RICHMOND HILL — A sad day ended with a happy note for the Jenkins Warriors.
What do you say when a former teammate and a lifelong friend dies? That’s the scenario coach Bakari Bryant and the Warriors found themselves in Friday night before their 72-68 Region 3-AAAAA championship victory against Effingham County.
Earlier in the day, they learned former Jenkins star Rashaad Spann, who played with the Warriors two years earlier, had been shot to death.
“I asked coach (Tim) Jordan what he said to his team when (one of his Savannah High players) died,” said Bryant, trying to find the words to sooth his players. “He said you pray about it and let God take care of the rest.”
With Spann in their thoughts, the Warriors found inner strength to rally. They trailed 62-60 with 6:08 left, but did not allow a field goal for more than five minutes while slowly surging ahead 66-63.
And when Effingham closed within 70-68 in the final seconds, Brenden Carter made a coast-to-coast acrobatic layup, weaving through Effingham’s big men for the game-sealing basket.
The win allowed Jenkins to avenge a one-point loss to the Rebels in the region championship game a year ago.
The Warriors (24-2) will enter this year’s Class AAAAA state tournament as Region 3’s top seed.
Effingham (19-9) will be the region’s No. 2 seed.
Both teams will host first round state playoff games.
Carter finished with 18, including seven clutch points in the fourth quarter.
Malik Benlevi had 13 points and Jamelle Lanier added 12.
Long-range shooting Tanner Reid had 19 points to lead Effingham. Mondrea Green had 14 and Jakeenan Gant had 13.
Benlevi had played Effingham’s tall frontline on even terms, but wanted to talk about Spann.
“When I came in as a freshman, he gave me the confidence to play my game,” Benlevi said. “We just dedicated this game to him and made sure we (won) it. Everyone on this team loved him.”
Jenkins had two wins over Effingham during the regular season and made a third victory look like it might be the easiest one of all. The Warriors led by 15, 34-19, midway through the second quarter after Lanier’s 3-pointer.
But behind the hot outside shooting of Reid, the Rebels got back in the game quickly. Reid’s half-court 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer pulled Effingham with two, 42-40.
Reid’s jump with 11 seconds left in the third quarter gave the Rebels a 57-55 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
“Basketball is a game of runs,” Bryant said.
Down the stretch, Carter provided the big run with his seven points coming in a span of 3:26.
“I told him no matter what kind of game you’ve had, it’s what you do at the end that matters the most,” Bryant said.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY (68)
Hendrix 3, Tanner Reid 19, Owens 2, Wilkerson 1, Morris 3, Jakeenan Gant 13, Mondrea Green 14, King 6, Brown 6.
JENKINS (72)
Gray 7, Brenden Carter 18, Woodson 4, Robbins 5, Johnson 3, Malik Benlevi 13, Jamelle Lanier 12, Thomas 2, Harris 2, Lamar 6.
Halftime—Jenkins, 42-40. Records—Jenkins 24-2, Effingham 19-9.
BRADWELL INSTITUTE 61,
RICHMOND HILL 56
RICHMOND HILL — Reasha Stokes scored 16 points and Malcolm Dingle added 14 as Bradwell Institute earned third place in the Region 3-AAAAA Tournament by holding off host Richmond Hill.
The Tigers steadily pulled away, building a 15-point lead early in the fourth quarter before Wildcats fought back with 29 points in the final eight minutes.
Isaiah Hill paced Richmond Hill, the region’s fourth seed at state, with 15 points. Montrell Washington added 11 and Andre Walker and Daniel Wilder had 10 apiece.
RICHMOND HILL (56)
Cunningham 2, Andre Walker 10, Daniel Wilder 10, Montrell Washington 11, Isaiah Hill 15, McKenzie 2, M.Hall 6.
BRADWELL INSTITUTE (61)
Reasha Stokes 16, Hill 8, Malcolm Dingle 14, Anderson 8, Williams 2, McCoy 6, Harris-Bennett 6, Hankins 1.
Halftime—Bradwell, 21-16