COVINGTON, Ga. — Both Alcovy basketball teams took one step closer to the playoffs Tuesday night as the Tigers swept Loganville at home.

In a night consisting of multiple ceremonies, the Lady Tigers kicked the night off with an overtime thriller to beat Loganville 61-56.

In the matchup between the boys teams, Alcovy made a strong push in the second half to earn another region win and surpass its win total from last season.

Lady Tigers move above .500 in region play with elite overtime performance

After a strong start from the Lady Red Devils to open the game, the Lady Tigers surged in the second half to not only cut the lead, but ultimately take it.

Alcovy trailed by seven entering the third frame, but key shots from underclassmen Simaria Wilburn and Minah Little pulled the Lady Tigers within three going into the final quarter.

When it came time for the last eight minutes, Alcovy’s plan went right into motion as Loganville was held to only four points in the final quarter. 

Although Alcovy scored only seven, it was enough to tie the game at 51-51. This meant that the two region foes had four more minutes of basketball left in overtime.

As the game transitioned into the extended period, Alcovy’s stout defensive play only heightened.

Alcocy’s 10 points in overtime were more than the Red Devils scored in the fourth quarter and overtime, combined.

Those 10 points in the final frame came from multiple Lady Tigers.

After four minutes, Alcovy’s gym had a sense of energy as the Lady Tigers secured a 61-56 win.

Getting the job done with different players in the lineup was something that impressed head coach Justin Hunter when asked about what went right in the final two frames.

“The execution,” Hunter said. “We locked down on defense and we actually made some buckets to compliment that defense. It is always easy when you play defense and you give yourself some cushion. We had some big shots there from all the players that were in the game. Everybody contributed, which is the true identity of a team game. The team that has the most people contributing will most likely get the result you want.”

Although players such as Wilburn, Little and Abigail Pollett knocked down key shots when it mattered, it was the play from seniors Janae Hutcherson and Shamiriah Gibbs that really pushed Alcovy over the edge.

Hutcherson’s 19 points led the team as the senior guard attacked the inside with success often. 

Gibbs’ 15 points were not her only contributions as she had a significant impact on both the offensive and defensive rebounds for the Lady Tigers.

According to Hunter, Tuesday’s performance is a reflection of the type of impact Gibbs can have when she is playing her style.

“When she is playing at her pace — not letting anyone rush it or slow it — she is a problem. She is very effective,” Hunter said.

Loganville found success in the first half due to the play of Ja’Meiyah Piggot, who ripped off 15 points in the first half alone. However, Alcovy seemed to have found an answer as they held the freshman to only three points in the second half and overtime.

As far as season outlook, the win was an important one for the Lady Tigers, who now sit in fourth place in the Region 8-AAAAA standings.

Hunter and the Lady Tigers will look to make it to the region tournament and claim a spot in the state playoffs with a win in their final regular season game against Apalachee on Friday, Feb. 7.

In their first meeting, the Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Wildcats 61-36. Apalachee is 4-20 on the year and is still searching for its first region win of the season.

Alcovy separates late for bounce-back win in region play

The first season for Alcovy under head coach Taylor Jackson saw the team take a step up. 

In year two, they did it again as the Tigers surpassed their win total from last year with a 78-73 win over Loganville.

The game could not have begun better for Alcovy following the tip-off.

The Tigers stretched out to a 9-0 lead that was highlighted by a posterizer dunk from junior Adarian Johnson, who slammed it over Loganville’s Kaden Derbridge and Dominique Best.

Alcovy outscored Loganville 17-8 in the opening frame as the ever-reliable Nick Durham — who was celebrated for surpassing 1,500 points before tip-off — found success early.

In the second quarter, Loganville began to inch back into it as the Red Devils managed to tie the game at 29-29 as the teams entered halftime.

The second half saw the two region opponents battle in a back-and-forth manner for the last 16 minutes.

Loganville kept pace with the Tigers, but a sequence from the Tigers in the latter half of the final quarter seemed to give them the separation they needed.

It began with a three-pointer from senior Khamani Thurman, which was followed by a savvy layup from fellow senior Jaqari Smith.

Before Loganville could score any points to stop the run, Durham converted on a layup while being fouled, which led to a three-point play from the standout senior.

This put Alcovy ahead by 11 points and signaled what was soon to be a win for the Tigers to cap the night off.

Durham ended his night with 23 points and five rebounds while Smith followed with 18 points and seven rebounds.

With the win, Alcovy’s boys team jumps to 16-8 on the season as it sits in third place in Region 8-AAAAA standings with a 6-5 record.

The Tigers have clinched a spot in the region tournament and will wrap up the regular season against Apalachee on Friday, Feb. 7.

Alcovy was victorious in its first meeting with the Wildcats as the Tigers grabbed a 60-56 win. Apalachee’s boys team is 13-11 on the year and 4-7 in region play.