Rochelle — Wilcox High’s boys showed Clinch County “the real Patriots” in a Friday re-match that saw the hosts score a crushing 86-37 victory over a Panthers’ team that earlier had nipped them 77-74.

The girls game also ended in a one-sided outcome, but this time Wilcox came out on the short end of an 80-45 count vs. a Lady Panthers’ squad that had won a previous meeting between the two, 66-23.

Those outcomes left the Wilcox boys with a record of 19-3 overall, 12-1 in Region 2-A play and the girls with a report card of 3-16, 1-2. After the non-region home outings they had last night against Hawkinsville, both will end regular season play on Friday at Turner County.

Patriots 86, Panthers 37

In avenging their lone loss to a region member, coach George Kennedy’s Patriots had no problems whatsoever in extending their current strong to nine games.

Before the night was over, in fact, they had come within two points of matching their single-game high in points scored (88). The final 49-point difference also brought them within one point of equaling their biggest victory margin of the campaign (50 vs. both Irwin and Telfair).

“We went out there from the get-go and shut them down,” said Kennedy whose team’s defensive press forced numerous Clinch turnovers that led to numerous easy baskets and quarter leads of 27-7, 56-20 and 78-27.

“We really got after them on defense and if our guys will become serious believers in that part of the game we can beat some people,” said Kennedy

“We’re at the point of the season now where we’re not going to let guys stay out there if they’re not giving their all on defense. If they’re going to rest, it’s going to be on the bench with me and not on the floor. We’re clicking right now and we want to continue doing so.”

Jonathan Howard’s 15 points topped a list of four double-digit scorers for the winners. Others on it were A.J., Benjamin, 14, Makail Grace, 11, and Calvin Rawls, 10. Clinch’s Javavaise Lacey led all pointmakers with 17.

Score by Quarters

Clinch County 7-13-7-10 — 37

Wilcox County 28-28-22-8 — 86

Scoring

Clinch County (27) — James Holmes 3, Billy Kelsaw 2, Zack Edwards 1, Marcus Hodges 5, Devon McCutchins 2, Javavaise Lacey 17, James Core 3, D’andre Mingo 3, Caleb Thompson 1.

Team totals: field goals 14; free throws 6 of 15 (40%); fouls 14; 3-pointers — Hodges 1, Core 1, Mingo 1; fouled out — none.

Wilcox County (86) — Telly Whitfield 9, Quinn Tisdol 6, Larry Munford, Makail Grace 11, Anthony Sailor, Calvin Rawls 10, Michael Everson 2, Antwan Benjamin 8, A.J. Benjamin 14, Jonathan Howard 15, Johnny Dwight 9, Jay Brown 2.

Team totals: field goals 36; free throws 9 of 17 (52.9%); fouls 14; 3-pointers — Whitfield 1, Grace 1, Rawls 1, A.J. Benjamin 2; fouled out — none.

Lady Panthers 80, Lady Pats 45

While the Patriots were clearly on their game, that was far from being the case for the Lady Patriots who in suffering an eighth straight setback wound up losing a ninth time this season by 35 or more points.

“Once again, we couldn’t get anything going,” coach Santita Coon said. “We started out trying to press and forced them into several mistakes but rather than capitalize when we got the turnovers we’d turn right around and throw the ball away ourselves.

“We did do a little better job of connecting on our shots in the second half and in holding them down a little in their scoring, too, but by then it was too late for us to give them some stiff competition.”

Wilcox, which trailed 15-5, 46-17 and 67-32 at the quarter stops, did produce the game’s top scorer in Erica Jackson with a season-high 21. Clinch got 20 points from Karisma Morris, 16 from Dazmine Poole and 15 from Natwanda Tolbert.

Score by Quarters

Clinch County 15-31-21-13 — 80

Wilcox County 5-12-15-13 — 45

Scoring

Clinch County (80) — Shalonda Bryant 4, Natwanda Tolbert 15, Tashon Franklin 4, Jessica Bryant 2, Tianna Pope 2, Secret Etheridge 3, Karisma Morris 20, Ashley Andrews 7, Arianna Ford 7, Dazmine Poole 16.

Team totals: field goals 31; free throws 10 of 21 (47.6%); fouls 15; 3-pointers — Morris 6, Andrew 1, Ford 1; fouled out — none.

Wilcox County (45) — Shawnjirah Grace, Dasjia Daniels 6, Tyonna Wright 4, Kierra Love, Kadada Martin 3, Shantia Lawson, Jada Curry 6, Erica Jackson 21, Takayla Mahoganey, Shonterria Thompson, JaMiracle Jones 5.

Team totals: field goals 17; free throws 5 of 10 (50%); fouls 19; 3-pointers — Daniels 1, Martin 1, Curry 2, Jackson 2; fouled out — Lawson.