By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

GUYTON – The South Effingham Mustangs didn’t let one loss beat them twice last weekend.

After looking defenseless in a 96-63 loss to Bradwell Institute on Friday night, the Mustangs salvaged a split with a 67-61 victory over Glynn Academy on Saturday.

SEHS (7-11) equalled its most wins in a basketball season since going 7-19 during the 2019-20 season.

The Mustangs trailed Glynn by two entering the fourth quarter, but fought back to win behind the backcourt trio of Will Harlin, Michael Hall and Marcus Campbell which combined for 39 points.

“We were upset by the loss (on Friday) but they withstood it and played better on Saturday,” SEHS coach Rico Campbell said.

It was a monumental turnaround considering the start of the weekend against Bradwell. The Mustangs trailed 8-0 during the first 82 seconds and fell behind 27-9 after the first quarter.

Bradwell scored 31 points – 17 during a span of 2:26 – in the second quarter to lead 58-31 at halftime.

The Tigers added 25 points in the third quarter and the only question remaining was would they hit 100.

“We got down and we panicked and that was pretty much it,” Coach Campbell said. “We played better in the second half (outscored only 38-32) but it was over in the first half.”

Despite the setback, several Mustangs displayed offensive bursts. Harlin finished with 19 points, 13 in the first half. Sophomore guard Keiyan Wade added 13 points, including three 3-pointers, in 14 minutes of play.

Lady Mustangs drop two

South Effingham’s girls were overwhelmed by Bradwell Institute on Friday night but played better against Glynn Academy on Saturday night.

Bradwell (18-2) held the Mustangs (6-13) to just five field goals while administering a 68-16 rout. Glynn defeated South 24 hours later 53-34 in Brunswick although the Mustangs, without leading scorer Hayden Johanson, trailed by only six with a minute left in the third quarter before the Red Terror pulled away.

Johanson suffered an injury in the fourth quarter of the Bradwell game. Johanson and freshman Kaylan Hamilton had six points apiece to lead the Mustangs. South was outscored 35-1 in a span of 13:37 of the first half when a 5-2 lead tumbled into a 37-6 deficit.

Bradwell, the No. 7 team in Class 5A according to ScoreAtlanta, had runs of 18, 17 and 16 straight points.

In the Glynn game, the Mustangs trailed 30-24 with one minute left in the third quarter, but the Terrors scored the final six points of the quarter and South never got closer than nine the rest of the way.