By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
GUYTON -- Laney Dobbs made the shot of the night for the South Effingham girls basketball team Friday night.
And the moment was celebrated accordingly.
The sophomore guard threw her hands in the air after her successful layup and a few seconds later, when the buzzer ended the Mustangs’ 70-25 victory over visiting Effingham County, Dobbs was mobbed by her teammates.
Dobbs’ basket meant all 16 SEHS players scored during the team’s highest offensive output of the season.
“There was a great atmosphere in the lockerroom, that’s for sure,” said Mustangs coach Jenifer Hall, whose players know the other side of the feeling, getting thumped by 46 points (80-34) by Calvary Day earlier this season.
But that was 10 days ago. Friday, SEHS took advantage of an opponent in its rebuilding stages. Hall played everyone who suited up and four girls -- freshmen Anna Elliott and Jaden Burns and sophomores Catelin Toomey and Brianna Toomey -- scored their first points of the season.
“Obviously, a game like this gives you the chance to play your younger players and it gives them some experience,” Hall said. “It’s great to have your teammates cheering you on.”
SEHS stayed in constant euphoria throughout the game. Six-foot-3 senior post Melanie Zeigler dominated the inside with nine of her game-high 11 points in the first quarter.
And when the Rebels’ shooting went ice cold from the field -- no field goals from 3:48 of the first quarter until 1:51 of the third quarter (a span of 17 minutes and 57 seconds) -- the Mustangs’ 9-5 advantage ballooned to 63-13.
Before the third quarter ended, the Mustangs, who scored more than 20 points in each of the first three quarters, had eclipsed their previous high this season of 52 points against Bryan County on Nov. 21.
Mustangs Kay’Mar Griffin and Annabelle Sheley had eight points apiece. Paris Kelley had a team-leading 10 rebounds.
The Rebels, who were playing without key scorer Jania Taylor, won the final quarter 9-7 to finish with some encouragement.
Brianna Hall paced the team with seven points. Freshman Roneisha Goss and Kalyce Watson had five points apiece.
On Saturday, the Lady Mustangs lost 52-49 to Bryan County and the Lady Rebels fell to May River 36-21.
