Working hard and putting teammates ahead of themselves.
    That is the legacy of the Bulloch Academy girls’ basketball team and it has served them well during the 2012-13 season.
    The Lady Gators won the GISA Region 4-AAA championship in double overtime last Friday to claim a number-one seed in this week’s state tournament. The work ethic and unselfish attitudes of each of the 19 girls on the squad has led them to a 25-3 record headed into tonight’s first-round game against Stratford Academy, the fourth seed from Region 2-AAA.
    But BA will be on dangerous ground when the squad runs out for warm-ups.
     “We will be playing on their home court,” said BA head coach Paul Webb. “Home-court advantage is always big.  Being a #1 seed, we find ourselves in a difficult situation having to play in their gym, but we beat Pinewood in Bellville and we beat JMA in Milledgeville. It’s just another hill to climb.”
    In the region championship game last Friday, Bulloch faced John Milledge Academy on their home court in Milledgeville. BA trailed through over three quarters before the Lady Gators staged a major comeback to win.
    While the Eaglettes are 14-12 and come in as a fourth seed, Webb is very cautious.
    “They are a very deceiving fourth seed,” said Webb. “They play in the toughest region in the state. Our only losses have come to three other teams in that region (Tattnall Square, Mount de Sales and Westfield). They are one of the best overall teams in the tournament.”
    According to Webb, SA starts four seniors and a sophomore who is their best player.
    “Bonnie Jarrard is a 6-1post who averages 9.9 points per game,” said Webb. “At the other post is 6-0 senior Harbor Hicks. Senior guards Lane Bowdon and Andi Schilling and senior forward Catherine Avant round out a very good team. Stratford has a tremendous defense, holding their region opponents to under 40 points per game.”
     But defense has been the name of Bulloch’s game as well. During the season, they have used an aggressive man defense and strangling backcourt press to hold opponents to 40 points or less in 21 of their 28 games.
    Many of Bulloch’s 1,507 total points have come in defensive transition on steals and turnovers. Yet, the Lady Gators are more than capable of running the floor on offense. Bulloch averages 53.8 points per game (ppg).
    Senior center Anna Newton heads the scoring with 16.0 ppg. She also is 99-of-133 from the charity stripe. Sophomore point guard Ashley Burke is next with 9.5 ppg and has drilled 18 three-point shots. She is also a 60 percent free-throw shooter (45-of-74).
    Junior forward Chelsea Oglesby has averaged 8.3 ppg while sophomore forward Pate Lomax has averaged 5.1 ppg.
    Bulloch’s big three of Newton, Lomax and Oglesby have been dominating the boards on both ends of the court. The senior has pulled down an average of 6.9 rebounds per game (rpg). Lomax has 5.9 while Oglesby has 5.8.
    The experience of Newton and senior guards Mary Margaret Reeves, Lauren Dennard and Marianna Peebles will help in the hostile environment.
    In their four years as Lady Gators, the foursome has seen a combined win-loss record of 87-33. In the last two years as starters, they have recorded a 49-9 record.
    The girls have been to the state playoffs four straight times, played on two region championship teams and played for a state championship.
    “These girls have been a real blessing to me and to many, many other people in this community,” said Webb. “The legacy of winning, working hard and putting teammates ahead of themselves will bode well for Lady Gator basketball for years to come.”