Boys win two of five
Jeff Davis High’s boys basketball team won two of five games to kick off the 2023 portion of its schedule, defeating Berrien County 55-47 and Worth County 53-52, while falling to Dodge County 78-42, Pierce County 64-54 and Cook 73-61.
The Jackets of Coach Will Johnson are now 3-12 overall and 2-2 in Region 1-AA.
Against Berrien, the Jackets came out of the gates smoking, out-scoring the visitors from Nashville 18-7 in the first quarter. They built their ;ead to 48-31 through three quarters and Berrien cut into the margin in the final eight minutes
J.J. Benjamin and Amari Jackson both hit in double figures for the Jackets with 13 and 10 points respectively. Bobby Jones and Malachi Smith had seven each, L’earl Conaway and Jaquan Adams had six apiece and Lamonte Deeds had four.
Josiah Davis had 18 for the Rebels and Zach Davis chipped in 10.
Dodge County, 13-1 on the season, used a 28-11 bulge in the second quarter in Eastman to break open a close game and pull away to an easy win.
Jones was the only Jacket in double figures with 11. Smith had nine, Benjamin seven, Conaway, Jackson and Latrell Sellers four each and J.T. Bryant three. Heaven Carson paced Dodge with 24 points.
The Jackets appeared to be cruising to an easy win against Worth County until the Rams took a 24-10 advantage in the final quarter to cut the final score to just one point at 53-52.
Benjamin had the hot hand for the Jackets with 24 points, including a trio of 3-pt. shots. Sellers was also in double figures with 10, all in the second half. Deeds added six, Conaway and Smith four each, Jones three and Adams two.
J.J. Lamar led Worth with 16 points.
The Jackets placed three players in double figures against Pierce County led by Conaway with 15. Jones had 14, Smith 11, Deeds, Sellers and Jackson four apiece and Adams two.
Joe Drew led Pierce with 24.
In Adel, Jeff Davis and Cook were deadlocked 50-50 after three quarters but the homestanding Hornets took a 23-12 fourth quarter advantage to win 73-62.
Deeds lit up the scoreboard for 26 points and was joined in double figures by Benjamin with 15 and Sellers with 10. Jones added nine and Conaway closed out the scoring with two.
Cook had four players in double digits led by Chavious Hobbs with 16.
Score by quarters:
Berrien 7 11 13 16 -47
Jeff Davis 18 12 18 8 -55
Jeff Davis 9 11 8 14 -42
Dodge 10 28 18 22 -78
Worth 5 12 11 24 -52
Jeff Davis 12 13 18 10 -53
Jeff Davis 10 8 16 20 -54
Pierce 10 16 16 22 -64
Jef Davis 9 19 22 12 -62
Cook 15 21 14 23 -73
