MACON - Anthony Cuti scored six points as the Houston County Sharks opened the second half with a 13-0 run and went on to a 35-16 victory over the Clayton County Eagles in the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs wheelchair basketball championship game Saturday at the Macon Coliseum.
Houston County continued its run of success, winning the championship for the 11th time in 12 seasons. The Sharks had won a record eight consecutive titles before coming up short in 2021 and have now won three straight. Clayton County was seeking its first title.
“They just keep winning,” first-year Houston County coach Jeffrey Martin said. “The varsity is a great group of kids to work with. They are disciplined, and they work hard daily. It is hard to follow in those footsteps that have already been here, because like I said, this is a winning team, not just in basketball but in football and handball. And they don’t mind working. They want to work.”
The AAASP championship game is held in conjunction with the GHSA basketball finals each season. The wheelchair games are played in two halves consisting of three eight-minute quarters with a running clock.
Houston County led just 18-12 at halftime, but Cuti had six points, Caden Nelson had four and JaQuavious West had three as the Sharks outscored Clayton County 13-0 in the fourth quarter for a 31-12 lead.
After a scoreless fifth quarter, Clayton County’s Edward Rhone ended the run with a basket in the final period, during which each team scored four points.
Rhone scored the first two points of the game, but Houston County scored the next 12 and led 14-4 at the end of the second quarter. Clayton County’s Andrew Dotson had eight third-quarter points, helping the Eagles get within 18-12 at halftime.
Cuti led all scorers with 16 points. The Sharks also got eight points from Nelson, seven from West and two each from Caleb Jordan and Laila Kindness.
Dotson led Clayton County with 10 points. Rhone finished with four, and Jaedin Lowe had two.
About the Author
