FRANKLIN
The Franklin High School Broncos had their work cut out for them as they played a tough team, the Brunswick High School Bulldogs, in the Peggy Wilkins Gym on Friday.

The Bulldogs were in control and led in scoring the whole game until early in the fourth quarter of play when the Broncos’ Drelyn Ford tied the game at 51 all. Ford next fouled on a shot, then dropped in three free throws to put the Broncos ahead for the first time in the game with a score of 54-51. He came back again and connected with a 3-point basket to put the Broncos up 57-51 with 6:50 left on the clock. The Bulldogs quickly fought back and with 5:09 remaining to be played tied the score again at 57 all.

From that point, the score either seesawed or tied until the .35 mark in the game when Ford again tied the game at 68 all. A Bulldog turnover gave the Broncos the ball with 15.1 left on the clock.

Franklin High School head coach Robby Cutchins said, “We put ourselves in a position to have the ball with .15 left and we took a time out and drew up a good possession for a good play, but unfortunately we turned it over (11.4 remaining in game.) We went down and played great defense, but I think we got a tie on a jump ball. But the official calls a foul and I thought it was on the floor. All my kids clashed at the first shot to get the rebound ‘cause it was one-and-one, and then the officials say ‘No, it is two shots.’”

The Bulldogs’ Jadain Firman missed the first free-throw, but hit the second one to give the Bulldogs a score of 69-68. The Broncos had the last possession with 2.9 on the clock and their throw-in was picked off to seal the win for the Bulldogs.

For the fourth quarter it was all Ford as he scored 17 of the Broncos 18 points. He was also was perfect from the free throw line for the whole game. In the fourth quarter hitting eight points and also hitting another six points in the second quarter. In scoring for the Broncos, Ford was the only player in double figures with 35 points.

The Bulldogs had four players in double figures. They were: Jordan Wesson 15 points; JaQuan Miller and Jadan Firman both scored 13 points apiece; and Diamonte Brodnax had 10 points.

In further comments after the game, Cutchins said, “A tough one to say the least. My hat is off to the kids. I think we were down every quarter of the game. It is hard to swallow but my hat’s off to the kids because at the end of the day they never stopped fighting and we will continue to fight and sooner or later the tide has got to turn for these young men and these close games against quality basketball teams.”