Bulldogs overcome frustration to beat Cross Creek
Harlem wins in overtime, 74-72
It's been a frustrating year for Harlem boys basketball coach Kim Chambers.
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Nine of the Bulldogs' losses this season have come by 10 points or less. At least five of those games came down to a last-second shot, but Harlem failed to convert.
That is, until last Friday.
The Bulldogs claimed a 74-72 win in overtime against region rival Cross Creek. The Razorbacks had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Harlem's Kenny Stampley blocked the potential game-winning shot to force overtime.
The two teams traded leads until Cross Creek took a two-point advantage with 10 seconds left in the game. The Bulldogs, inbounding underneath Cross Creek's basket, got the ball to DeMarcus Morris who drove the length of the floor as time wound down. The senior point guard drove through the lane and dished outside to freshman Faison Gaines who hit the game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.
"We've got some big momentum going for us," Chambers said. "We finally got a shot to win, and we made it."
Gaines finished with seven points on the night while Morris scored 15 and sophomore Cedric Boatner added 21.
Harlem will finish the regular season as the No. 5 seed in the Region 3B-AAA standings. The Bulldogs will face the No. 4 seed from the south subregion in the first round of the Region 3-AAA Tournament on Saturday at Burke County.
Win with Waters
Augusta Christian's Whitney Waters scored 18 points while Lynlee Satcher (12) and Elizabeth Alewine (15) also contributed with double-figure scoring as the Lady Lions knocked off Heathwood Hall 61-51. Augusta Christian led by only one point at halftime but outscored Heathwood Hall 26-14 in the third quarter to improve its record to 13-8 overall.
Bringing Sethi back
Augusta Prep's Ajay Sethi hit three 3-pointers and scored 15 points while sophomore Jim Hull added 34 points in another Cavalier win on Friday night. Augusta Prep's 64-43 victory over John Milledge Academy gave the Cavaliers a region victory and improved their overall record to 13-12.