The basketball season is young for the Long County Blue Tide but it has already been an exciting one. The teams hosted their second home game of the season on Tuesday, December 3 as they welcomed in next county rival Wayne County.
The Tide boys evened their record at 2-2 with a 53-47 win.
The Lady Tide had already defeated the Yellow Jackets 28-27 in the season opener on November 15 in a girls-only matchup. This game was another close one with the Jackets coming out on top 30-28.
It was an early 7-0 run that gave the Jackets a lead at the 3:00 mark of the first quarter after the Tide went up 2-0 to start the game. It seemed to be another back and forth affair as the Lady Tide closed out the first quarter on an 8-4 run to trail just 11-10 going into the second quarter.
There was a total of just nine points scored in the second quarter as the Tide made just one basket from the field on a Makinzie Moody make and they trailed 17-13 going into the locker room.
The Jackets stayed on top in the third quarter as they outscored the Tide 9-7 in the third and led 26-20 going into the final quarter of the game.
Moody’s offensive work with the ball in her hands, coupled with France Smith’s tough defense, kept the Lady Tide in the game in the fourth quarter.
Down 28-20, the Lady Tide went on an 8-2 run to get within two points with 1:05 left in the game. However, that’s where the scoring stopped for either team.
The Lady Tide could not get over some late turnovers, despite causing several turnovers themselves, to tie or take the lead. They fell to 1-4 on the season.
The boys took the floor next and seemed poised to run their rivals out of the gym early on. They opened up with a 17-0 run, paced by 3-pointers from Zyi’air Holt and Ja’mere Martin.
Holt scored seven points and Jy’son Mallard added six in the first quarter as the Tide led 24-2. The second quarter was not as one-sided as the Jackets outscored the Tide 11-9, but the home team still led 33-13 at the half.
In fact, the Jackets outscored the Tide in the last three quarters of the game, with their biggest scoring run coming in the fourth quarter.
The Tide were up 45-24 early in the fourth and seemed to be in control. However, the Jackets used some tough defense and quick offense to get back within 10 points for the first time since early in the first quarter.
They went on an 13-0 run to make the score 45-37 with under five minutes left in the game. The Jackets got within two possessions with less than a minute left in the game, but the Tide held off the Jackets for the 53-47 victory.
Both Tide teams will host the Johnson Atomsmashers in their first region contest of the year on Friday, December 6.