Georgia Bulletin

The Newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

  • Our Lady of Mercy High School junior Nonso Emefo drives to the basket in the final minute of the Feb. 1 game against Trinity Christian School of Sharpsburg. Emefo had 21 points in the 48-41 loss. Four of his made baskets were from three-point range. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Our Lady of Mercy High School senior Jalen Dincol (#13) throws a
  • Our Lady of Mercy senior Jais Toles (#22) stands on the front end of the team's two-three zone. Toles was one of five basketball seniors recognized at halftime during the school's Feb. 1 Senior Night. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Jais Toles (#22) brings the ball up the court during the second half of Our Lady of Mercy's Feb. 1 game against Trinity Christian School. After trailing by 10 points at halftime, Mercy would close the gap, but the team would still lose its final game of the season 48-41. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • The Our Lady of Mercy High School pep band known as “Burnjar” consist of (clockwise, from left) senior Ryan Clemens on bass, sophomore Sebastian Ponce on drums and Jack Studdard on guitar. The band, which was formed in Jan. 2019, plays alternative rock and metal music during halftime and time-outs. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • During the closing minutes of the game, Our Lady of Mercy High School junior guard John Wilson, left, plays some tight defense on Trinity Christian guard Tyler Whitfield (#2). Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Our Lady of Mercy High School junior Anthony Ogbonna (#24) passes the ball to his teammate on the wing, Jais Toles (#22). Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Our Lady of Mercy senior Robert Wheeler and his teammates turned up their defense as the team mounted its final attempt to erase a three-point deficit in the game's closing minutes. Trinity Christian would go on to defeat Mercy 48-41. Photo By Michael Alexander

Our Lady of Mercy High School junior Nonso Emefo drives to the basket in the final minute of the Feb. 1 game against Trinity Christian School of Sharpsburg. Emefo had 21 points in the 48-41 loss. Four of his made baskets were from three-point range. Photo By Michael Alexander

Fayetteville

Mercy boys come up short after second-half rally

By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer | Published February 7, 2019

FAYETTEVILLE—The Our Lady of Mercy boys’ basketball team almost overcame a 10-point halftime deficit on Feb. 1, but Trinity Christian School, Sharpsburg, held on to defeat them 48-41.

At the beginning of the third period, Mercy went on 10-0 run to pull to within four points, but with less than 1:00 remaining in the period, Trinity Christian went on its own 6-0 to extend its lead to 10 once again.

With 2:07 left in the fourth and final period, the Mercy Bobcats had clawed and scratched their way to within three points of tying the game at 40-43. In the final 43 seconds and Trinity Christian clinging to a 44-41 lead, Mercy went scoreless, while Trinity Christian converted four of its final six free throw attempts.

Mercy junior Nonso Emefo finished with 21 points in the loss. Four of his made baskets were three-pointers. In addition to his tenacious defense, fellow junior John Wilson provided six valuable points in the game’s final period. Mercy finishes the regular 2018-2019 season with a record of 10-15. Najgee Gatson is head basketball coach at Mercy and Charlie Criss is the assistant coach.