First Presbyterian Men Highlanders varsity basketball team is hooping it up with three back-to-back victories; over Glennville Christian, Providence Christian and Thomas Jefferson on Saturday, Tuesday night and Wednesday night.
The varsity squad claimed a 75-31 win over Glennville, a 90-42 win over Providence and an incredible 103-39 over Thomas Jefferson. In that game the Highlanders made history by scoring in the century mark for the first time since they started a basketball program.
Varsity head coach Darrell West was pleased with the team's performance over Glennville and Thomas Jefferson but expressed some concern when they let Providence get back into a game they had completely commanded.
"I think we should always try our best to execute regardless of the caliber of team in front of us," he said. "I was a little disappointed in the beginning that we were not executing the way we were supposed to against Providence. But as the game played on we started playing a lot better and in the fourth quarter we established enough of a lead to put in some of our junior varsity players."
The junior varsity men's team claimed a 31-27 victory over the Minutemen and a 55-19 victory over Providence Christian before losing to Thomas Jefferson in a hard fought battle (42-51).
Junior varsity coach, David Linderman said the wins helped build confidence and allowed him to get younger players some experience on the court.
"I am so proud of this young team," Linderman said. "The starters continue to play well and the bench, Brian Bell, Matt Brown, Rickey Gillard is coming in and giving me some good minutes. I think Brian made his first basket for our team against Providence and everyone is doing their best. I can't ask for any more than that."
The Lady Highlanders lost to Glennville but had back-to-back victories against Providence and Thomas Jefferson. In their victory against Providence, they established a 22-point lead by halftime also affording Lady Highlander coach Rosby Fraiser the opportunity to test her bench depth.
"For the first time this year Hannah Floyd and Lapitia Martin came off the bench and scored in their first game," she said. "We are coming along now. Overall from where we were last year to where we are now has been successful. By stressing teamwork and good attitude got us focused in the win over Providence and Thomas Jefferson.
The Lady highlanders got a bit of a scare in their game against Thomas Jefferson when defensive star Assyria Daniels hit the court and had to come out of the game. With one of their players injured the momentum shifted from the Lady Highlanders to the Lady Jaguars who were trailing by 16 points in the game (18-2). Suddenly, after missing almost every basket, they were in synch and eventually got within one point before the half ended (24-23). Daniels returned in the fourth and the Lady Highlanders caught their second wind. They regained the lead and ended with a ten-point victory (38-28).
But there is no rest for the highlanders, at least not yet, as they travel to battle Robert Toombs Academy Friday and go to Memorial Day Saturday afternoon.
The teams' big challenge will be in Savannah on Jan. 29 when the Highlanders play Bethesda on their home turf. The Highlanders upset the top-seeded team in their first meet and coach Darrell West would like nothing more than to do the same in Savannah.
FPCA vs. Glennville Christian
Lady Highlanders 35, Lady Minutemen 43
Catherine Scaggs 18
Assyria Daniels 5
Andrea Bell 4
Letia LeiKana 8
Junior varsity men
FPCA 31, GCA 27
Mike Farrior 11
Kyle Weinerth 13
William Haas 2
Garrett Crissman 5
Varsity men
FPCA 75, GCA 31
Mike Brown 34 points, 3 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 steals
Joey Bell 18 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 4 steals
AJ Ansley 11 points, 1 assist, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 3 steals
Terrence Alston 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Hakeem Golden 8 points, 2 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
Josh Rodgers 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
Tim Ashmen 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
FPCA vs. Providence Christian
Lady Highlanders 52, Providence 7
Catherine Scaggs 26
Leitia LeiaKana 17
Assyria Daniels 6
Lipita Martin 2
Hannah Floyd 1
Junior varsity men
FPCA 55, Providence 19
Mike Farrior 18
James Phillips 2
William Haas 4
Rickey Gillard 2
Ryan Weinerth 2
Austin Buchs 11
Matt Brown 8
Garrett Chrisman 4
Brian Bell 4
Varsity men
FPCA 90, Providence 42
Joey Bell- 24 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals
Mike Brown-18 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
AJ Ansley- 16 points, 4 assists, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals
Terrence Alston- 12 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds
Josh Rodgers- 6 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds
Hakeem Golden- 6 points, 5 rebounds
Tim Ashmen- 6 points, 2 rebounds
Sunny Patel- 2 points, 1 steal
FPCA versus Thomas Jefferson
Lady highlanders 38, Lady Lions 28
Catherine Scaggs 17
Leitia LeiaKana 17
Assyria Daniels 4
Junior varsity men
FPCA 42, Thomas Jefferson 51
Mike Farrior 23
Kyle Weinerth 13
Matt Brown 2
Garrett Crissman 4
Varsity men
FPCA 103, Thomas Jefferson 39
Terrence Alston 19 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 rebounds
Joey Bell 19 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
Mike Brown- 19 Points, 2 Assists, 5 Rebounds, 2 Steals
AJ Ansley 16 points, 3 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 3 steals
Josh Rodgers 14 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal
Hakeem Golden 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 block, 2 steals
Preyen Patel 2 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound
The varsity squad claimed a 75-31 win over Glennville, a 90-42 win over Providence and an incredible 103-39 over Thomas Jefferson. In that game the Highlanders made history by scoring in the century mark for the first time since they started a basketball program.
