Both Bulloch Academy squads gave their coaches early Christmas presents with a pair of convincing wins over David Emanuel Academy Friday night.
    For the girls, Lacy Robins and Mikay Sands had 12 points each while Abby Newton added 10 in the Lady Gators’ 60-35 victory over the Lady Eagles.
    In the finale, Brett Thomas netted 14, Tyler Budget chipped in 13 and Hunter Perry contributed 11 in Bulloch’s 70-50 romp.
    In the opener, the 6-0 Sands held a height advantage over the DEA forwards and dominated in the paint. As the front player in the stifling back-court press, her wing span batted down numerous pass attempts. Sands had six of her points in the quarter.
    There to pick up the loose balls were the quick-handed and fleet footed Robins and Newton. The pair dished the balls around for the best scoring opportunity. Bulloch took a 17-6 lead at the end of the opening stanza.
    Newton hit back-to-back three-point shots to open the third quarter to give the Lady Gators (9-1) a 23-6 advantage by the 6:32 mark. BA went up by 21 at the 4:19 mark when Robins nailed a 15-footer.
    BA head coach Paul Webb made wholesale substitutions and the second squad held firm for a 37-17 halftime lead.
    Robins knocked down a trey to start the third quarter and added four more points for a 44-17 lead. BA’s starters saw minimal playing time after that.
    DEA’s Carli Patterson led all scorers with 16 points. The Lady Eagles fall to 0-5.
    In the boys’ game, assistant coach Ridge Ferrell subbed for head coach Chandler Dennard, who was sidelined with shoulder surgery. Ferrell let the senior-laden squad loose but the visiting Eagles (3-3) made things tough early on.
    DEA’s Wes Overstreet paced the Eagles with acrobatic drives to the basket, scoring seven of his game-high 16 points in the opening period. The Gators (5-2) came out sluggish and had to take a little time to find their groove. They led 17-10 after the first buzzer.
    Bulloch came alive in the second as Perry began to dominate underneath on both ends of the court and an aggressive Brett Thomas took the ball to the hole. Perry’s hard drive and subsequent layup with 2:54 left in the half gave the Gators a 10-point lead, 27-17. BA expanded its advantage to 32-21 by the half.
    BA came out of the locker room on fire in the third, outscoring DEA 20-11. Good defense led to DEA turnovers as Perry swatted down shot after shot. His turnaround layup at the 4:10 mark put Bulloch up 40-25. Bulloch continued on the path and Budgett’s old-fashioned three-point play with 7.3 left put the home squad up 52-32.
    DEA’s Gage Bell and Nathan Green tried to stage a comeback in the fourth but the debt was too great. Both Bell and Green had 11 each for the Eagles.