Hiram Ousted from Region Tournament

Saturday’s Region 5-AAAA tournament game between Alexander and Hiram was the kind of game where momentum seemed to change jerseys early and often.

“It was a game of runs,” said Hiram head coach Jermaine Sellers.

Alexander head coach David Cottrell echoed that point and said, “We answered their runs with our own runs.”

With all the runs being made in the game, it seemed that the team that had the last run would come out on top.

In the first quarter, Hiram’s zone defense forced the Cougars into long jump shots and held them to 11 points. The Hornets had a 6-point lead after one quarter thanks to a half-court buzzer-beater by Foday Bangura.

Alexander’s defense stepped up in the second quarter, holding Hiram to 6 points and swinging the lead to the Cougars' side, 26-23, at the half.

The Hornets came out in the third quarter and employed a full-court press that would swing the momentum back their way. Junior Charvis Baulding led the way with three 3-pointers in the quarter, and totaled 16 points in the game. Hiram built a 5-point lead after three quarters.

Following the theme of the game, the Cougars came out swinging in the final quarter of play.

Junior Deandre Harper had a big quarter for Alexander, scoring 16 of his team-high 25 in the fourth. But it was sophomore point guard Karim Mawuenyega who led the team on the floor.

“He’s playing his best basketball right now,” Cottrell said. “It’s no secret that’s good for us to start playing our best basketball.” Mawuenyega had 7 of his 17 points in the fourth as the Cougars held on for a 70-64 win.

Alexander advances to play Villa Rica on Wednesday. Looking ahead, Cottrell said Villa Rica’s guard play will be a focus for his team’s defense.

“They might be the best three guards, as a trio, in the region.”

The season comes to an end for Hiram but Sellers sees a bright future for the Hornets.

“It took a little longer to gel this year, but I feel good about what we have coming up through the ranks.”