RTCA 1 & 2 In Region

Robert Toombs Christian Academy hosted the Region Tournament last week and the girls took the Region Championship while the boys came in 2nd. The girls faced Twiggs Academy for the title as they are the only two girls teams in the Region. The boys defeated First Presbyterian Christian Academy on Tuesday and then fell to Memorial Day on Thursday in the title game.

Girls vs. Twiggs

RTCA opened up the game with two three-pointers, one by Emmie Davis and one by Ellie Graham, to take a quick 6-0 lead. Meredith Durden got one to fall for an 8-0 lead and Morgan Newsome made it 10-1 after Twiggs did manage a freethrow.

By the end of the first period the score was 16-3 with RTCA well out in front.

Early on the second the Lady Crusaders made it 19-5, and then Durden began to take over as RTCA extended their lead to 32-7 with just a couple minutes left in the half. The score was 37-7 at the end of the first half with RTCA in command.

With 5:40 left in the third the score was 42-9, and then baskets by Durden and Graham made it 46-9. Amily Mixon, who is coming back from injury, got her first chance to play and began to knock off some of the rust as she scored several baskets for RTCA. It was 50-11 with just over a minute to play in the third. And by the end of the period RTCA was on top 55-14.

RTCA took the win 69-16 and to win the Region Championship. RTCA was led by Durden with 15 points, Ansley Akins added 13, Rachel Threlkeld scored 10 and Newsome posted 9 in the win.

Boys vs. FPCA

In the boys game against FPCA Jashaun Powell scored several early baskets on fastbreaks as RTCA took a 10-2 lead with 4:20 left in the first period. MK McBride added a continued from page

three-pointer, and then another basket by Powell put RTCA in the lead, 15-2. By the end of the first period the Crusaders were in front, 21-4.

RTCS continued to add to their lead in the second period. McBride, Powell, and Tyler Buggs all got shots to go as RTCA was on top 30-9 halfway through the second. With three minutes left it was 37-9 and at halftime the Crusaders led 40-9.

At the end of the third period the score was 62-12 and RTCA took the win 70-27. Powell led RTCA with 23 points, McBride scored 20, Buggs added 14, and Hayden Kight posted 10.

Boys vs. Memorial

Against the Matadors of Memorial Day, this Region Championship was also a matchup of the #1 and #2 team in the state in GISA AA. RTCA was also missing their senior point guard Justin Walker, who is out with a broken hand, but expected to be back soon. RTCA scored first on a nice pass from Clayton Meadows to Powell. Memorial cae back and took a 4-2 lead, but McBride tied the game at 4-4 and then put RTCA up with a freethrow. Another good pass from Meadows, this time to Buggs extended that lead. McBride made it 9-4, but a basket and a three by Memorial and the game was quickly tied at 9-9.

With 3:08 left in the first the Matadors took a 13-11 lead. The game was tied at 15-15 with just under a minute to play in the first, and at the end of the first that was the score, 15- 15. RTCA was up 20-17 after a three from Kight from the corner early in the second. McBride got two shots to go and with that the Crusaders led 24-19 and Memorial called a timeout.

With three minutes left in the first half the score was 24-22, but Mc-Bride made a move in the lane for a basket and then after a steal went behind the back to Powell for a 28-22 lead. McBride hit a jumper, and then Buggs tipped one in as RTCA took a 10-point, 32-22.

At the end of the first half the score was 34-25 as Memorial hit a threepointer at the buzzer.

In the third the Matadors quickly closed the lead to 36-30 and then made it 36-32 with 5:20 left in the period. With 2:44 to play it was 42-41 as Memorial made it just a one-point game. Memorial tied the game at 43-43, but by the end of the third the score was 48-44 with RTCA holding onto a slim lead.

In the fourth Memorial took the lead 52-51 with just over three minutes to go in the game. Mc-Bride put RTCA back on top, but a three by Memorial gave them the lead back. Memorial held a 57-55 lead with just over two minutes left, but McBride tied the game with a pair of free-throws. The game was tied at 59-59 with just 30 seconds to play, but Memorial got a shot to fall and a turnover by RTCA sealed the game for the Matadors as they won, 64-59.

RTCA was led by Mc-Bride with 25 points, Buggs added 17, and Powell scored 14.

This week RTCA's girls were at Southwest Georgia Academy on Tuesday after presstime for the first round of the GISA State AA Playoffs. The boys will play on Wednesday at home against Edmund Burke at 6:00 p.m. If RTCA wins their games they will move on in the tournament with games TBA.

RTCA’s Jashaun Powell goes up and over an FPCA defender during tournament action last week.Photo by Mike Branch