It is a crucial part of the 2022-23 season for the Long County Blue Tide basketball teams. They both got good wins on Tuesday, January 31 as they hosted region foe Savannah Christian.

The Lady Tide coasted to a 61-22 win, and the boys won 67-53.

Riding a four-game win streak, the Lady Tide never really had any doubt in their game against the Lady Red Raiders. They opened the game on an 18-2 run, paced by junior Amiyah Simpkins’s two 3s and three-point play, as they led 25-3 going into the second quarter.

At this point, head coach Dwayne Reviere began pulling some of his starters with the game already in hand. Imani Pouncey and Tomaj Halley hit back-to-back 3s to open the second quarter as the Tide held the Raiders in check and led 40-11 at the half.

Sophomore Alaysia Fernandez, a newcomer to the team who just returned from an early knee injury, recorded a double-double with 11 points (eight in the second half) and 10 rebounds.

Sophomore Kelly Stokes also hit a couple big shots in the fourth, including a long 3 ball.

With the win, the Lady Tide are now 14-6 and 9-3 in the region. They are a half game behind Savannah Country Day, who the Tide beat last Friday. With wins in their next three games, the Tide will clinch at least the number two seed in the region tournament with a shot at the top seed.

Long County meets region top seed Calvary Day on Friday.

It took a late push for the Tide boys, who won the first matchup 80-39, to pull away from the Raiders.

An 8-0 Tide run, with 3s from Roderick Randall and Chuck Anderson, put them up 21-14.

Senior Jamel Brimlett rocked the rim with the first big dunk of the season at home for the Tide as they went up 23-17.

The Tide led 35-31 at the half, despite only shooting 1-of-8 from 3-point range in the quarter.

The Tide get hot from 3 in the third quarter, as hitting four straight 3-point shots and finishing 5-of-11 from 3 in the quarter. An 8-0 run pushed the Tide’s lead to double digits at 52-41.

Randall his three of the five 3s in the third, finishing with 22 points on the night.

With a 59-49 lead at the 2:21 mark in the game, the Tide went on an 8-2 run to build their biggest lead of the game.

Three Tide players scored in double digits as Anderson was 3-of-6 from 3 with 11 points, and Brimlett had 11 points and seven rebounds. The Tide are now 12-9 and 5-5 in the region and have won four of their last five games.

The Cavaliers are 7-5 in the region and a win for the Tide would put them a half game up on Calvary Day with three games left to play.