On Thursday, Dec. 6 the Gadsden County High junior varsity (JV) and varsity boys basketball teams played at John Paul II Catholic School.
In the first game, the Jaguar JV team took an early 3 point lead to end the first quarter 9-6. John Paul II’s JV then had a surging 14 point 2 nd quarter and took the lead at halftime 20-15. The score remained pretty close throughout the remainder of the game, but John Paul pulled it out over the Jags JV team 35-29.
The Jags JV team was led by Tavares Pollard who scored 10 points, and Zanncori Bennett who added another 8 points and 9 rebounds.
The second game, which featured both schools’ varsity teams, kept the excitement going courtesy of the many 3-point shots. In the varsity game, the Jags jumped out to a 9-0 lead to start the game. John Paul hit a few 3-pointers and cut the lead down to just one point to end the first quarter.
John Paul II continued to thrive off of 3-point shots and Jaguar turnovers to finish the first half, and extended their lead to 25-18.
The Jags made some halftime adjustments and came out and took a 29-26 lead halfway through the third quarter; however, the turnover bug continued to infect them and they entered the fourth trailing 36-35.
It was a dog fight in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, the turnover proved to be too much for the Jags, and they ended up taking the loss to John Paul II with a final score of 51-45.
Cerrick Caison led the Jags with 13 points. Zion Peterson also added 12 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.
“It’s hard to beat anybody when you turn the ball over twenty-one times,” Gadsden County High School Head Boys Basketball Coach Andrew Moten said. “We have to protect the basketball.”
Chris Daniels – Gadsden County News Service