Banks County’s varsity Leopards are having a rough time on the hardwood, the boys went 1-2 last week. Even with the team now holding a 2-6 overall record, the boys took care of business last Friday in the first game that really matters.
The Leopards played a good game to earn a hard fought 51-49 victory over Fannin County for a sub-region win. The remaining sub-region games are after the team returns from the Christmas holiday break.
This week, the varsity boys look to make a return run to the championship game of the fourth annual Piedmont College Holiday Classic.
Teams for this year include Banks County, Habersham County, North Oconee and White County. The Leopards take on White County in the first round, Friday at 5:45 p.m., following the girls’ game. The losers of the boys’ games play Saturday at 3:30 for third place, while the winners play in the championship round at 7 p.m.
In the past three years, Banks County has made it to the championship round twice.
“White County is up and down, kind of like us,” said coach Mike Ruth. “They have some good athletes and hopefully we will play with them take care of the basketball.”
After the Piedmont College tournament, the boys return in the new year, Jan. 7 to face East Jackson on the road.
Last week the boys played three game, facing Oglethorpe and Jackson County on the road, and Fannin County at home.
In the Dec. 7 match-up with the Oglethorpe Patriots, the BCHS Leopards fell by 14 points after starting off well.
“We had a good start,” Ruth said. “They outscored us in the second quarter and we just couldn’t hit anything. We were something like 28 percent in the paint and that hurt us.”
The Leopards also had several turnovers that didn’t help matters. According to Ruth, the boys had nearly 30 turnovers and ran into a cold stretch throughout much of the second half.
“Oglethorpe has a guard that came from Clarke Central, and he is a great player. He averages about 25 points per game,” said Ruth.
Friday night, in the first sub-region contest of the season, Banks County hosted Fannin County in a close 51-49 barn burner. The Leopards prevailed in the end, Banks County is now 1-0 in the sub-region after the victory.
“We took care of the basketball. We only had 15 turnovers and had good selection,” Ruth said. “We were shooting about 50 percent in the paint and 40 percent from outside the line for the three. That made a big, big difference.”
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For more see the Banks County News.
