Eastside Eagles Defeat Clarke Central 37-35 in Last Second Victory

By: Holland Mowry

February 08, 2022

Athens, GA — In a neck-to-neck Tuesday night showdown, the Eastside Eagles defeated the Clarke Central Gladiators 37-35. Despite stellar performances from the Gladiators’ #10 Lamar Haynes and #21 Marcus Gillepsie, the two’s totaled 22-points were no match for the Eagles’ 45% shooting average. Eastside’s Raje Benton lead the scoring charge, scoring 8-points total and going 2-4 on 3-pointers. #0 Tim Prather and #30 Kaeson Saunders contributed five points each to the victorious total as well. On defense however, Jacquez Benton controlled the court, containing five rebounds total – a stat which undoubtedly contributes to the Gladiators’ downfall.

The win didn’t come without a fight however – the match could be considered a thrilling tug-of-war between which team lead the other. Initially, the Eagles came out swinging, holding onto the advantage till the second quarter. However, after a 10-point run from Gillepsie, Clark Central gained control of the lead at the half and held onto it until the fourth.

The Eagles clinched the victory in the final moments as they overcame a seven-point drought in the fourth, leading the Gladiators 35-34 with 31.6 seconds left in the game. Regardless, Clarke Central’s #44 Rod Jones answered the call as he tied it at the free throw line with 6.9 seconds to go. Despite the charge, the Eagles conquered the Gladiators as Benton delivered their opponents seal of fate; he secured a last-second layup, making the final 37-35, Eastside Eagles.

Looking ahead, Clarke Central will tip-off at Walnut Grove on February 11th, while Eastside hopes to continue their victorious run at Loganville.