Friday, June 3, 2011

Eagles Win First Summer League Games

The Augusta Eagles defeated Evans High School and Grovetown High School in the Opening night of the 2011 Summer League.  Teams played the varsity players in the first half and the junior varsity players in the second half, a special format that allowed each team to provide its varsity and junior varsity players significant court time against two different teams.

Game 1
Augusta Eagles 40, Evans High School 38


In the opening game, hot shooting by guards Jacob Greenway and Matt Miller enabled the Eagles to establish an early 14-2 advantage over Evans High School.  Additional offensive help from Dominic Brown and excellent defensive performances by Paul Jones, Jonathan Pye, Jordan Pye, and Zach Miller contributed to an impressive 32-24 Eagles lead at intermission.

The Eagles junior varsity team struggled to protect the basketball and get good shots in the second half.  But throughout the session the unit maintained its defensive focus and executed the plan of defending the paint, blocking out, and swarming the defensive glass.  This focus and execution on the defensive side and timely baskets by Zach Miller and Jonathan Pye put the junior varsity unit in position to finish strongly and earn a 40-38 win for the Eagles.

Game 2
Augusta Eagles 29, Grovetown High School 24

In the second game, the Eagles varsity unit faced a 16-12 deficit halfway through the first half after Grovetown made a 10-2 scoring run.  But the Eagles responded by outscoring Grovetown 14-2 in the half's final ten minutes, leading to a 26-18 halftime advantage.  Similar to the night's first game, the Eagles got the majority of the scoring from Miller, Brown, and Greenway, but the the scoring opportunities for these players were made possible by impressive team defense and rebounding, good ball movement, and generally unselfish play from all of the players.

Although the junior varsity struggled offensively during the second game's second half, the unit made big strides defensively, holding Grovetown's junior varsity unit to 6 second half points.  Jonathan Pye, Evan Newman, and Jonathan yourchak repeatedly prevented Grovetown baskets, caused turnovers, and created extra possessions.  Jeremy Wright and TJ Massenburg made contributions to the defensive effort with timely steals (Wright) and blocks (Massenburg).  After defending impressively for the first 18 minutes of the second half, a key free throw from Michael Green and a late basket by Jordan Pye sealed the Eagles' 29-24 victory.

Next for the Eagles is the summer's first of three "Augusta Eagles Day Team Camps" on Saturday, June 4.  Games will be played at Episcopal Day School (EDS).  Admission is free and games begin at 8AM.

Game Schedule (June 4 @EDS)

8AM Cross Creek V versus Eagles Varsity
9AM Cross Creek JV versus Eagles JV
10AM Cross Creek Varsity versus Grovetown Varsity
11AM Cross Creek JV versus Grovetown JV
Noon Eagles Varsity versus Grovetown Varsity
1PM Eagles JV versus Glenn Hills JV
2PM Grovetown Varsity versus Glenn Hills JV
3PM Eagles JV versus Grovetown JV

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