Bartow dominates boards, opens with dominant win over East Jackson

After winning the first five games of its season, Bartow’s December quickly went the other direction.

The Yellow Jackets dropped back-to-back games to Wellington and Norland, a pair of Florida schools coming off state championships from last year. Then it was three straight defeats to Chaminade, Wesleyan Christian Academy and Father Tolton during the City of Palms tournament. All of a sudden, a Bartow squad with aspirations of adding a fifth all-time state title of its own later this season was sitting at .500 heading into the Beach Ball Classic.

Make that one game over.

Terrence McGriff’s team won its tournament opener on Tuesday, defeating East Jackson (Ga.) 89-58.

“We didn’t lose five in a row to Sisters of the Poor,” McGriff said. “The first two losses were to the defending state champions. The other three were to ranked teams. It’s really hard. I tell my fans, ‘We aren’t trying to lose those games. The other teams have something to do with it.’ So that’s the difference. We play those games and struggle and we’re searching.”

What Bartow found during its first game at the Beach Ball was a monstrous rebounding advantage that led to a double-digit halftime lead that only stretched after the break. Six-foot-11 senior center Tony Bradley had 18 boards to go along with 29 points. Teammate Justin Serrano, in his first year after transferring, had 24 points and 12 boards.

Both of those players were one board shy of a double-double before halftime.

“I think we can both be dangerous,” said Bradley, a North Carolina signee. “If both of us rebound like that, it’s going to be a problem.”

In total, the Yellow Jackets finished the game with a 57-18 difference in the category.

“You could see that visually, even they get the defensive rebounds,” East Jackson assistant coach and interim head coach Jason Rainey said. “They get the offensive put-backs. It’s demoralizing. I think six of their first 10 points were put-backs. It kills you.”

Within three minutes of the second half, the damage was clearly having an impact. Bartow led by 20 points, and even with Drue Drinnon eventually finishing with 28 in the game, the Eagles didn’t have the tools necessary to overcome the height disadvantage.

“With Tony, they have no answer for him,” McGriff said. “Tony’s averaging 28 and 15 against top-50 guys inside [last week in the City of Palms]. They have kids already committed he’s doing that on. I’m not afraid to say it; I’m glad he’s on our team. If he wasn’t on our team, we probably wouldn’t be in these tournaments.”

And at least to start the Beach Ball, Bartow and its top weapon have already had a little more success.

This story was originally published December 28, 2015 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Bartow dominates boards, opens with dominant win over East Jackson."