Pushed by their best defensive effort of the season, the SCHS basketball Gamecocks rallied from the deathbed of a 24-2 second quarter deficit to claim a 56-50 victory over Toombs County in a 3AA cross over contest Saturday night at the Harold Lee Scott Gymnasium.
As the schedule winds down and the 3AA tournament at Brewton Parker College that begins on Feb. 17 gets closer, the Roosters of Brent Anderson host SEB in the finale of the 3AA-A season tomorrow before hosting defending state champion Dublin on Saturday.  The final weekend of the season will see the Red and White travel to Eastman to face Dodge County on Feb. 5 in the final 3AA crossover matchup before hosting Portal on Feb. 6 in the regular season lid closer.
Seemingly trying to match their standard for futility set against Swainsboro in a 30 point loss on Jan. 15, the Gamecocks trailed 24-2 as the second quarter clock neared the five minute mark.  The team’s lone points by Fab Mills represented the senior’s joining of the 1,000 point club. Mills’ basket closed the gap with the Bulldogs to 4-2 and came with 4:10 remaining in the first.  Seven minutes later PJ Reason, who finished the night just four points shy of the 1,000 mark, scored to make the score 24-4.
SCHS then went on a 7-0 run to begin the comeback. By intermission the gap was 30-20.  By third quarter’s end the gap was 39-34.  The team came all the way back when Reason hit a free throw with 5:36 remaining to put the Red and White up 42-41.  Toombs regained the lead at 43-42, but held it for less than a minute.  Mills' basket with 4:31 left gave the Gamecocks the lead for good at 44-43.  After the score was 46-45, the Dawgs never drew within one again.
In the decisive fourth, Mills put in 15 of his 24 points.  Reason finished with 25 points while Rodderick Grace pulled down 11 boards.  Grace took over the boards from Cornelius Roberts, who missed his second straight game with an eye infection.
With another chance to climb above fourth in the 3AA-A standings with an upset win over a team above them, SCHS stayed close to Laney for one quarter on Tuesday night as they fell to 8-12.  Tied at 16-16 with 1:10 left in the opening stanza, the Red and White trailed by 56-30 at intermission before falling 87-61.  Reason went over the 1,000 point mark in the opening quarter and finished with 11. Mills had 17 and Roberts 14.
Friday night the Roosters tried to make their first weekend comeback, but fell just short 70-67 to the AAAA Effingham County Rebels. Down 32-19 at half, the team fought back and had the game knotted at 67-67 on the strength of a 31-point fourth quarter led by Mills’ 10 and Reason’s 18 (including four treys).  A no-call on a seeming five-second violation enabled the Rebels to score the clinching shot.
Reason had 30 and Mills 14 with Grace (8), Jadrian Manderville (6) and Reason (6) leading the boards.