Ragsdale Basketball Sweep Bobcats in Thrilling Doubleheader
courtesy of Mike Fanning for GreensboroSports.com
The Ragsdale Tigers basketball teams earned a clean sweep over the Glenn Bobcats in a dramatic doubleheader that saw both the boys and girls squads find ways to claim their first victory of the young season. With both teams now standing at 1-1, the Tigers have established that they have a young core that is going to be very competitive this season.
The Ragsdale Lady Tigers set the tone for the evening with a dominant 48-30 performance. After a strong opening, the Lady Tigers exploded in the second quarter, building a commanding 29-13 lead by halftime that the Bobcats could never challenge. Seven different Ragsdale players got into the scoring column. Leading the charge was Ja’mya Boddie (16 points), who followed up her 15-point season opener with another superb offensive outing, allowing her to rest for most of the final quarter. Fellow standout Aaliya Boddie contributed 13 points, while Marlei Williams added 9 points, showcasing the team’s multifaceted scoring attack. The victory highlighted the Lady Tigers’ great rebounding advantage and fast-break capability.
If the girls’ game was a controlled showcase, the boys’ matchup was an absolute battle, ultimately ending with the Ragsdale Tigers holding on for a hard-fought 64-59 win.
The game was a seesaw affair early on, with Glenn using a powerful second quarter to carry a narrow 30-27 advantage into the locker room. But Tiger Head Coach Michael McNeil clearly made the necessary adjustments at the break, and Ragsdale came out firing, outscoring the Bobcats by six in the pivotal third quarter to take a 43-40 lead into the final frame.
What followed was pure, chaotic drama. The teams traded the lead relentlessly throughout the last eight minutes. The intensity boiled over when Ragsdale’s leading scorer, sophomore AJ Patrick (13 points), was hit with double technical fouls and disqualified from the contest with 3 mins to play.
With their primary offensive threat gone and the game hanging in the balance, a new hero emerged in sophomore Sy Souleymane. Trailing by one, Souleymane delivered two monster buckets in the closing minutes, scoring the last five points for the Tigers and slamming the door shut on the Bobcats. Souleymane finished the night with 13 clutch points.
Ragsdale’s strong sophomore class was also bolstered by Roy Worth, who played a terrific second half en route to a team-high 14 points. For Glenn, their chances evaporated when their leading scorer, Semaj Galloway (17 points), fouled out with two minutes remaining, leaving the Bobcats unable to match Ragsdale’s late-game surge.