TRION, Ga. – If any good news can come out of a 65-point loss, Ed Clendenen was able to find it.
Moments after his outmanned Gordon Lee boys’ basketball team finished absorbing a 91-26 loss to Atlanta area private school St. Francis at the Region 6-A tournament Friday, Clendenen was able to smile at the thought that this will be the final time the Trojans will have to face any of the single-A private schools. Gordon Lee will be moving up to Class AA next year.
“I’m not going to miss this at all, watching these basketball factories play,” Clendenen said after his team’s season ended at 11-15. “The’ve got 100-200 kids in their school and at least three Division I players with three or four more that will play somewhere.
“They might not be the best team in Class A, but they’re the most talented. If they don’t win it, it won’t be from lack of talent, and they’re very well-coached as well. We couldn’t compete, bottom line. I hate to say that, but we were just out-classed out there.”
The news was better for host Trion in the late game. The 22-2 Bulldogs hit 12 of 16 free throws, including 6 of 8 in the final period, and held off Fellowship Christian, 43-34. Ethan Young led the winners, who will play St. Francis tonight at 8:30, with 10 points.