Johnsonville remains in hunt for region title

MULLINS, S.C. –Johnsonville coach Harris Avant and the Golden Flashes remain in the hunt for the top spot in Region 7-2A, earning a 71-61 win at home over Mullins Tuesday night.

“Tonight we changed game-plans completely in the first quarter,” Avant said. “These guys wanted it, they’re hungry. The school’s hungry and the community is hungry to win and these guys are feeding off this energy.”

The Flashes jumped out to an early 8-0 lead until Sam Pressley scored to give Mullins a 12-11 advantage at the 2:40 mark in the first quarter. Quinton Tisdale added a pair of buckets for Mullins to end the quarter ahead 18-15.

The Auctioneers maintained a slim lead at halftime 32-30.

The two teams continued to battle in the third quarter with Johnsonville’s Savion Graves nailing a three-point jumper to put the Flashes in front 49-44. Tisdale responded with a trey of his own to tie the game in the closing seconds before Graves added free throw to Johnsonville a one-point lead heading to the final quarter.

Point guard Quez Lewis put the game away in the fourth quarter sinking a pair of three-point jumpers in the final three minutes. Lewis scored nine of his game-high 18 points in the quarter.

Graves added 12 points while Rashawn Moore and Kody Hanna added 10 points each.

Tisdale led Mullins (11-8, 6-5) with 14 points along with 13 points from Jaden Hayes.

The Auctioneers host Kingstree Friday then close the regular season at Andrews and at home against East Clarendon.

Johnsonville is 15-1 on the season and 10-1 in region play, traveling to Hannah-Pamplico Friday then hosting East Clarendon and Andrews next Monday and Wednesday.

“Our mindset is every game is a playoff game and we’re treating it as one-and-done,” Avant said. “We put all of our eggs in one basket on that game for that night and we’re not looking past anybody because these teams in this region are good and they got good coaches.”

In girls action, Jen’Lea Nichols scored a game-high 16 points to lead Mullins to a 73-14 win over Johnsonville.

The Lady Auctioneers cruised in the first half pulling away 43-7.

Janiya Swinton added 14 points for Mullins along with 11 points from Tameisha Lasane.