For the first half on Friday night, The Habersham School’s standout senior Caleb Parker didn’t look average.
He had just four points and played little like the Patriots’ leading scorer who was averaging 21.8 points per game.
Alleluia Community of Augusta, the host Patriots’ opponent in the GAPPS Class A state quarterfinals, grew a 10-point halftime advantage to a game-high 16 with a pair of 3-pointers to open the third quarter for a 37-21 lead.
That’s when Parker began to better feel his way with a five-point period, then he posted a 12-point fourth quarter as Habersham outscored Alleluia 20-4 to rally for a 58-49 victory.
“I just told them to attack,” Patriots first-year head coach Michael Jaudon said. “The whole year, we’re a small team, but I want to attack, attack, attack. Caleb Parker (had) just an incredible second half. He’s still playing on a partially torn hamstring. It’s just incredible what he was able to do in that second half, getting to the basket.”
The 6-foot-2 Parker finished with 21 points – basically his season average – to match teammate Daniil Phillips, a junior guard who as about 10 points above his 11.8 average. Freshman guard Whitt Sullivan also was in double figures with 14 points, and both guards made critical baskets in the fourth quarter to cement the victory.
The Patriots (13-7) return to the state semifinals, where they lost in last season in Class A and in the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Class 2A of the Georgia Association of Private & Parochial Schools.
Habersham will play at 2 p.m. Tuesday against Duluth’s Notre Dame Academy (17-9), an 84-60 winner over Unity Christian on Friday, in the semifinals at Gordon State College in Barnesville.
The Habersham boys basketball program has not played in a GAPPS state championship game, and it didn’t look like the Patriots were going to advance to the next round for much of Friday’s contest.
Alleluia Community trailed 3-2 after Phillips’ 3-pointer in the opening minute, then the Angels reclaimed a lead that they would not relinquish until under four minutes remained in the game.
The Angels owned a 68-65 regular-season victory in their season opener and the Patriots’ fourth game under Jaudon on Nov. 15.
Their strategy in the first quarter on Friday night was to go right at the basket with little to no regard for outside shots. Mark Dooley, Thomas Sterett, Collin McBride and Sterett again penetrated the lane for contested layups and an early 8-3 edge.
Dooley sank a fast-break layup at the buzzer for a 15-8 lead after one quarter in which Habersham’s Phillips drilled a pair of 3-pointers and Parker, who sometimes was guarded by two and even three defenders when he had the ball, contributed two free throws.
Alleluia had a 12-point second-quarter advantage trimmed by Phillips’ runner at the buzzer for 31-21 halftime score. Parker had knocked a ball loose for a steal and made a fast-break layup for his only points of the second quarter.
“The first half, he was a little nervous,” Jaudon said. “He told me at halftime. He said, ‘Coach, I have butterflies. I’m good in the second half.’ I handed over the keys to the Corvette and just tried to let him take us.”
After the Angels went up 37-21 in the third quarter, Parker worked inside to bank home a basket and converted a three-point play. Phillips later was on target from the top of the key, then drove into a crowded lane and converted a three-point play.
The Angels’ Dooley again beat the buzzer with a short jumper for a 45-38 lead through three quarters.
The rest of the game belonged to the Patriots. Parker put back his own offensive rebound, was fouled and sank the free throw. He drove the lane and made 1 of 2 from the foul line with 4:59 left in regulation for a 45-42 deficit.
That’s when Dooley (team-high 15 points) fouled out, which upset Angels coach Terry McBride. He argued with officials, and on a later possession was assessed a technical with 4:28 remaining.
Parker sank both shots, and Sullivan drove the lane for a layup. When Parker came out of a scramble for the ball with possession and attempted a shot, his two free throws moved the Patriots ahead 48-47 with 3:50 to go.
Alleluia tied the game on a free throw at 3:18. Parker hit a floater in the lane, Sullivan drove for a layup and Phillips grabbed a rebound and aggressively drove the length of the court for a layup and 54-38 lead with 2:11 left.
Sullivan’s basket to beat the shot clock and Parker’s bucket with 33 seconds left accounted for the rest of the Patriots’ scoring.
Jaudon praised Alleluia as well as “the fight” his team showed.
“I just couldn’t be prouder how my boys fought tonight,” said Jaudon, making a point to highlight the contributions of freshman guard Andrew Bland, who had three fouls in the first half.
