Basketball: Chestatee swept at home by Madison County

GAINESVILLE -- Chestatee was held to just two points over the final 3:03 and Madison County hit 9-of-11 free throws in that span to steal a 61-55 come-from-behind victory over the War Eagles Friday night in a key Region 8-AAAA battle for both teams.<br /> <br /> Chestatee (10-9, 2-1 Region 8-AAAA) had used a 12-4 run to reclaim the lead, 53-50, powered by eight straight points from Jordan Pulliam. But the Red Raiders turned up their defensive press, forcing two straight Chestatee turnovers, turning both into baskets, and they never trailed again.<br /> <br /> The War Eagles had a chance to tie the game twice in the final minute but missed 3 of 5 free throws and watched Madison County (10-8, 1-2) seal the win at the line on the other end.<br /> <br /> Chestatee coach Chad Pittman was clearly frustrated afterwards.<br /> <br /> "We made some plays to get the lead back and then we just starting throwing the ball around. We didn't execute at the end and we didn't hit free throws when we needed too," Pittman said. "Not much more to it. We have to learn to execute better in these kinds of games."<br /> <br /> Pulliam's spurt nearly made up for being forced to sit much of the game in foul trouble. But the senior converted two steals into layups and helped turn a 46-41 deficit into the 53-50 lead.<br /> <br /> The problem was that the Red Raiders' leading scorer Malik Freeman, who had just two baskets through the first three periods, also showed up in the fourth quarter. Freeman poured in 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, including two huge steals that turned Chestatee's final lead into a 55-53 advantage for the Red Raiders.<br /> <br /> The game was tight throughout with neither team leading by more than six points. Both teams used runs to retake the lead nearly a dozen times combined with the War Eagles taking a 41-39 lead into the fourth quarter after an 11-5 spurt to close out the third quarter.<br /> <br /> Freeman sparked Madison County's first run of the fourth quarter with a pair of baskets as part of a 7-0 run.<br /> <br /> Chestatee tried to pound the ball inside to Hunter Creamer and was effective in spurts. The senior center finished with 21 points but had just two in the fourth quarter. Caleb Jameson hit two early 3-pointers but could not find the range late to finish with 11 points. Pulliam had 10 points for the War Eagles.<br /> <br /> Ryan Moon had a game-high 22 points for Madison County. Keith Gantt added 12 points for the Red Raiders.<br /> <br /> Madison County lead early, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. But Chestatee used a 14-6 run for a 15-10 lead, capped by a Jameson 3-pointer. The War Eagles opened up a 21-15 lead, their biggest of the first half, on a fast-break layup by Rylee Camp to open the second quarter.<br /> <br /> Madison County battled back to tie the game at 22-22 on a steal and layup by Gantt with 5:13 left in the half. Chestatee answered with a 5-0 run, capped by a Donovan Hernandez 3-pointer, but the Red Raiders again rallied to tie the at 27 on a Cade Hancock trey with 2:31 left.<br /> <br /> Both offenses struggled the rest of the half, combining to go 0-for-11 from the field as the finished the half tied at 27-27.<br /> <br /> Defense is the key for Chestatee. The War Eagles are now 1-5 when allowing 60 or more points.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>MADISON CO. GIRLS 56<br /> CHESTATEE 50</b><br /> <br /> Madison County outscored Chestatee 7-1 over the final 1:18 to pull out the Region 8-AAAA win in Gainesville.<br /> <br /> The Lady War Eagles (11-8, 1-2 Region 8-AAAA) trailed 49-45 but four consecutive points by freshman Lindsey Caudell tied the game. <br /> <br /> Madison County's Mya Moss was the difference in the final minute.<br /> <br /> The senior gave the Lady Red Raiders (9-9, 2-1) the lead for good with a layup with 1:03 left. After a Tyler Bennett free throw pulled Chestatee to within 51-50 Moss dished off to Adryanna Maxwell for a 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining. Moss sealed the game with two free throws with 17 seconds to play.<br /> <br /> Moss finished with a game-high 25 points to go with six blocks and three assists. Maxwell finished with 14 points for the Lady Red Raiders.<br /> <br /> Bennett poured in 23 points and added four assists to lead Chestatee.<br /> <br /> Midway through the third quarter Chestatee looked to be taking control using a 9-0 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 33-28. But Madison county answered with a 9-4 run to close out the third quarter to tie the game at 37-37.<br /> <br /> Chestatee could not grab the lead in the fourth quarter but the game was tied twice until Madison's late run.<br /> <br /> It was a game of streaks in the first 16 minutes. Madison County scored the first four points but Chestatee answered with an 8-0 run behind six points from Brooklyn Popham, including a 3-pointer. The War Eagles closed out the first quarter with a 6-2 run for a 14-11 lead.<br /> <br /> Madison county responded in the second quarter with a 15-4 run over the first six minutes to take a 24-18 lead, capped by by a 3-pointer from Anna McCarty.<br /> <br /> The Lady War Eagles closed out the first half with a Tyler Bennett scoop shot and then Bennett swiped a Madison County pass and dished to Kayla Watson for a basket in the final 10 seconds to pull within 24-22 at halftime.<br /> <br /> Chestatee struggled offensively for big portions of the first half, finishing with as many turnovers (10) as field goals (10).<br /> <br /> Moss had big first half with eight points, two assists, and four blocks.<br /> <br /> Chestatee next will travel to West Hall on Saturday in a non-region contest.<br /> <br /> Madison County next will travel to Winder-Barrow on Saturday in a non-region contest.

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