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Sophomore Matt Allen (12) scored 51 points in a win over Piedmont Academy, setting a new program record for points scored in a single game. IAN TOCHER/Staff -
Gatewood senior power forward Blake Callaway (5) goes up for a layup. IAN TOCHER/Staff
The Gatewood Gators opened region play last week with consecutive victories over visiting Piedmont Academy on Tuesday and at Brentwood on Friday night. The results boosted Gatewood to 16-2 overall, putting it first in the GIAA Region 2-AA standings.
The 105-42 final against Piedmont included a new Gators’ single-game scoring record for sophomore Matt Allen, fresh off passing the 1,000-point mark just a couple of days earlier, as he drained 51 points, including eight shots from beyond the arc.
Allen also had five steals in the game, while junior Kaden Keiser had a double-double with 16 points and 11 assists. Six-foot-five junior Jake Rich led the Gators with nine rebounds, while Keiser added six more.
The game was never in doubt for Gatewood. After leading 61-20 at halftime and seeing Allen set the school record, head coach Don Keiser opted to rest his starters and went with JV players to finish out the fourth quarter.
Despite knowing Piedmont was in the midst of a winless season heading into Eatonton, Keiser said he told his team before the game, “We cannot rest.”
“I told my guys, ‘We’ve got a chance to get to that number-one spot and we cannot take anybody lightly.’ So, I told them to come out and jump on it. We went with the big lineup tonight with Jake (Rich) and Trey (Wiggins) down low and Kaden and Matt, and it worked out pretty good for us.”
Two days later, the Gators were on the bus to Sandersville, where the War Eagles were riding an 11-game winning streak, including their last four at home.
Regardless, the Gators again took control from the opening tipoff, scoring 14 points in each of the first two quarters to take a 28-11 lead into halftime. By the end of the third quarter with a commanding 44-18 lead, Keiser once more rested his starters and though Brentwood won the final quarter 19-18, the scoreboard showed a 62-37 decision in Gatewood’s favor.
Allen added 29 to his points total plus five steals, followed by Keiser with another double-double at 14 points and 13 rebounds, senior Blake Callaway added seven points and 13 rebounds, while Wiggins had six points and 14 rebounds.
In another in-region game, the Gators were scheduled to host the Westminster Christian Academy Lions (3-14, 1-1) on Tuesday night (after press time), then head west to Monticello this Friday for a rematch against Piedmont. The team then visits Augusta on Feb. 5 to face Augusta Prep Day, a non-region team it beat 74-44 at home last month.