Atkinson tops Georgia Christian
Jan. 9—DASHER — Coming back from holiday break, Georgia Christian basketball returned home to Colson Court to compete against the Atkinson County Rebels. The unfamiliar matchup for the Generals ended in a loss for the girls and the boys. The Lady Generals kept a close game going into the half but ultimately fell 59-35, and the Generals ended the night down 73-46 to Atkinson.
Lady Generals
The Lady Generals started the set with a close first quarter. Kendall Corbett performed on the inside throughout the game, putting up six points in the first frame. Atkinson's Trinity Bolden and Ja'Kari Northcutt kept the game even, Bolden shooting a three-pointer. Georgia Christian's Sage Grimes ended the first quarter with a rebound, tying the game 12-12.
Corbett continued to stand out in the paint, with the Lady Rebels staying close with excellent shooting. ATCO's Kamari Moore would shoot two three-pointers and put up three layups, ending the half with a lead for Atkinson 26-25.
Going into the second half, Atkinson began pulling ahead. The third quarter consisted of the Rebels' offense taking over the inside and racking their score. After two minutes without scoring, Georgia Christian took back some momentum with two back-to-back baskets from Brecken Hicks.
The final quarter would solidify the Lady Rebels' win with more inside plays, including noticeable synergy between Northcutt and Moore. A big three-pointer from Corbett would pump the crowd; however, the game ended shortly after, 59-35.
Generals
Georgia Christian had a rough start to their game, with the team only putting up 5 points to the Rebels' 24 points. The Generals' Benji Galindo put up a three-pointer and a layup for the team's only first-quarter points. The Rebels' Zaki Wilson started the game with a three-pointer and put up eight more points for Atkinson, ending the quarter 24-5.
In the huddle, head coach Drew Copeland refocused the young athletes.
The second period produced a completely different-looking Generals. The whole team got involved, with three-pointers from Galindo and Tristan Butler. The GCS defense only gave up eight points to the previous quarter's 24. Rebounds from General Tanner Rayfield netted six points, ending the half 32-17.
The game ramped up in the third, with Butler and Wilson trading three-pointers to start the half. Back-to-back three-pointers from Galindo would slowly etch at ATCO's lead. Georgia Christian put up 23 points in the third quarter, with an excellent mix of inside plays and shooting. The Generals finished the third down 47-40 in an incredible second and third quarter.
The final quarter saw Atkinson take over again to win the game. Wilson took over in shooting, while the Generals only scored 6 points. The game ended 73-46.
