After a strange week of several missed school days and practices due to bad weather and poor road conditions, and even though Fulton County Schools were closed on Friday, January 19, the Raiders were finally able to return to the gym for two important Region contests.
The Varsity Boys Basketball team hosted Sandy Springs rival North Springs on Friday, January 19, 2018 and won 70-64. With the win, the Raiders secured their second place standing in Region 6-AAAAA. The visitors came into the game looking to avenge a one-point loss earlier in the season; however, the Raiders were up for the challenge. Although the Spartans grabbed an early lead, a rally put the Raiders up 13-10 at the end of the first quarter. A three-point bomb by Sophomore Cody Kaplan at the end of the first half gave the Raiders a 29-25 edge going into the locker room. Kaplan calmly rejected a sure layup to drain the three pointer. Keeping the momentum and continuing the lock-down defense in the second half gave the Raiders a 45-37 lead going into the final quarter. At one point in the fourth, the hot Raiders built a 16-point lead, although the Spartans eventually ended the game trailing by six.
In the box score, it was the Rudy Fitzgibbons show offensively as he led all scorers with 32 big points. The senior was 9-14 from the floor and was a perfect 7-7 at the free throw line. Senior Christian Sutton contributed 15 points and 9 rebounds. It was a well-rounded scoring attack with nine different players scoring in the game.
The Varsity Boys Basketball team hosted the Region 6-AAAAA third place Lithia Springs Lions on Saturday, January 20, 2018 and won 73-61. The victory extends the winning streak to two games and was the eighth win in the last nine games. The Lions, eager to make a run at second place in the region, were not able to hang with the Raiders beyond the first quarter. Tied at 15 after one period, the Raiders dominated the rest of the game -- leading 39-20 at the half, 55-44 after three, and finishing with a 12-point margin.
Senior Rudy Fitzgibbons led the scoring attack with 21 points. He was 7-12 from the floor and 5-6 at the free throw line. Senior Christian Sutton added 17 points and a team-high 17 rebounds. Sophomore Cody Kaplan notched 13 points and shot 3-4 from long range.
Next on the schedule, the Raiders play on the road vs. Grady on Tuesday, January 23
Boys Varsity 2017-18 Schedule
