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Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Whitehead triple-double, 12-0 run sends No. 5 Woodland-Stockbridge past Jones County on Senior Night

No. 5 Woodland-Stockbridge 65, Jones County 58

Woodland-Stockbridge vs. Jones County

Rescheduled due to a phantom snow storm, No. 5 Woodland-Stockbridge (20-4, 11-2) held Senior Night on Thursday as the Wolfpack welcomed in Region 4-AAAAA foe Jones County (16-8, 8-5). Having their 17-game winning streak snapped on Monday against No. 2 Eagle’s Landing, Woodland looked for a season sweep of the Greyhounds and in the process, ignite a new streak.

A slow pace set the tone early as both teams looked to be patient when finding their offense. Woodland took a 4-0 lead before Jameson Bryant attacked the basket and got Jones County on the board.

Jalen Mason helped the Wolfpack to a 9-2 lead, hitting a three then assisting to Curtis Perdue on a fast break. Woodland finished the quarter with a flurry, scoring seven points in a minute with Jalen Crawl hitting a three, Dewayne Chester a layup and Perdue a tip-in to push Woodland ahead 19-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Trying to weather Woodland’s storm, Bryant continued to assault the paint and scored six of his team-high 14 points in the quarter but the Wolfpack still maintained control.

Unsigned 6-foot-8 senior Rahim “Sincere” Whitehead dominated the paint and cleaned up misses inside as one of his numerous put-backs gave Woodland a 21-14 lead at the 4:41 mark.

Off the bench, Joe Jackson sparked Jones County with 10 of his 14 points coming in the second quarter as he knocked down two threes and was active on the offensive glass.

Woodland closed the half up 31-27 as Mason’s defensive prowess caused issues for the Greyhounds, picking up four steals over the first 16 minutes including a late pilfer and assist to Tyrek Washington.

Eager to make his mark, DeArco Pitts carried Jones County during the third quarter with his ability to create his own shot off the dribble. Pitts knocked down two mid-range jumpers and Bryant finished inside to give the Greyhounds a 33-31 advantage at the 6:49 mark.

Minutes later, Marquis Jackson collected a rejected shot and wriggled around the baseline for a jumper to make it 35-34 with 3:50 remaining in the third quarter.

Pitts struck with his playmaking ability and hit Jackson for a bucket to extend Jones County’s lead to 40-36 with 2:30 left to play and saw the lead grow to 44-38 but Mason nailed a pull-up three at the buzzer to bring Woodland to within 44-41 at the end of three.

Back-and-forth the Wolfpack and Greyhounds went in the fourth quarter as Jackson stopped on a dime at the 5:23 mark to give Jones County a narrow 50-48 lead.

But from that point on, Whitehead took over the game. Finishing with a triple-double of 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 blocks, Whitehead scored inside to make it 54-50 then scored on a put-back, blocked a shot and advanced the ball to Chester for a spinning layup to cap a 12-0 run that surged the Wolfpack ahead 60-50 with 2:33 remaining.

Down but not out, Coach Dennis Woolfolk’s group responded.

Chavis Mathis found Tre Dean for a three to make it 60-55 with 2 minutes left before Jackson cashed in from deep to cut the lead to 60-58 with 1:19 remaining on the clock.

In the midst of an 8-0 run, Perdue answered the bell on his Senior Night to put a close to Jones County’s comeback bid, canning a three in the corner with 61 seconds left to make it 63-58, giving Perdue a game-high 20 points as Woodland closed it out 65-58 after a Chester bucket.

My Take

Region 4-AAAAA has proven to be one of the deepest and most competitive regions in the state over the past few years. Both teams chase No. 2 Eagle’s Landing (19-3, 13-0) in the standings but both teams will be dangerous come state tournament time. Woodland-Stockbridge has quick guards that have some explosion to the hoop. Jalen Mason did some of his best work defensively and showed he could knock down the long-range shot by hitting two threes. Dewayne Chester was lightning quick with the ball in his hands and finished with 4 assists. Curtis Perdue netted nine points in the first quarter and was steady throughout. He’s a solid shooter that has some quick twitch when getting to the rim. The most impressive player however was 6-foot-8 unsigned senior Rahim “Sincere” Whitehead. Though it might sound crazy to say, Whitehead played every inch of his frame and let his size and presence impact the game. While some posts can play smaller than listed, Whitehead had no problem attacking rebounds and defending the rim. He isn’t a high-flying athlete but Whitehead has a sturdy build and moves well. He knows what he is best at and does everything you want out of a big man. He posted up well with a strong base and had his hands on every rebound in his area. With 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 blocks, Whitehead was dominant. He didn’t have to display a ton of offense on the block as the majority of his points came on put-backs or dump offs though he had one strong move from the left block heading into the lane. Whitehead should be viewed as a valid D-II option for programs looking for a hardnosed throwback low post presence.

A lack of size hurt Jones County tonight along with Bryson Wooten still recovering from a foot fracture. I loved how hard 6-foot-2 senior Jameson Bryant played for the Greyhounds. It was to no surprise that I found out he was a football player. He had a tenacity when putting his head down and getting to the rim and when attacking rebounds. He’s got an explosion to the basket and can finish amongst the trees. Bryant tallied 14 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block while Joe Jackson had 14 points, 9 rebounds and 1 block off the bench. Jackson shined in the second and third quarter by being at the right place at the right time while knocking down shots and helping on the glass. Senior guard DeArco Pitts really flashed in the third quarter with his ability to create space and hit the mid-range. He also made plays for his teammates and finished with 5 assists. He’s a quality guard that is a winning piece.

