The 2009-10 Long County High School basketball season didn’t start the way it was supposed to for the Blue Tide boys or girls. After both teams made the state tournament last year, each had high hopes going into this season. But, instead of flying high, both squads are 0-3.
There is an upside, however. None of the losses have been to region opponents. On Tuesday, the important games start. The Tide will take on its first Region 2-AA teams. The boys play Benedictine Military School and the girls face St. Vincent’s Academy.
The Cadets bring a 1-1 record into the game with a 53-33 win against Brantley County and 53-63 loss against Rockdale County. Benedictine is averaging 53 points of offense a night and only allowing 48 points on defense.Long County on the other hand, is allowing a whopping 80 points on defense, which is the worst in the 2-AA. But as usual, the Blue Tide boys are showing that they can put up points against anybody. They have done well early, averaging 66 points, which is the third best in the region.
The Blue Tide’s record is 0-3, but in fairness, the team has taken on larger schools in those three contests, and two of the losses came at the hands of undefeated Wayne County and powerhouse Liberty County. In those two losses, they lost to the Yellow Jackets by a bucket, and against the Panthers the game was a hard battle between two solid teams.
Last year, when the Cadets and the Blue Tide met, they split their two region games with the Savannah team winning the first one 50-45 and the Ludowici team winning the second game 73-59.
In Tuesday’s girls game, the Saints come into the game sporting a 1-1 record with a 50-26 when over Country Day and a 35-57 loss to Savannah Christian.
The St. Vincent’s team has been balanced in their two outings, as they are putting up 43 points on offense, and giving up 42 on defense. The Lady Tide on the other hand is scoring only 32 points on offense, which is the worst in the 2-AA region, and allowing 60 points, which is the second worst in the region.
But all may be OK for the Tide, as last year the girls from Ludowici had the number of the Saints, with the Long County team winning both games 44-38 and 45-31.
The two 2-AA games start this Tuesday, with the Saints and the Lady Tide matchup at 6 p.m., followed by the Benedictine boys taking on the Blue Tide at 7:30.