Calhoun boys, Ringgold girls win showdowns

Calhoun's Landon Rice snags the ball as Ringgold's J.T. Roach (2) and Deontae Jackson (25) apply pressure Tuesday at Ringgold High School.
Calhoun's Landon Rice snags the ball as Ringgold's J.T. Roach (2) and Deontae Jackson (25) apply pressure Tuesday at Ringgold High School.
photo Calhoun's Landon Rice snags the ball as Ringgold's J.T. Roach (2) and Deontae Jackson (25) apply pressure Tuesday at Ringgold High School.

RINGGOLD, Ga. -- Just a little over a month ago, Jireh Wilson was hitting quarterbacks. The Calhoun High School junior is now hitting jump shots, and just in time for the Yellow Jackets to make another long postseason run.

The guard scored a season-high 25 points Tuesday as Calhoun handed Ringgold its first Region 6-AAA basketball loss, 77-57, sparking a huge third quarter that opened what had been a tied game at halftime. The Jackets (12-3, 9-0) took a one-game lead over the Tigers, though the two meet again next week.

"That may have been Jireh's best game of the season," Calhoun coach Vince Layson said of Wilson, who scored 11 points in the third period and opened the final quarter with five more points. "A lot of times, especially at the end of the game, guys get hesitant to put up shots, but with him having the hot hand there I didn't mind seeing him put it up."

Ringgold used Mac Brower's 10 second-quarter points to erase an early nine-point deficit in tying the game at 34 at the midpoint. However, after a quick halftime lesson on patience from Layson, the Jackets opened the second half with a 17-4 run. Chapin Rierson hit two 3-pointers in the first 1:30 of the half before Wilson took over.

His 15-foot jumper made it 44-37, and moments later he hit a 3-pointer for a nine-point edge. Kaelen Riley and Ray Reece had consecutive layups after strong defensive pressure led to a turnover and a quick Ringgold shot, and Calhoun ended the period with a 9-3 spurt, with Wilson hitting a runner in the lane and a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 60-46 lead.

After he scored the first five points in the fourth, the game essentially was over.

"We just had to come out and play better in the second half," Wilson said. "We took too many quick shots in the first half, so we knew if we could slow down and execute we would be all right. Once I made a couple of shots in the second half, I felt they couldn't guard me and I kept attacking."

Riley had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Rierson added 17 points for the winners, while Brower and Kile Sholl led Ringgold (15-4, 10-1) with 14 points each.

* Ringgold girls 56, Calhoun 51: The Lady Tigers (16-4, 9-3) stayed in the Region 6-AAA title hunt by scoring the game's final six points after the Lady Yellow Jackets (16-4, 10-1) had taken the lead with just over a minute to play.

Jessica Hargrove's strong drive with 42 seconds left gave Ringgold the lead for good, and junior Bethany Headrick was 4-for-4 at the free-throw line in the final seconds to seal the huge win.

"When we played them in the Christmas tournament they made a run and we folded, so I was wanting to see how we would respond when they made their run tonight," Ringgold coach Margaret Stockburger said. "We've got several people who can score, and down the stretch those girls wanted the ball. Jessica made a nice move on that layup and they weren't expecting that, and Bethany iced it with those four free throws."

Ringgold held a 13-point lead in the first half and took a nine-point edge into halftime, thanks in large part to Sydney Shutters' 10 points. However, Calhoun started attacking the lane in the second half and opened it with a quick 6-0 run. Jana Johns scored 10 of her 15 points in the period, including a three-point play on a strong drive that cut the Ringgold lead to one, then tied the game to start the final period on a steal and layup.

A Sydnie Parker jumper gave Calhoun its first lead since the early going with 4:45 to play, the last points for three minutes as both defenses tightened. The teams swapped leads, with Kyleigh Carney's free throws giving Calhoun a 51-50 lead with 1:20 to play, but the Lady Jackets would not score again.

"We were impatient in the first half, and obviously we did a much better job in the second half," Calhoun coach Jerry Pruett said. "We also took better care of the basketball in the second half. Ringgold didn't give us anything easy, so give them credit."

Shutters topped Ringgold with 18 points and added seven rebounds and three steals, while Headrick added 12 points and 14 rebounds. Parker led Calhoun with 16 points and nine rebounds.

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.

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