Macon County too much for Northeast, wins Copeland Classic
A team needs all of its playmakers when taking on a top-ten ranked team such as Macon County, as Northeast did on Friday in the boys championship game of the Copeland Classic.
So it was hardly a welcome sight for the Raiders that one of its leading scorers, Cameron Cherry, was unable to play.
The absence showed against the Bulldogs and their aggressive backcourt as Macon County eventually overwhelmed the host Raiders (9-5) and pulled away in an 80-56 victory to win the Copeland Classic.
Darius Dunn’s 21 points led the Raiders in the loss during a game in which the Raiders mustered just two field goals in the second quarter. The Bulldogs took advantage, building a 38-29 lead at halftime. By the time the night ended, Macon County had raised the tournament’s first-place trophy while also having four different players scoring at least 10 points.
In the girls championship, Northeast gave 2A’s top-ranked team all it could hande before falling 73-64 to Laney.
Five who mattered
Dunn: He was an all-around scorer for the Raiders on Friday and kept them in the game, driving for layups, converting free throws and draining a three- pointer.
Ty’ree Gilbert: He heated up after a scoreless first quarter. Gilbert wrapped up the night with 18 points that included a pair of three-point shots.
Tim Green: A solid 15-point night helped put pressure on Macon County’s defensive game plan.
Lakeviyon Walker: He was one of multiple Bulldogs the Raiders had problems stopping during his 20-point night.
Clayton Jenkins: Was one of a handful of Bulldogs finding success driving the lane, scoring 15 points.
Observations
Driven efforts: The Bulldogs leaned on their athletic guards Friday to drive the lane and score points, and it worked to great effect. Macon County was not only able to drive the lane, but also executed on the chances that the aggression created.
Missed chances: The Raiders trailed 38-29 after halftime, a manageable deficit in terms of being able to make a comeback. Northeast did miss out in one area that might have allowed them to cut into the Bulldogs’ lead. Macon County quickly found itself in foul trouble in the second half, but the Raiders were not able to draw a high number of fouls, eliminating chances to chip away at the Bulldogs lead from the free-throw line.
They said it
Northeast head coach Kevin Grooms on playing without one of the Raiders’ top scorers: “Not having Cameron Cherry, that hurt us a lot. He’s one of our go-to guys.”
Grooms on what hurt Northeast the most Friday: “We just missed a lot of opportunities, that killed us (Friday). We just didn’t capitalize.
Grooms on Macon County’s guards: “They’re aggressive guards. They attack, and that’s what I was telling my guys, that we had to attack them. Most teams that attack, they don’t like being attacked back. We just fell short a little bit in that, but we’ll pick it back up.”
What’s next?
Northeast plays at Dodge County on Tuesday.
Other Friday scores from Northeast:
Boys
Mundy’s Mill 56, Johns Creek 49
FPD 68, Washington 41
Rutland 77, Lamar County 64
Girls
Tri-Cities 46, Rutland 42
Macon County 58, Washington 42
Lamar County 61, Riverdale 46
Other Friday scores from Tattnall Square
Boys
Stratford 73, Strong Rock 48
Girls
Stratford 52, Lake Oconee 27
Other Friday scores from Mary Persons
Boys
Mary Persons 90, Griffin 45
Girls
Northside 53, Westside 48
Putnam County 64, Upson-Lee 48
This story was originally published December 30, 2017 at 8:33 AM with the headline "Macon County too much for Northeast, wins Copeland Classic."