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ECHS boys hold off Evans in OT; Lady Rebels still struggle
Joseph Polite
Effingham County's Joseph Polite (No. 13) looks to get around Evans' Jayden Crowder (No. 5) in first-half action last Thursday in the Rebels' gym. ECHS slipped past the Knights 67-60 in overtime. (Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

SPRINGFIELD – Some positive reinforcement should go a long way for Effingham County’s boys’ basketball team.

Head coach Tramaine Aaron has been preaching defense wins games all season.

The Rebels were surrendering less than 55 points a game to enter the week, but were mired in a three-game losing streak.

Last Thursday, Jan. 30, they were pretty good defensively for long stretches and held off Evans 67-60 in overtime in a key Class 5A Region 1 North tilt on Homecoming.

“Defense is going to be our calling card,” Aaron said. “We keep telling the guys we are the farthest thing from pretty. We have to be gritty. We have to grind. We have to muddy up the game, get on the floor and force turnovers, just to offset those moments when we can’t score for whatever reason.”

A day earlier, ECHS’ failure to block out on a missed free throw led to Lakeside’s tying basket to force overtime and the Rebels lost 57-50.

The Rebels (8-14) had several mental lapses in a dejá vu moment Thursday night, when Evans’ Tisher Scott sank two 3-pointers in the final minute of regulation to send the game to overtime.

Damion Gordon
Rebel guard Damion Gordon (No. 4) ties up Evans' Xaiden Watson (No. 4) during a fight for a loose ball in first-half action. Effingham County notched a key Class 5A Region 1 victory over the visiting Knights, 67-60, Thursday night. (Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)
But ECHS defense toughened in overtime and surrendered just two baskets as Lamar Roberts and Damion Gordon combined for all 11 points to reverse the losing trend.

“I think this team is starting to see, (defense) is going to be our brand,” Aaron said. “This reinforces what we’ve been telling them. (Defense) wins games, but it’s been hard for them to see because we’ve lost several games we could have won. Hats off to the defense tonight.”

Thursday night, the Rebels had their share of trials and tribulations. They missed 14 free throws (12 of 26) and had an early scoring drought of more than five minutes without a field goal when Evans raced to an eight-point lead (14-6 and 16-8).

ECHS fouled a shooter attempting a desperation three-point shot just before the end of the third quarter which turned into a four-point play to trim a 44-38 lead to 44-42 heading into the fourth quarter.

And failure to locate Scott on the three-point shots in the final minute brought back memories of the night before against Lakeside.

The Rebels lost to Lakeside by three, 44-41, and stayed close with Greenbrier before a late barrage during the three-game losing streak.

ECHS lost to Greenbrier 46-43 on Friday night.

“That’s how it’s been,” Aaron said. “There’ve been three or four games when we had the lead and we had control but mental lapses at the most inopportune times hurt us.”

This time, a coin-flip game came up the right way for ECHS. Aaron’s full court press rattled Evans and forced a 35-second call and a 10-second backcourt violation during a 9-0 first-half run that got the Rebels back in the game.

ECHS rode the hot shooting of Elyjah Doty and Roberts – 20 and 16 points respectively – to go in front 42-35 in the third quarter.

Doty had five of the team’s 10 threes on the night and Roberts added three, including one with 1:24 to go to make it 62-58.

Roberts made a layup and Gordon sank 3 of 4 free-throw attempts in the final 46 seconds.

“I’m glad we finally pulled one out,” Aaron said.

Nakera Hawkins
ECHS' Nakera Hawkins (No. 5) drives to the basket past Evans' Chabria Tate (No. 23) in girls basketball action Thursday. The Knights spoiled ECHS' Senior Night with a 58-35 win. (Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)
In the girls’ game, ECHS (1-17) lost to Evans 58-35. The Rebels, who are mired in a 16-game losing streak, struggled against the much-improved Knights but have been competitive lately. During their last four games, they have lost two games by seven points and one by eight.