The Putnam County War Eagles waltzed into their game on Friday with six straight wins but they left with seven. They snuck past Washington County with a 44-38 victory. Given Putnam County's advantage in MaxPreps' Georgia basketball rankings (they are ranked 103rd, while Washington County is ranked 253rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Putnam County's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Journey Waller, who scored 12 points along with three steals. Waller has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last five times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Kamyra Aikens, who scored eight points along with five rebounds and three steals.
Washington County's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Emmya Gamble, who scored 13 points along with six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Jade Kitchens, who scored eight points along with ten rebounds and six assists.
Putnam County pushed their record up to 13-2 with that win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 65.1 points per game. As for Washington County, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 6-5.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Putnam County will take on Glenn Hills at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Washington County won't have much time to rest: their next game is against Baldwin at 6:00 p.m. on January 6th. Averaging 60 so far this season, Baldwin's high-powered offense has been in full-swing lately, so Washington County better be ready for a challenge.
