Newton County High School came out with smoking guns against Dixie McCartney High School on Tuesday night, then tightened the defensive screws to hold off the home team 46-44.
Newton County's Steelworkers put on their best offensive clinic in two years against the confounded Chieftains. Normally a 40% shooting squad, NCHS dazzled with its interior passing. The main beneficiary was Reed Morbooks, who put home an assortment of two-footers to pile up 16 points at the half and 24 for the game. In fact Newton took no shots from outside fifteen feet during the first two quarters, dropping 60% of them in overall and amassing 30 points.
Unfortunately DMHS bullied the lane and the offensive glass, tossing up several close-range shots that found the bottom of the net. And for all of the Steelworkers successful passes, they also turned the ball over a dozen times in the early going.
"We dominated the game," the coach said afterward, "but we led by two." The 28 points was the poorest defensive showing of the year.
As has been their ritual, NCHS clamped down on defense in the second half. They also found themselves facing a compact zone defense that slowed down the game's pace. Midway through the fourth quarter, Dixie held a slim lead and had the home fans buzzing. Then guard Bert Watcher, inserted as a defensive stopper, canned short jumpers on consecutive trips down the court. After Justin Sain banked home a six-footer and the Chieftains made a bucket of their own, Morbooks found himself fouled at the line for a 1-and-1.
Morbooks shorted the free throw and with the crowd screaming, DMHS' star guard launched a sure three-pointer from the right wing that caught too much rim. The Steelworkers grabbed the board and the game.
Having toughed out another victory, the 5-1 sophomores hustled north for homework and a day of rest.
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