Monroe boys knock down Bainbridge

ALBANY — Monroe got a boost from their senior leaders on Saturday night and they rode their coat tails to a 65-52 home victory over Region 1-AAAA foe Bainbridge.

Senior Trentavious Jackson played lockdown defense on one of the state’s best athletes in Tyree Crump while another senior, Emeshuan Offord, showed off his sweet stroke.

The Tornadoes lived by the three in the first half. Offord started the game with four 3-pointers in the opening quarter. He had 12 of the team’s 16 first-quarter points.

“For the last five or six games, Emeshuan has gotten us off to a good start with two or three three-point shots,” Monroe coach Marquis Davis said. “To have a guy like Ulysses (Williams) come off the bench and give you the same thing from the 3-point line is something special.”

In the second quarter, it was Ulysses Williams’ turn with the three ball. Williams had three treys in the quarter to help Monroe open on a 13-0 run and build a 33-25 lead by halftime.

“Our senior group is really carrying us,” Davis said. “They are giving us a great start. They are all just playing well.”

Monroe played stifling defense on Crump for the entire game. The Georgia signee had just six points in the first half. He had multiple shots altered or blocked by the Tornadoes’ interior defense. He finished the game with just eight points.

“I thought Trentavious (Jackson) did a really good job on him,” Davis said. “Along with the other guys who brought help. It is hard to contain a kid like Crump by yourself. I thought Trentavious did a very good job tonight. He did a good job on him last year as well.”

The stingy Monroe defense continued to play well in the second half, limiting the Bearcats to just five total points.

Williams put the home crowd into a frenzy when he threw down a one-handed slam with under three minutes remaining in the third. He followed up with a 3-pointer.

The Tornadoes were up by 20 points at one point in the fourth quarter before Bainbridge was able to chip away at the lead and cut it to 65-52.

Offord led all scorers with 22 points, while Williams had 14.

Bainbridge was led by Trevon Shaw who had 10 points.

Bainbridge girls 52, Monroe 32

The Lady Tornadoes got off to a slow start, falling behind 11-0 before scoring their first basket. Bainbridge went up 15-4 at the end of the first quarter.

Monroe battled back in the second, outscoring the Lady Bearcats 15-8. The teams were tied at 20 until a buzzer-beating trey by Alexis Russ gave Bainbridge a 23-20 lead.

The struggles continued for Monroe in the second half. They scored just 12 points in the half, six in each quarter.

Bainbridge outscored Monroe 16-6 in the final quarter to secure the victory.

The Lady Bearcats were led by Nadia Marshall who finished with 15 points.

Lynsey Washington had 10 for Monroe.