Class A-Division I Blog -- Checking in on the East Laurens Falcons basketball program

The East Laurens basketball program featuring both the boys and girls team are off to an impressive start this season as the teams have a combined record of 22-6 midway through the Georgia high school basketball season.

Both the boys and the girls team are seeking their first state championship in program history and have a great opportunity this season with a good amount of talent on both respective rosters.

As both teams are through 14 games, midway through the high school basketball season, both teams find themselves ranked in the latest Score Atlanta High School Basketball rankings as the boys sit at No. 6 in Class A-DI and the girls check in at No. 7 in the week 10 basketball rankings.

A year ago, the boys team put together a very strong season as the Falcons won two games in the Class A-DI Boys Basketball State Championship, winning a game against Bryan County in the first round, 67-62, and in the second round against Irwin County, winning 68-60. The Falcons made it all the way to the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual state champion, Mount Vernon, 73-57, ultimately ending their season.

The girls teams impressive season a year ago saw the Lady Falcons finish the season with a 22-5 record, also losing in the quarterfinals. The Lady Falcons won two games in the postseason, same as the boys as the girls beat Screven County in the first round, 62-38, followed by a close second round victory over Pelham, 61-58, before losing in the quarterfinals to St. Francis, 75-53. The girls lost to the eventual state champions, the same outcome as the boys a year ago.

This season both East Laurens teams are firing on all cylinders as they look to get past the quarterfinals.

The boys are led by head coach, Dwayne Lowther as he has the Falcons playing their best basketball of the season with just seven games left in the regular season. Lowther and East Laurens are currently on a seven game winning streak, defeating Treutlen 77-49.

The boys are averaging just about 66 points per game and allow only around 53 on average to their opponents. The only two losses for the boys this season have come on the road, one to No. 2 Southwest-Macon, 76-71, and the other to the No. 2 team in Class 4A, North Oconee, 66-48.

The Falcons are led by the seventh-leading scorer in Class A-DI, senior Rashund Washington Jr. as he is averaging 20 points per game on the season. Along with his high-scoring average, the 6-foot-6 forward does much more than score the basketball as he cleans the glass, averaging seven rebounds per game as well as dishing out around four assists per game, doing it all for the Falcons.

Along with Washington, senior forward Tylan Snead has been impressive thus far for the Falcons, complimenting Washington by adding a little over 15 points per game as well as over seven rebounds and three steals a game, making his presence felt on both sides of the floor.

For the girls, the Lady Falcons are led by a trio of seniors that average over 10 points per game. McKayla Tanner leads all scorers, averaging a little over 18 points per game followed by Jayla Givens 11 points per game and Brenda Tanner averaging just over 10 points. While they average almost 60 points per game, the defense has been the story of the season for the Lady Falcons as five players on the team average just about three steals a game, making things very difficult for their opponents.

The Lady Falcons have been on a tear as of late, winning seven of their last eight including a 71-48 victory over Treutlen where Tanner scored a game-high 39 points on 55% shooting from the field.

Both East Laurens teams are back in action on Friday as the Falcons and Lady Falcons will take on the Dublin Fighting Irish with the girls starting at 6 p.m. and the boys at 7:30 p.m.

NOTES:

BOYS: Greenforest defeated Putnam County 66-53, handing the War Eagles their first loss of the season. B.E.S.T. Academy defeated Mae Jamison 75-72 as the Eagles improved to 13-5 on the season. Model defeated Bremen 64-29 as the Blue Devils earned their 12th win of the season East Laurens defeated Treutlen 77-49, led by Kelvion Kings 14 points. Towers defeated Banneker 93-50 as the Titans earned their 12th victory of the season. Rabun County defeated Oglethorpe County, 66-26, as the Wildcats were led by 22 points from Hayes Free and 19 points from Huey Blalock.

