PREP NOTEBOOK: Westwood boys turn it around

The Westwood Wildcats have turned it around under new coach Derrick Harris since struggling mightily last season.

Westwood finished last year with a 1-19 record but is currently in the midst of a 9-5 season. They have gotten especially hot in region play, compiling a 4-1 record and are currently in a battle for first place in GISA Region 3-AAA with Deerfield-Windsor and Southland.

Harris said his team’s defensive effort has been the key to winning.

“The guys are playing very hard,” he said. “If we can keep this going, it will be on the defensive end of the court. Everything starts on that side of the floor.”

The Wildcats have gotten hot as of late beating Deerfield-Windsor, Valwood and Terrell Academy in their last three games.

Collier Baggett and Disarius Robinson have been particularly big for Westwood. Baggett is averaging 22 points per game in their last three games, while Robinson is averaging a shade above 28.

“The team wants to win,” Harris said. “They are giving 100 percent and that is all a coach can ask for.”

Deerfield-Windsor boys score big OT win

The Knights squeaked out a 74-71 victory over Southland on Tuesday night. The victory makes the Knights 4-1 in region play and keeps them close to the other top teams in GISA Region 3-AAA.

“It is one of those games where you try and figure out how you won,” DWS coach Gordy Gruhl said. “They shot 10 out of 17 from three and 27 out of 32 from the free throw line. Usually when that happens, you don’t win.”

Deerfield along with Southland and Westwood have been able to gain a bit of separation from the other teams in the region, but the Knights have a big week ahead. They host Tiftarea tonight and travel to Terrell Academy on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the Knights have a rematch with Westwood, who is the only team to beat them so far.

“We were going to kind of put ourself behind the eight ball if we lost that game at home,” Gruhl said. “It was a huge win for us, no question.”

Moore motivated by opposing fans

Worth County’s Brandon Moore has put together multiple outstanding performances as of late and added another one on Tuesday night in the Rams’ 70-63 victory over Westover.

The Rams senior forward and a Westover fan that was sitting courtside exchanged some friendly trash talk before the game, but Moore got the final say dropping 33 points and pulling down 20 rebounds.

“It really does motivate me,” Moore said. “When I come to people’s hometowns, I know they are going to recognize me at the end of the game.”

The banter was all in good fun and when the Rams had the victory secured, Moore walked over to the fan, shook his hand and told him good luck the rest of the year.

This and that

Herald Super 6er and Pelham standout Quadranique Franklin will break the 1,000 point mark, likely in the upcoming week. The senior has been a crucial part to Pelham’s 16-1 start and has been a star all four years at Pelham…Calhoun County will play Treutlen on Saturday in a nonregion game that will be played at Albany State. The Cougars played Treutlen in the GHSA public school Class A boys semifinals at Armstrong State in Savannah last year, a game Calhoun won on their way to the state title. The girls game begins at 6 p.m., with the boys to follow.