3|3|5|--18

SHS|9|11|7|13|--40

 

Records—Woodville-Tompkins 8-11, 4-4 Region 3-A, Division I; SHS 8-7, 4-2.

 

LB3 Foundation rewards achievement at SHS

 

Seven Blue Jackets boys and girls basketball players received new bicycles at halftime of the boys game, courtesy of the LB3 Foundation.

Lawrence Bryan III, president of the foundation and an SHS graduate, wanted to reward current players for achievement in various categories, and consulted with the coaches.

 

For the girls, Keshauna Gusby and Nyla Johnson were selected most improved players, while Christiana Roberts has the highest grade-point average.

 

For the boys, Kayden Grey has the highest GPA, Stephon Fox is most improved, Jermontae Brown had the best free-throw shooting percentage and Maki Joyner has the highest points-per-game average.

 

The LB3 Foundation is a local nonprofit organization for community programming and advocacy. Programs including providing access to golf for children ages 9-12 from underserved areas; a Celebration of Life each August, when thousands of bags of school supplies and personal-car products are distributed to those in need; giveaways of food and new bicycles for children; as well as awards to local student-athletes for achievement in the classroom and athletic competition.

 

Friday, January 19, 2024

GIRLS BASKETBALL

GHSA Class 7A-Region 1

Lowndes 51, Richmond Hill 38

 

GHSA Class 6A-Region 2

South Effingham 54, Effingham County 31

 

GHSA Class 5A-Region 1

Ware County 53, Jenkins 34

 

GHSA Class 4A-Region 3

Burke County 85, Islands 20

 

GHSA Class 3A-Region 3

Calvary Day 62, Beach 38

Groves at Long County (NSF)

Savannah Country Day 48, Liberty County 28

Johnson 57, St. Vincent's 42

 

GHSA Class 2A-Region 3

Windsor Forest at Tattnall Co. (NSF)

 

GHSA Class A D1-Region 3

Bryan County 58, Meter 55

Savannah High 40, Woodville Tompkins 18

 

GIAA A-Region 6

Robert Toombs Christian Academy 66, Memorial Day 27

 

GIAA AAAA/AAA-District 2

Pinewood Christian 28, St. Andrews 19

 

GAPPS 1-A Region 4

The Habersham School 58, Trinity Christian 47

 

BOYS BASKETBALL

GHSA Class 7A-Region 1

Lowndes 57, Richmond Hill 37

 

GHSA Class 6A-Region 2

Effingham County at South Effingham (NSF)

 

GHSA Class 5A-Region 1

Ware County 65, Jenkins 64 (OT)

 

GHSA Class 4A-Region 3

Burke County 82, Islands 62

New Hampstead 59, Benedictine 58 

 

GHSA Class 3A-Region 3

Calvary Day 45, Beach 43

Long County 85, Groves 81

Liberty County 75, Savannah Country Day 51

 

GHSA Class 2A-Region 3

Windsor Forest at Tattnall Co. (NSF)

 

GHSA Class A D1-Region 3

Bryan County 44, Meter 40

Woodville Tompkins 62, Savannah High 61

 

GHSA CLASS A D2

Savannah Classical at Mcintosh County Academy (NSF)

 

 

GIAA A-Region 6

Memorial Day 50, Robert Toombs Christian Academy 45

 

GIAA AAAA/AAA-District 2 

Saint Andrews79, Pinewood Christian 27

 

GAPPS 1-A Region 4

The Habersham School 72, Trinity Christian 25

 

SCISA AA-Region II

Cross Schools at Bethesda Academy (NSF)

NOTE: Scores as posted on Maxpreps.com and schools social media pages

NSF – no scores found

 

PHOTO Credit: Banks Fana Photography

 

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 is a well-known name in Savannah's high school sports community, providing crucial medical support to local high schools. They have dedicated fellowship-trained Orthopedics Surgeons, including Dr. David Sedory for Benedictine Military, Bradwell Institute, and Liberty County, Dr. David Palmer for Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, and South Effingham, and Dr. Thomas Alexander for Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's. Optim Orthopedics's commitment to local athletes runs deep. They are proud sponsors of the Prep Sports Report, whose motto is, "Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game.