A quick four points from Keaton Watkins began a third quarter comeback that saw the Fannin County Rebels seal a spot in the Elite Eight of the Georgia High School Association Boys State Basketball Playoffs.
The third eight minutes of play started with Fannin trailing 33-26, having suffered through a second quarter that saw the Thomasville Bulldogs pull ahead by posting a 15-10 scoring advantage.
It was Watkins’ first points, aided by a unbreakable Rebel defense, that started a 13-0 run and the Rebels taking a 39-35 lead.
The Rebels continued to outscore, out rebound, and out hustle their opponents for a 64-52 victory in the Coach Johnny Farmer Gym Saturday afternoon, February 28.
Thomasville controlled the game’s opening tipoff, but it was Watkins who started the game’s scoring with two points.
Thomasville bounced back seconds later, and with a pair of steals, took a 6-4 lead.
A three-point play by Watkins continued the seesaw battle, with Fannin inching ahead 7-6.
Then the Bulldogs erupted for eight unanswered points and a 14-7 lead.
A timeout by Rebel Head Coach Greg Linder, and Fannin bounced back with
five quick points from Matthew Ponton and a steal by Hudson York that he took the length of the court to close the gap to 16-14.
The Bulldogs added two, which were matched by two Rebel points from Kolby Kaylor to end the quarter 18-16 with the visitors on top.
The second quarter saw an offensive and defensive surge from the Bulldogs that included a 12-0 run. Four points from Ponton and two apiece from Kolton Kaylor, Brody Henson, and York kept the Rebels in the hunt. But Thomasville’s momentum was obvious as the visitors headed to the locker room.
Then, out of the halftime locker room emerged a Fannin team ready to show how they had earned a 24-4 season record, and not about to give up the battle.
After Watkins’ first points, the big junior center continued to add points and was joined offensively by Henson, Tyler Blake and Kolton Kaylor as the Rebels closed out the quarter on top 48-36.
Ponton stepped up to do the heavy offensive lifting in the final eight minutes, scoring nine points including a three point play with 20 seconds to go that sealed any hopes of a Thomasville comeback. Kolton Kaylor was close behind in the fourth with six points, and Watkins added a free throw.
The Rebels advanced to the Elite Eight and a showdown with Rabun County, the Number 2 rated team in the championship playoff bracket.
Watkins led the scoring effort with 22 points followed by Ponton with 16 and Kolton Kaylor with 10. Next in line were Henson with seven, York with four, Blake with three and Kolby Kaylor with two points.