By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

GUYTON – The Effingham County boys basketball team couldn’t stand prosperity Wednesday night.

A 15-point lead against rival South Effingham with four minutes remaining seemed comfortable, but 3 ½ minutes later, the advantage was just two – a lot like their last five games and the Rebels lost four of those.

Not this time.

“The biggest positive for me was the game got tight and we were able to finish it,” said ECHS coach Tramaine Aaron, after his squad sank four free throws in the final 19 seconds to hold off the host Mustangs 62-56.

It was a rescheduled game after the snowfall and cold weather postponed the Jan. 25 matchup.

The Rebels started this game hot, scoring the first nine points of the game and never seeing their lead dip below five until the final minute.

Point guard Lamar Roberts had 11 of his 13 points in the first half and Elyjah Doty added 12 of his game-high 15 points in the second half.

ECHS led 26-21 at halftime before a 7-0 run, highlighted by Doty’s 3-pointer gave the Rebels a 12-point advantage.

“We got off to a slow start and the second half, the same thing and that cost us in the end,” SEHS coach Rico Campbell said. “That’s basketball, a game of runs. They made a couple of runs and made their free throws at the end.”

And the Rebels were reeling with Roberts and Joseph Polite, both starters, fouling out and another starter Noah Reese nursing a sprained ankle.

ECHS lost to Evans by two (51-49) on Tuesday night (Feb. 4). The Rebels lost to South 63-62 in the teams’ first meeting.

This time, Damion Gordon made 3 of his 4 free-throw shots and Doty added another to finish off a valiant charge by the Mustangs.

Harlin finished with 11 points for South. Chase Seyler had 10 and Hall added nine.

“These games are never easy. For most coaches, they’re never fun,” Aaron said. “It was a good win against a rival. Hopefully, we’ll take that into the region tournament.”

Both Effingham County and South Effingham play in Class 5A, Region 1, but the Rebels are in the North subregion and the Mustangs are in the South subregion so the game didn’t count in subregion standings.

The Region 1 tournament brings both subregions together for crossover games which will eventually lead to the four teams going to the state tournament.

SEHS (7-16, a No. 4 seed from the South subregion) began the region tournament on Feb. 10 against Glynn Academy.

ECHS (10-15, a No. 4 seed from the North) began its tournament play on Feb. 11.