Dougherty basketball beats defending state champion Spencer, Lady Trojans win too

ALBANY — The Dougherty Trojans got huge performances from their talented backcourt Monday night and outran defending boys basketball state champion Spencer by a 71-65 final at Dougherty High School.

In the opening game, the Lady Trojans got a big night from senior post-player Jacqueline Buchanan to beat the Lady Owls 60-52.

Spencer’s boys are currently ranked No. 2 in Class AA.

“A win like this was a long time coming,” said Dougherty head coach Bakari Bryant. “I always tell those in my camp that high school basketball is not a sprint, it is a marathon. It doesn’t matter how you start, it is how you finish. I have a group of young talented players who want to be great but don’t quite know how to — but they are learning.

“One way to figure that out is to schedule the type of games we are playing and that will determine if you are ready or not. We’ve still got a way to go, Tonight I saw a sign of basketball maturity. I love these young men more than they will ever know, but it takes a spiritual love, not a worldly love. Enjoy this win, but we’ve got another big game tomorrow.”

Junior Ja’ion Burns, sophomores Kaleke Singletary-Jinks and Juwaun Jinks, Jr. along with senior Jacob Stallworth managed to outrun the Owls’ full-court trapping defense on most occasions, especially late in the game. As the Owls tried to slow down Dougherty’s guards and look for turnovers late, Burns and company whizzed past the traps and got the ball into the paint for Markelle Jones, Maurice Davis, and Octovius Griffin who put in easy baskets to keep the Trojans (3-4) in front.

The Trojans began the night red hot from the field and took a 13-6 after Singletary-Jinks hit his second three-pointer early in the game. That is when Spencer called time to slow down the Trojans and stall their momentum. The plan worked and the Trojans went cold. Spencer scored the last 11 points of the first quarter to lead 17-13 after one. The Owls led most of the second quarter until a slicing pass from Jinks, Jr. to Griffin underneath who scored to tie the game 25-25. From there the Trojans built a small lead but Spencer opened up the second half with their high-intensity defense that created problems for Dougherty and the Owls picked up some easy points. After Spencer’s 6-foot-7 senior Tycen McDaniels slammed home two points the Owls were up 39-34.

Dougherty head coach Bryant called time to regroup and slow down the Owls. Whatever Bryant told his team worked, Burns hit back-to-back threes to give Dougherty a 40-39 lead and the Trojans never trailed again. In fact, after the time out, the Trojans went on a 16-2 run that gave them a 50-41 lead and while the Owls got close several times in the fourth, they were never able to take the lead again.

Singletary-Jinks led the Trojans with 21 points, Burns followed with 16 and Jones knocked in 14.

In the girls game sophomore shooting guard Jatiana Chambers drilled a three-pointer early in the second quarter to give the Lady Trojans a lead and Chambers hit another three to give Dougherty a 31-21 halftime lead. The Lady Owls opened the second half with a full-court press that led the Dougherty turnovers and Spencer closed the gap to just five points at 36-31.

Dougherty head coach Khadijah Ali called time to regroup with her team and after the time out, Dougherty scored the next nine points to lead 45-31. Spencer battled back in the fourth quarter and pulled to within four, but late baskets by senior Jacqueline Buchanan kept the Lady Trojans in front.

Buchanan led the Lady Trojans with 19 points and 8 rebounds, Chambers scored 14 and doled out 10 assists, and Charity Bellany added 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

Joe WhitfieldJoeWhitfield[email protected]