The Putnam County boys basketball team’s season came to an end in the Elite Eight with an 81–72 loss at Fitzgerald on March 4.
The Purple Hurricane used a strong second half to pull away and secure a spot in the Final Four.
“One of our biggest issues this year was battling complacency,” Putnam County head coach Patrick Marshall said after the loss. “I remember talking about that a lot early in the season. When we played teams that were on our level — teams that were pretty good like us — we’d hit them first, and then they’d hit back.”
Fitzgerald certainly responded in the second half after trailing 43–36 at the break. The Purple Hurricane opened the third quarter with a 7–0 run, sparked by senior guard Victor Copeland. The two teams traded leads until midway through the quarter, with Putnam County clinging to a 52–50 edge. Fitzgerald answered with a 5–0 run and carried a 61–56 lead into the fourth.
While the War Eagles prefer a fast-paced, transition-heavy style of play, Fitzgerald slowed the tempo in the third quarter, forcing Putnam County to adjust.
The War Eagles rely on a balanced scoring attack from seniors Tamaud Woodson and Jmari Greene, along with junior Jaylen Nelson. However, the Purple Hurricane defense got them out of rhythm in the second half.
Copeland and junior Javeon Vickers continued to deliver timely shots to open the fourth quarter, giving Fitzgerald a 73–63 lead with 3:23 remaining. Putnam County responded, cutting the deficit to five with Woodson hitting two free throws and Nelson nailing a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions.
But it wasn’t enough. The Purple Hurricane’s offensive spark — led by Copeland, Vickers, freshman Darryon Devine, and senior Jeff Hicks — proved unstoppable in the closing minutes, allowing Fitzgerald to seal the win.
“That second half is when we struggled,” Marshall said. “When they punched back the second time, we didn’t.”
Fitzgerald started the game strong, jumping to a 10–2 lead in the first quarter. But the War Eagles, fueled by Woodson, went on a 10–0 run of their own. The first quarter ended with the War Eagles holding a narrow 22–20 lead.
The second quarter saw Fitzgerald open with a 5–0 run, only for Putnam County to respond with a 10–0 burst over the next few minutes to take a 32–25 lead with 4:47 remaining. Both teams’ early runs were fueled by forcing turnovers on defense, resulting in transition baskets and second-chance points.
“In every loss, we had a lead. We made that first hit, but when they hit us back, we kind of imploded,” Marshall said. “That was our Achilles’ heel this season, and it showed up again against Fitzgerald.”
Woodson led the War Eagles with a team-high 28 points, surpassing the 1,000-point milestone on a layup late in the second quarter. Nelson added 15, Jeremy Banks contributed 11, and Greene finished with 10.
Copeland led Fitzgerald with 32 points, while Vickers scored 15, Devine 13, and Hicks 12.
Putnam County finished the season at 23–8. Fitzgerald advanced to the Final Four but fell to Rabun County, 71–59.