GMC Prep hoops swept by ACE

Published 1:12 pm Thursday, November 21, 2024

The GMC Prep basketball teams were searching for their first wins of the season heading into the weekend Tuesday.

Both squads have begun the campaign at 0-2 after having dropped their opening bouts at Prince Avenue Christian and at home against ACE Charter.

The GMC Prep girls, under new head coach Nolan Baugh, fell 44-12 versus ACE inside Cordell Gym Tuesday.

The boys, being led by former girls head coach Shawn Dennis, were more competitive. The Bulldogs held a 39-35 lead with about seven minutes to go in the fourth, but lost 49-44.

Dennis said his team started the game playing great in basically all phases, but faltered in the final minutes.

“ACE just hit some shots down the stretch and we turned it over,” said Dennis.

The GMC Prep boys were without point guard Benjamin Vaughn for the second half as he was on the trainer’s table with an injury. His absence was noticeable as the Bulldogs turned the basketball over multiple times with the game on the line.

ACE took its last lead with just under two minutes to play when sophomore Jaylon Davis put back his own miss in the paint, making it 43-41 Gryphons. Brady Balkcom picked off a Bulldog skip pass attempt and laid it up on the other end plus the foul to up the visitors’ lead to five. The Bulldogs would get back to within three on two Justin Bullard free throws with 19 seconds remaining, but ACE moved the ball past half court on its ensuing possession, forcing GMC Prep to foul. Davis knocked down the pair of freebies to bring the non-region contest to its final tally.

Thomas Adams and Damien Moore led the Bulldogs with 11 points apiece. ACE had three in double figures with Davis’ 15, Ace Hatcher’s 13, and Camden Bailey’s 14.

Despite the loss, Dennis liked what he saw from his team in its second game. With players coming over from football, practices with the full squad have been limited. But playing the way the team did Tuesday, he believes a playoff berth is a reachable goal.

“We’re still trying to work the kinks out, but it was a big improvement from the last game,” the boys head coach said.

Dennis garnered over 100 coaching wins in his time leading the girls program at GMC Prep. He was asked Tuesday why he made the switch following the departure of former boys head Bo Kilby, who returned to John Milledge.

“I think it was time for a change,” Dennis said. “I had been coaching the girls for about 12 years. I felt like I was starting to get stagnant in my career.”

He steps into what is a more difficult region on the boys side with teams like Wilkinson County and Hancock Central. They are often tops in the region and regularly make deep playoff runs, but Dennis and his guys who “get after it” will try to make a little noise this season.

GMC Prep basketball returns to Cordell Gym Tuesday, Dec. 3, with home games versus Mount de Sales.