Beach High basketball coach Simon Heyward had straightforward instructions for sophomore big man Jordan Newton in Friday’s rematch with Johnson High.
“Tonight, I just told him, ‘You get around that rim, go up, attack the offensive glass. (If) you get it, go up strong.’ He’s a big boy,” Heyward said afterward. “He’s about 6-1, 6-2. He’s got some size on him.”
Newton responded with a monster night on the boards and scored a game-high 25 points to lead the host Bulldogs past the Atom Smashers 58-48 in the regular-season finale for both teams ahead of next week’s region tournament.
Beach’s Jordan Newton elevates for a smooth finish in the paint, leading all scorers with 25 points in the Bulldogs' big win over Johnson. (Photo by Prep Sports Report)
Beach improved to 13-12 overall and 8-5 in Region 3-3A to be seeded second in Subregion B, Heyward said. He was not sure of the opponent, location or day (Tuesday or Wednesday) in the Bulldogs’ region tournament opener, depending on outcomes of other games.
“Wherever we’re playing, whoever we play, we’ve got to be ready to come out and compete,” Heyward said. “Hopefully, every night, I can get my guys to show up. I think once I get all my guys to show up every night, we’re going to be a problem.”
Likewise, Johnson coach Chuck Campbell is waiting on results to determine if the Atom Smashers (10-15, 6-7 region) are the third or fourth seed coming out of Subregion B and whether they play Monday or Tuesday. He does know the possibilities ahead of them after taking an unranked squad to the GHSA Class 3A state championship game last season.
“Like I told them, ‘chin up.’ We still got basketball left,” Campbell said. “We’ve just got to go on another run in the state playoffs. But I like our chances.”
Newton wasn’t a one-man wrecking crew, though it kind of felt like it, as he scored nine of the team’s 12 points in the first quarter and 17 points by halftime while Beach held a 27-26 advantage.
His older brother Jayden Newton, a senior guard, had the Bulldogs’ first score on a 3-pointer and finished with 12. They helped Beach turn a tight game of trading baskets into an 11-point lead with a 19-9 third quarter.
Beach’s Jayden Newton attacks the rim against Johnson’s defense in a hard-fought region battle. (Photo by Prep Sports Report)
“In the first half, Jordan Newton showed what he could really do,” said Heyward, noting that the sophomore became eligible in January to join the varsity. “I really think after every game, he’s starting to get better at finding his feel with this team. It’s kind of tough when we’ve got some stuff already established and we’re trying to integrate you along the way. Now you’re trying to find your footing.”
This week’s schedule reflected games postponed by the January snowstorm. The teams had played Wednesday, with host Johnson emerging with a 66-55 victory for four wins in its last five games. Beach had won three straight before losing to Johnson.
“The difference is, for one, we came out with some different energy,” Heyward said of Friday’s effort. “I felt that we came out flat (on Wednesday) and, to be honest, Johnson came out on fire. It was just one of those nights where they got hot, and we tried to fight back. I think we cut it to single digits in the fourth quarter, but we didn’t have enough.”
The Atom Smashers started out well enough, as senior standout Favion Kirkwood, who poured in 25 points on Wednesday, hit a 3-pointer. Kirkwood finished with 20 points on Friday to match his season average as he dealt with foul trouble and spent time on the bench. He also collected six rebounds, four assists, and four steals.
Johnson’s Favion Kirkwood elevates for a clutch shot over Beach’s defense in a competitive region matchup. (Photo by Prep Sports Report)
Jayden Newton matched Kirkwood’s triple, and then Jordan Newton took over Beach’s offense for the rest of the opening quarter. He scored a layup on point guard Chandler Reid’s assist, then converted a three-point play when he was fouled, putting in an offensive rebound. He did it again without the foul for two points, then made a layup on Reid’s assist to beat a full-court press.
The Atom Smashers salvaged the end of the quarter with a 3-pointer and buzzer-beating layup for a 12-10 deficit.
The second quarter was much like the first, as Kirkwood drilled a 3-pointer from the right baseline, and Jordon Newton put back an offensive board. The Atom Smashers took a 20-14 lead on Kirkwood’s triple, his floater in the lane, and Samuel Priester’s layup on a fast break started by a blocked shot.
Beach called timeout and eventually tied the game at 22 on Jordan Newton’s power move to the basket and at 25 as Ke’juan Ferguson matched Priester’s 3.
Brandon Castelow’s putback at the buzzer gave Beach a 27-26 edge at halftime.
The Atom Smashers regained the lead and were up 33-28 on Priester’s fast-break layup, leading the Bulldogs to call timeout with 6:38 left in the third quarter.
Beach then went on an 18-2 run to finish the quarter and lead 46-35. Reid started the run by working underneath and finding daylight for a layup. Jordan Newton showed some range by hitting a short jumper from the left baseline.
When Kirkwood was called for an offensive charge on a drive to the hoop, it erased his basket and ushered his trip to the bench with 5:08 left in the third quarter. The Atom Smashers scored just two points the rest of the period.
“That was a big charge in the third quarter,” Campbell said. “We got that charge in the third quarter and it kind of changed momentum in the game. That’s when they went on their run.”
Down 11 points entering the fourth, Johnson quickly got three back on Quentin James’ shot from long range. But Jordan Newton had a response with a three-point play on another offensive putback.
Kirkwood was back in the game and worked hard to try to rally Johnson, such as making his third attempt while fouled after two close misses and sinking the ensuing free throw. He had seven points in the quarter, but Beach kept a stable cushion to win by 10 points.
“We couldn’t hit shots,” Campbell said. “We didn’t box out. We didn’t get the 50-50 balls that we usually get. Missing crucial layups. But, most importantly, we didn’t knock down shots.”
The coach said they didn’t match Jayden Newton’s physical and aggressive play in the first half.
“I think that if we make our shots – even though he was killing us on the boards – it’s a different ballgame,” Campbell said. “My kids didn’t give up. It’s just that we couldn’t connect.”
BEACH 58, JOHNSON 48
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson | 10 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 48 |
| Beach | 12 | 15 | 19 | 12 | 58 |
JOHNSON (48)
Davis 3, James 9, Priester 9, Robinson 2, Parker 1, Favion Kirkwood 20, Williams 4.
BEACH (58)
Castelow 2, Jayden Newton 12, Ferguson 8, Chandler Reid 11, Jordan Newton 25.
Records: Johnson 10-15, 6-7 Region 3-3A; Beach 13-12, 8-5 Region 3-3A.
Photo Credit: Prep Sports Report
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