Newnan wins exciting varsity hoop doubleheader in closing seconds

(Note: If you find an error in the story or have a comment, send me an email to slcrosby10@gmail.com or a personal message on Facebook (http://facebook.com/stuart.l.crosby). PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE A COMMENT AS I WILL NOT SEE IT UNTIL I ACCESS THIS BLOG AGAIN)

SHARPSBURG-Those in attendance at the John Thrower Gymnasium were not disappointed Friday night as Newnan needed late game heroics in gaining a Region 3-AAAAAA sweep of rival East Coweta in a varsity basketball doubleheader.

Chaycie Goggins hit a short jumper with less than a half-second remaining in regulation to give the Lady Cougars a 56-55 win over the Lady Indians while a basket by Doniel Dean and a free throw by Immanuel Griggs stood up to give the Cougars a 62-60 victory in the waning seconds.

The Lady Cougars improved to 5-11 overall and 1-0 in the region.with the thrilling victory while the Lady Indians fell to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in the region.

Trailing 54-53 with with 2.4 after Mekhia Freeman converted a pair of free throws, the Lady Indians took the lead as Brandi Sinkfield sped down court to steal the Lady Cougars' inbound pass and convert a short jumper with over a second remaining.

After the basket, the Lady Cougars inbounded the ball with a frenetic pace and it found its way to Goggins.

Goggins, who proved to be a thorn in the side of the Lady Indians during the 2013 softball season with several big hits, hurriedly tossed the ball toward the basket and the shot fell in as the buzzer sounded.  

Newnan took an early 6-0 lead before Quentina Roberts converted with five minutes remaining in the first period for EC that started a 15-6 run that gave them a 15-12 lead with 90 seconds remaining as Kiandrea Hall drilled a three-pointer.

The Lady Indians eventually took a 16-14 lead into the second period but lost it quickly as Goggins converted a basket that tied the game seconds into the stanza.

However, EC regained the lead when Eboni Williams converted a pair of free throws seconds later that started a 13-2 run to give the home team a 29-18 lead with less than a minute remaining in the half.

Trailing 31-22 at the half, the Lady Cougars began a comeback in the third period as went on a 14-3 run that gave them a 36-34 lead with 2:03 remaining as Nashara Baker converted a go ahead basket.

A basket by Bodecia Zackery gave Newnan a 38-36 lead then Shemiah Sanchez hit a three-pointer for EC that cut the margin to 38-37 with 90 seconds remaining.

However, Metryes Geter converted a three-pointer that gave the Lady Cougars a 41-37 after three periods.

In the fourth period, Freeman converted a pair of free throws and Sinkfield hit a basket that tied the game at 41-41 with the first of four ties in the stanza.

The period was also somewhat physical as evidenced by five players from the two teams leaving the game with five fouls while five players finished the game with four.

The Lady Cougars appeared to have the game won late in the period as they had a 54-51 lead with 24.8 seconds remaining after a free throw by Geter.

However, the joy would be short lived as Freeman converted the free throws and Sinkfield set off the one second rush to victory.

Williams led the Lady Indians with 21 points and Freeman followed with 12 while Geter led the Lady Cougars with 16 points and Goggins followed with 12 points,

 In the boys game, Zhakeer Jervey drilled the first of three three-pointers in the first period that keyed a 12-3 start for the Indians but a 10-4 finish to the stanza by the Cougars cut the Indians' lead to 16-13 after the period ended as Doniel Dean converted a basket in the waning seconds.

The basket by Dean, who led all scorers with 29 points, began an 8-0 run that gave the Cougars a 21-16 lead with 5:03 remaining before Jeremy Farmer converted a three-pointer seconds later.

The Farmer basket began a streak of 12-8 over the balance of the stanza that led to a 29-28 lead for Newnan at the half.

The Cougars opened the third period with five straight points to take a 34-28 lead with 7:14 remaining but after assuming a 41-32 lead with 4:47 remaining, the offense went silent for awhile.

The Indians took advantage of their rival's problem with 14-5 finish that tied the game at 46-46 as Sterling Tyson drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer from the backcourt.

A pair of free throws by Dean allowed the Cougars to take a 48-46 lead at the beginning of the final period, but five straight points by Zach Walker gave the Indians a 51-48 lead before a 7-0 streak gave the Cougars a 55-51 lead with 3:24 remaining.

The game was far from over as the Indians went on a 9-4 streak that gave them a 60-59 lead with 34.5 seconds remaining.

The Cougars regained the lead seconds later when Dean converted a basket and the Indians came down court with the ball but a pair of missed baskets allowed Immanuel Griggs to come away with a rebound with 8.7 seconds remaining.

After an Indians timeout, Griggs converted the first of two free throw attempts but he would miss the second and the Indians came away with the rebound looking for one last chance to take the victory but the home team was unable to do so as the ball was loose before Walker was able to get off a shot that went in after the buzzer sounded.    

Jervey led the Indians with 15 points, Tyson followed with 14 points, Framer scored 11 points and Walker scored nine points.

Griggs scored 14 points for the Cougars while Chris White scored seven and Tonaris Portress scored five points.