The Heritage Patriots varsity basketball team came out victiours on Senior Night against Flowery Branch, defeating the Flacons 61-38 for its 11th region victory of the season.
The Patriots were led in scoring by Trevor Campbell, who had 15 points, while limiting the Falcons to just seven points in each of the first and third quarters.
“The message to them before the game was to play inspired today, especially with this being Senior Night with our seniors," Heritage coach Vernon Denmark said. "We wanted to take them out on a good note."
The Patriots opened the game up on an 8-0 run with all eight points coming from four different scorers. The Falcons responded by going on a quick 4-0 run with baskets coming from Taylor Bourdage and Cody Dewing.
Heritage went on another 8-0 run before the quarter concluded with two buckets from junior Andre Harris. A Falcons' 3-pointer went in just before time expired, but the Patriots went into the second quarter with a 16-7 lead.
The Patriots began the second quarter on a 5-0 run on layups from Makyle Wilkerson and a free throw by Campbell. The Falcons responded with a 5-0 run of their own on a pair of free throws from Jonathan Hughes and a 3-pointer from Bourdage.
The Patriots remained in front despite the run, and Campbell increased the lead to 11 after making a put-back layup. The back-and-forth pattern continued, and the Patriots went into halftime with a 33-21 lead.
The third quarter began with the Falcons making the first basket from Dewing, but the Patriots went on a 12-0 run that seriously set the momentum of the game in the Patriots' favor, with a 45-23 lead. The run saw baskets coming from Jordan Thomas, Terrell Raine, and Campbell.
Bourdage scored on a 3-pointer for the Falcons, but the Patriots responded with another 4-0 run with two back-to-back layups coming from Isaiah Banks. The Patriots went into the fourth quarter with a 49-28 lead.
Flowery Branch opened up the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run with a layup and a pair of free throws coming from Hughes. Hunter Kanuzewski and Dylan Barron added two more layups for the Falcons, but, despite the run, the Patriots got back to business and closed out the game on a 10-2 run, winning 61-38.
Campbell said that winning on Senior Night was a great motivator.
“I was inspired because this was Senior Night and it’s the last time I’m going to play in this gym," he said. "I’m going to miss it."
Wednesday win
Heritage captured its second win of the week Wednesday night on the road at Winder-Barrow, earing a 71-37 victory over the Bulldoggs.
Heritage led 18-7 after the first quarter and allowed just 14 points in the first half.
Thirteen different Patriots scored in the rout, led by Byron Abrams with 11 points. Freshman Jordan Thomas also joined Abrams in double figures with 10 points.
After leading by 11 at the end of the first quarter, Heritage outscored Winder-Barrow by four in the second, going into halftime with a 29-14 advantage.
The Bulldogs matched their first-half total in the third quarter with 14 points, but Heritage turned up its offense, scoring a game-hgih 23 points in the third.
Heritage closed the game with a 19-9 fourth quarter advantage, clinching the 34-point win.
Four other Patriots scored at least five points in the win, while Terrell Rainey and Trevor Campbell grabbed 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively, part of Heritage's 58 total rebounds.
Andre Harris finished with a team-high five assists.
