Newton Remains Georgia's Top Team, Cruises To 75-44 Win Over Archer In Final Regular Season Game

On Friday, Georgia's No. 1 ranked boys basketball team, the Newton Rams hosted the Archer Tigers in their final regular season game. Both teams would score quickly to make it a 2-2 game with 6:34 to go in the opening quarter but Newton would go on a 7-2 run as their defense began to cause problems for the Tigers forcing Archer to use a timeout as Newton led 9-4. Out of the timeout Newton would go another 7-2 run to go up 16-6 with 2:25 remaining in the first quarter. Newton would continue to dominate Archer throughout the first quarter as they led 24-11 at the end of the opening period.

As the second quarter got underway, Archer would score back to back baskets off Newton turnovers to cut into Newton’s lead but the Rams would get a couple of baskets of their own including a big 3-point basket by #12 Sr. Dante Johnson to lead 31-17 with 5:43 to go in the first half. Newton’s defense would continue to cause problems for Archer as the Rams would go up 41-21 with 1:31 to go in the second quarter and would go on to take a 43-23 lead into the half. At the start of the second half, Archer would back to back baskets to cut the Newton lead to 43-27 but Newton would finally answer back to make it a 45-27 game with 5:48 to go in the third quarter.

As play continued, Archer decided to slow things down in attempt to take momentum away from Newton but despite the slow paced play of the quarter, Newton ended the quarter with a 59-35 lead. At the start of the fourth quarter back to back 3-point baskets would lift Newton to a 65-35 lead with 6:51 remaining in the game as the Rams dominance continued. The Rams would eventually sit their starts as the final period of play would continue the Rams were leading 72-42 with 1:59 remaining in the game. The Rams would go on to win by a final score of holding on to their No. 1 ranking in Georgia. Top performers for the Rams were #5 Sr. Isaiah Miller (12 pts), #0 So. Ashton Hagans (14 pts) and #15 Sr. Darvin Joines (13 pts).