“I really challenged him at halftime and got after him, and told him that I needed more out of him,” Jaudon said. “He came out in the second half and gave me three charges (against Alleluia). Huge.”
HABERSHAM 58, ALLELUIA COMMUNITY 49
ALLELUIA COMMUNITY (49)
E. Laddbush 5, Mark Dooley 15, Thomas Sterett 13, Martini 2, Collin McBride 11, Balducci 3.
THE HABERSHAM SCHOOL (58)
Whitt Sullivan 14, Daniil Phillips 21, Bland 2, Caleb Parker 21.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| ALLELUIA COMMUNITY | 15 | 16 | 14 | 4 | 49 |
| THE HABERSHAM SCHOOL | 8 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 58 |
|
RECORDS: Alleluia Community 15-14, The Habersham School 13-7. |
|||||
GIRLS BASKETBALL
OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN 45, THE HABERSHAM SCHOOL 43
In the earlier game Friday, guard Trinity Hall made two big plays in the final 43 seconds to lift Oakwood Christian Academy past host Habersham in the GAPPS Class A state quarterfinals.
The Patriots had led by seven early in the fourth quarter on two of senior Maddie Viles’ game-high 18 points. But the Eagles of Chickamauga chipped away and took a 44-43 lead on Hall’s first basket of the game when she stole the ball and covered about half the court for an uncontested layup with 43 seconds left in regulation.
After Habersham failed to get off a shot and missed on consecutive possessions, Hall made one of two free throws for a 45-43 edge with 11 seconds left. After another off-target shot, the Patriots had to foul, but the Eagles missed two free throws with 1.7 ticks left to leave the final a two-point difference.
The Patriots (11-9) were looking for scoring opportunities for standouts Viles and Myla Shippy, a 6-foot freshman forward, coach Glenn Burnsed explained after the game.
“I think on the last couple of times we had the ball there with a chance on the halfcourt inbound, we were trying to get the ball to Myla and then roll Maddie,” Burnsed said. “I think we got the ball in (Shippy’s) hands a couple of times, we just couldn’t get the right look. I think we didn’t have enough patience to get the right shot. We didn’t take advantage of our size and get to the block.”
The teams traded the lead through much of the game, with Oakwood Christian (12-8) up 18-15 after the first quarter and Habersham leading 28-24 at halftime and 37-32 after three quarters.
The Patriots often were effective on inbounds plays from the baseline, targeting Shippy and Viles for short-range shots at the basket. The Eagles has a sharpshooter in Reagan Pickard, who had 11 points at halftime and finished with 14 by mainly bombing from beyond the arc. Janel Buckels added 10 points for Oakwood.
“I think down the stretch, really the whole game, they shot really well, I think a high percentage from the field,” Burnsed said. “We had a hard time covering No. 21 (Pickard) on the wing. We let her shoot too many shots.
“Other than that, the girls were really scrappy,” he continued. “The other team is very physical, very scrappy. I felt like just a few possessions back and forth (decided the game). Both teams had a lot of turnovers. We just came up a little short on it.”
Viles, who averaged more than 14 points and nine rebounds in the regular season, and Izabel Arvin were the lone seniors on the small squad that was expected to be in a rebuilding year. Shippy, who averaged about 15 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and four blocks, and guard Gaby Kenard (about nine points and seven rebounds) should lead the squad next season.
“The girls had a great season. I’m super proud of their effort tonight. That’s a really good team,” Burnsed said.
“It’s going to be really tough losing Maddie and Izzy, but we do have a really good core with (freshmen) Eliza (Reeves), Gaby and Myla. We’ve got our seventh-graders maturing and a lot of good girls coming up. So I think the future is bright.”
OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN 45, THE HABERSHAM SCHOOL 43
OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN (45)
Hall 3, Harris 6, Janel Buckels 10, Reagan Pickard 14, Brodie 7, Sullivan 5.