Top Performers

Woodland-Stockbridge
Curtis Perdue – 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Jalen Mason – 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals
Dewayne Chester – 11 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Sincere Whitehead – 10 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 10 blocks

Jones County
Jameson Bryant – 14 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Joe Jackson – 14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block
DeArco Pitts – 12 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists
Marquis Jackson – 12 points, 3 rebounds

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Most Dangerous 4-Seeds

February Frenzy is finally here. Over 100 brackets have been submitted to the Sandy’s Spiel bracket challenge so now it is time to highlight a couple of the most dangerous 4-seeds looming in the tournament throughout each classification.

Class AAAAAA

Two 4-seeds stand above the rest in the state’s highest classification. Grayson (20-8) and Douglas County (16-11) will not be pushovers. Both teams spent time in the top ten this year before faltering late. The Rams looked as if the 2-seed or at worst 3-seed was going to be theirs coming out of Region 8, but instead the Central Gwinnett Black Knights stunned them in the consolation game, 87-78. The Rams draw No. 1 ranked Wheeler in round one, the defending state champs. Grayson will need heroic performances from senior guards Alphonso Willis and Austin Dukes. Both average over 17 points per game and have been groomed in one of this year’s deepest regions. Wheeler’s weakest spot on the floor is point guard. If Dukes and Willis can exploit that position as a liability, the Rams have a chance to hang around. Tre Sconiers is an active forward that hits the glass well. He and freshman Kenyon Jackson, a 6-foot-5 center averaging just under 10 rebounds and four blocks a game, will have their hands full with Georgia Tech signee Romello White and North Florida signee Al-Wajid Aminu.

Douglas County doesn’t have a sexy record, but it isn’t for a lack of competition. Region 3 was an all-out war with No. 2 Westlake and No. 7 Pebblebrook leading the pack. The Tigers still managed a 10-4 region record, powered by North Carolina signee Brandon Robinson. The swingman can take games over as he averaged 23 points per game and netted 33 at Holiday Hooopsgiving in a win over 5A No. 3 McIntosh. The Tigers get the guard-heavy No. 8 Newton Rams out of Region 2. JD Notae, Jaquan Simms and Ashton Hagans can all score the ball, but their ability to defend will be put to the test against the explosive Tigers.

Class AAAAA

Jones County (15-12) opened the season ranked No. 9 but quickly fell out of the poll and never returned. It has become the Devin Wooten show for Coach Dennis Woolfolk. The senior guard pops in 24.5 points per game and is one of the state’s leading scorers. Landravious Bowden has picked up his play as of late averaging over 16 points and close to seven rebounds a night. The Greyhounds are still looking for their signature victory, falling three times to No. 7 Warner Robins: 76-68, 96-90 2OT and 78-72 in the Region 2 semis. They are matched up with Region 3’s Camden County. The Wildcats started out the year 13-0 and cracked the top ten before falling back to the pack. Camden heated up again at the end of the season and marched to the region title, defeating Statesboro in the championship. Point guard Johnathon Canada presents an interesting challenge for Jones County as he averages 8.7 points and 9.8 assists.

Class AAAA

No. 8 St. Pius (22-6) is a 4-seed. It doesn’t get much scarier than that. Ranked in the top five for most of the season, the Golden Lions faltered as they let a 15-point lead slip away to No. 3 Grady in the semifinals before falling in overtime to Columbia. Luckily for Coach Aaron Parr and senior forward Kerney Lane, they draw one of the weakest regions in the state in terms of competition level in Region 7. Cartersville will have more athletes than the Golden Lions but it will be Coach Mike Tobin’s job to take advantage of it. The Golden Lions have seen and defeated athletes and talented teams, scoring wins over Grady and No. 4 Lithonia throughout the year, so they will not be intimidated. St. Pius is a trendy pick to meet No. 1 Jonesboro in a rematch of last year’s Sweet 16 showdown. Another dangerous team is Eastside (20-9). Junior guard Isaiah Miller pumps in 25.3 points a night and will be tested by Westover, a 17-11 1-seed out of Region 1, and its trio of talented guards Allec Williams, Jordan Brown and Kris Gardner.

Class AAA

Southwest-Macon (17-9) enjoyed a lengthy stay in the top ten before tumbling late in the year, but they are still a scary team for No. 3 Laney to draw. Senior forward Justin Slocum stands 6-foot-6 and is a beast to guard, averaging 22.4 points and 13.6 rebounds. Junior point guard Nick Hargrove is a gem as well posting 21.1 points and 5.9 assists. Hargrove especially, will be tested by the most seasoned backcourt in the state, Zep Jasper (College of Charleston) and Christian Keeling (Charleston Southern). The two are the epitome of the word “winner” and have rallied the Wildcats from the jaws of defeat countless times this year to run up a 24-2 record. Keeling averages 24 points and 6.5 rebounds while Jasper adds 20.6 points, 4.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds. If the Patriots are able to exploit their size advantage inside with Slocum and if Hargrove can hold his own, this could turn into one of the best first round games in the state.

Class AA

No. 7 Seminole County (19-7). Do I need to say any more? The defending state champs saw their season end on rocky terms, losing three of their last four games, but the dynamic duo of Jordan Harris (UGA) and Anfernee King still remain. The two combine for over 48 points, 17 rebounds, 13 assists, 9 steals and 3 blocks per game. The Indians are still the only team to have beaten No. 1 Thomasville, proving they can turn things on. First they will have the challenge of defeating No. 2 Crawford County, the team the Indians beat in the finals last year. The forward combo of Will Jarrell and Marcal Knolton put up video game numbers similar to that of the guards of Seminole County. Expect points to be scored in bunches and for the Eagles to make sure Harris doesn’t hang another 41-piece on them again.