In a 10-team region, momentum is king for those teams seeking to be one of the four teams making their way to the state tournament.
The past week showed that the Greyhounds may indeed have a nice slice of it at the perfect time. The regular season ended this past Wednesday for Jones County in front of next week’s region tournament, and Jones County showed that it can more than hold its own amidst a very even region.
The Hoop Hounds won three games in a row last week for their longest win streak of the season before coming up two points shy of knocking first-place McDonough on Saturday, falling 55-53. That game after previous wins against Hampton by a score of 47-33, 58-52 against Ola and a gritty overtime win on senior night Friday against ELCA.
“It helps the confidence, for sure,” Greyhounds head coach Willie Reese said. “Every team in the region from three to 10, there is no difference.”
It all adds up to moving Jones County to sixth place in the region as this week began, one game out of fifth place.
“They’re playing better. What’s really helping us other than our defense is Chance Banks,” Reese said. “He is playing very solid, and it’s allowing me to take Rudy (Bowden) off the ball more.”
It’s an upward progression for the Greyhounds that continues. Since starting the region schedule 0-4 with each loss by no more than 20 points, JCHS is 6-6 since then against region opponents.
That fight was on display during Friday’s senior night contest against ELCA as the Hounds slowly chipped away at the Chargers’ 31-22 halftime lead, going ahead late when Jakeylan Wilburn hit one of his two fourth-quarter three-pointers to take the lead before ELCA pulled back in front, leading by two.
Enter Tyler Wold, who would make it a senior night to remember. First, his offensive putback in the final seconds off of a Chance Banks three-pointer sent the game to overtime.
“He got in there and made the right play,” Reese said of Banks. “He is playing really well right now.”
Then, in the extra frame, his four points, including two free-throw shots put the Greyhounds in front for good, capped off a 17-point night for Wold.
“He had a great game; he played really well,” Reese said.
Wold was hardly the only standout, as Rudy Bowden’s 15 points included a trio of three-pointers.
