COLUMBUS — The Buford boys basketball team got its wake-up call last week against New Hampstead.
The No. 1-ranked Wolves needed a buzzer-beating, game-winning shot by Alex Jones to survive the second round of the Class AAAAA playoffs, 69-68. Since then, there has been no need for any alarms.
For the second straight round the Wolves used a decisive opening run to grab the lead and then gradually pulled away for a 83-60 win over Fayette County Saturday in the semifinals at Columbus State University.
Buford coach Eddie Martin said the nail-biter against New Hampstead may have been just what the Wolves needed.
“I think that was a wake-up call of sorts,” Martin said.”(New Hampstead) was good and ever since then I think our guys have realized that you can’t start slow and expect to be able to come back every time. It’s been important for us to get out of the blocks fast.”
They seem to have taken it to heart. Buford jumped on Warner Robins quickly in a lopsided 94-72 win in the quarterfinals. The Wolves followed the same game plan against the Tigers in the semifinals.
Buford (28-2) led from start to finish and came out firing hitting 8 of its first 9 shots to build a 21-7 lead midway through the first quarter. Four different players scored during the burst but Jones was the catalyst with nine points, two assists, and two steals.
“Alex took control early for us and then (Fayette County) tried to take him out of the game defensively,” Martin said. “That’s where (sophomore Donell) Nixon plays a big role for us. He’s a true point guard and we can have him take some pressure off Alex.”
The Wolves led 25-17 heading into the second quarter and held a 31-19 advantage after a David Viti layup. The Tigers (23-8) did not go away, however.
They answered with a 12-2 run to trail 33-31 midway through the period. But 3-pointers by Jones and Marcus Watson pushed the Buford lead back to 40-31 and the Wolves took a 42-35 lead into halftime.
Buford shot 15-of-22 in the first half (68 percent) but committed seven turnovers that kept Fayette County within striking distance. The Tigers had just two first half turnovers.
Fayette County got within 50-45 midway through the third quarter on a Austin Nesmith basket but Buford began to find some separation. An 8-0 run capped by a Nixon steal and layup pushed the lead to 58-45. The Tigers got within 60-51 on a Nesmith 3-pointer but Buford exploded in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
Watson scored nine points in a 20-4 Buford outburst that culminated with an 80-55 lead with just over three minutes left. The defense forced three turnovers and held the Tigers to just one field goal over a four minute span.
“I think where we’ve really improved and given us chance to get to where we are is our defense,” Martin said. “We had to get better and we have.”
The Wolves now move on to play fellow Region 8-AAAAA foe Cedar Shoals at 8 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum at the University of Georgia for the title. The Jaguars knocked off defending champion Miller Grove 59-38 in the other semifinal in a rematch of last year’s title game.
Buford has beaten the Jaguars three times already this season, though one was in overtime.
“It is what it is but it also shows just how strong our region was,” he said. “Both teams will just have to go out there and play and not worry about what happened the other (three) times. It’s basically a one-game season.”
Watson finished with 22 points to lead Buford. Jones added 21 points and David Viti had 16 for the Wolves.
Nesmith paced Fayette County with 19 points. Furman-signee Noah Gurley had 13 for the Tigers.
