About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2018)
SPORTS Bill Murphy Sports Editor | 770-718-3415 | sports@gainesvilletimes.com Sftncs gainesvilletimes.com ★Saturday, December 1,2018 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP JOHN BAZEMORE I Associated Press Georgia quarterback Justin Fields (1) carries the ball against Massachusetts during the first half of the game Nov. 17 in Athens. League’s 2 best has been little surprise in 2018 Associated Press Nick Saban and Kirby Smart posed stiffly behind the trophy, forcing smiles for the cameras. Saban whispered some thing in his former assis tant’s ear, drawing a bit of a chuckle. Then, a quick handshake, and off they went in opposite directions. It was a formality that had to wait until the last day of November. But, really, they could’ve done it months ago. As soon as Ala bama and Georgia walked off the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium almost 11 months ago — the Crimson Tide in triumph, the Bull dogs in despair — a rematch seemed inevitable. Now, it’s here. On Saturday, at the very same place where the Tide captured the fifth national title of the Saban era, these two powerhouses will square off in another game with huge ramifications. A Southeastern Confer ence championship is on the line, as well as a trip to the College Foot ball Playoff. “We certainly want to win every game that we play,” said Saban, who is trying to guide the No. 1 Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0 SEC, No. 1 CFP) to its sixth national title in the last decade — perhaps the great est dynasty that college foot ball has ever seen and not far off the seemingly impos sible standard he sets for his program. Fourth-ranked Georgia (11-1,7-1, No. 4 CFP) is eager to start a dynasty of its own. Smart, a longtime assis tant under Saban who moved to Georgia in 2016, has already shown he can go head-to-head with his ex boss on the recruiting trail. Now, Smart is eager to prevail on the field. He sure came close the last time these teams met, watch ing his team squan der a pair of 13-point leads before Ala bama won 26-23 in overtime on a 41-yard touchdown pass while facing second-and-26. “We obviously have our challenges to try to continue to play at the standard that we’ve played at,” Saban said. “I have no doubt they’ll continue to have a very, very good program.” Despite all the titles, all the chances to savor its lau rels, Alabama never seems to waver from the single- minded focus of its coach. As soon as the Tide wins a national title, it starts look ing toward the next one. “We’ve been here before,” nose guard Quin- nen Williams said. “Every body knows when it’s time to come to work. You can be beat any day. You can be the best team in the country and get beat.” The Bulldogs made an unexpected run to the On TV When: 4 p.m. today Channel: CBS national title game last sea son, but this is right where they expected to be in 2018. Right where they expect to be for years to come. “Last year was a shocker,” linebacker Juwan Taylor said, “but this is what it’s going to be like at Georgia from now on. Championships.” Some things to watch for in the SEC champi onship game: FOURTHQUAR TER: If this game goes down to the wire, Alabama star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could see significant action in the fourth quarter for the first time all season. He has attempted — and com pleted — just three passes for 56 yards in the final 15 minutes. By contrast, Tago vailoa completed seven passes for 54 yards against the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter of last season’s national title game. Geor gia hasn’t faced many late challenges, either. The Bulldogs have gone to the fourth quarter with dou ble-digit leads in 10 of their 11 wins — the only exception being a victory over Florida, which they led 23-14 with one period left. DOMINATING THE EAST: Alabama hasn’t lost to an SEC East opponent in more than eight years. The Tide has a 23-game win ning streak over teams from the opposite division since a 35-21 loss to South Carolina on Oct. 9,2010. They are 4-0 in SEC championship games during that streak, including a 32-28 victory over Georgia in 2012. GEORGIA’S SECOND ARY: Tagovailoa has put up Heisman-worthy numbers in his first season as the starter , completing more than 70 percent of his passes for 3,189 yards and 36 touch downs with just two interceptions. Georgia coun ters with one of the nation’s best defensive backs, lockdown corner Deandre Baker. The Thorpe Award finalist has only two inter ceptions, none since Week 3, but that’s because teams rarely throw his way. It will be interesting to see if Tago vailoa goes right at Baker or sticks with the plan used by most