HAHIRA – The Valwood Valiants basketball team opened up their season on Monday , while the Lady Valiants returned home after a close 31-28 victory at Open Bible Christian. Fullington Academy was the opponent for the home debuts, Valwood splitting games. The Valiants won 58-27, with the Lady Valiants dropping, 46-28.
Lady Valiants
After the Lady Trojans jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the 1st quarter, the Lady Valiants battled back in the 2nd quarter, cutting the Fullington lead to 5 at the half.
The Lady Valiants would run out of gas in the third and, with the game out of reach in the fourth quarter, decided to rotate some of the younger players to get some experience. The Lady Trojans came away with the 48-28 win. Seniors Bella Shaw and Lacy Ann McLeod led the Lady Valiants in scoring, with Shaw scoring 6 points and McLeod scoring 5.
The Lady Valiants fell to 1-1 on the season.
“We played a really good Fullington team,” said head coach Mike Patrick. “This is a young group and I am very proud of how they played. I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Valiants
In a defensive game, the Valiants held a 4-0 lead until the 5:30 mark of the first quarter, with Fullington scoring their first points off two free throws. Thanks to five combined blocks and six combined points by William Woodall and Richard Hunter, as well as Jack Morris hitting two three-pointers late, the Valiants went on a 14-5 run to end the first quarter up 18-7.
To start the second quarter, both teams were held scoreless until Hunter hit a three-pointer to extend the Valiant lead to 14 with 4:45 to go in the half. After the Trojans scored their only 2 points of the second quarter, Morris hit his third three of the night, putting the Valiants up 24-7.
Morris continued to add to his point total, with a two-point shot assisted by Hunter, giving Valwood a 26-9 lead.
Woodall, assisted by Chase Helfer, scored his third bucket of the night, making the lead 19 late in the second quarter. After a shot clock violation gave the Valiants the ball back with 4.2 seconds left, Hunter scored the final two points of the half, giving the Valiants a commanding 30-9 halftime lead.
With a 21-point lead to start the third quarter, Coach Tim Finlayson started to rotate some of the younger players into the game. After Woodall scored the first points of the third, the Trojans would have their best quarter of the game, including a 11-7 run to cut the lead to 17 thanks to multiple trips to the free throw line.
At the buzzer, Cort Kurrie hit a three-pointer, giving the Valiants a 48-23 lead after three quarters.
With both teams subbing in players, the Trojans scored the first points of the fourth quarter with 5:50 left in the game with a two-point shot.
Woodall continued to add to his block- and point-filled night, giving the Valiants a 50-25 lead midway through the fourth. With less than three minutes to go, Leyton Hobby hit a three-pointer to push the lead to 28. Wren Woodall scored the Valiants’ last points of the game, and after a block by Hobby, Valwood won the game 58-27. The boys open up their season 1-0.
Thanks to 14 steals and 11 blocks, the Valiants defense was able to hold the Trojans under 30 points, including two points in the second and four in the fourth. This was a team win as the Valiants totaled 16 total assists, while the Trojans had four total.
Both Valwood teams recorded wins against Byne Christian Tuesday, Nov. 28. The Lady Valiants won 56-36, and the Valiants put away the Saints, 64-40.
Valdosta’s next scheduled games see them travel to Highland Christian Dec. 4 and Echols County Dec. 5. Their next time at home is slated for Dec. 7 against Lanier County.