The Rockdale County boys varsity basketball team fell short Tuesday night in its bid for its first win of the season, dropping an 81-69 decision on the road to Luella.

Connor Ferrell led the Bulldogs with 29 points in the loss.

The loss drops the Bulldogs to 0-4 overall with a 0-1 mark in Region 2-AAAAAA.

Rockdale coach Alen Williams said the Lions just presented too much for the Bulldogs to overcome.

“I really think that Luella is one of the best teams in the state,” Williams said. “They are certainly one of the largest teams and they are a senior-led team. That’s a lot for our young guys to go up against.

“I am proud that our guys did not back down and that they played hard the entire game,” he said. “Good things can happen when you play hard. We cut the score down to single digits late in the game and our kids played hard to the end. I saw no quit.”

Williams said that playing a quality team like Luella early in the season can help the Bulldogs down the road.

“It’s very beneficial to play a team like Luella early on,” he said. “It helps you see your mistakes early and makes you work harder. If you go out and play an inferior team, it can give you a false sense of security. We definitely do not have to worry about that, but I certainly think we’re going to continue to work hard and improve each game.”

The Bulldogs will look to bounce back on Friday against Lovejoy.

“One of our seniors, Julian McKnight, will be out on a recruiting trip,” Williams said. “I want to see how we play without him and how our other players rise up when they’re a man down. We’re going to have to step up and play together and have some different guys lead.”

The girls and boys programs will host the Wildcats Friday night, with the girls game beginning at 7 p.m. with the boys game to follow.

Lady Bulldogs stumble

The Rockdale girls varsity basketball team fell on the road at Luella 51-44 in region play.

The loss dropped the Lady Bulldogs to 0-2 on the year.

The win moved the Lady Lions record to 4-2 overall.