KATHLEEN -- Washington County junior Allisha Gray seemed shocked by the question. What would it take for her and the Lady Hawks to lose?
“Losing’s not even in our vocabulary,” she said. “We don’t even talk about it.”
Gray scored 36 points as Washington County opened the second annual Veterans Christmas tournament with a 77-61 win over Jonesboro on Tuesday. The defending GHSA Class AAA state champion Lady Hawks improved to 8-0 on the season and has now won 40 consecutive games. No wonder “losing” as a subject is taboo.
Kala Brown, Imani Simmons and Shon Kitchens also scored in double figures for Washington County. Briana Benson scored 17 to pace the Cardinals. Kimberly Dawkins added 16.
The teams played even for the final three quarters, but the Lady Hawks owned the opening quarter. Washington County scored the first 15 points of the game.
“We knock them out early,” Gray said.
Jonesboro tried to slow Gray with a box-and-one defense early. She scored just five points in the first quarter. But the Lady Hawks’ defense was even better, limiting Jonesboro to four points total in the first eight minutes.
“Defense. Intensity. Hustle,” Gray said. “That’s what we do.”
Gray scored 17 in the second quarter as Washington County took a 42-25 lead into intermission.
Washington County will play Warner Robins in a semifinal game at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Warner Robins 70, Dublin 66
Three Dublin players fouled out and the Demonettes took advantage, hitting 18-of-31 free throws. Warner Robins scored 10 points from the foul line in the fourth quarter to hold off a late Irish charge.
Senior Kenyona Armstrong scored 28 points to lead the Demonettes. Diamond Hudson added 22 with four 3-point shots. Quiondra Darrisaw scored 15 points before fouling out to lead Dublin.
Luella 65, Rutland 62
Rutland’s Jalen Kirkland missed a 3-point shot off the front of the rim as time expired, spoiling a late Hurricanes rally in a first-round boys game.
The Lions fought back from a 10-point halftime deficit and led 53-49 when the fourth quarter began. Luella pushed its advantage to 63-56 with 3:41 remaining before Jaylon Tyson sparked a Rutland comeback.
The guard scored the game’s next six points to pull Rutland to within one point at 63-62. But he missed the second of two free throws with 55 seconds left that could have tied the game.
After Luella’s Antonio Brodie scored on a run-out layup, the Hurricanes had one more chance to tie, but Kirkland’s shot fell just short.
Jared Hendricks of Luella led all scorers with 15 points. Dallas Smith topped Rutland with 12.
