JCHS set to host big-time opponents in invitational

GREYHOUND HOOPS

  • The Lady Greyhounds take the court at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday against Greenbrier. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    The Lady Greyhounds take the court at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday against Greenbrier. BRAD HARRISON/Staff

    Regular-season mode has arrived for Jones County’s basketball teams. What amounts to the preseason ended on Saturday afternoon in the JCHS Gymnasium with both teams sweeping a preseason scrimmage with Peach County. The Lady Greyhounds took a 72-49 win with the boys following that up to claim a 71-38 win.

    The Lady Greyhounds took the girls game with Carly Skinner’s 17 points and five three-pointers leading the way as Kimmya Epps added 14 to go with 11 and 9 points from Amaris Ridgeway and Shakiya Bethea.

    “We shot the ball really well. In the second half, we moved the ball around more and were more active,” said Lady Greyhounds head coach ChoRhonda Gwaltney-Harris. “We still have to learn to play CONTINUED FROM>> B1

    together. Once we can understand that, we can be pretty good.”

    The Greyhounds had four players score in double figures, led by Jaden Stanley’s 26 points, 15 from Kaden Douglas, 12 from Daethan Harris and 10 from Jaylen Sanford.

    “I kind of know what to expect to get from certain people, so there’s not really any surprise,” Greyhounds head coach Buck Harris said. “The biggest one will be when we get our football players out there and see how long it’ll take them to make the transition.”

    From the standpoint of the Greyhounds, Saturday represented a next step. With an opposing team on the court, the Greyhounds were in the closest place to actual competition. That starts Friday when the Greyhounds take on Laney in the Ricky Moore Invitational in Augusta. But that is just be an appetizer for what will come Saturday when Jones County once again hosts the Hooping In Middle Georgia Invitational, featuring two defending state champions and one runner-up from last year on the boys bracket alone.

    Jones County is scheduled to play defending Class A champion Drew at 7:30 p.m. That boys matchup will be preceded by boys games set to begin at 3 p.m. starting with Veterans against Greenbrier, Tucker against Southwest Macon at 4:30 p.m. and Westside Augusta against Eagles Landing at 6 p.m.

    Eagles Landing finished runner up in AAAAA last year and is third in most recent preseason rankings. Westside won AA last year and is ranked No. 1 in the preseason, and Tucker is seventh in AAAAA rankings.

    Girls games will begin with Veterans and Laney at 10:30 a.m., Cross Creek and Stockbridge at noon and Jones County against Greenbrier at 1:30 p.m.