Georgia opponents — look to the other side of the field, where the Bulldogs start redshirt freshman Eric Stokes but usually provide plenty of help for the young cornerback. UNSTOPPABLE FORCE VS IMMOVABLE OBJECT: Georgia is a ground-oriented team that has two backs closing in on 1,000 yards: D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield . If things are going well, the Bulldogs will hand the ball off on roughly two-thirds of their offensive plays. Smart Saban Tagovailoa HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL I Chestatee boys 62, Johnson 59 Making shots in the clutch War Eagles hit 11 of 12 at free throw line BY SARAH WOODALL swoodall@gainesvilletimes. com Kevin Strickland has already witnessed his Ches tatee High boys basketball program win games in a variety of ways this season. Whether it’s been from behind, holding on or pull ing away from the pack, the third-year coach has seen it all. And for the second time this season, the War Eagles were able to close it out from the free throw line Friday night against Johnson. The War Eagles were a near-perfect 11 of 12 from the charity stripe, includ ing 6 of 7 during the third period, and got a pair of well-timed baskets to hold on for a 62-59 victory. Cameron Gwyn, who racked up a team-high 21 points, was a perfect 5 of 5 from the line for Ches tatee (5-1), which snapped a two-game losing streak to Johnson and captured their ■ Please see RIVALRY, 4B RIVERSIDE MILITARY 71, CHEROKEE BLUFF 67 Eagles close strong Photos by AUSTIN STEELE I The Times Riverside Military’s Harrison Nash lays the ball up while Cherokee Bluff’s Griffin Neville defends during Friday’s game in Flowery Branch. Dabney hits floater in the final seconds to lock up win BY NATHAN BERG nberg@gainesvilletimes.com When it mattered most in Riv erside Military Academy’s basket ball game against Cherokee Bluff, Eagles coach Marvin Latham put his trust in his best players. So with the game tied up with less than 20 seconds left to play, Latham found a way to get the ball to sophomore guard Shad Dabney. Dabney drove through the middle of the paint, left his feet just past the free throw line and connected on a floater with under five seconds showing on the clock. The shot went down as the Riverside Military bench erupted into cheers, giving the Eagles a two-point lead in the road win that would eventually fin ish 71-67. “It’s Shad Dabney,” Latham said. “He’s a good player. You put the ball in his hands and tell him to do some thing with it, and we’ll live with the results. When you’ve got good play ers, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. Today was the good, so I appreciate it.” Dabney finished the game with 15 points, including his late, lead-taking shot, while senior Isaac Teasley led the Eagles (5-1) in scoring with 19 points. Junior Griffin Neville scored 18 to lead Cherokee Bluff (2-3). Senior Connor Boyd added 16 points for the Bears. “Our whole thing was just come, play physical and keep the game Cherokee Bluff’s Bosko Norman attempts to get around Riverside Military’s Orlando Stevens during Friday’s game in Flowery Branch. close the whole time, and either me or my boy Isaac Teasley was going to take the last shot,” Dabney said. “So we did what we had to do, kept the game close, and I just hit a big time shot to win the game.” Early on, it didn’t appear the Eagles would even make it a game, as Cherokee Bluff’s aggressive press defense stymied the visiting team in the opening frame. After Dabney hit the first basket of the contest less than 10 seconds in, the Bears went on a 17-4 run behind a pair of 3-pointers from Palmer Weaver. The Eagles, meanwhile, strug gled even to get the ball into play at times, and managed only 13 points through the first eight minutes. Still, Latham said he did not make any ■ Please see EAGLES, 4B SCOREBOARD Lakeview Academy boys win in OT Adam Cottrell led Lakeview Academy with a team-high 25 points, seven 3-pointers, in an overtime 81-70 win over Rabun Gap on Friday. The Lions out- scored Rabun Gap 13-2 in extra time. Blake McIntyre col lected a double-double with 14 points, 10 assists and five steals for Lakeview Academy. Arturo Varela (five assists) and Holden Cooper were also in double fig ures with 14 and 12 points, respectively. KJ Millwood picked up 10 points and eight rebounds for Lakev iew Academy (3-2). Lakeview Academy faces White County at 12:30 p.m. today in the North Georgia Showcase in Dahlonega. LAKEVIEW ACAD EMY GIRLS 76, RABUN GAP 73: Joelle Snyder had 18 points for the Lions in a double-overtime win against Rabun Gap on Friday. Also for the Lady Lions (4-2), Eliza Snyder scored 17 points, while Savannah Kinsey tallied 12 points. Sadie Thrailkill finished ■ Please see SCORES, 4B