THE HABERSHAM SCHOOL (43)
Shippy 6, Maddie Viles 18, Kenard 6, Reeves 7, Arvin 6.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN | 18 | 9 | 5 | 13 | 45 |
| THE HABERSHAM SCHOOL | 15 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 43 |
|
RECORDS: Oakwood Christian 12-8, The Habersham School 11-9. |
|||||
Girls Region Tournament Championship Weekend
FINAL SCORES
CLASS 6A
Region 1
Friday (2/14)
At Camden County
Consolation: #3 Richmond Hill 42, #1 Camden County 35
Championship: #2 Lowndes 51, #4 Colquitt County 39
CLASS 5A
Region 1
Friday (2/14)
At Statesboro
Consolation: #1N Evans 60, #3S Glynn Academy 47
Championship: #1S Bradwell Institute 65, vs. #2S Brunswick 41
CLASS 3A
Region 3
Friday (2/14)
At Calvary Day Semifinals
Semi-final Game #1: #2B Jenkins 53, #1B Liberty County 45
Semi-final Game #2: #1B Calvary Day 61, #2A Windsor Forest 33
Saturday (2/15)
At Calvary Day
Consolation: 12:00 #1B Liberty County vs. #2A Windsor Forest
Championship: 4:00 #1B Calvary Day vs. #2B Jenkins
CLASS A D-I
Region 3
Friday (2/14)
At Vidalia
Consolation: #4 Swainsboro 49, #3 St. Vincent’s 41
Championship: #1 Vidalia 56, #2 Savannah Country 46
CLASS A D-II
Region 3
Friday (2/14)
At Jenkins County
Consolation: 4:00 #2 Metter 62, #4 Portal 45
Championship: #3 Screven County 45, #1 Bryan County 43
GIAA A Region 6
Friday (2/14)
At Brewton Parker
Championship: #3 Citizens Christian 54, #1 Memorial Day School 43
GAPPS A – State Tournament Elite Eight
At The Habersham School
Game #1 (Girls): Oakwood 45, The Habersham School 43
Boys Region Tournament Championship Weekend
FINAL SCORES
CLASS 5A
Region 1
Friday (2/14)
At Statesboro
Consolation: #2S Bradwell 63, #2N Greenbrier 49
Championship: #1N Lakeside 54, #1S Brunswick 50
Class 4A
Region 3
Wednesday (2/12)
Consolation: #2 Ware County 80, #4 New Hampstead 55
Championship: #3 Warner Robins 61, #1 Benedictine 59
CLASS 3A
Region 3
Friday (2/14)
At Calvary Day Semifinals
#1A Windsor Forest 65, #2B Beach 60
#1B Calvary Day 64, #3B Jenkins 58
Saturday (2/15)
At Calvary Day
Consolation: 2:00 #2B Beach vs. #3B Jenkins 58
Championship: 6:00 #1B Calvary Day vs. #1A Windsor Forest
CLASS A D-I
Region 3
Friday (2/14)
At Vidalia
Consolation: #1 Vidalia 40, #3 Savannah Christian 35
Championship: #4 Toombs County 54, #2 Woodville-Tompkins 49
CLASS A D-II
Region 3
Friday (2/14)
At Jenkins County
Friday (2/14)
Consolation: #3 Bryan County 51, #5 Jenkins County 44
Championship: #1 Savannah 48, #2 McIntosh County Academy 45
GIAA AAAA/AAA
At Bulloch Academy
Friday (2/14)
Consolation Game: #3 Frederica Academy vs. #4 Bulloch Academy (No Score Found)
Championship Game: #1 St. Andrew's 63, #2 Westminster Schools (Augusta) 34
GIAA GIAA A Region 6
Friday (2/14)
At Brewton Parker
Consolation: FPCA 66, Memorial Day 52
GAPPS A – State Tournament Elite Eight
Friday (2/14)
At The Habersham School
Game #2 (Boys): The Habersham School 58, Alleluia Community 49
SCISA Class A State Playoffs
Saturday (2/15)
At Cathedral Academy
1st Round - 3:00 Cross Schools vs. Bethesda Academy
TODAY'S SCHEDULE
Saturday, February 15 - Game Schedule at Calvary Day
12:00 PM - Girls Consolation - #1B Liberty County vs. #2A Windsor Forest
2:00 PM - Boys Consolation - #2B Beach vs. #3B Jenkins
4:00 PM - Girls Championship - #1B Calvary Day vs. #2B Jenkins
6:00 PM - Boys Championship- #1B Calvary Day vs. #1A Windsor Forest
SCISA Class A State Playoffs
Saturday (2/15)
At Cathedral Academy
1st Round - 3:00 Cross Schools vs. Bethesda Academy
Note: Schedules courtesy Sandyspiel.com, MaxPreps.com, and various school athletic departments.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy Nathan Dominitz for the Prep Sports Report
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