GIRLS: Fannin County defeated Christian Heritage, 68-53, as the Rebels continued their impressive season earning their 15th win. Model defeated Bremen 35-30 as the Lady Blue Devils stayed undefeated in Region 6-ADI play. Banks County defeated Lanier Christian 76-19 as the Leopards stay on a 10-game win-streak. Vidalia defeated Dodge County, 52-37, as the Indians improved to 13-6 on the season. Lamar County defeated Upson-Lee, 56-39, as JaZiyah Foster led the way for the Trojans with 25 points on 10 made field goals.

SCORE ATLANTA CLASS A-DI BASKETBALL RANKINGS

BOYS:

1.Putnam County:Fridayat Utopian Academy for the Arts at 7:30 p.m.,Tuesdayat Lamar County at 7:30 p.m.,Fridayvs Jasper County at 7:30 p.m.

2.Southwest Macon:Fridayvs Howard at 7:30 p.m.,Tuesdayat Central-Macon at 7:30 p.m.,Fridayvs ACE at 7:30 p.m.

3.B.E.S.T. Academy:Fridayvs Landmark Christian at 7 p.m.,Saturdayvs Walker at 4 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Paideia at 6 p.m.

4.Temple: Friday atDarlingtonat 7:30 p.m., Tuesday atBremenat 7:30 p.m., Friday vsHeard Countyat 7:30 p.m.

5.Rabun County:Saturdayat Athens Academy at 4 p.m.,Mondayat Elbert County at 7:30 p.m.,Tuesdayat Commerce at 7:30 p.m.

6.East Laurens:FridayatDublinat 7:30 p.m.,Saturdayvs West Laurens at 5:30 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Washington County at 7:30 p.m.

7.Vidalia:Fridayat Swainsboro at 7:30 p.m.,Saturdayat Long County at 6 p.m.,Tuesdayat Savannah Christian at 7:30 p.m.

8.Dublin:Fridayvs East Laurens at 7:30 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Jefferson County at 6 p.m.,Fridayat Wheeler County at 7:30 p.m.

9.Model:Fridayvs Heard County,Tuesdayat Haralson County at 7:30 p.m.,Fridayvs Pepperell at 8:30 p.m.

10.Towers:Fridayvs Jasper County at 7:30 p.m.,Saturdayvs Decatur at 4:30 p.m.,Tuesdayat Greenforest at 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS:

1.Elbert County:Fridayat Athens Academy at 7 p.m.,Saturdayat Savannah Christian at 6 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Providence Christian at 6 p.m.

2.Fannin County:Fridayat Coosa at 6 p.m.,Saturdayat Gordon Central at 2:30 p.m.,Tuesdayat Dalton Academy at 6 p.m.

3.Model:Fridayvs Heard County at 7 p.m.,Tuesdayat Haralson County at 6 p.m.,Thursdayat Sonoraville at 6 p.m.

4.Central-Macon:Fridayat Bleckley County at 5:30 p.m.,Saturdayat Southwest at 3:30 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Southwest at 6 p.m.

5.Lamar County:Todayat Social Circle at 5:30 p.m.,Saturdayat Brookstone at 1 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Putnam County at 6 p.m.

6.Washington County:Saturdayat Baldwin at 6 p.m.,Mondayat Jefferson County at 6 p.m.,Tuesdayat East Laurens at 6 p.m.

7.East Laurens:Fridayat Dublin at 6 p.m.,Saturdayvs West Laurens at 4 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Washington County at 6 p.m.

8.Temple:Fridayat Darlington at 6 p.m.,Saturdayvs Chapel Hill at 5:30 p.m.,Tuesdayat Bremen at 6 p.m.

9.Bleckley County:Fridayvs Central-Macon at 5:30 p.m.,Tuesdayvs Northeast at 6 p.m.,Fridayat Hawkinsville at 6 p.m.

10.Banks County:Todayat Commerce at 6 p.m.,Fridayvs Oconee County at 7 p.m.,Mondayat Seckinger at 6 p.m.