Last week, we previewed a plethora of post-Christmas high school basketball tournament games featuring teams from the Savannah area. Now, let’s take a look at some of the action from games played between Tuesday, December 27 and Friday, December 30.
ST. ANDREW’S SCHOOL HOLIDAY SHOWCASE
The defending GIAA state champion Lions hosted a three-day showcase which included ranked GHSA schools like King’s Ridge (No. 2 in Class 1A DI) and Johnson (No. 2 in 3A), as well as a top-10 Ponte Vedra team from Florida and a solid Groves squad among others. Here’s a look at the scores from the showcase.
WEDNESDAY
Ponte Vedra (FL) 55, King’s Ridge 54
St. Andrew’s 72, Augusta Prep 28
SAS point guard Zyere Edwards continued his electric senior season with a 31 point outburst on 12-17 shooting. Edwards hit four three-pointers and added six steals and three assists. SAS junior Will Thompson also hit four 3’s en route to his 19 points.
Through 10 games this season, Edwards was averaging 23.9 points, 4.7 assists and 4.2 steals per game.
THURSDAY
Groves 53, Loganville Christian 35
Khari Manning scored 18 points and added five rebounds and three assists to lead Kevin Evans’ Groves squad. Carshik Hall had 11 rebounds and eight points and JaZauri Scott scored eight with four boards and three steals.
King’s Ridge 46, Augusta Prep 11
Johnson 61, Ponte Vedra (FL) 50
Senior SCJ guard Antonio Baker Jr. threw down a gigantic dunk in the victory for the Atom Smashers (10-2). It was the unquestioned dunk of the year so far, and it sent social media into a frenzy once the video was posted on Twitter and Instagram (@JaudonSports).
Baker scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as Johnson overcame a 21-15 second quarter deficit to win. Malachi Robinson scored 15 points while Josh Quarterman and Favion Kirkwood added 12 apiece. Baker is averaging 23.0 points per game through 12 games.
SCJ – 15 - 18 - 17 - 21 – 71
PVF – 21 - 07 - 11 - 21 – 60
FRIDAY
Kings Ridge 71, Groves 40
The Rebels were not able to match the hot shooting of the No. 2 team in the state. Ja’Quawn Singleton led Groves with 18 points.
St. Andrew’s 62, Ponte Vedra (FL) 53
The Lions (11-0) won their 25th consecutive game in front of a packed house on hand for the showcase finale. Zyere Edwards scored 23 points and added four steals while Zayden Edwards tallied 16 points, eight assists and six boards. Will Thompson scored 11 points.
PVF – 08 - 17 - 14 - 14 – 53
SAS – 17 - 10 - 18 - 17 – 62
CALVARY DAY (8-3)
The No. 6 team in Class 3A this week, Calvary played in Vidalia’s Christmas Tournament and went 2-1 in its three games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Tuesday – Calvary 72, ECI 29
The Cavs blew out ECI in the opener, led by CJ Gaines’ 11 points. DJ Seabrook scored 10 as did freshman big-man Chol Kiir.
Wednesday – Calvary 52, Tattnall County 49
Calvary overcame an 11-point deficit midway through the third quarter for the come-from-behind victory.
Thursday – Vidalia 41, Calvary Day 36
Good defense, or bad offense? You decide. Only 10 points were scored by both teams combined in the third quarter. A scrappy Vidalia team, which has a sporty 11-2 record, was led by 14 points apiece from Cori Mincey and Jacaree Washington.
CDS – 14 - 08 - 06 - 08 – 36
VHS – 16 - 11 - 04 - 10 – 41
WINDSOR FOREST (8-5)
The Knights were ranked No. 7 in Class 2A by Kyle Sandy to start the week and they went 1-2 at the Daytona Mainland Christmas Shootout.
Tuesday – Windsor Forest 68, Boyd Anderson 46
WF trailed 38-36 through three quarters. The Knights outscored the Cobras (11-5) 31-7 in the final stanza to win in blowout fashion.
Wednesday – Mainland 69, Windsor Forest 62
Thursday – Orlando Christian Prep 74, Windsor Forest 42
SAVANNAH COUNTRY DAY (4-6)
Played at 12 venues across the city of Charleston, the 12th annual Carolina Invitational featured 54 Varsity Boys teams from around the country, including Savannah Country Day and Islands. Country Day knocked off Crescent on Wednesday while Islands edged host Cathedral Academy in its first round game to set up an All-Savannah matchup in the second round of an eight-team bracket on Thursday evening. The Hornets advanced the bracket’s title game on Friday but lost, 60-34, to undefeated White Plains (NY).
Thursday – Savannah Country Day 58, Islands 44
The Hornets won the game after a good start aided by a defensive effort which held the Sharks to just two first-quarter points. Rob Spaulding IV scored 20 points and Michael Grandy added eight to lead SCDS. Jordan Cave scored 14 to pace the Sharks.
IHS – 02 - 13 - 12 - 17 – 44
SCD – 12 - 18 - 17 - 11 – 58
SAVANNAH HIGH (12-4)
The Bluejackets played in the 12-team Lee County Roundball Classic and began the week ranked No. 8 in Class 1A DI. SHS went 2-1 in its three games.
Wednesday – Savannah High 66, Miami-Jackson 30
Maki Joyner scored 14 points and Jermaine Edwards 12 to lead Tim Jordan’s team in the blowout victory over the visitors from South Beach.
Thursday – Lee County 68, Savannah High 57
Joyner again led SHS with 16 points, but this time it was in a loss. Edwards also scored 16 and senior point guard Amarion Watson added 10.
SHS – 16 - 16 - 11 - 14 – 57
LCO – 20 - 13 - 22 - 13 – 68
Friday – Savannah High 53, Ocoee (FL) 50
SHS did not make a three-pointer and still won the roundball finale, thanks to a third straight 16-point game from Joyner and 15 more from Edwards. The Bluejackets made 20 two-pointers and 13 free throws.
MORE FRIDAY SCORES
Eastside (FL) 62, Woodville-Tompkins 60
Gilmer 81, Savannah Christian 31
Deltona (FL) 55, Jenkins 42
GIRLS
Islands senior Veronica Sierzant grabbed her 1,000th career rebound in a Thursday victory for the Sharks at the Carolina Invitational in Charleston, South Carolina. Veronica has scored over 1300 points and now 1000 rebounds. Now that is a career double-double. Sierzant is headed to play volleyball at Syracuse next fall and she is considered by many to be the best player in the IHS girl’s basketball program’s brief history.
FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: St. Andrew's athletics twitter page & @kdsportsreport twitter page
Optim Orthopedics supports Benedictine Military School, Calvary Day School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. Dr. David Palmer is the team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game.