TUNNEL HILL, Ga. – The Northwest Whitfield boys’ basketball team had lived off pressure defense and fast-break offense all season.
Matched up with Madison County’s stifling 2-3 zone Friday night in the first round of the GHSA Class AAAA state tournament, the Bruins’ style had no answers.
The end result for Northwest was a very poor shooting night, 19 turnovers and a 61-39 loss to the Red Raiders that brought the Region 6 runner-up’s season to a close with a 16-12 record.
The Red Raiders (10-18) advance to next week’s second round to take on either Spalding or Woodward Academy.
Just four days after a 10-point loss to LaFayette on the same court in the region title game, the Bruins followed by forcing tough shots and turning the ball over in the paint against Madison County’s zone defense. Northwest shot just 15% (2-for-13) in the first quarter and 33% (4-for-12) in the second quarter, and the Bruins were 2-for-12 (16%) from 3-point range in a first half that ended with them trailing by double digits.