OAKWOOD — Lumpkin County coach Jeff Steele may want to consider calling off practice for the rest of the season.
One day removed from kicking his team out of the gym for a lack of effort, the Indians put together perhaps their most complete game of the season in a stunning 76-56 win over West Hall Tuesday night on the road.
“They just weren’t showing me the effort I want,” Steele said before Tuesday’s game.
He was singing a different tune after the impressive win.
“We’ve been working on the mental aspects mostly,” Steele said. “I liked how they responded (tonight) against a good team. I think maybe they’re starting to believe in themselves.”
Senior Brandon Zarate responded with a career-high 36 points, including 24 of the Indians’ 42 first half points.
“My big boy stepped up. I think he kind of took things personal knowing they may not try to guard him while they try and stop Jack (Howard),” Steele said. “What a game he had.”
The Indians (9-1, 3-0 Region 7-AAA) came out firing to start the game. Four different players scored as they jumped out to a 12-4 lead midway through the first quarter. It turned into the Zarate show the rest of the half.
On a variety of passes inside, Zarate poured in 22 of Lumpkin County’s next 30 points as West Hall (4-5, 1-2) had no answer for the 6-foot-4 center. West Hall got as close as 16-10 on a Dylan Barron 3-pointer with 2:05 left in the first quarter.
Lumpkin County answered with a 14-5 spurt, 12 from Zarate, who fittingly capped the run with 6:10 left in the second quarter for a 30-15 lead. The Spartans put together an 8-4 run, capped by another Barron 3-pointer, to pull within 34-23 but the Indians answered with an 8-3 run over the final 2:54 to take a 42-26 lead into halftime.
Lumpkin County did not slow down to start the second half. The Indians opened the third quarter with a 12-4 run for a 54-30 lead. The Spartans got as close as 58-44 on a Bryson Jones 3-pointer late in the quarter but Lumpkin County answered with a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach.
The Indians will get perhaps their biggest test so far on Friday when they play host to East Hall in a key region showdown before teams prepare for Christmas tournaments.
“I think that will tell us a lot,” Steele said. “We’ll need an even better effort than we had (tonight).”
Zach Pulley added 19 points for Lumpkin County. Howard added 11 for the Indians.
Dylan Curry led West Hall with 17 points. Dylan added 16 and Tyquan Statham had eight for the Spartans.
West Hall is off until Lanierland on Dec. 28th.
WEST HALL GIRLS 67
LUMPKIN COUNTY 30
The Lady Spartans used a 9-0 run in the first 1:13 to open the game and then cruised to their first Region 7-AAA win of the season.
The win for West Hall (5-4, 1-2) snapped a three game losing streak and was the Lady Spartans first region win.
West Hall coach Bryan Richerson said it was a welcome from recent games.
“We had not been starting quick lately so that was good to see,” Richerson said. “We did not have a good week last week but these girls are resilient. It’s a tough region so you have to be ready every night and I think they are starting to realize that.”
West Hall pushed its lead to 16-0 before Lumpkin County (3-7, 1-2) finally got on the board with a Clara White free throw with 3:02 left in the first quarter. The Lady Spartans led 22-3 after the first quarter.
The Lady Spartans led 36-11 at halftime and then blew the game wide open in the third quarter outscoring the Lady Indians 23-8 for a 59-19 lead, their largest of the game, heading into the fourth quarter.
Anna McKendree led West Hall with 16 points. Avery Prather added 14 points, Macy Passmore nine, and Meaghan Kelling eight for the Lady Spartans.
White paced Lumpkin County with eight points.
