Basketball Recap: Newton Proves Higher State Rank Is No Mistake

It's playoff time, and Newton had no trouble coming through when it counted. They enjoyed a cozy 75-60 victory over the Hillgrove Hawks on Wednesday. Given the Rams' advantage in MaxPreps' Georgia basketball rankings (they are ranked ninth, while the Hawks are ranked 40th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

When it comes to explaining why Hillgrove lost, don't look at Evan Mott. Despite the final result, he went 6-for-11 to rack up 19 points and five boards. Mott continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryson Jatta, who posted 12 points.

Newton's win bumped their record up to 18-9. As for Hillgrove, their defeat dropped their record down to 20-10.

Looking ahead, Newton will take on Peachtree Ridge on Saturday. Peachtree Ridge will roll in looking for their seventh straight victory, something Newton surely won't give up without a fight. Hillgrove does not have any more games scheduled as of now.