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PREP BASKETBALL: Grayson gets revenge on Newton in dominant fashion
Caleb Byrd
Newton's Caleb Byrd (1) attempts to score on Grayson's Deivon Smith (5). Photo by Anthony Banks.

LOGANVILLE, Ga. - After delivering the Grayson Rams their only loss just over one month ago, the Newton Rams would receive their worst loss of the season as the two faced off again in a highly anticipated rematch Tuesday night.

After getting the edge 84-80 earlier in the season, the rematch would be a different story for Newton, as they would lose 86-39 on the road to a dominant Grayson team.

After a quick back and forth in the opening minute of the game, the Rams would find themselves behind for the rest of the game, and it would only get bigger over time.

After they were able to put together a few dunks and alley-oops combined with big shots from the perimeter, it was clear the momentum was on the side of the Grayson Rams in the rematch.

Newton would eventually be outscored by Grayson 26-4 in the opening quarter of the game.

Newton would up the tempo in the second quarter in hopes of cutting into the lead, but Grayson would not let up, almost replicating the performance from the first quarter and going into halftime with a 48-14 lead.

“We were the only team to hang a loss on [Grayson] all year long, and they did not forget that coming into the game,” head coach Charlemagne Gibbons said, “We saw their concentration, and I’ll give them credit - they really shot the basketball well.”

As the third quarter progressed for Newton, Grayson continued to get the better of them defensively, limiting them to ten points in the quarter once again.

And as the Grayson defense continued to stall Newton in the third, their offense would go on to have their best offensive quarter, scoring 28 and increasing their lead to 76-24.

After outscoring Grayson 15-10 in the final quarter of the game, the time would eventually run out in regulation as Newton would lose 86-39, their largest losing margin of the season.

The loss moves Newton to 13-6 while Grayson stays in first place with a record of 17-1. Going forward into the rest of the season, coach Gibbons wants the team to stay focused on what is ahead, even after a tough loss like Tuesday night.

“[After the game] I told the guys mark of here is that when you show up tomorrow what is your attitude like, do you buy into the crowd and the naysayers or do you look up [and see that] we are 13-6 and are right in the middle of the region race,” Gibbons said.

Coach Gibbons and the Rams basketball team look to get back into action later in the week as they take on the fifth-place South Gwinnett Comets, Friday, Jan. 17.