As the weekend approaches, some local teams are riding winning streaks, while others are simply trying to build late-season momentum.

Sandy Creek’s boys and girls teams swept Region 6-AAA rival Villa Rica on Tuesday.

The Patriots (11-7, 7-0 region) remained undefeated in the region with a 74-66 victory over Villa Rica. Blake Brewer scored 27 points and had 13 rebounds, Malcolm Jackson scored 15 points and had nine rebounds and Theodore Day scored 14 points for the Patriots.

The ninth-ranked Lady Patriots (14-3, 6-1 region) won their fifth straight game, 52-32 over Villa Rica. Morgan Toles scored 14 points and had 10 steals, Kafi Hemphill scored 12 points and had nine rebounds and Jaquaye Okai scored eight points and had six rebounds for Creek.

The McIntosh Chiefs and Lady Chiefs were swept Tuesday by Region 2-AAAA rival Fayette County in Peachtree City.

Fayette’s boys held on for a 69-66 victory over the Chiefs, and Fayette’s girls whipped the Lady Chiefs 57-19.

The losses dropped the Chiefs to 8-6 overall and 4-6 in the region and the Lady Chiefs to 6-8 overall and 3-7 in the region.

Entering the fourth quarter of the boys game, the teams were deadlocked at 53.

Addison Flynn opened the final period with a 3-pointer to put Fayette in front. McIntosh went on to cut Fayette’s lead to one three times over the next three minutes.

Back-to-back baskets by Brandon Boykin (a layup) and Flynn (a 3-pointer) gave Fayette a six-point lead (65-59), tied for its largest of the game, with 4:20 remaining.

The Chiefs pulled within one (65-64) for the final time on a 3-pointer by Jeremy Lampkin with 2:20 to go.

About a minute later, McIntosh suffered a crushing blow — Lampkin, who led McIntosh with 21 points, fouled out.

With Lampkin sitting on the bench, Fayette took advantage. Boykin drew a foul in the lane and hit one of two free throws and Noel Johnson scored on a scoop shot in the lane that gave Fayette some breathing room, 68-64, with 40.6 seconds left.

McIntosh committed two turnovers within six seconds in the final 20 seconds, stymying its chances of beating the Tigers. But the Chiefs still had some life left late, trimming Fayette’s lead to 68-66 on a tip-in by Robert Chubb with 4 seconds left.

Boykin was immediately fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass, and he drilled the first of two free throws to make it a three-point game.
McIntosh had one final opportunity to tie the game and send it into overtime, but Cameron Rich’s halfcourt shot at the buzzer was off the mark.

The Chiefs led by as many as nine in the second quarter, but they failed to maintain the lead as they let a prime opportunity to knock off one of the region’s top teams slip away.

Two difference-makers for Fayette were Johnson, who scored a game-high 27 points, and Flynn, who scored 21 points (all but three of his points came on 3-pointers). McIntosh’s 2-3 zone clogged the lane, but Johnson and Flynn provided the Tigers with what any team needs to solve a zone defense — reliable shooting from the perimeter.
Boykin also was a key contributor for Fayette, finishing with 10 points.

McIntosh had three players score in double figures, Lampkin, Chubb (19 points) and Jake Tanis (10). Rich added eight.

The Lady Tigers were dominant from start to finish against the Lady Chiefs, leading the entire way.

Fayette point guard Tessah Holt, who scored 13 points, consistently broke down McIntosh’s defense. When she found an opening, she either drove the lane and dished the ball off to her teammates for high-percentage baskets or stepped up and nailed her shots.

One of the main beneficiaries of Holt’s ability to carve up McIntosh’s defense was forward Anma Onyeuku, who scored a game-high 14 points. Onyeuku made her presence felt early, scoring 12 consecutive points in the first quarter, which ended with Fayette’s Jasmine Facey draining a 3-pointer at the buzzer that put the Lady Tigers ahead 20-6.

Fayette’s transition game, led by Holt, continued to overwhelm the Lady Chiefs the rest of the way.

McIntosh was led by Laura Higgason (nine points) and Erin Justice (seven).

The Our Lady of Mercy boys (12-5, 3-3 region) have been one of the hottest teams in the area. They pushed their winning streak to six, the second longest in school history, with their second victory over Whitewater this season, 55-43.

Mercy had two players score in double figures, Dominique McDermott (18 points) and Nnamdi Moh (13).

The Mercy girls (4-9, 2-2 region) lost Tuesday, 36-28 to Whitewater.

Landmark’s boys (4-7, 0-5 region) lost their fourth straight, 64-60 to Region 5-A rival Whitefield Academy, and the third-ranked Landmark girls (13-1, 6-0 region) continued their dominance over their competition, defeating Whitefield Academy 60-37 for their 12th consecutive victory.

The East Coweta boys (7-10, 1-6 region) and girls (4-10, 3-3 region) played Region 4-AAAAA opponent Morrow.

East Coweta’s boys lost to Morrow 82-59, and East Coweta’s girls lost to Morrow as well, 57-31.

The Indians were led by Casey Rosser (22 points), Brandon Farmer (nine) and Khambrel Hugley-Brown (seven), and the Lady Indians were led by Areli Aguirre (eight), LaBrittany Stokes (seven) and Bussie (six).

Northgate’s boys (3-12, 2-8 region) and girls (11-6, 6-4) split their games with Region 2-AAAA rival Creekside. The Vikings lost their fourth straight, 65-35 to Creekside, and the Lady Vikings defeated Creekside 43-38 for their eighth consecutive victory.

Marquez Mobley and Brannon Hopkins both scored 11 points in the Vikings’ loss.

Brianna Banks scored 11 points and Erica Albers scored 10 and had 11 rebounds in the Lady Vikings’ win.

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