If there’s any doubt about the strides made in the past month by the Greyhounds on the basketball, that question was answered on Saturday night at the JCHS Gymnasium against Southwest.
Going against a Patriots team ranked in the top 10 of its classification that had beaten JCHS 81-53 in late November, the Greyhounds used a furious third quarter to surge into the lead, holding the advantage with less than two minutes to play before the Patriots pulled in front, going on to win 71-66. Jones County is 2-9 overall but is seven points away from winning its past four games in a row.
The Greyhounds play Saturday at Putnam County, ranked first in at least one state ranking, before wrapping up the first half of the region schedule Jan. 7 at ELCA and Jan. 10 at Union Grove.
Jones County was not rattled by the placement of Southwest in any state polls on Saturday, preventing the Patriots from scoring at a quick offensive pace in the first half, slowing things enough to Southwest leading 30-24 at halftime.
Staying within striking distance would pay off for the Hounds, who kept the Patriots off-balance both in the paint and in the perimeter. With Tyler Wold able to make key shots inside on the way to a 20-point night and five three-point shots being converted in the third quarter by the Greyhounds, JCHS moved to the lead. A shot by Wold inside plus a free throw put the Greyhounds in front 43-42, and three pointers by Julian Bond and Justin Ray extended the advantage even more, 53-56, an edge that would be 58-48 going to the fourth quarter.
Justin Ray had 19 points for the Greyhounds, 12 coming in the third quarter.
The Patriots fought back, cutting the lead to 60-58 with 4:13 to play before a driving layup by Jayden Tolbert and inside shot by Wold kept JCHS in front with 1:42 to go, up 66-64.
Southwest, however, rallied, draining a three pointer and a pair of free throws to do enough to take the 71-66 win.
