DASHER — Valwood took the short trip to Dasher on Thursday to take on the Georgia Christian School Generals. Revenge was on Valwood’s mind after being swept at home Jan. 11. However, the Generals won the second battle as well, edging the Valiants 52-47 while winning over Valwood’s girls, 42-14.
Valiants
For the second game in a row, the Valiants found themselves in a hole, this time down 6-0 to Georgia Christian within the first 41 seconds of the game. At 7:04, Richard Hunter found Ethan Owens for the first Valwood points.
Cort Kurrie hit a deep 3-pointer in the period, but the Generals kept pushing their lead, up 23-6 after the initial eight minutes.
The Valiants opened the second with an 8-0 run, three from Chase Helfer before he assisted Hunter on a bucket. Kurrie hit from the field as well to trim the deficit to eight points with three minutes remaining in the half.
GCS regrouped and Valwood trailed by 11, 27-16, at halftime, Ethan Owens having made a free throw with 44 seconds to go.
The lead hovered around 10 in the 3rd after Kurrie’s basket to open the frame. Helfer added to his total with a 3-pointer and Owens scored four straight, bringing the Valiants within 7.
Georgia Christian began the fourth up 10, 39-29, but the Valiants hit a hot streak. Richard Hunter scored three straight 3-pointers, being assisted by Owens on two and De’Mar Riley on the other, bringing Valwood within one point with six minutes to go.
An 8-0 run pushed the lead to 47-38 with 2:26, then Jack Morris cut into that with an “and one” off a basket to be down six. The Generals went ahead by 10 points, but the game got close once more.
Helfer made a free throw, then Hunter cut the deficit to 8 with 3.8 seconds. On the Georgia Christian inbound, Helfer forced a turnover and was fouled. A free throw was not enough, however, and the Generals ran out the last two seconds.
Valwood fell to 9-8 with the loss, 2-3 in District 3-AAA (Georgia Christian is a non-district opponent). Hunter led in scoring with 12 points, with Helfer at 10.
Lady Valiants
Valwood entered Thursday’s game on a four-game losing streak and looked to get back on track versus the Lady Generals.
GCS jumped out to a quick 4-0 in the first minute before Emma Burnett scored the first Valwood point of the night. Soon Caylee Collins made their first field goal at 6:12, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Burnett broke up a 6-0 GCS run in the first, but they responded with a 7-0 run for an 18-5 lead at quarter’s end.
Collins had a block and Burnett a steal to start the second, but Valwood could not convert the defensive plays into points. Georgia Christian scored eight to be up 26-5 at the half.
The Lady Valiants scoreless string finally ended at 5:57 in the third on a Collins 3-pointer. Anna Harvey Shaw added a basket on a Burnett assist.
Georgia Christian closed out the third on a 4-0 run, extending it 10 straight, to take a 26-point lead a minute into the fourth period. Collins made two free throws and Lacy Ann McLeod scored Valwood’s final two points.
Valwood fell to 4-10 for the year. Collins had exactly half their points, at 7. Burnett added 5.