Basketball Recap: Friday's Defeat Ends Gaffney's Winning Streak

While it was all tied up 45-45 at halftime, Gaffney was not quite James F. Byrnes's equal in the second half on Friday. They fell 83-76 to the James F. Byrnes Rebels. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their prior game last Tuesday (64), the Indians still had to take the loss.

When it comes to explaining why Gaffney lost, don't look at Londin Bailey. Despite the final result, he went 9 for 17 on his way to 23 points and seven boards. Those 23 points gave Bailey a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Deylen Whitaker, who posted 13 points and eight rebounds.

Even though they lost, Gaffney smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in three consecutive matches.

It was another big night for Colt Fowler, who dropped a double-double on 34 points and ten assists for James F. Byrnes. Fowler has been hot for a while, having posted eight or more assists the last 13 times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Evan Enos, who went 5 of 9 en route to 12 points.

The defeat snapped Gaffney's winning streak at three games and leaves them with a 7-13 record. As for James F. Byrnes, they pushed their record up to 22-0 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Gaffney will square off against Dorman at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Dorman will roll in looking for their sixth straight victory, something Gaffney surely won't give up without a fight. As for James F. Byrnes, they will take on Spartanburg at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in James F. Byrnes' favor is that they have posted at least 55 points every time they've taken the court this season.