By HARVEY SIMPSON
Dispatch Sports Editor
SYLVESTER — Home court advantage meant about the same thing to Worth County’s Rams in a Friday night re-match with Crisp County as it did to the Cougars 48 hours earlier.
A 65-58 loser to Crisp in Cordele on Wednesday, the Worth boys came away a 75-69 winner here to get their school a split in a Region 1-AAA doubleheader that began with the Lady Cougars beating the Lady Rams 77-49.
After their home games last night vs. Valdosta, the Crisp squads will close out regular season play this coming week when they visit Dougherty on Tuesday and host Perry on Friday for senior night.
Crisp 77, Worth 49 (girls)
Although her team’s offensive output represented a single-game season high, Lady Cougars’ mentor seemed to be more pleased with what the squad did on the other side of the ball.
“Our defense was just outstanding,” Speir said. “We played both zone and man-for-man and that combination helped us wear them down in transition where we beat them up and down the floor.”
Sparked by Mariah Davis’ early output of 11 points, Crisp took a 20-13 first period lead that grew to 41-18 by halftime and 63-36 entering the final turn also won 14-13 by the 16-6, 8-4 Lady Cougars.
Monique Grant and Davis ran almost neck-and-neck at the top of the Crisp scoring ledger with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Not far behind with 16 was Keidra Green.
Score by Quarters
Crisp County 20-21-22-14 — 77
Worth County 13-5-18-13 — 49
Scoring
Crisp County (77) — Sharnell McKenzie 3, Nisha Waters 5, Monique Grant 21, Mariah Davis 20, Keidra Green 16, Onicca Wood 4, Adrianna Dennard 8, Shaterria Dawson, Brittany Mapp, Kenisha Whitest.
Team totals: field goals 27; free throws 18 of 29 (62.1%); fouls 12; 3-pointers — Waters 1, Grant 2, Davis 2; fouled out — none.
Worth County (49) — Dee Walker 15, Christie Smith 23, Kim Evans 2, LaKristen Jones 2, Shan Pittman 4, Shannon Tucker 2, Shishan Smith 1.
Team totals: field goals 18; free throws 5 of 6 (82.5%); fouls 19; 3-pointers — Walker 5, Smith 3; fouled out — none.
Rams 75, Cougars 69
Drained mentally from having already played twice in three days, Crisp won only the first and fourth-quarter battles by slim margins that weren’t enough to offset the edge Worth had over it in the second and third periods.
“They killed us on the glass and outplayed us for all four quarters,” said Cougar assistant Lemetrice Ray.
Score by Quarters
Crisp County 20-12-15-22 — 69
Worth County 18-14-22-21 — 75
Scoring
Crisp County (69) — Casadeyoun Jackson 12, D.J. Jackson 13, Marshall Graham 3, Calvin Brown 2, Jontavious Carter 8, Marshall Taylor 6, Dermonti Dempsey 15, Tommy Sanders 15.
Team totals: field goals 25; free throws 15 of 24 (62.5%); fouls 21; 3-pointers — D., Jackson 1, C. Jackson 2, Graham 1; fouled out — Carter.
Worth County (75) — J. Rockwell 9, D. Nether 9, W. Peacock 18, T.J. Hurley 4, J. Alford 24, T. Frager 21.
Team tottals: field goals 28; free throws 15 of 27 (59.3%); fouls 17; 3-pointers — Peacock 3, Nether 1; fouled out — none.
