The Eastside Eagles varsity basketball team surpassed a milestone many teams never have the chance to see – the century mark – defeating rival Alcovy 101-23 Saturday night in non-region action.
Treyvon Francis paced the Eagles with 26 points, while teammate Anthony Henderson added 20, as Eastside captured its 13th consecutive victory to move to 18-2 on the season.
The loss drops Alcovy to 2-19 overall, as the Tigers were held under 30 points for the third time this season.
Alcovy finished its in-county rivalry slate scoring an average of just over 29 points a contest, finishing 0-4 this season against Eastside and Newton.
This was also the third time this season the Eagles have held an opponent to 30 or fewer points, last reaching the feat Jan. 10 in a 68-25 victory over Lumpkin County.
“I’m very happy for (our guys),” Eastside coach Greg Freeman said. “I think this is the first time Eastside has cracked the 100-point barrier. It was a good win, but we have to get refocused. We have three region games next week.”
The Tigers began the game with a 2-0 lead after a layup from Glendell Hodge, but it was the only lead Alcovy held for the game’s duration.
The Eagles answered with a 9-0 run that was sparked by five points from Larry Saxton.
The Tigers went on a short 3-2 spurt, but the Eagles closed out the first quarter on a 7-2 run that saw Francis score five points, giving the Eagles an 18-7 lead after the opening period.
The second quarter belonged to no one but the Eagles. Henderson and Francis connected on back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers that were followed up by layups from Daniel Oduah and Francis.
The Eagles scored 33 points during the period, while holding the Tigers to five. Eastside stole the ball as the quarter’s final seconds wound down, and Oduah scored a buzzer-beating 3-pointer as the half ended, giving the Eagles a 51-12 lead at halftime.
The Eagles opened the third quarter a 9-0 run that all came by way of the 3-ball from Saxton, Francis and Henderson.
Patrick Nelson scored the Tigers’ first points of the quarter on a layup, but Eastside answered with its biggest spurt of the night.
After the Tigers’ basket, the Eagles went on a 21-0 run sparked by an alley-oop pass from Jamal Hardge to Oduah, who finished with a dunk.
“Defense leads the offense and everything that happens, happens,” Oduah said about his crowd-raising basket.
The run was also fueled by five points from Timothy Haynes, who made a 3-pointer before slamming home a two-hand dunk.
Alcovy’s next points of the period came on a shot by Brandon Freeman, but the Eagles went into the fourth quarter with a commanding 85-16 lead.
The Eagles scored the first points of the fourth quarter on three free throws by Henderson, which pushed Eastside’s lead to 72. Francis scored five straight points on a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer, eclipsing the 90-point mark, 93-17.
The Eagles scored their 101th point of the game on a layup by Ratayvious Jackson, finishing off the 78-point drubbing.
“We came focused” Francis and Henderson said.
