Despite loss to WR, Lady Hounds remain confident going forward

GIRLS BASKETBALL

  • Shakiya Betha goes up for two points against Warner Robins. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Shakiya Betha goes up for two points against Warner Robins. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
  • Madison Maxwell pulls down a rebound against Warner Robins. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Madison Maxwell pulls down a rebound against Warner Robins. BRAD HARRISON/Staff

    Having a chance to play spoiler on Friday at home, the Lady Greyhounds were in a position to prevent Warner Robins to all but clinch a regular- season title. Jones County, which has given region frontrunners Warner Robins and Union Grove all that they could handle this season, gave the Demonettes plenty of headaches on Friday, spreading Warner Robins out defensively. But a third quarter in which Warner Robins outscored Jones County by seven points proved to be the difference in a 50-38 Warner Robins win.

    Assuming the Demonettes don’t lose this week’s two games against heavy underdogs Ola and Locust Grove, they’ll be the top seed going into the region tournament, winning the right to host the tourney’s semifinals and finals. That means that should either the Greyhounds or Lady Hounds make it to that part of the region tournament, there will be no traveling to Henry County involved.

    “It’s not a bad thing because if Warner Robins wins out, the tournament is at their place,” Lady Greyhounds head coach ChoRhonda Gwaltney-Harris said. “I told my kids, ‘God has a plan for us all, maybe this is it.’ We still have a chance in the region tournament to go out there and do anything.”

    The Lady Hounds wrap up the regular season this week, playing at Dutchtown on Friday after this past Tuesday at Ola. JCHS (17-6,5-5) routed Houston County 62-26 on Friday and fell 34-31 last Tuesday to Eagles Landing. Jones County began the week battling Eagles Landing and Dutchtown for the third, fourth and fifth seeds entering the region tournament, making Friday at Dutchtown all the more key.

    Driving the lane and getting points within the paint from Shania Bryant, Jones County stayed right with Warner Robins, trailing just 23-17 at halftime. But a hot start by the Demonettes in the third quarter would be too much for JCHS to bounce back from. Jones County got within four points with 4:21 remaining when a dish from Shakiya Betha to Autumn Coleman. But Warner Robins made plays down the stretch from there, taking the win. Bryant and Betha each had ten points to lead Jones County.

    “My kids played hard; that third quarter got us,” Gwaltney-Harris said. “We started turning it over. That’s been our Achilles heel all year.”