Late Run Downs Eagles

Cameron Cooper (30) pulls up inside the arch with a jumper for 2. (Photo/Martha Ladd)

WINNSBORO – Richard Winn played a tremendous game against Newberry Academy Jan. 16, giving the visiting Eagles a run for their money in a SCISA Class A Region II ‘Battle of the Birds.’ A late scoring run by Newberry Academy doomed the hometown Eagles, however, as they lost a heartbreaker 51-48.

Newberry Academy began the first quarter going into the post area using their size and height advantage to gain an offensive advantage over the Eagles. C.J. Connely led the first quarter charge for Newberry Academy scoring 10 of Newberry’s 15 points. RWA cut into the deficit in the second quarter as Newberry Academy struggled to gain back the offensive supremacy they started the game with. By the half, Newberry was clinging to a 27-20 lead.

The third quarter began horrendously for both teams as RWA and Newberry Academy missed open shots. Despite the poor third-quarter shooting, RWA scored 10 points as Newberry Academy barely mustered 5 points to keep the lead going into the final quarter.

Newberry Academy opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run as they stretched their lead to 10 points. RWA’s Cameron Cooper and Mitchell Gibbons helped cut the 10-point deficit by leading the Eagles on a 16-6 run to take the lead going into the final minute of the game. But the visiting Eagles ended the game on a 13-2 run to pull out the victory over Richard Winn Academy.

Cooper led RWA with 24 points as Gibbons contributed 14 points. Connelly led Newberry Academy with 23 points. The Eagles traveled to King Academy Tuesday night and will be on the road again tonight at Laurens.

NA: 15-12-5-19 – 51

RWA: 8-12-10-18 – 48

Newberry Academy: Dylan Mackebem 14, Dylan Skipper 6, CJ Connelly 23, Landen York 8. RWA: Hunter Gibbons 3, Rob O’Connor 5, Mitchell Gibbons 14, Cameron Cooper 24, Christian Christenson 2.

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