Spalding High boys basketball coach Cecil Spear likes the way his team is playing heading into the Christmas break. What’s not to like? The Jaguars (6-1 overall, 4-1 Region 4-AAA) have won all of their games except for one, a one-point loss in overtime three games ago at Woodland-Stockbridge, heading into a 14-day break.

Spalding rebounded from the loss with region wins of 74-57 Friday at Eagle’s Landing and 70-51 Saturday at Luella.

“The boys are really playing well right now,” said Spear, in his fourth year at Spalding.

Senior Brandon Gaughren led the way Friday with a career-high 24 points and 11 rebounds, while classmate Aramis Jester added 16 points and 8 rebounds. Rounding out SHS’s leaders were Willie Hamm and Terrell Love with 9 points and 6 rebounds each.

SHS led ELHS 19-12 at the end of the first quarter, 36-30 at the half and 54-40 heading into the fourth quarter where they outscored ELHS 20-17.

Jester led the team a night later, scoring 17 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a game the Jags led 22-11 after the first quarter, 37-23 at the half and 52-37 going into the fourth.

Others to place in double-digit scoring Saturday for Spalding included Chris Mays with 12, as well as Gaughren and Rodney Gilbert with 11 each .

First-year Spalding girls coach Demetrius King is also just as pleased with his team (5-2 overall, 3-2 Region 4-AAA) after a region sweep on the road last weekend. The Lady Jags took down Eagle’s Landing 69-54 Friday and Luella 63-48 Saturday.

SHS’s Twin Towers - 6-foot-2 junior Shakeva Richards and 6-foot-4 sophomore Elem Ibiam - led the way both nights. Richards scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds Friday and had 16 points and 12 rebounds Saturday, while Ibiam had 19 points and 12 rebounds Friday and 21 points and 9 rebounds Saturday.