Thoroughbreds throttle rival

AIKEN - The South Aiken High boys basketball team sent a clear message Friday night that this season, the path to the Region 4-AAAA championship turns off Whiskey Road.

The Thoroughbreds dismantled crosstown rival Aiken, 48-34 to stay undefeated in region play heading into the final five games of the regular season.

South Aiken (14-5, 5-0) has now won three in a row in the series - the past two at Aiken.

The Hornets (11-9, 3-2) were trying to move into a first-place tie with the Thoroughbreds but were outscored 28-8 in the second half, making just two field goals in the final 11 minutes.

"We felt like going into the region we needed to take care of home and maybe we could steal a few on the road," South Aiken coach Carlos Hope said. "But we've played really well on the road, and now we've put ourselves into a pretty good situation."

Aiken held a 26-20 halftime lead, but Jowan Gray and Jamal Davis - the least experienced of South Aiken's starters - sparked a 17-5 run in the third quarter that effectively ended Aiken's chances.

"The first half we didn't really come to play," said Gray, who scored a game-high 13 points. "But in the second half, we came to play. We knew we would come together as a team and finish it."

Aiken led by 10 in the second quarter before a technical foul stalled its momentum, sending South Aiken on a 13-4 run that ultimately led to the Thoroughbreds' raucous celebration at halfcourt.

"This is what you coach basketball for - to be in these types of games," Hope said.

"It's passion; just a great environment."

Davis scored 10 points and recorded eight rebounds.

Demarcus Sullivan and Marcel Harley led Aiken with nine points each.

In the girls game, Aiken blew away South Aiken in the second half for a 49-33 victory.

The Lady Hornets led 20-19 just after the half before reeling off 21 unanswered points to shore up what had been a sloppy effort by both teams.

"We started converting and we started stopping them," Aiken coach Aubrey Pompey said.

"We started doing what we should've been doing in the first half. That's basically it."

Shalisa Blocker scored 15 points to lead Aiken (8-10, 3-2 Region 4-AAAA).

Audrey Timmerman added 13 for the Lady Hornets.

Nellie Kitchings scored 10 to lead South Aiken (1-19, 0-5).

Reach Steve Sanders at (706) 823-3216 or steven.l.sanders@augustachronicle.com.