After rough starts to the basketball season, Eastside’s teams are perfect in region play. 

Alexia Somerset scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the Lady Eagles to a 56-47 win over Stockbridge while Quindarrious Russell dropped 18 and snagged nine boards to lead Eastside’s boys to a 68-56 win.

The girls’ win is their third straight. They’ve yet to lose since Somerset made her season debut in the third game. Jymara Smith added 11 points for the Lady Eagles.

After starting 0-3, Eastside’s boys have won two straight region games and they’re getting contributions from seemingly a new face each night. Along with Russell, Anthony Henderson scored in double figures with 14 points. Treyvon Francis had 12 and Ben Miller narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with nine points to go with 11 assists.

Newton splits with M.L. King

Newton’s teamsopened region play at M.L. King and came away with mixed results. The girls won their game 56-40 to rebound from Saturday’s loss to rival Alcovy while the boys missed three opportunities late and came away with a 56-54 loss. 

Stephen Croone led the way for the Rams with 15 points and had five assists while Shane Henry scored 12 and corralled a team-high 10 rebounds. Rashard Cabane chipped in with nine points and eight rebounds.

The Rams led 14-10 after one period of play and led by as many as 12 before the Lions rallied to hand Newton just its second region loss in three years. The Rams lost in overtime to East Coweta last year after going 17-0 including a perfect 3-0 in the region tournament to capture their first of two straight region titles in 2009-10. 

Newton led 41-40 heading into the fourth quarter but went scoreless over the final two-plus minutes of the game.  The Rams forced 27 turnovers but had 20 themselves. 

“It was a tough place to play and yet I feel like we beat ourselves more than anything,” Newton coach Rick Rasmussen said. “It may have been a little bit of a hangover after the tough 3 OT lost Saturday. We have to bounce back Friday.”

The Rams are 1-2 and 0-1 in region play and lost back-to-back games for the first time in more than three years. They’ll try to bounce back and pick up their first region win when the Newton hosts a tough Langston Hughes team tonight. The girls tip off at 7 p.m. followed by the boys at 8:30. 

Eastside is on the road and will look to remain undefeated in region play when they visit Eagles Landing.