Bulloch Academy head boys’ basketball coach Chandler Dennard let all of his horses out of the stable Tuesday night as his Gators blasted cross-county rival David Emanuel Academy 89-38.
“That’s the way we want to play,” said Dennard. “Fast-paced and up-and-down the floor. The first two games it looked like organized chaos. But tonight it came together better more and you could see passing lanes and plays. It was fun to watch”
Five BA players scored in double figures on the night. Senior forward Darion Carter led Bulloch with 22 points, 10 of which came in the Gators’ 30-point first quarter. Both senior guard Will Powell and junior point guard Arne Bencker had 12 each. Senior guard Jordan Walker and freshman point guard Win Lee had 10 each.
The Gators (3-0) let loose their hyper-drive offense as they raced up and down the court like greyhounds after a metallic rabbit. Defensively, smothering backcourt traps and a tight man defense resulted in countless Eagle turnovers which, more often than not, became Gator scores.
“We got on a roll to start off the game,” said Dennard. “It’s tough to get a kid to play really hard defense because they all want to score. But if you play real hard defense, you are going to get the turnovers and the opportunities to get out on the wing, take the ball down the floor and score.
The Bulloch players responded to a frenzied student section, which dressed as pirates and penguins and waved gold pom poms, by scoring 30 first-quarter points to take a 21-point lead. After a few rusty minutes, the Gators looked like a well-oiled machine. Both Bencker and Carter had 10 points each while sophomore center Paul Son had six of his eight points. Carter was also a monster on the offensive and defensive glass as he ruled the paint.
“Darion told me yesterday that he had something special for me today,” said Dennard. “I guess that’s what it was. He was unbelievable on the boards.”
The Gators controlled the paint and limiting the Eagles (0-2) to one or two shots down the floor. Controlling the middle also let Bulloch throw the outlet pass to get the ball down court quickly.
Powell started off the second quarter with a three-point basket and Bulloch upped its lead to 42-11 by the 5:35 mark. BA’s second five came on and held its own. Still, DEA’s Joseph Sparks zipped the nets from long-range three times to help cut the cavernous gap to 48-26 at intermission. Sparks led all scorers with 28 points.
Bulloch out pointed DEA 16-10 in the third quarter to go up 64-36. All 14 Gators saw action in the final quarter as reserves Win Lee and Zach Altany led a 25-point scoring spree. Altany had six on the night.
The Gators host Robert Toombs Christian Academy Thursday.
Lady Gators 46, Lady Eagles 34
Senior forward Abi Foy turned it on in the second quarter to spark the Lady Gators over the Lady Eagles.
After only a bucket in the opening quarter, Foy scored 14 points in the final 16 minutes to help Bulloch improve to 4-1.
BA took a 13-8 lead after the first and increased it to 20-13 at the half. But in the third, the Lady Eagles (1-3) cut the Gator lead to 26-23 late. Jasmine Phillips, who led DEA with 13 points, was instrumental in leading the comeback.
But Foy kicked it into high gear by scoring nine points in the quarter, including a basket with 1:31 left to put BA up 31-23.
The senior continued her scrappy performance in the fourth as she helped BA up its lead to 38-27 with 5:40 left in the game. Sophomore Addie Reddick scored four of her 10 points in the period.
Bulloch then spread the court and burned the clock for the victory.
BA JV 33, DEA JV 15
Jordan Herrington scored 13 points to lead the Bulloch Academy junior varsity boys to an 18-point win.
After a slow start, the Gators (2-2) took off for a 7-1 lead by the end of the opening quarter. DEA retaliated, cutting the lead to 13-9 by half.
In the third, Bulloch blasted DEA 9-2 for a 22-11 lead. Leading scorer for DEA was Mason Russell with six.
Lady Gators JV 27, Lady Eagles JV 6
Haley Burke and McKenzie Webb scored six points each to lead the Bulloch Academy junior varsity girls to a 21-point.
