Terrell County takes two over Pelham

DAWSON — By February, there are no secrets left, only statements to be made.

Terrell and Pelham arrived Tuesday night ranked among the best in Class A Division II, familiar with each other’s strengths and fully aware of what was at stake as the postseason approaches. By the time it was over, Terrell had made one of its loudest statements of the season.

The Greenwave swept Pelham in a tense doubleheader, edging the Lady Hornets 36-34 in a rematch that came down to the final seconds before the boys held off a second-half rally to complete the sweep.

Girls: Terrell 36, Pelham 34

The rematch carried weight. Pelham had beaten Terrell 74-69 in double overtime earlier this month, and the rankings underscored the stakes — Pelham entered at No. 3 in Class A Division II, Terrell at No. 6.

From the opening tip, it looked like another classic.

Britney Hill put Terrell on the board first, but Pelham answered behind sophomore De’Asiayah Johnson. Chassidy Franklin scored for the Greenwave, and Jada Rushing’s steal and layup at the buzzer tied the game 6-6 after one.

Neither team could gain separation in the second quarter. Khloe Brown and Caellaja Samuel sparked Terrell briefly, but Johnson kept Pelham within striking distance. Damaya Jackson’s free throw gave Pelham a 14-12 lead at halftime.

The third quarter turned into a grind. Hill tied it early, Johnson answered at the line, and the lead changed hands repeatedly until Rushing capped the period with a layup that pushed Terrell ahead 25-19.

Pelham rallied again in the fourth, leaning heavily on Johnson, who scored 11 of her game-high 22 points in the final eight minutes and hit seven of eight free throws down the stretch. With 23.1 seconds left, the Lady Hornets had pulled within one.

Brown ended it.

Her basket with 2.8 seconds remaining restored a three-point cushion, and Pelham’s final trip to the line produced only one free throw.

Brown led Terrell with 10 points, while Franklin and Rushing added seven each. Pelham fell to 19-3, while Terrell improved to 19-4.

Boys: Terrell pulls away late

The boys game followed a different script — until it didn’t.

Cobe Williams set the tone early, scoring seven first-quarter points as Terrell raced to a 19-7 lead. The Greenwave built on it in the second quarter and went to the locker room up 35-18.

Pelham flipped the momentum after halftime.

The Hornets limited Terrell to just two baskets in the third quarter and erased the deficit behind Anthony Battle, who scored 10 in the period. By the end of the quarter, the game was tied 39-39.

Pelham briefly threatened to steal it when Josiah Battle and Dallas Reaves knocked down fourth-quarter threes, but Terrell answered with balance and poise. Coradel Small, Dominique Polite and D’Charious Grier delivered key buckets to steady the Greenwave and close it out.

Small led Terrell with 18 points. Polite scored nine, while Ja’Corey Williams and Cobe Williams added eight apiece. Anthony Battle and Josiah Battle scored 15 each for Pelham, and Reaves finished with 12.

Two ranked teams. Two close finishes. And in February, the Greenwave left little doubt they are ready for what comes next.