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BA sweeps Briarwood in hoops action
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    The Bulloch Academy boys basketball team finished off a sweep of Briarwood Thursday night with a 44-37 win over the Buccaneers.
    Will Spigener had 12 points for the Gators, including a crucial drive to the basket with 1:07 left in regulation to give BA a 36-34 lead.
    Wil Hall added 10 for Bulloch and sank a buzzer beater at the end of the first half to give the Gators (1-0) a 18-17 lead. Will Powell also hit four crucial free throws in the fourth quarter to help seal BA’s season-opening win.

Lanier fuels Lady Gators

    The Bulloch Academy Lady Gators pulled out a heartstopper Thursday night with a 55-50 win over Briarwood Academy.
    Kacie Lanier scored a career high 23 points for BA who trailed 32-24 at halftime. Lanier hit a free throw with five seconds remaining in the third quarter to give Bulloch (2-1) their first lead of the game at 41-40.
    The two teams would trade baskets in the fourth quarter, but Addie Reddick’s score with 1:48 left gave Bulloch Academy the lead for good.
    Kaylee Lanier added nine points in the win.
    Bulloch Academy returns to the court Saturday, hosting Stratford Academy at 1:30 p.m. with the boys’ game immediately to follow.

Statesboro Freshman win
    The Statesboro High freshman boys basketball team beat Effingham County 59-35 on Wednesday night. Jarrel Eason scored 22 for the Blue Devils while Xavier Tolliver added 12.

BA B-team wins
    The Bulloch Academy B-team defeated Briarwood Academy 43-32 Thursday night. Paul Son had 13 and Win Lee had 10 for the Gators.

GSU travels to UCF
    After junior forward Shawnda Atwood and freshman guard Carolyn Whitney helped rally the Lady Eagles to a come from behind 54-48 victory over South Alabama Tuesday night, Georgia Southern is riding the momentum of a two-game win streak on their way to Orlando for a non-conference match at Central Florida tonight. 
    The two schools are rekindling a once customary rivalry that began 25 years ago with their first meeting in January of 1981 which saw the Lady Eagles topple the Golden Knights by an 84-43 margin. The rivalry ended 12 years ago with an 86-75 GSU loss in December of 1994.  The Lady Eagles lead the 15-game series by a 12-3 margin.
    Tonight’s game begins a new month of play as Georgia Southern women’s basketball carries a 3-5 record having played all non-conference opponents thus far in the early season.
    Leading the Lady Eagles scoring drive is junior guard Tiffany Brown who averages 12.4 points and grabs 4.1 rebounds per game.  She pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds in the victory over South Alabama.
    Also scoring in the double-digits is sophomore Ashley Rivens who scores 10.1 points and grabs 3.1 rebounds per contest.  Scoring six points on the night, Rivens’ bucket with 61 seconds remaining gave the Lady Eagles their first lead of the match since the first half against USA.
    Key free throws from junior Christa Waterman (3-of-5) and Carolyn Whitney (6-of-6) gave the team the opportunity to produce a comeback with time winding down. Whitney’s successful free throws continue the streak of 16 consecutive made shots dating back to the Western Illinois win (Nov. 25).
    On the other side of the court, the Golden Knights are led by two double-digit scorers in senior forward Keunta Miles and senior guard Francine Houston.  Miles averages 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.  Recently playing at the Junkanoo Jam Thanksgiving Tournament in Freeport, Bahamas, UCF’s last two opponents — Virginia and No. 13 Baylor — held Miles to just six points and 1.5 rebounds per contest.
    The Golden Knights fell to both opponents over the holiday weekend, losing to Baylor 78-48 and Virginia 76-47 extending a three game skid.
    Houston follows closely behind Miles with 10.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.  She scored a team-high 10 points versus Baylor.  She leads the Golden Knights from the free-throw line going 13-of-15 (.867).
    Orlando native and freshman guard Kristin Thomas pulls down a team-high average 8.0 rebounds while netting 8.9 points per contest.
    The three players account for 29.9 of the team’s 51.6 points per game.
    Head coach Rusty Cram is quickly approaching two milestones — that of the most career wins at Georgia Southern women’s basketball, in addition to 300 career games as head coach.  Cram has spent each of his 10 years as head coach at Georgia Southern, amassing a 155-136 career record.  He currently tallies a 157-138 record (.532) and sits just six games shy of the most career wins, behind predecessor Drema Greer, who garnered a 162-101 record in nine years as head coach (1987-96).  Cram has reached the Southern Conference Tournament finals four times and garnered the regular season championship twice.
    Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Webb, Cox Named to NSCAA/adidas All-South Third Team

    MISSION, Kan. — Senior keeper Adam Webb and redshirt freshman Jon Cox were tabbed to the 2006 NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division I All-South Region third team, it was announced today.
    “Adam was a big part of what we did defensively,” said head coach Kevin Kennedy, the Southern Conference ‘Coach of the Year.’  “He kept us in games that were very close games and gave us an opportunity to win.  Jon had an outstanding season.  His numbers for a freshman campaign were great.  He scored some timely goals for us.”
    Both players helped lead the Eagles to its best finish (10-6-3) since the 1997 campaign when GSU went 14-4-2.
    Adam Webb (Melbourne, Fla.) finished his illustrious Georgia Southern career in the cage setting two records and helping his team advance to the Southern Conference finals, a feat that last occurred in 1996 versus Furman.  Webb started in the net each of his 16 appearances, posting a 7-5-3 record.  He recorded seven shutouts during the 2006 campaign, setting a new season standard at GSU, once held by Greg Starcher in 1987.  Webb’s standout season contributed to a record in career shutouts with 15, surpassing former GSU head coach and player Kevin Chambers with 11, set back in 1991.
    He was tabbed SoCon ‘Player of the Week’ (Sep. 26) and was named to the College Soccer News ‘National Team of the Week’ (Sep. 25).  At the conclusion of the season, Webb earned All Conference first-team honors for his standout play.
    Webb made 72 saves during his senior season bringing his career total up to 255, placing him fifth in career saves.  Webb led the Southern Conference in save percentage (.783), saves per game (4.50) and shutouts this season.
    “I’m glad that Adam was recognized with an All-South selection,” said first year head coach Kevin Kennedy.  “I think he’s outstanding and very deserving.  I’m happy for him to be able to finish his career and earn some accolades his senior year.”
    Jon Cox (Alpharetta, Ga.) joins Webb on the third team, having been named the Southern Conference ‘Freshman of the Year’ at the conclusion of the season.  The striker led the Eagles in goals (6), assists (5) and total points (17) helping Georgia Southern produce its most wins since 1997.
    Cox was tabbed SoCon ‘Player of the Week’ (Sep. 12) after leading the Eagles to a 3-0 blanking at Centenary and was among the leaders in offensive play.  He ranked fourth in shots (55), fifth in shots per game (2.89), eighth in points (17), seventh in points per game (0.89), seventh in goals (6), eighth in goals per game (0.32) and eighth in assists (5).
    “I’m really excited for Jon,” said Kennedy.  “I think he had an exceptional year as a freshman.  I hope this recognition inspires him to train harder, because I feel he’ll get better each year.”