More region dominance for Cavaliers
Published 12:00 am Saturday, February 6, 2016
HOGANSVILLE – Another season, another perfect region record for the Callaway Cavaliers.
For the second straight season, the Cavaliers made it through the regular season without dropping a region game.
Callaway improved to 10-0 in Region 5-AAA with Friday’s 80-46 home victory over the region’s third-place team, the Rockmart Yellow Jackets.
Now, the Cavaliers will begin pursuit of a fourth consecutive region-tournament championship under head coach Terry Hayes, and they’ll play a semifinal game on Friday at Central-Carroll.
In Friday’s win over Rockmart, senior Ernest Patillo led the way with 24 points, and he had 18 points in the second and third quarters combined.
“They were focused,” Hayes said. “They wanted that undefeated season in the region.”
Braylon Sanders had eight points in the first and fourth quarters, and he finished with 16 points.
Senior Dre Martin added 15 points, with eight of those points coming in the opening quarter as the Cavaliers got off to a quick start.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 22-7 lead after the first quarter, and by the half they were ahead 39-19.
The Yellow Jackets got within 18 points through three quarters, but they were outscored 23-9 in the fourth quarter.
In Friday’s girls’ game, Callaway beat Rockmart 56-46 to finish the regular season with a 7-3 region record, and they’ll be the number two seed for the region tournament.
Callaway will play a semifinal game on Friday at Central-Carroll.
Senior Tanesha Johnson led the Lady Cavaliers with 16 points, and sophomore post player Chyna Cameron added 12 points, with Alexus Scott chipping in with eight points.
It was tied 39-39 late in the third quarter when Scott scored to put the Lady Cavaliers ahead, and that was the start of a 10-0 run that pushed the lead to 49-39 with 5:27 left in the game.
Rockmart got within six before Callaway regained momentum and scored five straight points to go up 54-43 with 1:44 to play.
Both of Callaway’s teams have already secured a spot in the state tournament, regardless of what happens in the region tournament.
Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports
