Evans, Greebrier seed in tourney

A total of seven region games played throughout the regular season by each Region 2-AAAA basketball team decides the seeding for the region tournament each year.

With four different boys basketball teams tied at second place with identical 4-2 region records, there was still plenty to decide in last Friday night's final region games of the season.

Four different scenarios could have played out Friday night with the chance for both Greenbrier and Evans to finish as high as second place and as low as fifth.

"It shows you how balanced the region is," Evans coach Kevin Kenny said.

The ties were decided Friday night with a 71-56 Evans win over Wayne County and a 7-point Greenbrier loss to Statesboro. The result was a tie for second place between Evans and Statesboro, and a tie for third with Greenbrier and Wayne County.

The Wolfpack's 39-36 win over Wayne County in early January broke the tie to give Greenbrier the No. 4 seed and a home game in the first round of the region tournament.

Statesboro took the two seed over Evans because of their overtime victory against the Knights on Jan. 6. However, Evans did get a first-round home game in the region tournament as a No. 3 seed.

"That's big because we don't lose here," Evans point guard Brandon Durr said. "In this region, it's tough to win on the road."

The Knights' final regular-season home win, Friday night's 15-point victory, gave Evans a perfect 12-0 record at home.

"It's one of the most intense games we've played all year," Kenny said.

Both teams realized the region tournament implications of Friday night's game. None realized that more than Evans guard Glenn Miller.

"My uncle flew down all the way from Portland, Ore., just for this game," Miller said. "He knew how important it was."

Miller gave his uncle Greg Miller, and the rest of the Evans fans, quite a show Friday night with a game-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers.

After Miller scored 16 points through the first three quarters, Wayne County began keying in on the senior shooter. In stepped junior Brandon Durr, who picked up where Miller left off and scored 10 points, including two key 3-pointers, in the fourth quarter.

"They started playing me a little tight, but that didn't matter," Miller said. "If Brandon can't get the ball, I can score. If I can't get the ball, he or Jerome (Manuel) can score."

Durr backed Miller with a total of 13 points while Manuel added 12. In a game that saw seven ties and six lead changes, Evans found themselves trailing by one point twice in the fourth quarter.

The Knights reclaimed the lead for good with a pair of Wes Wuchte free throws and sophomore Jonathan Nicely sealed the game on a one-handed jam with just over a minute to play.

At Greenbrier, the Lady Wolfpack clinched the No. 2 spot in the region tournament with a 56-45 win over Statesboro. Junior Tiffany Blackburn nailed four 3-pointers and joined teammate Melissa Lewis to lead Greenbrier with 14 points each.

The win gave the Lady Wolfpack a guaranteed home game in the first round of the region tournament.

The region tournament semi-finals and finals will be held at Jones County on Friday and Saturday.