The Morgan County boys basketball team rolled into the Elite Eight on Feb. 28 with a victory over Tattnall County.
The No. 5-seed Dogs defeated the No. 12-seed Warriors 76-36 to advance. With the win, they improved to 23-6 overall and extended their winning streak to 16 games.
Morgan County head coach Cody Anderson said that throughout the tournament, the team's goal has been "to earn the right to go 1-0." He added that the players' "depth and commitment" on defense are what give them a chance each night.
"I was extremely proud of how our guys attacked the prep and executed," Anderson said. "We challenged our guys to have our best defensive performance of the season, and they certainly did."
Morgan County set the tone early, taking an eight-point lead by the end of the first quarter before pulling away in the second. The Dogs stretched their advantage to more than 20 points by halftime and continued to pour it on after the break, nearly doubling their first-half output over the final two quarters.
The win showcased Morgan County’s depth, as eight players contributed in the 40-point rout.
Seniors Zeki Locus, Kobi Jefferies, and Jacoby Simmons each made an impact, along with juniors King Hardy and SJ Odoms, sophomores Dreylon Brown and Garrett Ward, and freshman Trey Carter.
Locus led the way with a near triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and five steals. Jefferies added 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, while Carter chipped in 12 points, five rebounds, and five deflections.
No. 20 seed Thomson advanced with a 57-55 win over Crisp County, the tournament’s No. 4 seed, setting up a highly anticipated matchup in Madison on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The winner will move on to the state semifinals at Legacy Arena in Douglasville on Friday and play either No. 16 Therrell or No. 24 Hart County.
“Thomson will be a great challenge for us, as they are a veteran group who plays extremely hard, and plays an up-tempo pressure style defensively," Anderson said. "They are battle-tested and have won their last two [playoff games] on the road, so they will come in and give us their best punch."
The contest will be Morgan County’s final home game of the season.
Anderson said that the team needs the community to show up again, as they did for the first two rounds. He believes that the fan support has helped make their home gym “one of the hardest places to play in the state.”
“This basketball program has a rich tradition of advancing in this tournament, and I couldn’t be more proud of this group for returning it to where it belongs,” Anderson said. “We have a berth in the Final Four on the line and need all of Dog Nation to pack the Gym, and help us fight to earn the right to go 1-0.”