BUFORD — Both Buford basketball teams opened their Region 8-5A schedules in impressive style Thursday night at The Buford Arena against Walnut Grove.
The Class 5A No. 1-ranked Lady Wolves demolished the Lady Warriors 72-24 behind a shutdown defensive effort and balanced scoring.
The Class 5A No. 1-ranked Buford boys followed with a 63-45 win in the nightcap that wasn’t that close until the final minute.
The wins put both Buford teams into first place temporarily until the rest of the region gets in action on Friday around the area. Both teams travel to Johnson on Saturday for another key region matchup.
BUFORD GIRLS 72,
WALNUT GROVE 24
The Lady Wolves used their patented full-court press early and often to bury the Lady Warriors quickly in taking the lopsided win to open region play.
Buford (12-1, 1-0 Region 8-5A) forced six Walnut Grove turnovers in their first eight possessions turning those into 13 points as part of a 17-0 run to open the game.
Sophomore Ashyia Willis was all over the court early with three steals and 4 points to spark the explosion.
“She is one of a good group of younger players for us that are putting in some good minutes so far this season, Buford coach Gene Durden said.
Walnut Grove battled to within 22-6 early in the second quarter but Buford exploded again behind its press, forcing five straight turnovers at one points, and closed out the first half with an 18-9 run for a 40-9 advantage.
Walnut Grove (2-12, 0-2 Region 8-5A) had 20 turnovers in the first half that led to 19 Buford points. The Lady Wolves were nearly perfect with just 1 turnover in the opening half.
“It’s always good to get a region win and this group really plays hard,” Durden said. “I was pleased overall but we still have plenty of work to do to get better.”
The Lady Wolves also got tremendous balanced scoring in the opening 16 minutes. Tate Walters, Tatum Ozment, and Ashyia Willis each had 8 points while Casey Jones and Blair Wallis both had 6 points. Willis also had 4 steals in the first half.
The second half was more of the same as Buford opened the third quarter with a 12-3 spurt. The Lady Wolves led by as many as 50 in the fourth quarter as they eventually forced 33 Walnut Grove turnovers.
Ozment poured in 11 points to lead Buford. Walters, Willis, Wallis, Taylor Ryczek, and Ebony Grant all finished with 8 points. Jones had 6 for the Lady Wolves.
Destiny Long paced Walnut Grove with 7 points.
BUFORD BOYS 63,
WALNUT GROVE 45
Much like the girls, the Buford boys (13-1, 1-0 Region 8-5A) opened the game with a huge run jumping out to a 12-0 lead and never looked back.
Walnut Grove (9-6, 1-1) closed to within 16-7 by the end of the first quarter but the Wolves answered with an 11-0 spurt to start the second quarter to blow the game open.
Oklahoma State-signee Marcus Watson helped ignite the run with a pair thunderous dunks to bookend a 3-pointer as he poured in 7 of his 9 points in the quarter. Buford extended its lead to 40-14 by halftime closing out the period with a 13-4 burst.
But as dominating as the first half was the Wolves were lackadaisical in the second half getting outscored 31-23 as they finished the game with their second unit playing most of the fourth quarter as the starters sat.
Buford did lead by as many as 27 ponts, 50-23, late in the third quarter but the Warriors closed out the game with a 22-13 run.
Donell Nixon led Buford with 16 points. Eric Coleman, who was big catalyst in the opening minutes of the game, added 12 points for the Wolves.
Avante Lederer paced Walnut Grove with 12 points.