The Lady Gators (3-1) took a 10-2 lead after one and an 18-4 lead at intermission.
“That’s the way we want to play,” said Dennard. “Fast-paced and up-and-down the floor. The first two games it looked like organized chaos. But tonight it came together better more and you could see passing lanes and plays. It was fun to watch”
Five BA players scored in double figures on the night. Senior forward Darion Carter led Bulloch with 22 points, 10 of which came in the Gators’ 30-point first quarter. Both senior guard Will Powell and junior point guard Arne Bencker had 12 each. Senior guard Jordan Walker and freshman point guard Win Lee had 10 each.
The Gators (3-0) let loose their hyper-drive offense as they raced up and down the court like greyhounds after a metallic rabbit. Defensively, smothering backcourt traps and a tight man defense resulted in countless Eagle turnovers which, more often than not, became Gator scores.
“We got on a roll to start off the game,” said Dennard. “It’s tough to get a kid to play really hard defense because they all want to score. But if you play real hard defense, you are going to get the turnovers and the opportunities to get out on the wing, take the ball down the floor and score.
The Bulloch players responded to a frenzied student section, which dressed as pirates and penguins and waved gold pom poms, by scoring 30 first-quarter points to take a 21-point lead. After a few rusty minutes, the Gators looked like a well-oiled machine. Both Bencker and Carter had 10 points each while sophomore center Paul Son had six of his eight points. Carter was also a monster on the offensive and defensive glass as he ruled the paint.
“Darion told me yesterday that he had something special for me today,” said Dennard. “I guess that’s what it was. He was unbelievable on the boards.”
The Gators controlled the paint and limiting the Eagles (0-2) to one or two shots down the floor. Controlling the middle also let Bulloch throw the outlet pass to get the ball down court quickly.
Powell started off the second quarter with a three-point basket and Bulloch upped its lead to 42-11 by the 5:35 mark. BA’s second five came on and held its own. Still, DEA’s Joseph Sparks zipped the nets from long-range three times to help cut the cavernous gap to 48-26 at intermission. Sparks led all scorers with 28 points.
Bulloch out pointed DEA 16-10 in the third quarter to go up 64-36. All 14 Gators saw action in the final quarter as reserves Win Lee and Zach Altany led a 25-point scoring spree. Altany had six on the night.
The Gators host Robert Toombs Christian Academy Thursday.
Lady Gators 46, Lady Eagles 34
Senior forward Abi Foy turned it on in the second quarter to spark the Lady Gators over the Lady Eagles.
After only a bucket in the opening quarter, Foy scored 14 points in the final 16 minutes to help Bulloch improve to 4-1.
BA took a 13-8 lead after the first and increased it to 20-13 at the half. But in the third, the Lady Eagles (1-3) cut the Gator lead to 26-23 late. Jasmine Phillips, who led DEA with 13 points, was instrumental in leading the comeback.
But Foy kicked it into high gear by scoring nine points in the quarter, including a basket with 1:31 left to put BA up 31-23.
The senior continued her scrappy performance in the fourth as she helped BA up its lead to 38-27 with 5:40 left in the game. Sophomore Addie Reddick scored four of her 10 points in the period.
Bulloch then spread the court and burned the clock for the victory.
BA JV 33, DEA JV 15
Jordan Herrington scored 13 points to lead the Bulloch Academy junior varsity boys to an 18-point win.
After a slow start, the Gators (2-2) took off for a 7-1 lead by the end of the opening quarter. DEA retaliated, cutting the lead to 13-9 by half.
In the third, Bulloch blasted DEA 9-2 for a 22-11 lead. Leading scorer for DEA was Mason Russell with six.
Lady Gators JV 27, Lady Eagles JV 6
Haley Burke and McKenzie Webb scored six points each to lead the Bulloch Academy junior varsity girls to a 21-point.
The Lady Gators (3-1) took a 10-2 lead after one and an 18-4 lead at intermission.
