The Claxton Lady Tigers (9-13, 4-6) traveled to Emanual County Institute Friday evening and defeated the Lady Bulldogs - also 4-6 in region 3-A - 47-29. Two girls posted double-doubles for Claxton - Ashley Kennedy had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Endya Jones added 11 and 10. Claxton hosts Jenkins County at 6 p.m. tonight.
Jefferson County sweeps SEB
The Southeast Bulloch Lady Yellow Jackets (8-12, 4-8) fell at Jefferson County 50-46 in a close Friday night hoops contest. Laheeda Jackson of Jefferson led all scorers with 20 points. Lauren Akins led the Lady Jackets with 19. Jasmine Sandifer put up 13 in the loss, and Brittany Carter added 12.
In the boys' game, Chris Rogers scored 18 and James Scott added 14 for the Jackets, who fell to Jefferson County, 58-60. Derrick Mitchell scored a game-high 27 for Jefferson County. SEB travels to Swainsboro Tuesday.
No. 5 Laney girls down No. 8 Screven
Three Lady Gamecocks scored in double figures, but eighth-ranked Screven County fell at No. 5 Laney (20-2, 13-0) 67-58 Friday.
Screven (19-4, 10-3) was led by Kadedra Evans with 18 points, Kiki Warren with 15 and Symphony White with 14. The Lady Gamecocks host South Effingham Tuesday.
Portal boys win
Portal picked up 70-60 win at Jenkins County Friday. Fred Williams finished with a game-high 28 points, and Mario Farris added 23 points. The Panthers (17-6, 8-3) conclude region 3-A play tonight, hosting ECI.
Screven boys win
Screven County outscored Laney 21-13 in the fourth quarter and placed four in double figures in a 77-68 road victory Friday. The Gamecocks (11-12, 7-6), who led by one point after three quarters, were led by Antrjuan Albright's 18 points, while Dajuawn Carter added 12, Jamez Colbert scored 11 and Darion Carter had 10 (all in the fourth quarter). Screven hosts South Effingham Tuesday.
Raptors 103, Hawks 91
ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Bosh scored 24 points and Morris Peterson had 21 to help the Toronto Raptors beat the Atlanta Hawks 103-91 on Friday night. Winners of five of six, the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors improved to 24-23, the first time since 2001-02 that they’ve been over .500 this late in a season.
Bosh had 10 rebounds to lead Toronto in points and boards for the 29th time in his 35 games.
Atlanta, which never led after Josh Smith’s dunk made it 4-2, couldn’t recover after an unnecessary push-off foul on Zaza Pachulia following a missed 3 by Anthony Parker, allowed Peterson to hit a 3 for a 100-87 lead with 4:16 remaining.
Joe Johnson led the Hawks, who had won four of five, with 28 points. Smith had 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Toronto has 21 victories since Nov. 24, when the official scorer in Atlanta failed to credit T.J. Ford with a basket that would’ve given the Raptors a late tie and an opportunity to change the complexion of a 97-93 loss. Peterson was 5-for-7 beyond the arc.
Former Falcons player arrested
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Ray Buchanan made headlines as a player the last time the Super Bowl came to South Florida, and he has drawn attention again merely by arriving at the airport. The former Atlanta Falcons cornerback was arrested Thursday on three counts of writing checks without sufficient funds from Nevada, a Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said.
Buchanan was arrested at the airport around 9 a.m. when he arrived on an international flight. He posted a bond of $165,125. Buchanan, 35, was to work Sunday at the Super Bowl as a reporter for FOX Sports Radio.
‘‘At this point no one has contacted us. We’re just going to plan to have someone else fulfill Ray’s responsibilities until further notice,’’ vice president and general manager of Fox Sports Radio Network Andrew Ashwood said.
Buchanan’s Super Bowl responsibilities were to start Saturday night, Ashwood said. Nate Newton, a former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman, will handle his responsibilities Saturday night and Lincoln Kennedy, who used to play for the Oakland Raiders, will take over on Sunday, Ashwood said.
‘‘We’re all pretty much in shock that this happened,’’ Ashwood said.
Buchanan played for Atlanta in the 1999 Super Bowl in Miami. He stirred things up by wearing a studded dog collar to media day — in tribute to the Falcons’ underdog status — and launched into some good-natured verbal sparring with Shannon Sharpe, saying the Denver star looked like a horse. The Broncos silenced Buchanan with a 34-19 victory.
Buchanan began his 12-year career with the Indianapolis Colts, who will face Chicago in Sunday’s title game. He spent four years with the Colts before signing with the Falcons in 1997. Released by Atlanta after the ’03 season, he spent his final year with the Oakland Raiders. Known as ‘‘Big Play Ray,’’ Buchanan had 47 career interceptions and made the Pro Bowl during the 1998 season.
Churches giving up time to watch Bears
CHICAGO (AP) — Mass is at 5 p.m. Kickoff’s at 5:25. What’s a priest and lifelong Bears fan to do?
‘‘I’m going to say the fastest ... Mass you’ve ever been to,’’ the Rev. Dan Brandt said.
To keep parishioners from having to choose between their God and their team on Super Bowl Sunday, Brandt will forego his sermon and parts of the liturgy at Nativity of Our Lord Parish on Chicago’s South Side.
‘‘People will be in front of their TVs at home by kickoff time,’’ promised Brandt, 36, who planned to ring the church bells every time the Bears score against the Indianapolis Colts.
Chicago restaurants, theaters and other businesses also plan to account for their patrons’ less-than-undivided attention Sunday. Chicago’s Feast restaurant is closing early, although one worker will stick around to refurnish the floor.