Though Madison County head coach Steve Crouse would like to see his team win games more convincingly, it’s hard to argue with the bottom line so far.
The Red Raiders moved to 13-3 overall and 2-0 in subregion play with a huge 67-60 victory over Winder-Barrow Tuesday.
“Oh yeah, we’re still undefeated at home, we’re 2-0 in the subregion and playing well against good competition,” Crouse said.
Madison County started the fourth quarter with a 15-3 run in the first five minutes and held off Winder-Barrow down the stretch.
The Bulldoggs came into the contest with a 10-2 record.
“Winder-Barrow is a very good basketball team,” Crouse said. “They were much better than they were last year.”
Bradley Raines led Madison County with 20 points, which included a 10-for-14 performance at the free throw line.
Patrick McCrary registered another double-double with 17 points and 14 boards, while Stan Maxwell put together another good floor game with 17 points, six assists and seven steals.
Madison County shot 15-22 from the free throw line. Winder-Barrow attempted just 15 free throws, making eight.
Crouse would like to see his team start putting opponents away earlier, however.
Madison County led by 14 in the first half but only went into the halftime locker room with a 32-29 edge.
And the Red Raiders let Winder-Barrow hang around in the fourth quarter after leading by 17 at one point.
“We’re challenging our guys to play without regard to the score- board,” Crouse said.
The Red Raiders continue to play above the rim, dunking four more times in this victory. Raines had two slams, McCrary had an alley-oop and Maxwell slammed over a Bulldogg defender in the third quarter to bring the crowd to its feet.
Madison County now goes for its eighth win in nine games when it faces an Apalachee team Friday that will challenge the Red Raiders athletically, Crouse said.
Madison County moves on to a non-region rivalry game with Franklin County Saturday and a pivotal subregion meeting with Clarke Central Tuesday in Athens.
The Gladiators haven’t played a subregion game yet, but are 9-2 overall.
“We’ve got a good stretch coming up — Friday, Saturday, Tuesday — against three very good, very different style basketball teams,” Crouse said.
•Madison Co. 62, Cedar Shoals 59 (Jan. 8): Though Madison County enjoyed a highlight-reel night of sorts Friday, it still had to hold off Cedar Shoals late for a 62-59 victory.
The Jaguars had the ball for the final possession, needing a three-pointer to send the game into overtime, but missed two shot attempts before time expired.
This was Madison County’s second-straight victory over Cedar Shoals dating back to last year.
The Red Raiders dunked four times in the subregion opener, with Patrick McCrary throwing down the biggest crowd-pleaser of the evening.
McCrary caught an alley-oop pass from Trae Bruton in transition in the second quarter and slammed it home, part of a 24-point performance.
McCrary shot 7-for-7 from the field and 10-for-12 at the free throw line. His 24 points were his most since the Nov. 20 season opener when he scored 30 against Southwest Atlanta Christian.
“(This was) a monster game for him offensively,” Red Raider coach Steve Crouse said.
Bradley Raines also dunked twice and finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. Raines had to leave the game after going to the floor hard after his second slam.
“We’re playing above the rim to have four dunks, but we have to know where the rim is,” Crouse said, noting Raines’ injury.
T.J. McGuire added 10 points and seven boards.
Stan Maxwell, who had the other dunk, finished with nine points, seven rebounds and four assists. Burton had eight boards and six assists.
Madison County dominated early, leading 14-3 after one quarter and 20-5 early in the second period. McCrary’s alley-oop jam gave the Red Raiders a 29-17 edge with 3:54 left before the half, but Cedar Shoals closed with a 10-2 run.
The Red Raiders never trailed, but Cedar Shoals rallied to tie the game twice late in the third quarter.
With the game knotted 44-44 to start the fourth, Madison County got a bucket from McCrary, a three-pointer from McGuire and a dunk by Raines to regain the lead, 51-44.
Cedar Shoals would get no closer than three points the rest of the way.
MCHS 67, Winder-Barrow 60
WBHS 10 19 13 18 — 60
MCHS 19 13 15 20 — 67
Scorers: Raines 20, Maxwell 17, McCrary 17, McGuire 9, Burton 4
MCHS 62, Cedar Shoals 59
CSHS 3 24 17 15 — 59
MCHS 14 17 13 18 — 62
Scorers: McCrary 24, Raines 14, McGuire 10, Maxwell 9, Burton 5
