Jackets capitalize, collect crucial win over T-Breds

North Augusta's T.J. Sheppard streaks to the basket in a 72-59 win over South Aiken. Sheppard led the Yellow Jackets with 16 points. Staff photo by Noah Feit.

With less than 3 minutes to play in the first half of Friday's game, the North Augusta boys' basketball team had gradually opened up a 10-point lead in a must-win game at South Aiken High School. The contest had been fairly evenly played, with the Yellow Jackets making the most of their athleticism and speed to build the double-digit advantage.

The Thoroughbreds were looking to start a run to pull closer when, as they had so often in the game, they turned the ball over in the half-court offense. North Augusta's T.J. Sheppard came away with the ball near mid court and, with two T-Breds converging toward him to stop a potential fast break, made a pin-point behind-the-back bounce pass to a streaking Steve Copeland, who cruised in for a layup.

The score seemed to light a fire under the Yellow Jackets. In the final 21âÑ2 minutes of the half, they scored 13 points - the same total they produced in the entire first quarter - to build an insurmountable lead. South Aiken never quit but had fallen behind by too much as North Augusta snapped a four-game losing skid with a 72-59.

"It was very important. If we lost here, our chances were probably done," said Yellow Jackets coach Al Young, as his team kept its playoff hopes intact, as the win and a White Knoll loss leaves it in sole possession of fourth place in Region 5-AAAA.

"We're still alive. Now we've got to keep winning."

Sheppard had a strong game, leading North Augusta (12-10, 3-5) with 16 points. JaShawn Brooks and Tavarez Hall each had 11 points, as 10 Yellow Jackets scored in the win.

Sheppard, as well as fellow guards Roderick Tolbert and Steve Copeland, showed good poise and discipline handling the ball most of the game.

Whether South Aiken (8-13, 1-7) was in man-to-man, or switched to a zone defense, they were able to fend off any on-the-ball pressure and break down their defender. That either resulted in a an open look or attracted help defenders, allowing the North Augusta guards to pass to an open teammate resulting in a high-percentage scoring opportunity. On the occasions there were misses, more often than not the Yellow Jackets recovered the loose ball for second and third chances to score.

"They did a good job," Young said of his guard play. "They were more relaxed, took their time, found an open guy and didn't feel the pressure."

They may not have felt it, but they certainly applied it on defense. North Augusta's full-court zone press forced a number of turnovers, most coming after South Aiken got the ball over the mid-court stripe. The defense fed the offense and helped to keep the Yellow Jackets ahead by double digits the entire second half.

"We had problem with the press, but our guys gave a good effort and did not quit," T-Breds coach Drew Jernigan said of his team, after it was eliminated from playoff contention. "We knew the situation coming in. We had to win, and I felt like the guys battled. North Augusta's a difficult matchup for us. They played a good game, shot well and won with their backs against the wall."

In spite of trailing by more than 20 points on several occasions, South Aiken never quit. It played its best in the fourth quarter, scoring 23 points and keeping the pressure on North Augusta.

Jordan Dingle led the T-Breds with a game-best 22 points, with 10 coming in the fourth quarter. Teammate Austin Kyles scored eight of his 12 points in the final quarter, but it wasn't enough, as South Aiken was unable to get closer than 11 points down.

Part of the problem was that the T-Breds had to work so hard to generate offense against the Yellow Jackets' pressure that they often looked a step slow on defense. That helped North Augusta to get more open shots, most of which it took advantage of.

"We've had defensive issues all year, and we ran into a team that shot well. North Augusta did what it had to do," said Jernigan, whose team will now play out the string with a game at White Knoll on Tuesday followed by the season finale against crosstown rival Aiken. "We have a winnable game on Tuesday at White Knoll, and we'll do our best to beat them again. We don't need any motivation for Thursday; that's when Aiken High comes in."

The Yellow Jackets will go to Aiken on Tuesday, and a win there would leave them tied with the Hornets for third place in the region. That seemed like a long shot a few hours earlier, as North Augusta was mired in its skid.

"We dropped four in a row, and our heads have been down," Young said. "Hopefully this gives us confidence and we go to Aiken and play well."

NA 13 23 20 16 - 72

SA 8 13 15 23 - 59

North Augusta (12-10, 3-5 Region 5-AAAA)-Steve Copeland 4 0-0 8, Robert Morgan 1 0-2 3, JaShawn Brooks 5 0-0 11, T.J. Sheppard 6 2-2 16, Roderick Tolbert 1 1-2 3, Kenny Finley 3 2-2 8, Antuan Andrews 4 0-0 8, Tavarez Hall 4 2-3 11, Victor Johnson 1 0-0 2, Keyon West 1 0-0 2. Totals: 30 7-11 72.

3-Pointers: Sheppard (2), Morgan, Brooks, Hall.

South Aiken (8-13, 1-7)-Jordan Dingle 10 2-3 22, Raheem Kirkland 1 2-2 4, Walker Taylor 2 0-0 6, Chauncey Soloman 1 0-0 2, Austin Kyles 6 0-0 12, Jonathan Williams 1 2-4 5, Derrick West 3 2-2 8. Totals: 23 8-11 59.

3-Pointers: Taylor (2), Dingle (2), Williams.

North Augusta girls 67, South Aiken 36

The good news for the South Aiken High School girls' basketball team was it scored the first basket of Friday's home game. The bad news was that was the only time it led, as North Augusta immediately responded with an 8-0 run and used stifling defense to cruise to a 67-36 win.

After the Yellow Jackets' initial scoring spurt, the Thoroughbreds trimmed the deficit to four points. That was as close as they got the rest of the game. North Augusta (16-4, 5-3 Region 5-AAAA) held South Aiken scoreless for more than 6 minutes at the end of the first quarter and into the second. The Yellow Jackets went on a 15-0 run and were never threatened the rest of the game.

It was total domination, as North Augusta applied full-court pressure. That forced South Aiken (9-7, 1-7) into a series of turnovers, which were quickly turned into Yellow Jackets' points. The halftime score was 37-13, in favor of North Augusta.

Ten Yellow Jackets scored in the victory, led by Jurell Coach's 18. Jasmine Coach scored 12 points, and Mallory Stone added 10 for North Augusta, which will play Aiken on Tuesday.

Kyasia Youmans was the only T-Bred to finish the game with a double-digit point total, posting 11 in the loss. Courtney Farrell and Morgan Fair each had nine points for South Aiken, which will go to White Knoll on Tuesday.

NA 20 17 20 10 - 67

SA 6 7 15 8 - 36

North Augusta (16-4, 5-3 Region 5-AAAA)-Arielle Houston 1 0-0 3, Jurell Coach 6 5-5 18, Jasmine Coach 6 0-0 12, Kaitlin Wooden 1 0-0 2, Kellie Cooper 1 0-0 2, Ja'Lyn Sanders 3 0-2 6, Mallory Stone 5 0-0 10, Cydney Matthews 1 0-0 2, Teanda Cunningham 3 2-2 8, Brianna Trowell 2 0-0 4. Totals: 29 7-9 67.

3-Pointers: Jurell Coach, Houston.

South Aiken (9-7, 1-7 Region 5-AAAA)-Kyasia Youmans 5 1-2 11, Shakera Williams 0 2-2 2, Courtney Griffin 0 0-2 0, Courtney Farrell 4 1-2 9, Keisha Whitaker 2 1-2 5, Morgan Fair 4 0-0 9. Totals: 15 5-10 36.

3-Pointers: Fair.