The Gatewood boys’ basketball team is heading into this week with only three non-region games left. The Gators (10-3) will begin league play next Tuesday (Jan. 24) against Piedmont Academy.
They will face Peachtree Academy, Young Americans Christian and Edmund Burke Academy - three teams they’ve already defeated - this week before GIAA Region 2-AA competition.
The Gators rode a six-game winning streak into Saturday’s contest against Trinity Christian; however, the Crusaders broke that good fortune with a 79-66 victory in Eatonton.
“On Friday night, we scored 89 points, and had to play a whole game,” Gatewood head coach Don Keiser said. “I just don’t think we had anything left in the tank for Trinity on Saturday.”
The two teams came out exchanging blows with each other, but Trinity led 37-35 at the break.
“It didn’t look like we had our legs because we had to play a late night on Friday,” Keiser added. “They (Trinity) had an easy matchup against Bulloch (Academy) the night before.”
The Crusaders outscored Gatewood 14-7 in the third quarter and headed to the fourth up by nine. Their lead would grow to as many as 19 points late in the game against the Gators.
Gatewood was able to make a run and cut the deficit to 10 points, although Trinity was able to put the contest away with free-throw opportunities to secure the win.
“Our performance in the third quarter hurt us. We then made a great run, cut it to 10 and started fouling,” Keiser said. “They were able to hit their foul shots but it was a great game. We just didn’t have anything left in the tank. Luckily, that’s our last back-to-back game this year.”
The Gators began the new part of their schedule with wins over Thomas Jefferson Academy (72-50; 79-41), Edmund Burke Academy (69-53) and Briarwood Academy (89-75).
Gatewood’s loss to Trinity Christian was the first defeat to a GISA school all season. The Gators’ only other losses have been to GHSA opponent and rival GMC Prep earlier this campaign. Heading into region play, Keiser hopes to secure a championship heading into the state playoffs.
“I’m very excited. We need to win out,” he said. “Brentwood (Academy) is going to be tough and so is Piedmont (Academy). We’ve got a pretty tough region, and if you don’t bring your A-game night-in-and-night-out, you’ll lose some. You can’t take anybody lightly.”
The game against Piedmont (2-10) next Tuesday is in Monticello and it is important to Keiser.
“I am in my second full year and even as an assistant, we haven’t won over there,” Keiser said. “They haven’t been winning, but it’s always at the back of my mind that we haven’t won there.”
Gatewood then hosts Brentwood Academy the following Friday. After playing the War Eagles, the Gators travel to take on Westminster Christian in Watkinsville the next Tuesday.
Keiser’s squad has the potential to head into Region 2-AA play with a 13-3 overall record. The Gators are getting good play out of everyone on their roster from top to bottom.
Even so, he doesn’t want his players to get complacent heading into the final stretch of the season.
“We have a talented group of kids, but we need to keep on fighting,” Keiser said. “I feel good about this group. They’ve formed a connection and they like to play together as a unit.”
Players such as Jackson Morris, Walker Roberts, Matt Allen and Kaiden Keiser are playing well. But others are contributing just as much - both on and off the court - for the Gators.
“Connection is important,” Keiser said. “We have a tough stretch ahead but I know we can handle it.”