Varsity head coach Darrell West was pleased with the team's performance over Glennville and Thomas Jefferson but expressed some concern when they let Providence get back into a game they had completely commanded.
"I think we should always try our best to execute regardless of the caliber of team in front of us," he said. "I was a little disappointed in the beginning that we were not executing the way we were supposed to against Providence. But as the game played on we started playing a lot better and in the fourth quarter we established enough of a lead to put in some of our junior varsity players."
The junior varsity men's team claimed a 31-27 victory over the Minutemen and a 55-19 victory over Providence Christian before losing to Thomas Jefferson in a hard fought battle (42-51).
Junior varsity coach, David Linderman said the wins helped build confidence and allowed him to get younger players some experience on the court.
"I am so proud of this young team," Linderman said. "The starters continue to play well and the bench, Brian Bell, Matt Brown, Rickey Gillard is coming in and giving me some good minutes. I think Brian made his first basket for our team against Providence and everyone is doing their best. I can't ask for any more than that."
The Lady Highlanders lost to Glennville but had back-to-back victories against Providence and Thomas Jefferson. In their victory against Providence, they established a 22-point lead by halftime also affording Lady Highlander coach Rosby Fraiser the opportunity to test her bench depth.
"For the first time this year Hannah Floyd and Lapitia Martin came off the bench and scored in their first game," she said. "We are coming along now. Overall from where we were last year to where we are now has been successful. By stressing teamwork and good attitude got us focused in the win over Providence and Thomas Jefferson.
The Lady highlanders got a bit of a scare in their game against Thomas Jefferson when defensive star Assyria Daniels hit the court and had to come out of the game. With one of their players injured the momentum shifted from the Lady Highlanders to the Lady Jaguars who were trailing by 16 points in the game (18-2). Suddenly, after missing almost every basket, they were in synch and eventually got within one point before the half ended (24-23). Daniels returned in the fourth and the Lady Highlanders caught their second wind. They regained the lead and ended with a ten-point victory (38-28).
But there is no rest for the highlanders, at least not yet, as they travel to battle Robert Toombs Academy Friday and go to Memorial Day Saturday afternoon.
The teams' big challenge will be in Savannah on Jan. 29 when the Highlanders play Bethesda on their home turf. The Highlanders upset the top-seeded team in their first meet and coach Darrell West would like nothing more than to do the same in Savannah.
FPCA vs. Glennville Christian
Lady Highlanders 35, Lady Minutemen 43
Catherine Scaggs 18
Assyria Daniels 5
Andrea Bell 4
Letia LeiKana 8
Junior varsity men
FPCA 31, GCA 27
Mike Farrior 11
Kyle Weinerth 13
William Haas 2
Garrett Crissman 5
Varsity men
FPCA 75, GCA 31
Mike Brown 34 points, 3 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 steals
Joey Bell 18 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 4 steals
AJ Ansley 11 points, 1 assist, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 3 steals
Terrence Alston 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Hakeem Golden 8 points, 2 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
Josh Rodgers 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
Tim Ashmen 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
FPCA vs. Providence Christian
Lady Highlanders 52, Providence 7
Catherine Scaggs 26
Leitia LeiaKana 17
Assyria Daniels 6
Lipita Martin 2
Hannah Floyd 1
Junior varsity men
FPCA 55, Providence 19
Mike Farrior 18
James Phillips 2
William Haas 4
Rickey Gillard 2
Ryan Weinerth 2
Austin Buchs 11
Matt Brown 8
Garrett Chrisman 4
Brian Bell 4
Varsity men
FPCA 90, Providence 42
Joey Bell- 24 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals
Mike Brown-18 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
AJ Ansley- 16 points, 4 assists, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals
Terrence Alston- 12 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds
Josh Rodgers- 6 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds
Hakeem Golden- 6 points, 5 rebounds
Tim Ashmen- 6 points, 2 rebounds
Sunny Patel- 2 points, 1 steal
FPCA versus Thomas Jefferson
Lady highlanders 38, Lady Lions 28
Catherine Scaggs 17
Leitia LeiaKana 17
Assyria Daniels 4
Junior varsity men
FPCA 42, Thomas Jefferson 51
Mike Farrior 23
Kyle Weinerth 13
Matt Brown 2
Garrett Crissman 4
Varsity men
FPCA 103, Thomas Jefferson 39
Terrence Alston 19 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 rebounds
Joey Bell 19 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
Mike Brown- 19 Points, 2 Assists, 5 Rebounds, 2 Steals
AJ Ansley 16 points, 3 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 3 steals
Josh Rodgers 14 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal
Hakeem Golden 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 block, 2 steals
Preyen Patel 2 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound