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Highlanders run into Final 4 wall
fpca bball
First Presbyterian’s Michael Brown shoots a 3-pointer Friday in the Highlanders’ 86-50 loss to David Emanuel in the GISA Final Four. Brown finished the game with 11 points. - photo by Photo by Evelyn Alston
The 2006-2007 basketball season that was filled with so much excitement and marked a new beginning for the Highlanders closed Friday with an 86-50 loss to David Emanuel Academy.   
The Highlanders played their Final Four game of the GISA state playoffs in Milledgeville at Georgia College.    
The Highlanders went out strong for the first period of the game, then DEA moved ahead never to look back.   
Even though the DEA players were larger, First Presbyterian Christian Academy played to the end.
The Highlanders’ high scorer was Joey Bell with 23 points, followed by Michael Brown with 11 points. The other Highlanders’ scores came from Terrence “T.A.” Alston II with 9 points, Hakeem Golden with 4 points and Josh Rodgers with 3 points.  
“The accomplishments that our players have made this season will be the foundation for next year,” assistant coach David Linderman said
FPCA head coach Darrell West and headmaster Reggie Burgess had nothing but praise for the team.     
“Our team has a lot of heart,” West said. “The future is very bright for us.
“With this being our first season to have a varsity team at FPCA and to make it to the Final Four, we are truly proud of these young men, Burgess said.   
The Highlanders have set records in rebounding, assists, scoring and were able to beat the 2006 state champions, Robert Toombs Academy, once in the regular season and again in the playoffs.
 The players are pleased with their season and are now looking toward the future for their school.   
The starting five consisted of three sophomores, Alston, Bell and Rodgers, and two freshmen, Brown and Golden.    
Other players included Joey Armeni, Griffin Larkin, Jose Martinez, Milan Patel, Preyen Patel, Sunny Patel and Kyle Weinert.  
“Every player on our team has a special skill to contribute to the team and it brings us together as one,” West said.
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