BHS teams set up to make state tournament

  • Jordan Webb (2) drives toward the basket against pressure from the Howard Huskies.
    Jordan Webb (2) drives toward the basket against pressure from the Howard Huskies.
  • Averaging 12.2 points per game, Janaye Walker (5) is second in scoring for BHS this year.
    Averaging 12.2 points per game, Janaye Walker (5) is second in scoring for BHS this year.
  • Baldwin senior Jacobi Nixon (20) is a team leader, on and off the court.
    Baldwin senior Jacobi Nixon (20) is a team leader, on and off the court.

    Baldwin High School will have both its boys’ and girls’ basketball teams in the first round of the GHSA Class 4A state tournament next week.

    The Braves finished the regular season with a 14-10 overall record and an 8-4 in region play. That earned them the overall two seed in Region 2’s area tournament, and head coach Anthony Webb’s squad has found some momentum as of late.

    They ended their regular season with a 31-point road win over the West Laurens Raiders, and began the region tournament with a 16-point win over the Griffin Bears last Tuesday.

    Head coach Kizzy Walker’s girls squad is currently 18-7 and 11-1 in region play, and has been riding the momentum they found back at the beginning of January.

    The Bravettes are currently on a 13-game winning streak, and their most recent victory came against the Spaulding Jaguars in the first round of the region tournament with the final score being 82-12.

    Both teams are automatically guaranteed a spot in the state playoffs, but they are successful for different reasons.

    Baldwin’s boys’ team relies on its defensive aggression to cause issues for opponents. In its last five games, the Braves have allowed less than 55 points in each of them.

    The Baldwin squad’s ability to switch back-and-forth from a full-court press to a half-court set confuses opposing teams and can throw them off their rhythm.

    The girls’ team also plays tough on the defensive end but has recently relied on its scoring to defeat opposing programs. The Bravettes have scored more than 75 points in four of its last five contests.

    Walker’s team has seen a tremendous increase in offensive production since its last loss to Griffin which came on Jan. 3. The Bravettes averaged just over 52 points per game before the loss to the Bears, but since then the team averages 68 points scored per game.

    The Braves and Bravettes both made the state playoffs last year too, and both have the potential to make it even further than they did previously.

    Last season, the boy’s team fell to Marist in the second round while the girl’s team made it all the way to the semifinals before getting knocked out by Luella High School.

    With both teams having seemingly found their identities, Baldwin may see both basketball programs make a run for the state championship come March.