Eagles get sound win vs. Indians

ROME, Ga. - The James Brown tune Payback would have been a fine anthem Friday night at the Rome Forum.

That's what the Josey boys team delivered early and often in the second round of the Class AA boys basketball tournament with a 81-53 thrashing of Chattooga.

"Tonight was payback," said Josh Adams, who led Josey with 25 points. "Payback for everything that happened to Augusta's teams up here so far."

The unbeaten Eagles (30-0) proved the perfect instrument to prove Augusta's contingent wasn't going to be outclassed by all comers this week in Rome.

"Everybody was saying to us that it wasn't Augusta's week," Adams said. "Everybody was eliminated. It was left to us to get it done here and conquer Rome."

Augusta's road warriors finally had reason to smile. With Josey alumnus Deon Grant leading the cheers, the Eagles made quick work of the Indians.

Josey's lead went from 10-0 to 27-10 to 34-14 to 46-18. It allowed Chattooga's best team since 1979 17 points in the first half.

"We knew about the pressure they were going to give us," Chattooga coach Shane Tucker said. "We simulated it with seven defensive players against our offense at one time in practice. It was no good. That team was too good.

"Josey has a legitimate chance at bringing its fans home a championship next month."

The Eagles advance to face Buford at 8:30 p.m. The Wolves beat Cross Keys on Friday afternoon to advance to the state quarterfinals.

"The competition picks up tomorrow and it will get harder," Josey coach Sam Lilly said. "Buford is a good team. But I still think we're the better team. It will come down to who can control the tempo."

The three Augusta-area girls teams that lost earlier in the Class AA tournament were dispatched by an average of 29 points. So Josey's 28-point victory was exactly what the Godfather sung of.

Chattooga (20-9) was in a 10-0 hole before the referees could break a sweat.

"All I know is I saw a team just as hot on the offensive end as it was on the defensive end," Tucker said. "We had 12 turnovers in the first quarter and shot 28 percent in the first half. That's when we could get a shot."

Dominique Archie also had 19 points and several Forum-shaking dunks. Mike Hawes had 15 and Najee Tolbert had 13.

Josey showed little of the anxieties that foiled every team from Augusta in Rome so far.

"This is a battle-worn and veteran team that has been through the battles," Lilly said. "Now its one more game to get to Macon. I think if we can get to Macon we will have what it takes or find it to reach the state finals."

Reach Jeff Sentell at (706) 823-3425 or jeff.sentell@augustachronicle.com.