Cordele — Crisp County High gave the second-ranked Monroe High boys and that school’s likewise undefeated girls all they wanted in a Friday night Region 1-AAAA twin bill swept by the visitors.

The high-flying 6-0 Tornadoes rallied from an 11-point first period deficit to escape with a 40-29 triumph over the now 2-2 Cougars. The 7-0 Lady Tornadoes had a slightly easier time of it against the Lady Cougars, prevailing 53-45.

After their games last night against Northside Warner Robins closed out a three-game home stand, Crisp has another busy week ahead. It visits Westover on Tuesday, entertains Turner on Friday and goes to Tift County on Saturday.

Tornadoes 40, Cougars 39

Trailing 13-2 as time wound down in the initial canto, Monroe hit the final basket of that quarter and then used a 14-5 third period edge sparked by the play of 300-pound Hakeem Porter to pull even at 18 at intermission.

The visitors won the third period 11-7 to go by four at 29-25 and with Porter hitting two key 1-if-1s still held a four-point lead first at 36-32 with 2:52 to go and again at 50-36 7.4 seconds from the finish. Crisp’s Javoris Cooks nailed a trey with 0.3 seconds to go to account for the final score.

“It was your typical Crisp-Monroe duel that pretty much went nip-and-tuck all night as both teams really get up to face each other,” Crisp coach Terry Smith said after the nail-biter.

“Their big guy (Porter) really hurt us in the paint with his scoring (12 points) and rebounding (7) when he came off the bench for them in the second quarter and just manhandled us down inside.

“Probably the one big difference in the game, though, was the advantage they held over us on the boards.”

Crisp’s Cooks edged Monroe’s Porter for game scoring honors with 13 points. Davion Harvey hit another 12 for the Cougars.



Score by Quarters

Monroe High 4-14-11-11 — 40

Crisp County 13-5-7-14 — 39



Scoring

   Monroe (40) — Hakeem Porter 12, Darrian Anderson 7, Kim White 6, Jabari McGee 4, Keith Bowens 5, Daryl Anderson 2, Devonte Mangham 2, Tyson Jordan 2.

   Team totals: field goals 12; free throws 12 of 19 (63.2%); fouls 13; 3-pointers — Darner Anderson 2; fouled out — none.

   Crisp (39) — Javoris Cooks 13, Davion Harvey 12, Shaquille West 5, Rashad Buckholts 4, Kerrion Harris 3, A.J. Mobley 2, Taylor Walls, Montel Richard, Eddie Morgan, Primetime Hamilton.

   Team totals: field goals 13; free throws 9 of 10 (90%); fouls 17; 3-pointers — Harris 1, Cooks 2, Harvey 1; fouled out — West.

Monroe 53, Crisp 45 (girls)

On hand to personally see Lady Cougars’ star 6-foot-2 junior Nasheema Oliver in action, University of Georgia head coach Andy Landers saw the combatants go at it tooth and nail.

Fueled by Lyndsey Washington’s three first period treys, Monroe seized a quick 12-2 lead that slipped to 14-13 by the quarter’s end. Intermission arrived with the teams knotted at 24.

When the now 7-0, 6-0 Lady Tornadoes won the third quarter scoring battle 11-7 and took the points war in the fourth, 18-14, they were able to come out on top.

“Rebounding and free throws. That was the difference,” Wilkes said. “We missed seven free throws in the first half alone. If we make those, it’s a different game.

“Plus, if we hadn’t let them get out to such a fast start and handled the ball better, it’s a different game. As it was, we had to battle back all night.

“We came out a little slow in the third quarter which has happened in three of our four games thus far so we need to find a better way to come out playing more aggressively.

“Give Monroe credit, too. They played very well, executing what they needed to do on defense and we didn’t respond very well early before battling back. Miss 13 free throws (as Crisp did) and they only miss six, that’s pretty much the difference in the game.”

Key Key Price pumped in 19 points for the victors who also got double-digit assistance from teammates Lyndsey Washington, 12, and Paige Cox 11. Oliver, who got into early foul trouble, connected for 20 for Crisp which got another 11 from Kayla Green.



Score by Quarters

Monroe High 14-10-11-18 — 53

Crisp County 13-11-7-14 —  45



Scoring

   Monroe (53) — Key Key Price 19, Lyndsey Washington 12, Paige Cox 11, Darone Anduze 9, Jasmine Williams 2.

   Team totals: field goals 17; free throws 16 of 22 (72.7%); fouls 18; 3-pointers — Washington 3; fouled out — none.

   Crisp  (45) — Nisha Waters 6, Dee Dee Williams 8, Deletria Colson, Kayla Green 11, Nasheema Oliver 20, Alexis Felton, Niqueria Jones, Miah Burks.

   Team totals: field goals 18; free throws 7 of 20 (35%); fouls 19; 3-pointers — Green 2; fouled out — Green.