By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
When Georgiana made its decisive move in the fourth quarter, it brought up the obvious question.
Just how much gas did the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles have left in the tank in Tuesday's 56-48 home loss to the Georgiana Panthers.
Not only had W.S. Neal played an overtime game at J.U. Blacksher the day before, but Tuesday's game was the Blue Eagles fifth in six days and sixth in eight days.
While fatigue may have caught up with the Blue Eagles (4-5) down the stretch, that was not the case early in the game.
W.S. Neal used a three-pointer and traditional field goal by Jonathan Alexander and a pair of baskets by Cody Green to take a 16-9 lead in the opening frame.
Another three-pointer by Alexander and another bucket by Green in the first two minutes of the second quarter enabled the Blue Eagles to widen that advantage to a game high bulge of 21-12.
Georgiana scored the next eight points and ended the half on an 18-6 run that gave the Panthers a 30-27 halftime lead.
W.S. Neal appeared to weather that storm in the third quarter. The Blue Eagles pulled even at 32-32 on a bucket by Sherman Sanders halfway through the quarter and took a 36-32 lead moments later on baskets by Sanders and Cecil Thomas.
The Panthers not only scored the last six points of the quarter to take a 38-36 lead, but the first 11 of the fourth quarter as well to put Georgiana up 49-36. Panthers guard Randy Peterson played a big part in the 17-0 run with three three-pointers.
Another Peterson three-pointer with 2:50 left took Georgiana's lead up to what seemed to be a secure 52-38 margin with 2:50 left.
Over the next 90 seconds W.S. Neal got a free throw by Jake Bailey, a three-pointer by B.J. McMillian, a hoop by Sanders and two field goals by Thomas. Just like that the10-0 run trimmed Georgiana's lead to just 52-48 with 1:18 still left.
That is where the comeback ended, as the Blue Eagles never scored another point and an offensive rebound bucket by Glenn Clark and two free throws by Jamie Williams off a technical foul on the W.S. Neal bench sealed it.
W.S. Neal's junior varsity continued its early season success, as it knocked off Georgiana 44-29. Chris Brazile knocked in 18 points to lead the Blue Eagles (5-1), while Chris Payne added 10.
W.S. Neal will open up play at the Florala Tournament Monday where it will face Florala at 7:30 p.m.
At W.S. Neal
Georgiana 9 21 8 18 – 56
W.S. Neal 16 11 9 12 – 48
GEORGIANA (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Peterson 1-4-0-14; Matthews 4-0-1-9; Williams 2-0-4-8; Clark 3-0-0-6; Hall 2-0-0-4; Lee 1-0-2-4; Pleasant 2-0-0-4; McMeans 1-0-1-3; Paige 1-0-0-2; Phipps 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 18-4-8-56)
W.S. NEAL (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Alexander 2-3-0-13; Sanders 4-0-0-8; Green 3-0-0-6; Thomas 3-0-0-6; McMillian 1-1-0-5; Barksdale 2-0-0-4; Bailey 1-0-1-3; Rutledge 1-0-0-2; Madden 0-0-1-1 (Totals: 17-4-2-48)
Junior varsity
Georgiana 6 6 8 9 – 29
W.S. Neal 9 9 14 12 – 44
GEORGIANA (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Cheatham 5-0-2-12; Mitchell 2-0-0-4; Benson 2-0-0-4; McIntosh 0-1-0-3; Davison 0-0-2-2; Thomas 1-0-0-2; Crittenden 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 11-0-7-29)
W.S. NEAL (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Brazile 6-2-0-18; Payne
4-0-2-10; Bradley 2-0-4-8; Wilson 1-0-1-3; Shell 1-0-1-3; Lambert 0-0-2-2 (Totals: 14-2-10-44)