St. Andrew’s claimed its fifth consecutive region championship Friday night with a 61–48 victory over Frederica in the title game at Pinewood Christian Academy. The win improved the Lions to 18–7 on the season, extended their remarkable run to 50 consecutive victories over region opponents, and marked the 200th career win for head coach Mel Abrams in his 11th season at St. Andrew’s.
St. Andrew’s players and coaches pose with the region championship trophy after winning the region title, marking the program’s 50th consecutive region victory and the 200th career win for coach Mel Abrams. (Photo courtesy St. Andrew’s School)
The Lions set the tone early, controlling the tempo in the opening quarter and frustrating Frederica’s offense. St. Andrew’s held the Knights to just six first-quarter points and carried a 14–6 lead into the second period. Frederica responded in the second quarter, heating up offensively while the Lions’ shots stopped falling. The Knights grabbed their first lead of the night with 38 seconds remaining in the half and entered the break with a 22–21 advantage.
Frederica maintained that momentum early in the third quarter before St. Andrew’s began to swing the game back in its favor. Ja’Cari Glover and Milos Copic each scored four quick points to knot the score at 29–29 midway through the period. The highlight of the run came when Copic missed on a driving layup, but Glover trailed the play, snatched the rebound with one hand, and finished with an emphatic dunk to energize the Lions.
After Frederica answered with a three-pointer, Page Getter responded with one of his own to tie the game at 32–32 with 3:19 left in the quarter. What followed was the decisive stretch of the night. Chase Brown, quiet through the first half, ignited an 11–0 run to close the third quarter. Brown drilled a three while being fouled and converted the free throw for a four-point play, then followed a Glover layup with a driving score of his own. Moments later, Guus Blom secured an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Brown on the perimeter, where he buried another three to send the Lions into the fourth quarter with a commanding 43–32 lead .
Frederica attempted one final push early in the fourth quarter, but Brown stayed hot. He connected on two more three-pointers and was fouled on another long-range attempt, calmly converting all three free throws to stretch the margin to 54–39 with 4:51 remaining. The Knights never trimmed the deficit to fewer than 11 points the rest of the way.
Brown finished with 20 points, punctuating his explosive second half. Glover dominated the interior with 17 points and 16 rebounds, anchoring the Lions inside. Getter added 10 points, while Copic contributed 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, helping steady the offense throughout the game.
With the championship secured, St. Andrew’s now turns its focus to the state tournament. The Lions have earned a first-round bye and will await their quarterfinal opponent next Saturday in Macon, as they look to carry their momentum beyond region play and into the state bracket.
St. Andrew’s 61, Frederica 48
BOX SCORE
St. Andrew’s (61) — Amar’i Cook 2, Guus Blom 3, Chase Brown 20, Page Getter 10, Ja’Cari Glover 17, Patrick Jackson 2, Milos Copic 7
3-Point Goals — Brown 4, Getter 2, Blom 1, Copic 1.
RECORDS: St. Andrew’s (18-7, 8-0), Frederica Academy (11-10, 6-2)
Photo Credit: Courtesy St. Andrew’s School
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