Turner nets 23 to lead Aquinas to quarterfinals

AQUINAS 61, DOOLY COUNTY 58

By Matt Middleton

Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Every possession was so valuable and tense that by the end of the third quarter, Bernie Norris had rolled his wind pants up above both his knees.

The Aquinas boys basketball coach squirmed on the bench with nearly every pass, shot and official's whistle during his team's Georgia High School Association Class A second-round game against Dooly County on Tuesday night. He wasn't the only one.

Aquinas played composed basketball late in a 61-58 win over the Bobcats to emerge from a tight, physical game emblematic of the postseason.

The Irish advanced to Friday's state quarterfinals, where they will meet Wilcox County at 5:30 p.m. at Columbus State. Aquinas is in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 1966, according to the Georgia High School Basketball Project.

"They had to be mentally tough to win that game," Norris said. "That was one of the most physical games we have been a part of here. They stayed focused and took care of business."

Aquinas junior guard Robert Turner scored 13 of his game-high 23 points in the first quarter, and the Irish never trailed over the final three quarters. Dooly County's best chance to take the lead was wiped away with one swipe of C.J. Washington's arms.

With Aquinas (21-6) leading by one point with three minutes left, the Bobcats forced a steal off their halfcourt trapping defense. The 6-foot-6 Washington (12 points) raced down the floor and pinned a layup attempt against the front of the rim. Aquinas rebounded and scored on its next possession.

"That had to be the play of the game," said forward Garrett Pippin, who had nine points and several hustle plays that kept the outcome tilted in favor of Aquinas.

Dooly County (17-14), which upset Region 3-A champion Claxton on the road in the first round, had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Ben Miller's 3-pointer caromed off the back of the rim as the buzzer sounded.

"They were the better team down the stretch for the most part," Dooly County coach Towandi King said.

"They outplayed us in the fourth."

Source: The Augusta Chronicle

Click the image below to view the GHSA Class A State Playoff Bracket