Athletics News
Season Recap: Boys Basketball
A young roster with very few players who had varsity experience still kept the status quo, advancing to another state playoff appearance under coach Cody Coleman. In a season marked with several ups and downs, a couple of senior leaders led by example while the young players are primed to learn from the experience.
The Indians began the season on a high note with back-to-back wins over Lanier Christian and White County, as a handful of players got their first taste of varsity level basketball. Sophomore Timothy 'Neyo' Bain was one such player, as he made an immediate impact in the opener against Lanier Christian, tying a school record with seven steals in a game. He later topped that with eight the next time the teams squared off.
An 11-game losing streak quickly followed the 2-0 start, as the boys kept trying to find their footing while dealing with injuries among other challenges. The next win over Lanier Christian was just what TFS needed, and a region victory over Elbert County and later against eventual region champs Athens Christian was huge for the team's morale.
In the region play-in game against Commerce, the Indians grabbed a win that secured a fifth consecutive playoff berth. In the region semifinals, TFS played well against Athens Christian, losing by less than 10 points as Bain put up a 30-point performance. Tallulah Falls ended as the 4-seed from 8-A DI, and dropped their road state playoff game at Jasper County to end the season.
The Indians finished 7-22 overall, as senior Zakhar Valasiuk earned All-Region honors. Bain and junior Hayden Bootle were Honorable Mentions. Bain (11.2 PTS) and Valasiuk (10.1) were the leading scorers, while Bootle (8.7 PTS, 6.5 REB, 23 total blocks) had a solid season as well. Bain's 58 assists and 67 steals led the team. The latter marks the third-most in a single season in TFS history, just shy of the record of 73. Seniors Valasiuk and Sam Ketch were instrumental to the team's success and proved to be great leaders throughout.
JV BOYS
The JV Indians were 9-5 overall and 3-1 in region play. Several players got the bulk of their minutes on the JV team while also having their fair share of time at the varsity level, including Brian Neely, Judah McIntosh, Bryson Perdue, Todor Stanimiriovic, and others. Neely and McIntosh ended up emerging as varsity starters and did very well throughout the season.
The JV Indians started their season 4-0 after wins over Lanier Christian, Towns County, White County, and Stephens County. They later picked up victories over Lanier Christian, Prince Avenue Christian, Elbert County, and Commerce. The Indians had a double-overtime win against Commerce in their home finale, and closed their season with a loss at Rabun County.